done moulting. He ought to have a few drops of brandy in his drinking water. I remember Gran used to give him that for a tonic. Fetch him in here, Wake. He needs company."
The parrot was brought, squatting glumly on his perch, and placed in the middle of the room beside the ottoman on which Finch had uncomfortably disposed his lanky form. Boney ruffled himself, shook his wings, and three feathers drifted to the floor.
"It's uncanny," muttered Nicholas, "that he should have forgotten his Hindu, and should say only my name."
"It's dreadful," said Ernest.
"I think," declared Augusta, "there's something portentous about it. It's as though he were trying to tell us something."
"He looks strangely agitated," said Ernest.
Everyone looked at Boney, who returned melancholy stare for stare out of cold yellow eyes.
After a silence, Nicholas heaved himself in his chair and turned to Finch. "Did my mother ever give you reason to believe that she was going to leave her money to you?"
"No, Uncle Nick." Finch's voice was scarcely audible.
"Did she ever speak to you of the disposal of her property?"
"No, Uncle Nick."
"Did she ever speak to you of having made a new will?"
"No—she never spoke of any will to me."
"You had no faintest idea that her will was in your favour?"
"No."
"Then you would have us believe that you were as much surprised as we were this morning when Patton read the will?"
Finch flushed deeply. "I—I was terribly surprised."
"Come, come," put in Piers, "don't expect us to believe that! You never turned a hair when Patton read
