Practice and Law Reports, and at a window, and at an empty blue bag, and at a stick of sealing-wax, and a pen, and a box of wafers, and an apple, and a writing-pad—all very dusty—and at a number of inky smears and blots, and at an imperfectly-disguised gun-case pretending to be something legal, and at an iron box labelled Harmon Estate , until Mr. Lightwood appeared.
Mr. Lightwood explained that he came from the proctor’s, with whom he had been engaged in transacting Mr. Boffin’s affairs.
“And they seem to have taken a deal out of you!” said Mr. Boffin, with commiseration.
Mr. Lightwood, without explaining that his weariness was chronic, proceeded with his exposition that, all forms of law having been at length complied with, will of Harmon deceased having been proved, death of Harmon next inheriting having been proved, etc. , and so forth, Court of Chancery having been moved, etc. and so forth, he, Mr. Lightwood, had now the gratification, honour, and happiness, again etc. and so forth, of congratulating Mr. Boffin on coming into possession as residuary legatee, of upwards of one hundred thousand pounds, standing in the books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England, again etc. and so forth.
“And what is particularly eligible in the property Mr. Boffin, is, that it involves no trouble. There are no estates to manage, no rents to return so much percent upon in bad times (which is an extremely dear way of getting your name into the newspapers), no voters to become parboiled in hot water with, no agents to take the cream off the milk before it comes to table. You could put the whole in a cashbox tomorrow morning, and take it with you to—say, to the Rocky Mountains. Inasmuch as every man,” concluded Mr. Lightwood, with an indolent smile, “appears to be under a fatal spell which obliges him, sooner or