“Not appeal to you ,” retorted Mr. Boffin as if he hadn’t done so. “No, I should hope not! Appealing to you , would be rather a rum course. As I was saying, you’re a needy chap that I pick up in the street. You come and ask me in the street to take you for a Secretary, and I take you. Very good.”

“Very bad,” murmured the Secretary.

“What do you say?” asked Mr. Boffin, snapping at him again.

He returned no answer. Mr. Boffin, after eyeing him with a comical look of discomfited curiosity, was fain to begin afresh.