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
ended.'

'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. 'But look here, Venus,' he by-and-by
resumed, nervously sitting down again; 'if I have to buy Wegg up, I
shan'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?'

'It was to have been half, sir,' answered 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 bought up, and then ease your mind by handing over
to me what you had made believe to pocket?'

'No I don't, sir,' returned Venus, very positively.

'Not to make amends?' insinuated Mr Boffin.

'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. 'When you say the square, you mean--'

'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 anywhere. 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 attent