Reentering the family-room in a meditative state, Miss Bella was received by the irrepressible Lavinia with:

“There, Bella! At last I hope you have got your wishes realized⁠—by your Boffins. You’ll be rich enough now⁠—with your Boffins. You can have as much flirting as you like⁠—at your Boffins. But you won’t take me to your Boffins, I can tell you⁠—you and your Boffins too!”

“If,” quoth Mr. George Sampson, moodily pulling his stopper out, “Miss Bella’s Mr. Boffin comes any more of his nonsense to me , I only wish him to understand, as betwixt man and man, that he does it at his per⁠—” and was going to say peril; but Miss Lavinia, having no confidence in his mental powers, and feeling his oration to have no definite application to any circumstances, jerked his stopper in again, with a sharpness that made his eyes water.