At this, Mrs. Boffin fairly screamed with rapture, and sat beating her feet upon the floor, clapping her hands, and bobbing herself backwards and forwards, like a demented member of some Mandarin’s family.

“O, I understand you now, sir!” cried Bella. “I want neither you nor anyone else to tell me the rest of the story. I can tell it to you , now, if you would like to hear it.”

“Can you, my dear?” said Mr. Boffin. “Tell it then.”