“Well, my dear,” returned Mrs. Boffin, giving her a squeeze, “it’s kind of you to find that reason out, and I hope it may have been so, and indeed to a certain extent I believe it was so, but I am afraid not to the whole extent. However, that don’t come in question now, because we have done with the name.”

“Laid it up as a remembrance,” suggested Bella, musingly.

“Much better said, my dear; laid it up as a remembrance. Well then; I have been thinking if I take any orphan to provide for, let it not be a pet and a plaything for me, but a creature to be helped for its own sake.”

“Not pretty then?” said Bella.

“No,” returned Mrs. Boffin, stoutly.

“Nor prepossessing then?” said Bella.