way Bella met Lizzie and became her friend.
Lizzie soon told her all her story, and Bella, seeing how unselfishly
she loved, began to think her own ambition to marry for money a mean and
ignoble thing. She thought how patient and kind the secretary had always
been, and, knowing he loved her, wished heartily that her own coldness
had not forbidden him to tell her so.

One day Mr. Boffin's pretended harsh treatment of his secretary seemed
to come to a climax. He sent for him to come to the room where Mrs.
Boffin and Bella sat, and made a fearful scene. He said he had just
heard that he, Rokesmith, had been presuming on his position to make
love to Bella--a young lady who wanted to marry money, who had _a right_
to marry money, and who was very far from wanting to marry a poor beggar
of a private secretary! He threw the wages that were due Rokesmith on
the floor and discharged him on the spot, telling him the sooner he
could pack up and leave, the better.

Then, at last, in the face of this apparent meanness and injustice,
Bella saw herself and Mr. Boffin's money and John Rokesmith's love and
dignity, all in their true light. She burst out crying, begged
Rokesmith's forgiveness, told Mr. Boffin he was an old wretch of a
miser, and when the secretary had gone, she said Rokesmith was a
gentleman and worth a million Boffins, and she would not stay in the
house a minute longer.

Then she packed up her things and went straight to her father's office.
All the other clerks had gone home, for it was after hours, and she put
her head on his shoulder and told him all about it.

And while they were talking, in came John Rokesmith, and seeing her
there alone with her father, rushed to her and caught her in his arms.

"My dear, brave, noble, generous girl!" he said, and Bella, feeling all
at once that she had never been quite so happy in her life, laid her
head on his breast, as if that were the one place for it in all the
world.

They had a talk together and then walked home to Mr. Wilfer's poor
little house, Bella's father agreeing that she had done exactly the
proper thing, and Bella herself feeling so happy now in having John
Rokesmith's love, that she cared not a bit for the fine mansion and
clothes and money of the Boffins which she had left for ever.

A few days later John Rokesmith and Bella were married and went to live
in a little furnished cottage outside of London, where they settled down
as happy as two birds.