The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 288: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

266 THE COURT OF LONDON in which the banker spoke when Clara visited him for the purpose. Having become the accepted suitor of Louisa, Algernon’s intention was to bear her away after the bridal to his country- seat in the north of England, and to transport thither her invalid aunt also. But when last at his rural mansion, he had observed that much of the furniture was in a dilapi- dated condition and that considerable repairs were required for the dwelling itself. Moreover, it was necessary to have a carriage built expressly for the purpose of the long journey which the aunt would have to take, and paralyzed as she then was, the vehicle must be fitted internally with a couch for her accommodation. To effect all this, a considerable sum of money was needed, and though Algernon was far from extravagant, yet his frequent tours and journeys had exhausted all the resources arising from his comparatively narrow income of six hundred a year. He required a couple of thousand guineas, and had to choose from three ways of obtaining that amount. The first was to mortgage a portion of his income, but this would be to reduce it to so small a revenue as to render it impossible to provide as he could wish for his Louisa and her aunt at his country-seat. The second plan which suggested itself was to borrow money on the security of his expectations as heir to the title and estates of his uncle the marquis, but he abhorred the idea of giving post-obit bonds and entering into the demoralization of usurious proceedings. The third method was to apply direct to his uncle; and much as he disliked the thought of coming in contact with that nobleman, especially to ask a favour, he was nevertheless compelled to make up his mind to this proceeding. After some deliberation with himself, he to a certain extent surmounted his scruples by the reflection that, as the heir to the estates of the marquis, it was scarcely a favour which he would be asking, especially if he did it in a frank and manly way, without servility or cringing. He therefore proceeded to London, visited his uncle, and procured the money. Losing no time, he remitted a sufficient sum to the steward of his little estate in the north, accompanied with instructions how it was to be expended in the purchase of furniture and the repairs of the mansion, and he gave orders to a carriage- builder in London for the construction of a vehicle with the comiclooolk (C@