"I never knew a young man that wasn't in a hurry for his money," said Melmotte laughing. "Oh, yes;--there were three payments to be made; one to you, one to your son, and one to the mortgagee. I will speak to Mr. Smith myself to-morrow--and you may tell your son that he really need not trouble his lawyer. He will only be losing his money, for lawyers are expensive. What; you won't come to the Board? I am sorry for that." Mr. Longestaffe, having after a fashion said what he had to say, declined to go to the Board. A painful rumour had reached him the day before, which had been communicated to him in a very quiet way by a very old friend,--by a member of a private firm of bankers whom he was accustomed to regard as the wisest and most eminent man of his acquaintance,--that Pickering had been already mortgaged to its full value by its new owner. "Mind, I know nothing," said the banker. "The report has reached me, and if it be true, it shows that Mr. Melmotte must be much pressed for money. 
"I never knew a young man that wasn't in a hurry for his money," said Melmotte, laughing. "Oh, yes; there were three payments to be made; one to you, one to your son, and one to the mortgagee. I will speak to Mr. Smith tomorrow - and tell your son that he really need not trouble his lawyer. You won't come to the Board?"
Mr. Longestaffe declined. A painful rumour had reached him the day before, quietly communicated by a very old friend, a member of a private firm of bankers - that Pickering had been already mortgaged to its full value by its new owner. "If true," said the banker, "It shows that Mr. Melmotte must be much pressed for money. 