SirRobertMainwaring，whosefamilyhadforthreecenturiespossessedOldenhurst，hadreceivedthenewsofhisfinancialruin；
andthevastpilewhichhadsurvivedtherepeatedinvasionofsuperstition，force，intrigue，andevenprogress，hadsuccumbedtoafoeitsfoundersandproprietorshadloftilyignoredandlefttoJewsandtraders。Theacquisitionofmoney，exceptbydespoilment，gift，royalfavor，orinheritance，hadbeenunknownatOldenhurst。
Thepresentdegeneratecustodianofitsfortunes，staggeringundertheweightofitssentimentalmortmainalreadyalludedto，hadspeculatedinordertokeepupitsmaterialstrength，thatwasgraduallyshrinkingthroughimpoverishedlandandtheruinedtradeithaddespised。HehadinvestedlargelyinCaliforniamines，andwasthechiefshareholderinaSanFranciscoBank。Butthemineshadprovedworthless，theBankhadthatmorningsuspendedpayment，owingtothefailureofalargelandandtimbercompanyontheSierraswhichithadimprudently\"carried。”ThesparkwhichhaddemolishedOldenhursthadbeenfiredfromthenewtelegraph-stationinthehotelabovethegreatSierrancanyon。
Therewasalargehouse-partyatOldenhurstthatmorning。ButithadbeenapartofthehistoryoftheMainwaringstoacceptdefeatgallantlyandasbecametheirblood。SirPercival，——thesecondgentlemanontheleftasyouenteredthelibrary，——unhorsed，dyingonadistantmoor，withahandfuloffollowers，abandonedbyacharmingPrinceandamiserablecause，wasscarcelyagreaterherothanthisruinedbutundauntedgentlemanofeighty，enteringthebreakfast-roomafewhourslaterasjauntilyashisgoutwouldpermit，andconscientiouslydispensingthehospitalitiesofhiscrumblinghouse。Whenhehadarrangedafewpleasurepartiesforthedayandhimselfthoughtfullyanticipatedthedifferenttastesofhisguests，heturnedtoLadyMainwaring。
\"Don\'tforgetthatsomebodyoughttogotothestationtomeettheBradleys。FrankwritesfromSt。Moritzthattheyareduehereto-day。”