ach of your confidence, to
such an extent, that I ought at once to have made it known to you. But I
didn't, Mr Boffin, and I fell into it.'

Without moving eye or finger, Mr Boffin gave another nod, and placidly
repeated, 'Quite so, Venus.'

'Not that I was ever hearty in it, sir,' the penitent anatomist went
on, 'or that I ever viewed myself with anything but reproach for having
turned out of the paths of science into the paths of--' he was going
to say 'villany,' but, unwilling to press too hard upon himself,
substituted with great emphasis--'Weggery.'

Placid and whimsical of look as ever, Mr Boffin answered:

'Quite so, Venus.'

'And now, sir,' said Venus, 'having prepared your mind in the rough, I
will articulate the details.' With which brief professional exordium, he
entered on the history of the friendly move, and truly recounted it. One
might have thought that it would have extracted some show of surprise or
anger, or other emotion, from Mr Boffin, but it extracted nothing beyond
his former comment:

'Quite so, Venus.'

'I have astonished you, sir, I believe?' said Mr Venus, pausing
dubiously.

Mr Boffin simply answered as aforesaid: 'Quite so, Venus.'

By this time the astonishment was all on the other side. It did not,
however, so continue. For, when Venus passed to Wegg's discovery, and
from that to their having both seen Mr Boffin dig up the Dutch bottle,
that gentleman changed colour, changed his attitude, became extremely
restless, and ended (when Venus ended) by being in a state of manifest
anxiety, trepidation, and confusion.

'Now, sir,' said Venus, finishing off; 'you best know what was in that
Dutch bottle, and why you dug it up, and took it away. I don't pretend
to know anything more about it than I saw. All I know is this: I am
proud of my calling after all (though it has been attended by one
dreadful drawback which has told upon my heart, and almost equally upon
my skeleton), and I mean to live by my calling. Putting the same meaning
into other words, I do not mean to turn a single dishonest penny by this
affair. As the best amends I can make you for having ever gone into it,
I make known to you, as a warning, what Wegg has found out. My opinion
is, that Wegg is not to be silenced at a modest price, and I build that
opinion on his beginning to dispose of your property the moment he knew
his power. Whether it's worth your while to silence him at any price,
you will decide for yourself,