“Don’t you mind him a single morsel, my dear,” proceeded Mrs. Boffin, “but stick to me. Then says John, O, if he could but prove so! Then we both of us ups and says, that minute, ‘Prove so!’ ”
With a start, Bella directed a hurried glance towards Mr. Boffin. But, he was sitting thoughtfully smiling at that broad brown hand of his, and either didn’t see it, or would take no notice of it.
“ ‘Prove it, John!’ we says,” repeated Mrs. Boffin. “ ‘Prove it and overcome your doubts with triumph, and be happy for the first time in your life, and for the rest of your life.’ This puts John in a state, to be sure. Then we says, ‘What will content you? If she was to stand up for you when you was slighted, if she was to show herself of a generous mind when you was oppressed, if she was to be truest to you when you was poorest and friendliest, and all this against her own seeming interest, how would that do?’ ‘Do?’ says John, ‘it would raise me to the skies.’ ‘Then,’ says my Noddy, ‘make your preparations for the ascent, John, it being my firm belief that up you go!’ ”
Bella caught Mr. Boffin’s twinkling eye for half an instant; but he got it away from her, and restored it to his broad brown hand.
“From the first, you was always a special favourite of Noddy’s,” said Mrs. Boffin, shaking her head. “O you were! And if I had been inclined to be jealous, I don’t know what I mightn’t have done to you. But as I wasn’t—why, my beauty,” with a hearty laugh and an embrace, “I made you a special favourite of my own too. But the horses is coming round the corner. Well! Then says my Noddy, shaking his sides till he was fit to make ’em ache again: ‘Look out for being slighted and oppressed, John, for if ever a man had a hard master, you shall find me from this present time to be such to you.’ And then he began!” cried Mrs. Boffin, in an ecstacy of admiration. “Lord bless you, then he began! And how he did begin; didn’t he!”
Bella looked half frightened, and yet half laughed.