As soon as his master died, the slave, elated with his good fortune,
hastened to Jerusalem, informed his late master's son of what had taken
place, and showed him the will.
The young man was surprised and grieved at the intelligence, and after
the alloted time of mourning had expired, he began to seriously consider
his situation. He went to his teacher, explained the circumstances to
him, read him his father's will, and expressed himself bitterly on
account of the disappointment of his reasonable hopes and expectations.
He could think of nothing that he had done to offend his father, and was
loud in his complaints of injustice.
"Stop," said his teacher; "thy father was a man of wisdom and a loving
relative. This will is a living monument to his good sense and
far-sightedness. May his son prove as wise in his day."
"What!" exclaimed the young man. "I see no wisdom in his bestowal of his
property upon a slave; no affection in this slight upon his only son."
"Listen," returned the teacher. "By his action thy father hath but
secured thy inheritance to thee, if thou art wise enough to avail
thyself of his understanding. Thus thought he when he felt the hand of
death approaching. 'My son is away; when I am dead he will not be here
to take charge of my affairs; my slaves will plunder my estate, and to
gain time will even conceal my death from my son, and deprive me of the
sweet savour of mourning.
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