On this income I lived in comfort, keeping up my house in Dunchester for the benefit of my little daughter and her attendants, and hiring for my own use a flat quite close to the House of Commons.
As the years went by, however, a great anxiety took possession of me, for by slow degrees Mrs.Strong grew as feeble in mind as already she was in body, till at length, she could only recognise people at intervals, and became quite incompetent to transact business.

For a while her bankers went on paying the allowance under her written and unrevoked order, but when they understood her true condition, they refused to continue the payment.
Now my position was very serious.

I had little or nothing put by, and, having ceased to practise for about seventeen years, I could not hope to earn an income from my profession.

Nor could I remain a member of the House, at least not for long.

Still, by dint of borrowing and the mortgage of some property which I had acquired, I kept my head above water for about eighteen months.