Was you thinking at all of poetry ?' Mr Wegg inquired, musing.
'Would it come dearer ?' Mr Boffin asked.
'It would come dearer,' Mr Wegg returned.

'For when a person comes to grind off poetry night after night, it is but right he should expect to be paid for its weakening effect on his mind.' 'To tell you the truth Wegg,' said Boffin, 'I wasn't thinking of poetry, except in so fur as this:--If you was to happen now and then to feel yourself in the mind to tip me and Mrs Boffin one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry.' 'I follow you, sir,' said Wegg.

'But not being a regular musical professional, I should be loath to engage myself for that; and therefore when I dropped into poetry, I should ask to be considered so fur, in the light of a friend.' At this, Mr Boffin's eyes sparkled, and he shook Silas earnestly by the hand: protesting that it was more than he could have asked, and that he took it very kindly indeed.
'What do you think of the terms, Wegg ?' Mr Boffin then demanded, with unconcealed anxiety.
Silas, who had stimulated this anxiety by his hard reserve of manner, and who had begun to understand his man very well, replied with an air; as if he were saying something extraordinarily generous and great: 'Mr Boffin, I never bargain.' 'So I should have thought of you!' said Mr Boffin, admiringly.

'No, sir.
I never did 'aggle and I never will 'aggle.

Consequently I meet you at once, free and fair, with--Done, for double the money!' Mr Boffin seemed a little unprepared for this conclusion, but assented, with the remark, 'You know better what it ought to be than I do, Wegg,' and again shook hands with him upon it.
'Could you begin to night, Wegg ?' he then demanded.
'Yes, sir,' said Mr Wegg, careful to leave all the eagerness to him.
'I see no difficulty if you wish it.