Page 914 - of-human-bondage-
P. 914

CXII






         osiah  Graves  in  his  masterful  way  made  arrangements,
       Jbecoming but economical, for the funeral; and when it
       was over came back to the vicarage with Philip. The will was
       in his charge, and with a due sense of the fitness of things he
       read it to Philip over an early cup of tea. It was written on
       half a sheet of paper and left everything Mr. Carey had to
       his nephew. There was the furniture, about eighty pounds
       at the bank, twenty shares in the A. B. C. company, a few in
       Allsop’s brewery, some in the Oxford music-hall, and a few
       more in a London restaurant. They had been bought under
       Mr. Graves’ direction, and he told Philip with satisfaction:
         ‘You see, people must eat, they will drink, and they want
       amusement. You’re always safe if you put your money in
       what the public thinks necessities.’
          His  words  showed  a  nice  discrimination  between  the
       grossness  of  the  vulgar,  which  he  deplored  but  accepted,
       and the finer taste of the elect. Altogether in investments
       there was about five hundred pounds; and to that must be
       added the balance at the bank and what the furniture would
       fetch. It was riches to Philip. He was not happy but infinitely
       relieved.
          Mr. Graves left him, after they had discussed the auction
       which must be held as soon as possible, and Philip sat him-
       self down to go through the papers of the deceased. The Rev.

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