Mr. Riah. Are you fully determined (as a plain | in the perspective, rose with a sigh to take his point of business) either to have that said great departure. "I thank you very much, Sir," he party's security, or that said great party's mon- said, offering Fledgeby his feverish hand. have done me an unmerited service. Thank you, thank you!" ey ?" "Fully determined," answered Riah, as he read his master's face, and learned the book. "Not at all caring for, and indeed as it seems to me rather enjoying," said Fledgeby, with peculiar unction, "the precious kick-up and row that will come off between Mr. Twemlow and the said great party?" This required no answer, and received none. Poor Mr. Twemlow, who had betrayed the keenest mental terrors since his noble kinsman loomed "You "Don't mention it," answered Fledgeby. "It's a failure so far, but I'll stay behind, and take another touch at Mr. Riah." "Do not deceive yourself, Mr. Twemlow," said the Jew, then addressing him directly for the first time. "There is no hope for you. You must expect no leniency here. You must pay in full, and you can not pay too promptly, or you will be put to heavy charges. Trust nothing to MR. WEGG PREPARES A GRINDSTONE FOR MR. BOFFIN'S NOSE. me, Sir. Money, money, money." When he had said these words in an emphatic manner, he acknowledged Mr. Twemlow's still polite motion of his head, and that amiable little worthy took his departure in the lowest spirits. Fascination Fledgeby was in such a merry vein when the counting-house was cleared of him, that he had nothing for it but to go to 'the window, and lean his arms on the frame of the blind, and have his silent laugh out, with his back to his subordinate. When he turned round again with a composed countenance, his subordinate still stood in the same place, and the dolls' dress-maker sat behind the door with a look of horror. "Halloa?" cried Mr. Fledgeby, "you're forgetting this young lady, Mr. Riah, and she has been waiting long enough too. Sell her her waste, please, and give her good measure if you can make up your mind to do the liberal thing for once." He looked on for a time, as the Jew filled her little basket with such scraps as she was used to buy; but, his merry vein coming on again, he was obliged to turn round to the window once more, and lean his arms on the blind. Mr. Boffin's notice as a third party whose company was much to be desired. Another friendly demonstration toward him Mr. Wegg now regularly gratified. After each sitting was over, and the patron had departed, Mr. Wegg invariably saw Mr. Venus home. To be sure, he as invariably requested to be refreshed with a sight of the paper in which he was a joint proprietor; but he never failed to remark that it was the great pleasure he derived from Mr. Venus's improving society which had insensibly lured him round to Clerkenwell again, and that, finding himself once more attracted to the spot by the social powers of Mr. V., he would beg leave to go through that little incidental procedure, as a matter of form. "For well I know, Sir," Mr. Wegg would add, "that a man of your delicate mind would wish to be checked off whenever the opportunity arises, and it is not for me to balk your feelings." A certain rustiness in Mr. Venus, which never became so lubricated by the oil of Mr. Wegg but that he turned under the screw in a creaking and stiff manner, was very noticeable at about this period. While assisting at the literary evenings he even went so far, on two or three oc"There, my Cinderella dear," said the old casions, as to correct Mr. Wegg when he grossman in a whisper, and with a worn-out look, ly mispronounced a word, or made nonsense of "the basket's full now. Bless you! And get a passage; insomuch that Mr. Wegg took to you gone!" surveying his course in the day, and to making "Don't call me your Cinderella dear," re-arrangements for getting round rocks at night turned Miss Wren. "Oh you cruel godmother!" She shook that emphatic little forefinger of hers in his face at parting, as earnestly and reproachfully as she had ever shaken it at her grim old child at home. "You are not the godmother at all!" said she. "You are the Wolf in the Forest, the wicked Wolf! And if ever my dear Lizzie is sold and betrayed, I shall know who sold and betrayed her!" CHAPTER XIV. MR. WEGG PREPARES A GRINDSTONE FOR MR. BOFFIN'S NOSE. HAVING assisted at a few more expositions of the lives of Misers, Mr. Venus became almost indispensable to the evenings at the Bower. The circumstance of having another listener to the wonders unfolded by Wegg, or, as it were, another calculator to cast up the guineas found in tea-pots, chimneys, racks, and mangers, and other such banks of deposit, seemed greatly to heighten Mr. Boffin's enjoyment; while Silas Wegg, for his part, though of a jealous temperament which might under ordinary circumstances have resented the anatomist's getting into favor, was so very anxious to keep his eye on that gentleman-lest, being too much left to himself, he should be tempted to play any tricks with the precious document in his keeping-that he never lost an opportunity of commending him to VOL. XXXI.-No. 182.