Instead of paying to get into Parliament, a man ought to be
paid for entering it."
"There may be a good deal in what you say," said Egremont;
"but it is too late to take that view of the business. The
expense has been incurred and must be met."
"I don't see that," said Lord Marney, "we have paid one
thousand pounds and there is a balance unsettled. When was
there ever a contest without a balance being unsettled? I
remember hearing my father often say that when he stood for
this county, our grandfather paid more than a hundred thousand
pounds, and yet I know to this day there are accounts
unsettled. Regularly every year I receive anonymous letters
threatening me with fearful punishment if I don't pay one
hundred and fifty pounds for a breakfast at the Jolly
Tinkers."
"You jest: the matter indeed requires a serious vein. I wish
these accounts to be settled at once."
"And I should like to know where the funds are to come from!
I have none. The quantity of barns I am building now is
something tremendous! Then this rage for draining; it would
dry up any purse. What think you of two million tiles this
year? And rents,--to keep up which we are making these awful
sacrifices--they are merely nominal, or soon will be.
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