So far Charley was not guiltless of coveting wealth; but he had never for a moment thought of realizing his dreams by means of his personal attractions.

It had never occurred to him that any girl having money could think it worth her while to marry him.
He, navvy as he was, with his infernal friends and pot-house love, with his debts and idleness and low associations, with his saloons of Seville, his Elysium in Fleet Street, and his Paradise near the Surrey Gardens, had hitherto thought little enough of his own attractions.

No kind father had taught him that he was worth L10,000 in any market in the world.

When he had dreamt of money, he had never dreamt of it as accruing to him in return for any value or worth which he had inherent in himself.

Even in his lighter moments he had no such conceit; and at those periods, few and far between, in which he did think seriously Of the world at large, this special method of escaping from his difficulties--never once presented itself to his mind.
When, therefore, Alaric first spoke to him of marrying L20,000 and Clementina Golightly, his surprise was unbounded.
'L20,000!' said Alaric, 'and a doosed fine girl, you know;' and he also laid great stress on the latter part of the offer, knowing how inflammable was Charley's heart, and at the same time how little mercenary was his mind.
But Charley was not only surprised at the proposed arrangement, but apparently also unwilling to enter into, it.