-R instead of running straight upon them. Of the slightest anatomical reference he became particularly shy, and, if he saw a bone ahead, would go any distance out of his way rather than mention it by name. The adverse destinies ordained that one evening Mr. Wegg's laboring bark became beset by polysyllables, and embarrassed among a perfect archipelago of hard words. It being necessary to take soundings every minute, and to feel the way with the greatest caution, Mr. Wegg's attention was fully employed. Advantage was taken of this dilemma by Mr. Venus to pass a scrap of paper into Mr. Boffin's hand, and lay his finger on his own lip. When Mr. Boffin got home at night he found that the paper contained Mr. Venus's card and these words: "Should be glad to be honored with a call respecting business of your own, about dusk on an early evening." The very next evening saw Mr. Boffin peeping in at the preserved frogs in Mr. Venus's shop-window, and saw Mr. Venus espying Mr. Boffin with the readiness of one on the alert, and beckoning that gentleman into his interior. Responding, Mr. Boffin was invited to seat himself on the box of human miscellanies before the fire, and did so, looking round the place with admiring eyes. The fire being low and fitful, and the dusk gloomy, the whole stock seemed to be winking and blinking with both eyes, as Mr. Venus did. The French gentleman, though he had no eyes, was not at all behindhand, but appeared, as the flame rose and fell, to open and shut his no eyes, with the regularity of the glass-eyed dogs and ducks and birds. The bigheaded babies were equally obliging in lending their grotesque aid to the general effect. 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, "You see, Mr. Venus, I've lost no time," said Venus." Mr. Boffin. "Here I am." "Here you are, Sir," assented Mr. Venus. "I don't like secrecy," pursued Mr. Boffin"at least, not in a general way I don't-but I dare say you'll show me good reason for being secret so far." "I think I shall, Sir," returned Venus. "Good," said Mr. Boffin. "You don't expect Wegg, I take it for granted ?" "No, Sir. I expect no one but the present company." Mr. Boffin glanced about him, as accepting under that inclusive denomination the French gentleman and the circle in which he didn't move, and repeated, "The present company." "Sir," said Mr. Venus, “before entering upon business, I shall have to ask you for your word and honor that we are in confidence." "Let's wait a bit and understand what the expression means," answered Mr. Boffin. "In confidence for how long? In confidence forever and a day?" "I take your hint, Sir," said Venus; "you think you might consider the business, when you came to know it, to be of a nature incompatible with confidence on your part ?” "I might," said Mr. Boffin, with a cautious look. "True, Sir. Well, Sir," observed Venus, after clutching at his dusty hair, to brighten his ideas, "let us put it another way. I open the business with you, relying upon your honor not to do any thing in it, and not to mention me in it, without my knowledge." That sounds fair," said Mr. Boffin. agree to that." "I have your word and honor, Sir?" "My good fellow,' retorted Mr. Boffin, "you have my word; and how you can have that, without my honor too, I don't know. I've sorted a lot of dust in my time, but I never knew the two things go into separate heaps." 66 "Not that I was ever hearty in it, Sir," the penitent antagonist went on, or that I ever viewed myself with any thing but reproach for having turned out of the paths of science into the paths of-" He was going to say "villainy," 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 color, 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 "I pretend to know any thing 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 mod"Mr. Boffin, if I confess to you that I fell est price, and I build that opinion on his begininto a proposal of which you were the sub-ning to dispose of your property the moment he ject, and of which you oughtn't to have been the subject, you will allow me to mention, and will please take into favorable consideration, that I was in a crushed state of mind at the time." This remark seemed rather to abash Mr. Venus. He hesitated, and said, “Very true, Sir;" and again, "Very true, Sir," before resuming the thread of his discourse. knew his power. Whether it's worth your while to silence him at any price, you will decide for yourself, and take your measures accordingly. As far as I am concerned, I have no price. If I am ever called upon for the truth, I tell it, but I want to do no more than I have now done and The Golden Dustman, with his hands folded on the top of his stout stick, with his chin rest-ended." ing upon them, and with something leering and whimsical in his eyes, gave a nod, and said, "Quite so, Venus." "That proposal, Sir, was a conspiring breach of your confidence, to such an extent, that I "Thank'ee, Venus !" said Mr. Boffin, with a hearty grip of his hand; "thank'ee, Venus, thank'ee, Venus!" And then walked up and down the little shop in great agitation. look here, Venus," he by-and-by resumed, nerv "But ously sitting down again; "if I have to buy | Wegg up, I sha'n't buy him any cheaper for your being out of it. Instead of his having half the money-it was to have been half, I suppose? Share and share alike?" "Nor pass it over to me?" "That would be the same thing. No, Sir," said Mr. Venus. The Golden Dustman seemed about to pursue these questions, when a stumping noise was "It was to have been half, Sir," answered heard outside, coming toward the door. "Hush! Venus. "Instead of that, he'll now have all. I shall pay the same, if not more. For you tell me he's an unconscionable dog, a ravenous rascal." "He is," said Venus. "Don't you think, Venus," insinuated Mr. Boffin, after looking at the fire for a while"don't you feel as if you might like to pretend to be in it till Wegg was brought up, and then ease your mind by handing over to me what you had made believe to pocket ?" 