Mr. Venus, with a glance at his friend, replied in the affirmative.
“What did he show you?” asked Mr. Boffin, putting his hands behind him, and eagerly advancing his head. “Did he show you boxes, little cabinets, pocketbooks, parcels, anything locked or sealed, anything tied up?”
Mr. Venus shook his head.
“Are you a judge of china?”
Mr. Venus again shook his head.
“Because if he had ever showed you a teapot, I should be glad to know of it,” said Mr. Boffin. And then, with his right hand at his lips, repeated thoughtfully, “a teapot, a teapot,” and glanced over the books on the floor, as if he knew there was something interesting connected with a teapot, somewhere among them.
Mr. Wegg and Mr. Venus looked at one another wonderingly: and Mr. Wegg, in fitting on his spectacles, opened his eyes wide, over their rims, and tapped the side of his nose: as an admonition to Venus to keep himself generally wide awake.
“A teapot,” repeated Mr. Boffin, continuing to muse and survey the books; “a teapot, a teapot. Are you ready, Wegg?”
“I am at your service, sir,” replied that gentleman, taking his usual seat on the usual settle, and poking his wooden leg under the table before it. “ Mr. Venus, would you make yourself useful, and take a seat beside me, sir, for the conveniency of snuffing the candles?”
Venus complying with the invitation while it was yet being given, Silas pegged at him with his wooden leg, to call his particular attention to Mr. Boffin standing musing before the fire, in the space between the two settles.