like Lady de Courcy; but still he was accessible to a certain amount of
gratification in the near connexion which he had with the earl and
countess; and when he wanted to support his family greatness, would
sometimes weakly fall back upon the grandeur of Courcy Castle. It was
only when talking to his wife that he invariably snubbed the
pretensions of his noble relatives.

The two men after this remained silent for a while; and then the
doctor, renewing the subject for which he had been summoned into the
book-room, remarked that as Scatcherd was now in the country--he did
not say, was now at Boxall Hill, as he did not wish to wound the
squire's ears--perhaps he had better go and see him, and ascertain in
what way this affair of the money might be arranged. There was no
doubt, he said, that Scatcherd would supply the sum required at a lower
rate of interest than that which it could be procured through Umbleby's
means.

'Very well,' said the squire. 'I'll leave it in your hands, then. I
think ten thousand pounds will do. And now I'll dress for dinner.' And
then the doctor left him.

Perhaps the reader will suppose after this that the doctor had some
pecuniary interest of his own in arranging the squire's loans; or, at
any rate, he will think that the squire must have so thought. Not in
the least; neither had he any such interest, nor did the squire think
that he had any. What Dr Thorne did in this matter the squire well
knew was done for love. But the squire of Greshamsbury was a great man
at Greshamsbury; and it behoved him to maintain the greatness of his
squirehood when discussing his affairs with the village doctor. So
much he had at any rate learnt from his contact with the De Courcys.