WYLDER'S HAJVD.
325
inasmuch as he was himself, under the rose, the " Co." of
that firm, and ministered its capital.
"The fact is you must, my dear Mr. Wylder, make an
effort. It won't do peddling and tinkering in such a case.
You will be in a worse position than ever, unless you bold-
ly raise a thousand pounds — if I can manage such a
transaction upon a security of the kind. Consolidate all
your liabilities, and keep a sum in hand. You are well
connected — powerful relatives—your brother has Hux-
ton, four hundred a year, whenever present incumbent
goes — and there are other things beside — but you must
not allow yourself to be ruined through timidity; and if
you go to the wall without an effort, and allow yourself to
be slurred in public, what becomes of your chance of pre-
ferment?"
And now "title" went up to Burlington, Smith, and
Co. to examine and approve; and from that firm, a bill of
costs was coming, when deeds were prepared and all done,
exceeding three hundred and fifty pounds; and there was
a little reminder from good Jos Larkin for two hundred
and fifty pounds more. This, of course, was to await Mr
Wylder's perfect convenience. The Vicar knew him —
he never pressed any man. Then there would be insur-
ances in proportion; and interest, as we see, was not tri-
fling. And altogether, I am afraid, our friend, the Vicar,
was being extricated in a rather embarrassing fashion.
Now, I have known cases in which good-natured deb-
auchees have interested themselves charitably in the diffi-
culties of forlorn families; and I think / knew, almost
before they suspected it, that their generous interference
was altogether due to one fine pair of eyes, and a pretty
tournure, in the distressed family circle. Under a like
half-delusion, Mr. Jos Larkin, in the guise of charity,
was prosecuting his designs upon the Vicar's reversion,