Mr John Rokesmith will please enter on his duties immediately."' 'Well! Now, Noddy!' cried Mrs Boffin, clapping her hands, 'That IS a good one!' Mr Boffin was no less delighted; indeed, in his own bosom, he regarded both the composition itself and the device that had given birth to it, as a very remarkable monument of human ingenuity.
'And I tell you, my deary,' said Mrs Boffin, 'that if you don't close with Mr Rokesmith now at once, and if you ever go a muddling yourself again with things never meant nor made for you, you'll have an apoplexy--besides iron-moulding your linen--and you'll break my heart.' Mr Boffin embraced his spouse for these words of wisdom, and then, congratulating John Rokesmith on the brilliancy of his achievements, gave him his hand in pledge of their new relations.

So did Mrs Boffin.
'Now,' said Mr Boffin, who, in his frankness, felt that it did not become him to have a gentleman in his employment five minutes, without reposing some confidence in him, 'you must be let a little more into our affairs, Rokesmith.

I mentioned to you, when I made your acquaintance, or I might better say when you made mine, that Mrs Boffin's inclinations was setting in the way of Fashion, but that I didn't know how fashionable we might or might not grow.

Well! Mrs Boffin has carried the day, and we're going in neck and crop for Fashion.' 'I rather inferred that, sir,' replied John Rokesmith, 'from the scale on which your new establishment is to be maintained.' 'Yes,' said Mr Boffin, 'it's to be a Spanker.

The fact is, my literary man named to me that a house with which he is, as I may say, connected--in which he has an interest--' 'As property ?' inquired John Rokesmith.
'Why no,' said Mr Boffin, 'not exactly that; a sort of a family tie.' 'Association ?' the Secretary suggested.
'Ah!' said Mr Boffin.