The Way We Live Now · Chapter
The Boardroom explained
Melmotte bribes Sir Felix Carbury to renounce Marie with a written promise and a £200 cheque, while Felix feels ashamed but continues gambling.
What happens
Melmotte bribes Sir Felix Carbury to renounce Marie with a written promise and a £200 cheque, while Felix feels ashamed but continues gambling. At the board meeting, Melmotte manipulates the proceedings to silence Paul Montague's objections, aided by compliant directors.
Themes in this chapter
Marriage as Financial Transaction
Melmotte bribes Felix to renounce Marie with money and shares, treating the engagement as a negotiable contract.
Deception and Hypocrisy
Felix writes a false renunciation while planning to possibly elope; Melmotte manipulates the board meeting to silence opposition.
Speculation and Ruin
Felix gambles away Melmotte's money and issues paper debts, while the railway scheme's board is rife with financial manipulation.
Characters to notice
- Sir Felix Carbury
Accepts Melmotte's bribe to write a renunciation letter, feels ashamed but continues gambling at the Beargarden.
- Augustus Melmotte
Dictates the renunciation letter, bribes Felix with £200 and promises of shares, and dominates the board meeting to suppress Paul Montague.
- Paul Montague
Attempts to challenge the signing of the board record but is repeatedly silenced by Melmotte's tactics.
- Miles Grendall
Reads the board record poorly; Felix has detected him cheating at cards but has not exposed him.
- Lord Nidderdale
Present at the board meeting, fillips paper pellets, and suggests adjourning early.
- Mr. Cohenlupe
Whispers with Melmotte during the board meeting, helping to delay proceedings.
Key passages
“I can tell you this. On my word of honour as a gentleman, if my daughter were to marry you, she’d never have a single shilling. I should immediately make a will and leave all my property to St. George’s Hospital.”
Melmotte threatens that if Felix marries Marie, he will disinherit her entirely.
Melmotte uses the threat of disinheritance to pressure Felix into renouncing Marie.
“You give me your written promise that you’ll drop this affair with Marie, and you shan’t want for money.”
Melmotte offers Felix money in exchange for a written promise to end his courtship of Marie.
The transaction is explicit: a written renunciation for financial gain.
“Melmotte himself dictated the words, which were not romantic in their nature.”
Melmotte dictates the renunciation letter, which is purely businesslike.
The letter is devoid of emotion, emphasizing the mercenary nature of the arrangement.
“He perceived that Montague had made a little struggle and had been cowed; and he knew how hard it is for one man to persevere against five or six, and for a young man to persevere against his elders.”
Melmotte notices Paul Montague's failed attempt to object and exploits the social pressure against him.
Melmotte uses group dynamics to suppress dissent at the board meeting.