He wanted something to do, and
determined to look into his affairs, merely to amuse himself.
The bankers were most polite. They brought their books, also several
packets of papers neatly tied up, and were ready to give every
information. The Duke asked for results. He found that the turf,
the Alhambra, the expenses of his outfit in purchasing the lease and
furniture of his mansion, and the rest, had, with his expenditure,
exhausted his first year's income; but he reconciled himself to this,
because he chose to consider them extraordinary expenses. Then the
festivities of Pen Bronnock counterbalanced the economy of his more
scrambling life the preceding year; yet he had not exceeded his income
much. Then he came to Sir Carte's account. He began to get a little
frightened. Two hundred and fifty thousand had been swallowed by
Hauteville Castle: one hundred and twenty thousand by Hauteville House.
Ninety-six thousand had been paid for furniture. There were also some
awkward miscellanies which, in addition, exceeded the half-million.
This was smashing work; but castles and palaces, particularly of the
correctest style of architecture, are not to be had for nothing.
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