“That’s true, too,” replied Langbane. “Ye’ll be a proud man wi’ a bond ower Eyrymount.”
And Langbane left Nashon, with the view of going direct to Eyrymount, to tell him that he was now willing to lend him the money he required. The transaction was very soon finished. Langbane got a mortgage over the property of Eyrymount, and assigned it over to Nashon, who locked it past in his coffers, along with the title-deeds of his property and the documents of his remaining cash.
After Eyrymount got this large sum, he increased still farther his expenditure; while Nashon, having, to some extent, gained his object, shewed indications of a wish to draw up. Eyrymount noticed this, and appeared displeased, asking Nashon his reason for not joining him in the prosecution of his schemes of pleasure. Nashon replied, that his money was done; an answer which the other apparently expected, and with which he seemed delighted.
“I have an overplus of ready cash just now,” he said. “What is the use of money but to purchase with it the pleasures which this life holds out in such profusion to those who are willing to buy? Take a couple of thousands from me, and give me your note of hand for it; a mere piece of form, you are aware, as I never would put it to execution, relying, as I do implicitly, on your honour for repayment.”
“What interest wad ye be expectin for’t,” said Nashon.
“Oh, a bagatelle. Say five per cent,” replied the other.
“Very weel,” said Nashon, who knew that Eyrymount was paying himself five per cent, for the same money to Langbane. “I carena though I lighten ye o’ the twa thousand; but I see nae source o’ repayin’t, save frae the flesh an’ banes o’ Outfieldhaugh.”
“Things will have gone far, and many changes been effected in us and our friendships, ere that issue could take place,” replied the other, who went to bring the money.
The transaction was instantly closed; the bill was given at a day’s date, and seized by Eyrymount, as would have been the titles to Outfieldhaugh, if destined to the library fire, their hereditary enemy. The same course of life was pursued by him, and Nashon still kept up, for a time, the appearance of going through, with all due rapidity, the two thousand pounds he had thus borrowed from his friend. The thousand pounds that had been left in Eyrymount’s hands, of the sum he had borrowed from Langbane, was not sufficient to keep him going for any length of time, and application was, therefore, made to the same source for two thousand more. Nashon supplied the cash, which was, in fact, just the two thousand pounds he had got from Eyrymount; and Langbane’s mortgage over the Eyrymount estate was assigned to him in the same way as the former.
Having waited until he thought a great part of this second loan was spent, Nashon, who had had, in the meantime, several meetings with Dione, at the Monks’ Well, was informed by her, that her father and mother were now begun to press the marriage between her and Benjamin Rice so urgently that she must either consent, or submit to be treated as a rebel to their authority, and an alien from their affections and interests.