AUTHOR OF "THAT FELLOW FARNESE." CHAPTER XLVI.—(Continued.)

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1636, 30 December 1882, Page 5

AUTHOR OF " THAT FELLOW FARNESE." CHAPTER XLVl.— (Continued.)

" Only by will, I think. If Addison were to die intestate, his property would go to the next of kin, if any. Walter would have no rights as a son, because his mother's marriage with Addison was invalid on account of her having a hubband alive at the time. However, wo need not trouble -ourselves much on that scvuo, for it is perfectly certain that Julian, when lie knows the truth, will never touch a penny belonging to Addison. Nor will he n^cd ; 1 shall alter my own will in his favour without delay. As for Addison himsel, he is very likely to pull through ; he* has the constitution of a horse." " Ormonde writes of him as belonging to an old Boman Catholic family ; I don't suppose there is much Boman Catholicism about him now? " " No ; nor anything else ! " I said. "He is a downright heathen." "Gently, my friend, gently!" said the Count. " That's a charge often too readily brought. Some people, you know, would call me a heathen ! " — and he laughed lais peculiar short laugh. " Can you say that you are not ? " I asked, boldly. " Can any of us say what we are, or arc not?" " Oh, there you go I " I answered, " plump into that quagmire of universal doubt where nothing is final or tangible." " Exactly ! " said the Count. " And it is into that very quagmire that all the streams Of speculation run. They start from as many points as there are varieties of inculcated belief, and they are varied and coloured, as they go, by the social soils through which they run, but they all fall eventually into the swamp of negatiojJf all end in that blackjiess which is the^sence of colour." Here the Count fell into a brown study, and, leaving him to pursue his train of thought alone, I was passing across the hall to the stairs, where Baldovino handed me a letter which had just arrived.