pounds of my mother,
Charles."

"Most admirable of her! But she always is so generous!"

"Her jointure has been most regularly paid," continued Lord Marney.
"Always be exact in your payments, Charles. There is no end to the good
it produces. Now if I had not been so regular in paying my mother her
jointure, she would not in all probability have been able to have given
you this thousand pounds; and, therefore, to a certain extent, you are
indebted for this thousand pounds to me."

Egremont drew up a little, but said nothing.

"I am obliged to pay my mother her jointure, whether ricks are burnt or
not," said Lord Marney. "It's very hard, don't you think so?"

"But these ricks were Bingley's?"

"But he was not insured, and he will want some reduction in his rent,
and if I do not see fit to allow it him, which I probably shall not, for
he ought to have calculated on these things, I have ricks of my own, and
they may be burnt any night."

"But you, of course, are insured?"

"No, I am not; I calculate 'tis better to run the risk."

"I wonder why ricks are burnt now, and were not in old days," said
Egremont.

"Because there is a surplus population in the kingdom," said Lord
Marney, "and no rural police in the county."

"You were speaking of the election, George," said Egremont, not without
reluctance, yet anxious, as the ice had been broken, to bring the matter
to a result. Lord Marney, before the election, had written, in reply
to his mother consulting him on the step a letter with which she was
delighted, but which Egremont at the time could have wished to have been
more explicit. However in the excitement attendant on a first contest,
and influenced by the person whose judgment always swayed, and, in
the present case, was peculiarly entitled to sway him, he stifled his
scruples, and persuaded himself that he was a candidate not only with
the sanction, but at the instance, of his brother. "You were speaking of
the election, George," said Egremont.

"About the election, Charles. Well, the long and short of it is this:
that I wish to see you comfortable. To be harassed about money is one of
the most disagreeable incidents of life. It ruffles the temper, lowers
the spirits, disturbs the rest, and finally breaks up one's health.
Always, if you possibly can, keep square. And if by any chance you do
find yourself in a scrape, come to me. There is nothing under those
circumstances like the advice of a cool-headed fri