“I mean that it has become no novelty to me to hear from your lips what I would rather not hear.”
“Oh! Perhaps we shall change that,” said Mr. Boffin with a threatening roll of his head.
“I hope so,” returned the Secretary. He was quiet and respectful; but stood, as Bella thought (and was glad to think), on his manhood too.
“Now, sir,” said Mr. Boffin, “look at this young lady on my arm.”
Bella involuntarily raising her eyes, when this sudden reference was made to herself, met those of Mr. Rokesmith. He was pale and seemed agitated. Then her eyes passed on to Mrs. Boffin’s, and she met the look again. In a flash it enlightened her, and she began to understand what she had done.
“I say to you, sir,” Mr. Boffin repeated, “look at this young lady on my arm.”
“I do so,” returned the Secretary.
As his glance rested again on Bella for a moment, she thought there was reproach in it. But it is possible that the reproach was within herself.
“How dare you, sir,” said Mr. Boffin, “tamper, unknown to me, with this young lady? How dare you come out of your station, and your place in my house, to pester this young lady with your impudent addresses?”
“I must decline to answer questions,” said the Secretary, “that are so offensively asked.”
“You decline to answer?” retorted Mr. Boffin. “You decline to answer, do you? Then I’ll tell you what it is, Rokesmith; I’ll answer for you. There are two sides to this matter, and I’ll take ’em separately. The first side is, sheer insolence. That’s the first side.”