Mr. Boffin glanced about him, as accepting under that inclusive denomination the French gentleman and the circle in which he didn’t move, and repeated, “The present company.”

“Sir,” said Mr. Venus, “before entering upon business, I shall have to ask you for your word and honour that we are in confidence.”

“Let’s wait a bit and understand what the expression means,” answered Mr. Boffin. “In confidence for how long? In confidence forever and a day?”

“I take your hint, sir,” said Venus; “you think you might consider the business, when you came to know it, to be of a nature incompatible with confidence on your part?”