"
"I'll complete this for you, and you can sign it now," remarked the
lawyer evasively, not without shrinking; "but it won't stand as it is,
or as you want it to stand, because Mrs. Mazarine has her legal claims in
spite of it! She's got a wife's dower-rights according to the law.
That's one-third of your property. It's the law of the land, and you
can't sign it away from her, Mr. Mazarine."
The old man's face darkened still more; his crooked fingers twisted in
his beard.
"I see you forgot that," added the lawyer. "There's only one way to
dispossess her, and that's to put her through Divorce--if you think you
can. Of course this document'll stand as far as it goes, and it's
perfectly legal, but it isn't what you intend, and she'd get her one-
third in spite of it."
"I'll come back to-morrow," said the old man, rising to his feet. "You
make it out, and I'll come back and sign it to-morrow. I'll make a sure
thing of so much, anyway. The divorce'll settle the rest. You have it
ready at noon to-morrow, and you can start divorce proceedings to-morrow
too.
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