When Mr. Melmotte made his promise to Mr. Longestaffe and to Dolly, in the presence of Mr. Bideawhile, that he would, on the next day but one, pay to them a sum of fifty thousand pounds, thereby completing, satisfactorily as far as they were concerned, the purchase of the Pickering property, he intended to be as good as his word. The reader knows that he had resolved to face the Longestaffe difficulty,--that he had resolved that at any rate he would not get out of it by sacrificing the property to which he had looked forward as a safe haven when storms should come. But, day by day, every resolution that he made was forced to undergo some change. Latterly he had been intent on purchasing a noble son-in-law with this money,--still trusting to the chapter of chances for his future escape from the Longestaffe and other difficulties. But Squercum had been very hard upon him; and in connexion with this accusation as to the Pickering property, there was another, which he would be forced to face also, respecting certain property in the East of London, with which the reader need not much trouble himself specially, but in reference to which it was stated that he had induced a foolish old gentleman to consent to accept railway shares in lieu of money. The old gentleman had died during the transaction, and it was asserted that the old gentleman's letter was hardly genuine. Melmotte had certainly raised between twenty and thirty thousand pounds on the property, and had made payments for it in stock which was now worth--almost nothing at all. Melmotte thought that he might face this matter successfully if the matter came upon him single-handed;--but in regard to the Longestaffes he considered that now, at this last moment, he had better pay for Pickering.

When Mr. Melmotte made his promise to Mr. Longestaffe and Dolly to pay them fifty thousand pounds for the purchase of Pickering, he intended to be as good as his word. The reader knows that he had resolved not to sacrifice the property to which he had looked forward as a safe haven when storms should come. But, day by day, every resolution that he made was forced to undergo some change. In addition to this accusation about the Pickering property, there was another, about certain property in the East of London. It was said that he had induced a foolish old gentleman to accept railway shares in lieu of money. The old gentleman had died, and it was asserted that his letter was not genuine. Melmotte had certainly raised between twenty and thirty thousand pounds on the property, and had paid for it in stock which was now worth almost nothing at all. Melmotte thought that he might face this matter successfully if it came upon him single-handed; but now, at this last moment, he had better pay for Pickering.
