“Certainly, it has trained you down, Mr. Wegg,” said Venus, contemplating his figure with an artist’s eye. “Trained you down very low, it has! So weazen and yellow is the kivering upon your bones, that one might almost fancy you had come to give a look-in upon the French gentleman in the corner, instead of me.”

Mr. Wegg, glancing in great dudgeon towards the French gentleman’s corner, seemed to notice something new there, which induced him to glance at the opposite corner, and then to put on his glasses and stare at all the nooks and corners of the dim shop in succession.

“Why, you’ve been having the place cleaned up!” he exclaimed.

“Yes, Mr. Wegg. By the hand of adorable woman.”

“Then what you’re going to do next, I suppose, is to get married?”