66 here's Wegg!" said Venus. "Get behind the young alligator in the corner, Mr. Boffin, and judge him for yourself. I won't light a candle till he's gone; there'll only be the glow of the fire; Wegg's well acquainted with the alligator, and he won't take particular notice of him. Draw your legs in, Mr. Boffin, at present I see a pair of shoes at the end of his tail. Get your head well behind his smile, Mr. Boffin, and you'll lie comfortable there; you'll find plenty of room behind his smile. He's a little dusty, but he's 'No, I don't, Sir," returned Venus, very pos- very like you in tone. Are you right, Sir!" itively. Mr. Boffin had but whispered an affirmative "Not to make amends?" insinuated Mr. response, when Wegg came stumping in. "PartBoffin. ner," said that gentleman in a sprightly manner, "how's yourself?" "No, Sir. It seems to me, after maturely thinking it over, that the best amends for having got out of the square is to get back into the square." "Humph!" mused Mr. Boffin. say the square, you mean—” "When you "I mean," said Venus, stoutly and shortly, "the right." "It appears to me," said Mr. Boffin, grumbling over the fire in an injured manner, "that the right is with me, if it's any where. I have much more right to the old man's money than the Crown can ever have. What was the Crown to him except the King's Taxes? Whereas, me and my wife, we was all in all to him." Mr. Venus, with his head upon his hands, rendered melancholy by the contemplation of Mr. Boffin's avarice, only murmured to steep himself in the luxury of that frame of mind: "She did not wish so to regard herself, nor yet to be so regarded." "And how am I to live," asked Mr. Boffin, piteously, "if I'm to be going buying fellows up out of the little that I've got? And how am I to set about it? When am I to get my money ready? When am I to make a bid? You haven't told me when he threatens to drop down upon me." Venus explained under what conditions, and with what views, the dropping down upon Mr. Boffin was held over until the Mounds should be cleared away. Mr. Boffin listened attentively. "I suppose," said he, with a gleam of hope, "there's no doubt about the genuineness and date of this confounded will ?" "None whatever," said Mr. Venus. "Tolerable," returned Mr. Venus. "Not much to boast of." "In-deed!" said Wegg: "sorry, partner, that you're not picking up faster, but your soul's too large for your body, Sir; that's where it is. And how's our stock in trade, partner? Safe bind, safe find, partner? Is that about it ?" "Do you wish to see it?" asked Venus. "If you please, partner," said Wegg, rubbing his hands. "I wish to see it jintly with yourself. Or, in similar words to some that was set to music some time back: 'I wish you to see it with your eyes, Turning his back and turning a key, Mr. Venus produced the document, holding on by his usual corner. Mr. Wegg, holding on by the opposite corner, sat down on the seat so lately vacated by Mr. Boffin, and looked it over. "All right, Sir," he slowly and unwillingly admitted, in his reluctance to loose his hold, “all right!" And greedily watched his partner as he turned his back again, and turned his key again. "There's nothing new, I suppose ?" said Venus, resuming his low chair behind the counter. "Yes there is, Sir," replied Wegg; "there was something new this morning. That foxy old grasper and griper-" "Mr. Boffin?" inquired Venus, with a glance toward the alligator's yard or two of smile. "Mister be blowed!" cried Wegg, yielding to his honest indignation. "Boffin. Dusty Boffin. That foxy old grunter and grinder, Sir, turns into the yard this morning, to meddle "Where might it be deposited at present ?" with our property, a menial tool of his own, a asked Mr. Boffin, in a wheedling tone. "It's in my possession, Sir." young man by the name of Sloppy, Ecod, when I say to him, 'What do you want here, young man? This is a private yard,' he pulls out a paper from Boffin's other blackguard, the one I was passed over for. "This is to authorize Sloppy to overlook the carting and to watch the “No, Sir, I wouldn't,” interrupted Mr. Venus. | work.' That's pretty strong, I think, Mr. Venus?" "Is it?" he cried, with great eagerness. "Now, for any liberal sum of money that could be agreed upon, Venus, would you put it in the fire?" on the property," suggested Venus. "Remember he doesn't know yet of our claim | have declined and falled night after night? Is it for his