“You’ll have the goodness to notice, Mr. Boffin,” remarked Venus, “that I said nothing to him about my going out of the affair altogether, because I didn’t wish to take you anyways by surprise. But I can’t be too soon out of it for my satisfaction, Mr. Boffin, and I now put it to you when it will suit your views for me to retire?”

“Thank’ee, Venus, thank’ee, Venus; but I don’t know what to say,” returned Mr. Boffin, “I don’t know what to do. He’ll drop down on me anyway. He seems fully determined to drop down; don’t he?”

Mr. Venus opined that such was clearly his intention.