worse Mr. Boffin treated his secretary, the more Bella felt drawn to the
man whose offer of marriage she had refused. The crisis came one morning
when the Golden Dustman's bearing towards Rokesmith was even more
arrogant and offensive than it had been before. Mrs. Boffin was seated
on a sofa, and Mr. Boffin had Bella on his arm.

"Don't be alarmed, my dear," he said gently. "I'm going to see you
righted."

Then he turned to his secretary.

"Now, sir, look at this young lady. How dare you come out of your
station to pester this young lady with your impudent addresses? This
young lady, who was far above _you_. This young lady was looking about
for money, and you had no money."

Bella hung her head, and Mrs. Boffin broke out crying.

"This Rokesmith is a needy young man," Mr. Boffin went on unmoved. "He
gets acquainted with my affairs and gets to know that I mean to settle a
sum of money upon this young lady."

"I indignantly deny it!" said the secretary quietly. "But our connection
being at an end, it matters little what I say."

"I discharge you," Mr. Boffin retorted. "There's your money."

"Mrs. Boffin," said Rokesmith, "for your unvarying kindness I thank you
with the warmest gratitude. Miss Wilfer, good-bye."

"Oh, Mr. Rokesmith," said Bella in her tears, "hear one word from me
before you go. I am deeply sorry for the reproaches you have borne on my
account. Out of the depths of my heart I beg your pardon."

She gave him her hand, and he put it to his lips and said, "God bless
you!"

"There was a time when I deserved to be 'righted,' as Mr. Boffin has
done," Bella went on, "but I hope that I shall never deserve it again."

Once more John Rokesmith put her hand to his lips, and then relinquished
it, and left the room.

Bella threw her arms round Mrs. Boffin's neck. "He has been most
shamefully abused and driven away, and I am the cause of it. I must go
home; I am very grateful for all you have done for me, but I can't stay
here."

"Now, Bella," said Mr. Boffin, "look before you leap. Go away, and you
can never come back. And you mustn't expect that I'm a-going to settle
money on you if you leave me like this, because I'm not. Not one brass
farthing."

"No power on earth could make me take it now," said Bella haughtily.

Then she broke into sobs over saying good-bye to Mrs. Boffin, said a
last word to Mr. Boffin, and ran upstairs. A few minutes later she went
out of the house.

"That was well done