pleasure that I've waited at home of an evening, like a set of skittles, to be set up and knocked over, set up and knocked over, by whatever balls-or books-he chose to bring against me? Why, I'm a hundred times the man he is, Sir; five hundred times!" Perhaps it was with the malicious intent of urging him on to his worst that Mr. Venus looked as if he doubted that. "Then he must have a hint of it," said Wegg, "and a strong one that'll jog his terrors a bit. Give him an inch, and he'll take an ell. Let him alone this time, and what'll he do with our property next? I tell you what, Mr. Venus; it comes to this; I must be overbearing with Boffin, or I shall fly into several pieces. I can't contain myself when I look at him. Every time I see him putting his hand in his pocket, I see him putting it into my pocket. Every time I hear him jingling his money, I hear him taking liberties with my money. Flesh and blood can't bear it. No," said Mr. Wegg, greatly exasperated, "and I'll go further. A wood-five hundred times the man he ever was, sat in en leg can't bear it!" "But, Mr. Wegg," urged Venus, "it was your own idea that he should not be exploded upon, till the Mounds were carted away." "But it was likewise my idea, Mr. Venus," retorted Wegg, "that if he came sneaking and sniffing about the property, he should be threatened, given to understand that he has no right to it, and be made our slave. Wasn't that my idea, Mr. Venus?" "It certainly was, Mr. Wegg." "What? Was it outside the house at present ockypied, to its disgrace, by that minion of fortune and worm of the hour," said Wegg, falling back upon his strongest terms of reprobation, and slapping the counter, "that I, Silas Wegg, all weathers, waiting for a errand or a customer? Was it outside that very house as I first set eyes upon him, rolling in the lap of luxury, when I was a selling half-penny ballads there for a living? And am I to grovel in the dust for him to walk over? No!" There was a grin upon the ghastly countenance of the French gentleman under the influence of the fire-light, as if he were computing how many thousand slanderers and traitors array themselves against the fortunate, on prem "It certainly was, as you say, partner," as-ises exactly answering to those of Mr. Wegg. sented Wegg, put into a better humor by the ready admission. "Very well. I consider his planting one of his menial tools in the yard, an act of sneaking and sniffing. And his nose shall be put to the grindstone for it." "It was not your fault, Mr. Wegg, I must admit," said Venus, "that he got off with the Dutch bottle that night." "As you handsomely say again, partner! No, it was not my fault. I'd have had that bottle out of him. Was it to be borne that he should come, like a thief in the dark, digging among stuff that was far more ours than his (seeing that we could deprive him of every grain of it, if he didn't buy us at our own figure), and carrying off treasure from its bowels? No, it was not to be borne. And for that, too, his nose shall be put to the grindstone." "How do you propose to do it, Mr. Wegg?" "To put his nose to the grindstone? I propose," returned that estimable man, "to insult him openly. And, if looking into this eye of mine, he dares to offer a word in answer, to retort upon him before he can take his breath, 'Add another word to that, you dusty old dog, and you're a beggar."" 66 "Suppose he says nothing, Mr. Wegg?" "Then," replied Wegg, we shall have come to an understanding with very little trouble, and I'll break him and drive him, Mr. Venus. I'll put him in harness, and I'll bear him up tight, and I'll break him and drive him. The harder the old Dust is driven, Sir, the higher he'll pay. And I mean to be paid high, Mr. Venus, I promise you." "You speak quite revengefully, Mr. Wegg." "Revengefully, Sir? Is it for him that I One might have fancied that the big-headed babies were toppling over with their hydrocephalic attempts to reckon up the children of men who transform their benefactors into their injurers by the same process. The yard or two of smile on the part of the alligator might have been invested with the meaning, "All about this was quite familiar knowledge down in the depths of the slime, ages ago." "But," said Wegg, possibly with some slight perception to the foregoing effect, "your speaking countenance remarks, Mr. Venus, that I'm duller and savager than usual. Perhaps I have allowed myself to brood too much. Begone, dull Care! "Tis gone, Sir. I've looked in upon you, and empire resumes her sway. For, as the song says-subject to your correction, Sir When the heart of a man is depressed with cares, "I shall have a word or two to say to you, Mr. Wegg, before long," remarked Venus, "respecting my share in the project we've been speaking of." "My time, Sir," returned Wegg, "is yours. In the mean while let it be fully understood that I shall not neglect bringing the grindstone to bear, nor yet bringing Dusty Boffin's nose to it. His nose once brought to it, shall be held to it by these hands, Mr. Venus, till the sparks flies out in showers." With this agreeable promise Wegg stumped out, and shut the shop-door after him. "Wait till I light a candle, Mr. Boffin," said Venus, |