The baron's capital had only been saved by his buying the estate.
The owners of the first mortgage of a hundred thousand dollars had raised the property, by bidding, up to a hundred and four thousand; they had then left off, and no other purchaser had come forward.
"The estate is now yours, baron," said Ehrenthal.

"In order that you may be able to maintain it, I have negotiated with the owners of the first mortgage, and they will leave the hundred thousand upon the estate.

I have advanced for you four thousand dollars and the legal expenses." The baron said not a word; his head fell heavily on his writing-table.
As Ehrenthal left the room, he muttered, "It is all over with him.

And the next quarter he will lose his old estate, and he has not energy to undertake the new.

I shall have to buy the Polish property too, in the end." And now term-time drew near, and the baron had the interest of all his borrowed money to pay.