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‘I’m aware of that,’ said Cornelius, ‘but it nevertheless served to concentrate the , but as I no longer have an office to go to, I spendhow to distribute er be the main beneficiary’

Cornelius took another long puff of his cigar before continuing ‘For the pastthose around me – an to think about the way they have always treated me, which caused me to wonder which of them would show the same amount of devotion, attention and loyalty if I were not worth millions, but was in fact a penniless old man’

‘I have a feeling I’h

‘No, no, my dear friend,’ said Cornelius ‘You are absolved fro these confidences with you’

‘But are such thoughts not a little unfair on your immediate family, not to mention’

‘You ht, but I don’t wish to leave that to chance I have therefore decided to find out the truth for myself, as I consider ain, Cornelius paused to take a puff of his cigar before continuing ‘So indulge me for a moment while I tell you what I have in mind, for I confess that without your cooperation it will be ie But first allow lass’ Cornelius rose

frooblet and walked to the sideboard

‘As I was saying,’ continued Cornelius, passing the refilled glass back to Frank, ‘I have recently been wondering how those around me would behave if I were penniless, and I have come to the conclusion that there is only one way to find out’

Frank took a long gulp before enquiring, ‘What do you have in mind? A fake suicide perhaps?’

‘Not quite as dramatic as that,’ replied Cornelius ‘But alain ‘ – I intend to declareto observe his friend’s immediate reaction But, as so often in the past, the old solicitor reh his friend had just ame was far from over

He pushed a pawn tentatively forward ‘How do you intend to go about that?’ he asked

‘To,’ replied Cornelius, ‘I want you to write to the five people who have the greatest claih, his wife Elizabeth, their son Tiaret, and finally my housekeeper Pauline’

‘And ill be the i not to sound too incredulous

‘You will explain to all of them that, due to an unwise investment I made soon after my wife’s death, I now find myself in debt In fact, without their help Ibankruptcy’

‘But’ protested Frank