sir.”
“I shall have a word or two to say to you, Mr. Wegg, before long,” remarked Venus, “respecting my share in the project we’ve been speaking of.”
“My time, sir,” returned Wegg, “is yours. In the meanwhile let it be fully understood that I shall not neglect bringing the grindstone to bear, nor yet bringing Dusty Boffin’s nose to it. His nose once brought to it, shall be held to it by these hands, Mr. Venus, till the sparks flies out in showers.”
With this agreeable promise Wegg stumped out, and shut the shop-door after him. “Wait till I light a candle, Mr. Boffin,” said Venus, “and you’ll come out more comfortable.” So, he lighting a candle and holding it up at arm’s length, Mr. Boffin disengaged himself from behind the alligator’s smile, with an expression of countenance so very downcast that it not only appeared as if the alligator had the whole of the joke to himself, but further as if it had been conceived and executed at Mr. Boffin’s expense.