The Forsyte Saga - Volume 3 - Page 199/204

"This is the last Will and Testament of me Timothy Forsyte of The Bower

Bayswater Road, London I appoint my nephew Soames Forsyte of The Shelter

Mapleduram and Thomas Gradman of 159 Folly Road Highgate (hereinafter

called my Trustees) to be the trustees and executors of this my Will To

the said Soames Forsyte I leave the sum of one thousand pounds free

of legacy duty and to the said Thomas Gradman I leave the sum of five

thousand pounds free of legacy duty."

Soames paused. Old Gradman was leaning forward, convulsively gripping a

stout black knee with each of his thick hands; his mouth had fallen

open so that the gold fillings of three teeth gleamed; his eyes were

blinking, two tears rolled slowly out of them. Soames read hastily on.

"All the rest of my property of whatsoever description I bequeath to

my Trustees upon Trust to convert and hold the same upon the following

trusts namely To pay thereout all my debts funeral expenses and

outgoings of any kind in connection with my Will and to hold the residue

thereof in trust for that male lineal descendant of my father Jolyon

Forsyte by his marriage with Ann Pierce who after the decease of all

lineal descendants whether male or female of my said father by his said

marriage in being at the time of my death shall last attain the age of

twenty-one years absolutely it being my desire that my property shall

be nursed to the extreme limit permitted by the laws of England for the

benefit of such male lineal descendant as aforesaid."

Soames read the investment and attestation clauses, and, ceasing,

looked at Gradman. The old fellow was wiping his brow with a large

handkerchief, whose brilliant colour supplied a sudden festive tinge to

the proceedings.

"My word, Mr. Soames!" he said, and it was clear that the lawyer in him

had utterly wiped out the man: "My word! Why, there are two babies now,

and some quite young children--if one of them lives to be eighty--it's

not a great age--and add twenty-one--that's a hundred years; and Mr.

Timothy worth a hundred and fifty thousand pound net if he's worth

a penny. Compound interest at five per cent. doubles you in fourteen

years. In fourteen years three hundred thousand-six hundred thousand in

twenty-eight--twelve hundred thousand in forty-two--twenty-four

hundred thousand in fifty-six--four million eight hundred thousand in

seventy--nine million six hundred thousand in eighty-four--Why, in a

hundred years it'll be twenty million! And we shan't live to use it! It

is a Will!"

Soames said dryly: "Anything may happen. The State might take the lot;

they're capable of anything in these days."