and I hope someone recognises it from my very meager description, because I haven't been able to track it down and it's making me crazy(er). Of course, the moment someone identifies it, I'll find 3000 references on google.

It's a dialog between a wealthy miser on his deathbed, and his lawyer, who's making out his will. The dying miser is really a pathetic figure as we see him caught between the reality of his situation and his pathological desire not to have to bequeath his wealth. He reluctantly bequeaths each piece of his worldly goods only after a fresh litany of moaning and wringing his hands and "must I?"s.

The last lines go something like

"But if I must, I give it [some name]", he said.
And died.

and I hope someone recognises it from my very meager description, because I haven't been able to track it down and it's making me crazy(er). Of course, the moment someone identifies it, I'll find 3000 references on google.

It's a dialog between a wealthy miser on his deathbed, and his lawyer, who's making out his will. The dying miser is really a pathetic figure as we see him caught between the reality of his situation and his pathological desire not to have to bequeath his wealth. He reluctantly bequeaths each piece of his worldly goods only after a fresh litany of moaning and wringing his hands and "must I?"s.

The last lines go something like

"But if I must, I give it [some name]", he said.
And died.

Well thanks alot now its driving me crazy too, I went looking for this thing for an hour. I got a lot of Frost, Tennyson, and religious themed stuff due to the cue words. It might help to come up with a phrase you KNOW appears in it verbatim, that'd be my best suggestion..I sure as hell couldn't find it.

This isn't it but its the closet I got

http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/ ... chap5.html (http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/lit/poetry/AncientPoemsBallads/chap5.html)

it's not Richard Corey :wink: