Now, really, gentlemen, I appeal to you: how can I, in so serious a matter, take upon myself a responsibility, which the magistrates themselves have refused to take?"
"Yes, you should do so, in the name of justice and honor?" cried Dagobert.
"It may be so, sir, in your opinion; but in my view of the case, I remain faithful to justice and honor, by executing with exactness the last will of the dead.For the rest you have no occasion to despair.If the persons, whose interests you represent, consider themselves injured, they may hereafter have recourse to an action at law, against the person receiving as donee of the Abbe Gabriel--but in the meanwhile, it is my duty to put him in immediate possession of the securities.I should be gravely injured, were I to act in any, other manner."
The notary's observations seemed so reasonable, that Samuel, Dagobert and Agricola were quite confounded.After a moment's thought, Gabriel appeared to take a desperate resolution, and said to the notary, in a firm voice "Since, under these circumstances, the law is powerless to obtain the right, I must adopt, sir, an extreme course.Before doing so, I will ask M.l'Abbe d'Aigrigny, for the last time, if he will content himself with that portion of the property which falls justly to me, on condition that the rest shall be placed in safe hands, till the heirs, whose names have been brought forward, shall prove their claim."
"To this proposition I must answer as I have done already," replied Father d'Aigrigny; "it is not I who am concerned, but an immense work of charity.I am, therefore, obliged to refuse the part-offer of the Abbe Gabriel, and to remind him of his engagements of every kind."