In spite of all that I had done to prepare him, it was a long while before I could get him actually to believe that the money was his own. He did not say much - no more did I, for I am not sure that I did not feel as much moved at having brought my long trusteeship to a satisfactory conclusion as Ernest did at finding himself owner of more than £70,000. When he did speak it was to jerk out a sentence or two of reflection at a time. `If I were rendering this moment in music,' he said, `I should allow myself free use of the augmented sixth.' A little later I remember his saying with a laugh that had something of a family likeness to his aunt's: `It is not the pleasure it causes me which I enjoy so, it is the pain it will cause to all my friends except yourself and Towneley.'

I said: `You cannot tell your father and mother - it would drive them mad.'

`No, no, no,' said he, `it would be too cruel; it would be like Isaac offering up Abraham and no thicket with a ram in it near at hand. Besides why should I? We have cut each other these four years.'