The bequest
was probably intended not to take effect till after the death of your
mother and myself; nevertheless, as the will is actually worded, it will
now be at your command if you live to be twenty-one years old. From
this, however, large deductions must be made. There will be legacy duty,
and I do not know whether I am not entitled to deduct the expenses of
your education and maintenance from birth to your coming of age; I shall
not in all likelihood insist on this right to the full, if you conduct
yourself properly, but a considerable sum should certainly be deducted,
there will therefore remain very little--say 1000 pounds or 2000 pounds
at the outside, as what will be actually yours--but the strictest account
shall be rendered you in due time.
"This, let me warn you most seriously, is all that you must expect from
me (even Ernest saw that it was not from Theobald at all) at any rate
till after my death, which for aught any of us know may be yet many years
distant. It is not a large sum, but it is sufficient if supplemented by
steadiness and earnestness of purpose. Your mother and I gave you the
name Ernest, hoping that it would remind you continually of--" but I
really cannot copy more of this effusion.
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