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498 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
O
CHAPTER XXXII
WAYS AND MEANS
F course any man of the world, who is possessed of decent
prudence, will perceive that the idea of marrying on four
hundred and fifty pounds a year, so secured, as was Master
Philip's income, was preposterous and absurd. In the first place,
you can't live on four hundred and fifty pounds a year, that is a
certainty. People do live on less, I believe. But a life without
a brougham, without a decent house, without claret for dinner, and
a footman to wait, can hardly be called existence. Philip's income
might fail any day. He might not please the American paper.
He might quarrel with the Pall Mall Gazette. And then what
would remain to him ? Only poor little Charlotte's fifty pounds
a year! So Philip's most intimate male friend—a man of the
world, and with a good deal of experience — argued. Of course I
was not surprised that Philip did not choose to take my advice ;
though I did not expect he would become so violently angry, call
names almost, and use most rude expressions, when, at his express
desire, this advice was tendered to him. If he did not want it,
why did he ask for it ? The advice might be unwelcome to him,
but why did he choose to tell me at my own table, over my own
claret, that it was the advice of a sneak and a worldling ? " My
good fellow, that claret, though it is a second growth, and I can
afford no better, cost seventy-two shillings a dozen. How much
is six times three hundred and sixty-five 1 A bottle a day is the
least you can calculate " (the fellow would come to my house and
drink two bottles to himself, with the utmost nonchalance). " A
bottle per diem of that light claret—of that second-growth stuff—
costs one hundred and four guineas a year, do you understand ?
or, to speak plainly with you, one hundred and nine pounds four
shillings !"
"Well," says Philip, "après? "We'll do without. Meantime
I will take what I can get !" and he tosses off about a pint as he
speaks (these mousseline glasses are not only enormous, but they
break by dozens). He tosses off a pint of my Larose, and gives a
great roar of laughter, as if he had said a good thing !