“Well,” he remarked, “I don’t know what to say about it, I am sure. I was a’most as well as I was. It’s a great lot to take care of.”

“My dear Mr. Boffin, then don’t take care of it!”

“Eh?” said that gentleman.

“Speaking now,” returned Mortimer, “with the irresponsible imbecility of a private individual, and not with the profundity of a professional adviser, I should say that if the circumstance of its being too much, weighs upon your mind, you have the haven of consolation open to you that you can easily make it less. And if you should be apprehensive of the trouble of doing so, there is the further haven of consolation that any number of people will take the trouble off your hands.”