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Mr Boffin drew a deep groan. 'Now, wait a bit, Boffin; there's something more. In your employment is an under-handed sneak, named Rokesmith. It won't answer to have HIM about, while this business of ours is about. He must be discharged. 'Rokesmith is already discharged, said Mr Boffin, speaking in a muffled voice, with his hands before his face, as he rocked himself on the settle.
And so busy had he been all night, piling and piling weights upon weights of earth above John Harmon's grave, that by that time John Harmon lay buried under a whole Alpine range; and still the Sexton Rokesmith accumulated mountains over him, lightening his labour with the dirge, 'Cover him, crush him, keep him down!
Sparrows were there, cats were there, dry-rot and wet-rot were there, but it was not otherwise a suggestive spot. 'All this time, said the stranger, producing a little pocket-book and taking out a card, 'I have not mentioned my name. My name is Rokesmith. I lodge at one Mr Wilfer's, at Holloway. Mr Boffin stared again. 'Father of Miss Bella Wilfer? said he.
Boffin was accosted by a strange gentleman, who gave his name as John Rokesmith, and proposed his services as private secretary. Mr. Rokesmith mentioned that he lodged at one Mr. Wilfer's, in Holloway. Mr. Boffin stared. "Father of Miss Bella Wilfer?" "My landlord has a daughter named Bella." "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know what to say," said Mr.
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.
The sooner, the better. 'One last word, Bella, said Mrs Wilfer, 'before descending to the family apartment. I trust that as a child of mine you will ever be sensible that it will be graceful in you, when associating with Mr and Mrs Boffin upon equal terms, to remember that the Secretary, Mr Rokesmith, as your father's lodger, has a claim on your good word.
I may feel nay, know that in uniting herself to Mr Rokesmith she has united herself to one who is, in spite of shallow sophistry, a Mendicant. And I may feel well assured that your daughter Bella, again turning to her husband, 'does not exalt her family by becoming a Mendicant's bride. But I suppress what I feel, and say nothing of it.
If they HAD called themselves rich, most likely they wouldn't have been so. 'They lived and died very miserably. Did they not, sir? 'No, I don't know that they did, said Mr Boffin, curtly. 'Then they are not the Misers I mean. Those abject wretches 'Don't call names, Rokesmith, said Mr Boffin. That exemplary brother and sister lived and died in the foulest and filthiest degradation.
With those words she stalked out. In a few moments she stalked in again, proclaiming in her heraldic manner, 'Mr Rokesmith is the bearer of a packet for Miss Bella Wilfer. Mr Rokesmith followed close upon his name, and of course saw what was amiss. But he discreetly affected to see nothing, and addressed Miss Bella. 'Mr Boffin intended to have placed this in the carriage for you this morning.
Now, you won't think I take a liberty when I mention that you certainly ain't THAT. Certainly not, said Mr Rokesmith. But he had used the word in the sense of Steward. 'Why, as to Steward, you see, returned Mr Boffin, with his hand still to his chin, 'the odds are that Mrs Boffin and me may never go upon the water.
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