OU. This young lady was lying in wait (as she was
qualified to do) for money, and you had no money.'

Bella hung her head and seemed to shrink a little from Mr Boffin's
protecting arm.

'What are you, I should like to know,' pursued Mr Boffin, 'that you were
to have the audacity to follow up this young lady? This young lady was
looking about the market for a good bid; she wasn't in it to be snapped
up by fellows that had no money to lay out; nothing to buy with.'

'Oh, Mr Boffin! Mrs Boffin, pray say something for me!' murmured Bella,
disengaging her arm, and covering her face with her hands.

'Old lady,' said Mr Boffin, anticipating his wife, 'you hold your
tongue. Bella, my dear, don't you let yourself be put out. I'll right
you.'

'But you don't, you don't right me!' exclaimed Bella, with great
emphasis. 'You wrong me, wrong me!'

'Don't you be put out, my dear,' complacently retorted Mr Boffin. 'I'll
bring this young man to book. Now, you Rokesmith! You can't decline
to hear, you know, as well as to answer. You hear me tell you that the
first side of your conduct was Insolence--Insolence and Presumption.
Answer me one thing, if you can. Didn't this young lady tell you so
herself?'

'Did I, Mr Rokesmith?' asked Bella with her face still covered. 'O say,
Mr Rokesmith! Did I?'

'Don't be distressed, Miss Wilfer; it matters very little now.'

'Ah! You can't deny it, though!' said Mr Boffin, with a knowing shake of
his head.

'But I have asked him to forgive me since,' cried Bella; 'and I would
ask him to forgive me now again, upon my knees, if it would spare him!'

Here Mrs Boffin broke out a-crying.

'Old lady,' said Mr Boffin, 'stop that noise! Tender-hearted in you,
Miss Bella; but I mean to have it out right through with this young man,
having got him into a corner. Now, you Rokesmith. I tell you that's one
side of your conduct--Insolence and Presumption. Now, I'm a-coming to
the other, which is much worse. This was a speculation of yours.'

'I indignantly deny it.'

'It's of no use your denying it; it doesn't signify a bit whether
you deny it or not; I've got a head upon my shoulders, and it ain't a
baby's. What!' said Mr Boffin, gathering himself together in his most
suspicious attitude, and wrinkling his face into a very map of curves
and corners. 'Don't I know what grabs are made at a man with money? If
I didn't keep my eyes open, and my pockets buttoned, shouldn't I
be brought to the workhouse