Sir Felix Carbury of course did not attend the Board; nor did Paul Montague, for reasons with which the reader has been made acquainted. Lord Nidderdale had declined, having had enough of the City for that day, and Mr Longestaffe had been banished by hunger. The chairman was therefore supported only by Lord Alfred and Mr Cohenlupe. But they were such excellent colleagues that the work was got through as well as though those absentees had all attended. When the Board was over Mr Melmotte and Mr Cohenlupe retired together.
'I must get that money for Longestaffe,' said Melmotte to his friend.
'What, eighty thousand pounds! You can't do it this week,--nor yet before this day week.'
'It isn't eighty thousand pounds. I've renewed the mortgage, and that makes it only fifty. If I can manage the half of that which goes to the son, I can put the father off.'
'You must raise what you can on the whole property.'
'I've done that already,' said Melmotte hoarsely.
'And where's the money gone?'
'Brehgert has had £40,000. I was obliged to keep it up with them. You can manage £25,000 for me by Monday?' Mr Cohenlupe said that he would try, but intimated his opinion that there would be considerable difficulty in the operation.