To hell with that, Orrie said impatiently. Its the other one. It, not so big, held another envelope, smaller, of white rag bond. The engraved return in the corner said Albert Grantham, with the Fifth Avenue address, and it
was addressed in longhand to Mrs Elaine Usher, 812 West 8yth Street, New York, and below was written By Messenger. Inside were folded sheets. I unfolded them and read:
6 June 1952
My dear Elaine:
In accordance with my promise, I am confirming in writing what I said to you recently.
I am not accepting the obligations, legal or moral, of paternity of your daughter, Faith. You have always maintained that I am her father, and for a time I believed you, and I now have no evidence to prove you are wrong but, as I told you, I have taken the trouble to inform myself of your method of life for the past ten years, and it is quite clear that chastity is not one of your virtues. It may have been, during that period fifteen years ago when I took advantage of your youth and enjoyed your favoursyou say it wasbut your subsequent conduct makes it doubtful. I shall not again express my regret for my own conduct during that period. I have done that and you know how I feel about it, and have always felt since I achieved maturity, and I have not been illiberal in supplying the material needs of your daughter and yourself. For a time that was not easy, but since my fathers death I have given you $2,000 each month, and you have paid no taxes on it.
But I am getting along in years, and you are quite right, I should make provision against contingencies. As I told you, I must reject your suggestion that I give you a large sum outrightlarge enough for you and your daughter to live on the income. I distrust your attitude towards money. I fear that in your hands the principal would soon be squandered, and you would again appeal to me. Nor can I provide for you through a trust fund, either now or in my will, for the reasons I gave you. I will not risk disclosure.
So I have taken steps that should meet the situation. I have given my nephew, Austin Byne, a portfolio of securities the income from which is tax exempt, amounting to slightly more than $2,000,000. The yield will be about $55,000 annually. My nephew is to remit half of it to you and keep the other half for himself.
This arrangement is recorded in an agreement signed by my nephew and myself. One provision is that if you make additional demands, if you disclose the relationship you and I once had, or if you make any claims on my estate or any member of my family, he is relieved of any obligation to share the income with you. Another provision is that if he fails to make the proper remittances to you with reasonable promptness you may claim the entire principal. In drafting that provision I would have liked to have legal advice, but could not. I am sure it is binding. I do not think my nephew will fail in his performance, but if he does you will know what to do. There is of course the possibility that he will squander the principal, but I have known him all his life and I am sure it is remote.
I have herewith kept my promise to confirm what I told you. I repeat that this letter is not to be taken as an acknowledgement by me that I am the father of your daughter, Faith. If you ever show it or use it as the basis of any claim, the remittances from my nephew will cease at once.
I close with all good wishes for die welfare and happiness of your daughter and yourself.
Yours sincerely,
Albert Grantham
As I finished and looked up Orrie said, I want to give it to Mr Wolfe myself.
I dont blame you. I folded the sheets and put them in the envelope. Quite a letter. Quite a letter. I saw a note in the paper the other day that some bozo is doing a biography of him. He would love to have this. You lucky stiff. Id give a months pay for the kick you got when you found it.
It was nice. I want to give it to him.
You will. Wait here. Help yourself to champagne.
I left, crossed to the office, stood until Wolfe finished a sentence, and told him, Mr Gather wants to show you something. Hes in the dining-room. He got up and went, and I sat down. Judging by the expression on Mrs Ushers face, she had been doing fine. I really would rather not have looked at her, to see the cocky little tilt of her head, the light of satisfaction in her eyes, knowing as I did that she was about to be hit by a ton of brick. So I didnt. I turned to my desk and opened a drawer and got out papers, and did things with them. When she told my back that she was glad I had brought them to Wolfe, she didnt mind a bit explaining to him, I wasnt even polite enough to turn around when I answered her. I had taken my notebook from my pocket and was tearing sketches of cats from it when Wolfes footsteps came.
As he sat down he spoke. Bring Mr Byne, Archie. And Saul.
I went and opened the door and said, Come in, gentlemen.
As Byne entered his eyes went to Mrs Usher and saw what
I had seen, and then he too was satisfied. They took the seats they had had before. Wolfe looked from one to the other and back again.