“Oh, my loved husband!” said Mrs. Boffin. “This is hard to see and hear. But my dear Bella, believe me that in spite of all the change in him, he is the best of men.”

He came back, at the moment when Bella had taken the hand comfortingly between her own.

“Eh?” said he, mistrustfully looking in at the door. “What’s she telling you?”

“She is only praising you, sir,” said Bella.

“Praising me? You are sure? Not blaming me for standing on my own defence against a crew of plunderers, who could suck me dry by driblets? Not blaming me for getting a little hoard together?”

He came up to them, and his wife folded her hands upon his shoulder, and shook her head as she laid it on her hands.