At a later period the cause of this sudden determination was fully
explained to me. It is not my business to relate it imperfectly,
on hearsay evidence. The circumstances came within the personal
experience of Miss Halcombe, and when her narrative succeeds mine,
she will describe them in every particular exactly as they
happened. In the meantime, the plain duty for me to perform--
before I, in my turn, lay down my pen and withdraw from the story--
is to relate the one remaining event connected with Miss
Fairlie's proposed marriage in which I was concerned, namely, the
drawing of the settlement.
It is impossible to refer intelligibly to this document without
first entering into certain particulars in relation to the bride's
pecuniary affairs. I will try to make my explanation briefly and
plainly, and to keep it free from professional obscurities and
technicalities. The matter is of the utmost importance. I warn
all readers of these lines that Miss Fairlie's inheritance is a
very serious part of Miss Fairlie's story, and that Mr. Gilmore's
experience, in this particular, must be their experience also, if
they wish to understand the narratives which are yet to come.
Miss Fairlie's expectations, then, were of a twofold kind,
comprising her possible inheritance of real property, or land,
when her uncle died, and her absolute inheritance of personal
property, or money, when she came of age.
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