“This is unfortunate,” said Rokesmith. “I must go and break it to Mrs. Boffin. Stay you here, Sloppy.”

Sloppy stayed there, staring at the pattern of the paper on the wall, until the Secretary and Mrs. Boffin came back together. And with Mrs. Boffin was a young lady (Miss Bella Wilfer by name) who was better worth staring at, it occurred to Sloppy, than the best of wallpapering.

“Ah, my poor dear pretty little John Harmon!” exclaimed Mrs. Boffin.

“Yes mum,” said the sympathetic Sloppy.

“You don’t think he is in a very, very bad way, do you?” asked the pleasant creature with her wholesome cordiality.