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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/27/jane-austen-persuasion-mervyn-king
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| How Jane Austen needed some persuasion from Mervyn King | How Jane Austen needed some persuasion from Mervyn King |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Vanity was the beginning and end of Sir Mervyn King's character. In his younger days he had been a remarkably fine-looking man and even at 65 he was still handsome, a blessing, along with his reputation and pension, he took with the utmost seriousness. Being a knight, Sir Mervyn had been obliged to maintain a certain standard of living at the Bank of England, one the country could no longer afford and changes needed to be made to the nation's circumstances. Unable to bear the disgrace of moderating the bankers' expenditure, Sir Mervyn had been prevailed upon to rent the Bank of England to Mark Carney, a Canadian almost worthy of living in an institution belonging to a knight, and had decided to take a townhouse in Bath. | Vanity was the beginning and end of Sir Mervyn King's character. In his younger days he had been a remarkably fine-looking man and even at 65 he was still handsome, a blessing, along with his reputation and pension, he took with the utmost seriousness. Being a knight, Sir Mervyn had been obliged to maintain a certain standard of living at the Bank of England, one the country could no longer afford and changes needed to be made to the nation's circumstances. Unable to bear the disgrace of moderating the bankers' expenditure, Sir Mervyn had been prevailed upon to rent the Bank of England to Mark Carney, a Canadian almost worthy of living in an institution belonging to a knight, and had decided to take a townhouse in Bath. |
| Before leaving Threadneedle Street, Sir Mervyn had had occasion to take a final glimpse at his third child, the £10 note, and observed to his horror – there is no easy way of putting this – that it was past its bloom. Which is not to say that the portrait of Mr Dickens was unattractive, but that a suitor might now find him over-familiar and thereby take him for granted somewhat. So it was that Sir Mervyn's eye turned towards Miss Austen. | Before leaving Threadneedle Street, Sir Mervyn had had occasion to take a final glimpse at his third child, the £10 note, and observed to his horror – there is no easy way of putting this – that it was past its bloom. Which is not to say that the portrait of Mr Dickens was unattractive, but that a suitor might now find him over-familiar and thereby take him for granted somewhat. So it was that Sir Mervyn's eye turned towards Miss Austen. |
| Ever since moving to Bath herself some 200 years earlier, it had been Miss Austen's habit to take the airs of the Royal Crescent on her morning promenade, a time of day in which she chose to reflect with fortitude on her condition. Thus it was she had never felt the slightest sense of pique that, of the fairer sex, both Florence Nightingale and Elizabeth Fry had already received the signal honour of appearing on an English bank note, or that John Houblon and Matthew Houblon, who were, not to put too fine a point on it, complete no-marks, had also been recognised in this way. It while she was not thinking of these things that her perambulations were disturbed by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. | Ever since moving to Bath herself some 200 years earlier, it had been Miss Austen's habit to take the airs of the Royal Crescent on her morning promenade, a time of day in which she chose to reflect with fortitude on her condition. Thus it was she had never felt the slightest sense of pique that, of the fairer sex, both Florence Nightingale and Elizabeth Fry had already received the signal honour of appearing on an English bank note, or that John Houblon and Matthew Houblon, who were, not to put too fine a point on it, complete no-marks, had also been recognised in this way. It while she was not thinking of these things that her perambulations were disturbed by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. |
| "Long have I admired you, Miss Austen," said Sir Mervyn, for it was he. "May I walk with you awhile and dare to hope that after 100 paces you may agree to appear on my new £10 note?" | "Long have I admired you, Miss Austen," said Sir Mervyn, for it was he. "May I walk with you awhile and dare to hope that after 100 paces you may agree to appear on my new £10 note?" |
| Flattered as she was by Sir Mervyn's charms, Jane thought she detected a note of insincerity in his manner, yet politeness restrained her from saying so and thus she smiled sweetly and walked on. Sir Mervyn was nothing if not persistent, however, and before she could reach the sanctuary of her town house, she felt obliged to respond. | Flattered as she was by Sir Mervyn's charms, Jane thought she detected a note of insincerity in his manner, yet politeness restrained her from saying so and thus she smiled sweetly and walked on. Sir Mervyn was nothing if not persistent, however, and before she could reach the sanctuary of her town house, she felt obliged to respond. |
| "I trust you are not just saying this to curry favour amongst women," Jane said. "Nor that you are trying to cash in on my recent popularity, for I do not recall receiving such attention before Colin Firth stripped off for the BBC." | "I trust you are not just saying this to curry favour amongst women," Jane said. "Nor that you are trying to cash in on my recent popularity, for I do not recall receiving such attention before Colin Firth stripped off for the BBC." |
| "Fie, Miss Austen! However could you think such a thing?" | "Fie, Miss Austen! However could you think such a thing?" |
| "Very well, then, Sir Mervyn. But do you not think the £10 note is not too small a denomination for a writer who understood the connection between wealth, status and marriage better than most? Surely I am worthy of the £20 note at the very least?" | "Very well, then, Sir Mervyn. But do you not think the £10 note is not too small a denomination for a writer who understood the connection between wealth, status and marriage better than most? Surely I am worthy of the £20 note at the very least?" |
| Sir Mervyn blushed, unused to being so wrong-footed. | Sir Mervyn blushed, unused to being so wrong-footed. |
| "And while I have your attention, Sir Mervyn," Jane continued. "If you have had time to read to the end of Persuasion, you will remember that Captain Wentworth's parting gesture was to pay off Mrs Smith's debts. Do you think that you might also be persuaded to pay off some of the debts incurred by reckless bankers on your watch?" | "And while I have your attention, Sir Mervyn," Jane continued. "If you have had time to read to the end of Persuasion, you will remember that Captain Wentworth's parting gesture was to pay off Mrs Smith's debts. Do you think that you might also be persuaded to pay off some of the debts incurred by reckless bankers on your watch?" |
| "Good Lord, Miss Austen. Is that the time? I find that a man in possession of a £6.3m pension is in want of some peace and quiet." | "Good Lord, Miss Austen. Is that the time? I find that a man in possession of a £6.3m pension is in want of some peace and quiet." |
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