He neglected his estate from every point of
view, except the one of raising mortgages upon it so that he might have the
wherewithal to add to his store of ceramic treasures. He lived luxuriously,
employing a high-priced _chef_ and soft-footed, well-trained servants to
see to his comfort, because anything short of perfection grated on his
artistic sensibilities. And when an intrusive influenza germ put a sudden
end to his entirely egotistical activities, his son and daughter found
themselves left with only a few hundred pounds between them. Lovell Court
was perforce sold at once to pay off the mortgages, and to meet the many
other big outstanding debts the contents of the house had to be dispersed
without reserve. The collection of old porcelain to which Archibald Lovell
had sacrificed most of the human interests of life was soon scattered
amongst the dealers in antiques, who, in many instances, bought back at
bargain prices the very pieces they had sold to him at an extravagantly
high cost. Every one went away from the Lovell sale well-pleased, except
the two whose fortunes were most intimately concerned--the son and daughter
of the dead man. They were left to face the problem of continued existence.
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