"
"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.
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