“Now that you can begin, sir,” returned Bella, with a look as if she italicized the word by putting one of her dimples under it, “what were you going to say?”

“You remember, of course, that in her short letter to Mrs. Boffin⁠—short, but containing everything to the purpose⁠—she stipulated that either her name, or else her place of residence, must be kept strictly a secret among us.”

Bella nodded Yes.

“It is my duty to find out why she made that stipulation. I have it in charge from Mr. Boffin to discover, and I am very desirous for myself to discover, whether that retracted accusation still leaves any stain upon her. I mean whether it places her at any disadvantage towards anyone, even towards herself.”