“And perhaps, ma’am,” pursued Mr. Boffin, addressing Sophronia, “you have been so kind as to take up my old lady in your own mind, and to do her the honour of turning the question over whether you mightn’t one of these days have her in charge, like? Whether you mightn’t be a sort of Miss Bella Wilfer to her, and something more?”

“I should hope,” returned Mrs. Lammle, with a scornful look and in a loud voice, “that if I were anything to your wife, sir, I could hardly fail to be something more than Miss Bella Wilfer, as you call her.”

“What do you call her, ma’am?” asked Mr. Boffin.