You get the tontine--I don't
grudge it you the least--and I get the leather business, which is really
beginning to look up. Declare the death at once, don't mind me in the
smallest, don't consider me; declare the death, and we're all right.'
'Ah, but I can't declare it,' said Michael.
'Why not?' cried Morris.
'I can't produce the corpus, Morris. I've lost it,' said the lawyer.
'Stop a bit,' ejaculated the leather merchant. 'How is this? It's not
possible. I lost it.'
'Well, I've lost it too, my son,' said Michael, with extreme serenity.
'Not recognizing it, you see, and suspecting something irregular in its
origin, I got rid of--what shall we say?--got rid of the proceeds at
once.'
'You got rid of the body? What made you do that?' walled Morris. 'But
you can get it again? You know where it is?'
'I wish I did, Morris, and you may believe me there, for it would be a
small sum in my pocket; but the fact is, I don't,' said Michael.
'Good Lord,' said Morris, addressing heaven and earth, 'good Lord, I've
lost the leather business!'
Michael was once more shaken with laughter.
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