The family
was somewhat alarmed at seeing what a voluminous document it was. What
terrible bequests had Madariaga dictated? The reading of the first part
tranquilized Karl and Elena. The old father had left considerable more
to the wife of Desnoyers, but there still remained an enormous share for
the Romantica and her children. "I do this," he said, "in memory of my
poor dead wife, and so that people won't talk."
After this, came eighty-six legacies. Eighty-five dark-hued individuals
(women and men), who had lived on the ranch for many years as tenants
and retainers, were to receive the last paternal munificence of the old
patriarch. At the head of these was Celedonio whom Madariaga had greatly
enriched in his lifetime for no heavier work than listening to him and
repeating, "That's so, Patron, that's true!" More than a million dollars
were represented by these bequests in lands and herds. The one who
completed the list of beneficiaries was Julio Desnoyers. The grandfather
had made special mention of this namesake, leaving him a plantation "to
meet his private expenses, making up for that which his father would not
give him."
"But that represents hundreds of thousands of dollars!" protested Karl,
who had been making himself almost obnoxious in his efforts to assure
himself that his wife had not been overlooked in the will.
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