# Mr. Cohenlupe Leaves London explained — The Way We Live Now

> Chapter companion for The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope.

## What happens

Dolly Longestaffe, having agreed to wait two days for Melmotte's payment, visits his lawyer Squercum, who is frustrated by the delay and suspects Melmotte will not pay. Squercum has uncovered details about the Pickering property and the railway scheme, and sees Melmotte as a grand swindler he wishes to expose. Meanwhile, in the City, news spreads that Cohenlupe has fled London, and Melmotte's clerk Croll senses the house is falling. Melmotte later arrives at the office, and that night, after dismissing his wife, he sits up alone drinking and smoking, doing no work.

## Themes in this chapter

### Speculation and Ruin

Cohenlupe's flight and Melmotte's impending collapse illustrate the ruin that follows speculative schemes.

### Deception and Hypocrisy

Melmotte's promises to pay are doubted by Squercum, and the chapter reveals the deceptive nature of his financial operations.

## Character check-ins

### Dolly Longestaffe

Visits Squercum in Fetter Lane, reluctantly agrees to delay proceedings against Melmotte, and feels elevated by the business importance.

### Squercum

Dolly's lawyer, frustrated by the compromise, suspects Melmotte will not pay, and is driven by ambition to expose Melmotte as a grand swindler.

### Augustus Melmotte

Promises to pay Dolly on Friday; later arrives at his office in Abchurch Lane, and that night sits up alone drinking and smoking, doing no work.

### Mr. Cohenlupe

Has fled London; his disappearance is seen as a bad sign for Melmotte's house.

### Herr Croll

Melmotte's German clerk, cautious and sensing the fall, has his own investments and is not willing to sacrifice himself.

### Madame Melmotte

Dismissed by Melmotte after being told to pack jewels; she creeps out and begins packing her ornaments.

## Key lines

> It is said that if you were to take a man of moderate parts and make him Prime Minister out of hand, he might probably do as well as other Prime Ministers, the greatness of the work elevating the man to its own level.

A person of average ability, if suddenly made Prime Minister, would likely perform as well as any other, because the importance of the role lifts them to meet its demands.

_The narrator uses this analogy to explain how Dolly rises to the occasion of business._

> Ven de rats is going avay it is bad for de house. I like de rats to stay.

When the rats are leaving, it's bad for the house; I prefer the rats to stay.

_Croll uses a metaphor to express that Cohenlupe's flight signals the impending collapse of Melmotte's enterprise._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxxxi-mr-cohenlupe-leaves-london
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters