He told me that was true; but that as there was no proof of my being dead, he could not act as executor until some certain account should come of my death; and, besides, he was not willing to intermeddle with a thing so remote: that it was true he had registered my will, and put in his claim; and could he have given any account of my being dead or alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken possession of the ingenio (so they call the sugar-house), and have given his son, who was now at the Brazils, orders to do it.
--«Cela est vrai, me répondit-il; mais, comme il n'y avait point de preuves de votre mort, je ne pouvais agir comme exécuteur testamentaire jusqu'à ce que j'en eusse acquis quelque certitude. En outre, je ne me sentais pas porté à m'entremettre dans une affaire si lointaine.