'I must have ten or twelve thousand pounds; ten at the very least,' said the squire, who was sitting in his usual arm-chair, close to his littered table, with his head supported on his hand, looking very unlike the father of an heir to a noble property, who had that day come of age.
It was the first of July, and of course there was no fire in the grate; but, nevertheless, the doctor was standing with his back to the fireplace, with his coat-tails over his arms, as though he were engaged, now in summer as he so often was in winter, in talking, and roasting his hinder person at the same time.
'Twelve thousand pounds! It's a very large sum of money.'
'I said ten,' said the squire.
'Ten thousand pounds is a large sum of money. There is no doubt he'll let you have it. Scatcherd will let you have it; but I know he'll expect to have the title-deeds.'
'What! for ten thousand pounds?' said the squire. 'There is not a registered debt against the property but his own and Armstrong's.'
'But his own is very large already.'
'Armstrong's is nothing; about four-and-twenty thousand pounds.'
'Yes; but he comes first, Mr. Gresham.'
'Well, what of that? To hear you talk, one would think that there was nothing left of Greshamsbury. What's four-and-twenty thousand pounds? Does Scatcherd know what the rent-roll is?'
'Oh, yes, he knows it well enough: I wish he did not.'
'Well, then, why does he make such a bother about a few thousand pounds? The title-deeds, indeed!'
'What he means is, that he must have ample security to cover what he has already advanced before he goes on. I wish to goodness you had no further need to borrow. I did think that things were settled last year.'
'Oh, if there's any difficulty, Umbleby will get it for me.'
'Yes: and what will you have to pay for it?'
'I'd sooner pay double than be talked to in this way,' said the squire, angrily, and, as he spoke, he got up hurriedly from his chair, thrust his hands into his trousers-pockets, walked quickly to the window, and immediately walking back again, threw himself once more into his chair.
'There are some things a man cannot bear, doctor,' said he, beating the devil's tattoo on the floor with one of his feet, 'though God knows I ought to be patient now, for I am made to bear a good many such things. You had better tell Scatcherd that I am obliged to him for his offer, but that I will not trouble him.'
