The Evil Genius of the House of Boffin — Marcus Stone's first May 1865 illustration for "Our Mutual Friend"

The Evil Genius of the House of Boffin

Marcus Stone

Wood engraving by Green

12.8 cm high x 8.8 cm wide

Illustration for Book 3, "A Long Lane," Chapter 7, "The Friendly Move Takes up a Strong Position," in Charles Dickens's Our Mutual friend

Stone's illustration appeared in the May 1865, instalment. Wegg, made bitterly envious of Boffin's good fortune after the incident at the mounds (previous illustration) and determined to separate the Golden Dustman from most of his inheritance by virtue of the alternate Harmon will which he has discovered and verified through the registry at Doctors' Commons, nightly haunts the vicinity of the Boffin town house, its classical pillars (supplied like much of the scene by Stone rather than Dickens) implying the owner's power and affluence. [See below for commentary and passage illustrated.]

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

Only the anonymity afforded him by the cover of darkness prevents his being noticed, for his peg-leg generally renders him as conspicuous in such a neighbourhood as his battered hat renders him ridiculous. As he watches the arrival of the Boffins' carriage, symbolic of their superior social status and wealth, in the lighted area of the stately mansion's port cocherie, Wegg, smiling to himself and studying the fashionably gowned Bella Wilfer as she passes through the entrance way, styles himself "The Evil Genius of the House of Boffin," as if he were an avenging spirit from Poe or Collins:

For, Silas Wegg felt it to be quite out of the question that he could lay his head upon his pillow in peace, without first hovering over Mr. Boffin's house in the superior character of its Evil Genius. Power (unless it be the power of intellect or virtue) has ever the greatest attraction for the lowest natures; and the mere defiance of the unconscious house-front, with his power to strip the roof off the inhabiting family like the roof of a house of cards, was a treat which had a charm for Silas Wegg.

As he hovered on the opposite side of the street, exulting, the carriage drove up.

'There'll shortly be an end of you,' said Wegg, threatening it with the hat-box. 'Your varnish is fading.'

Mrs. Boffin descended and went in.

'Look out for a fall, my Lady Dustwoman,' said Wegg.

Bella lightly descended, and ran in after her.

'How brisk we are!' said Wegg. 'You won't run so gaily to your old shabby home, my girl. You'll have to go there, though.' [436]

In Wegg's right hand Stone has placed the hat-box which had contained the alternate will with which Wegg plans to blackmail Boffin. His feeling so confident in his ability to use the new Harmon will as leverage against Boffin is ironic in that he has entrusted the document to Venus, who has already proven less than completely trustworthy. Shortly Boffin's shadow will appear against the blinds of the three lighted windows in the second storey.

References

Dickens, Charles. Our Mutual Friend. Il. Marcus Stone. Volume 14 of the Authentic Edition. London: Chapman and Hall; New York: Charles Scribners' Sons, 1901.

Davis, Paul. Charles Dickens A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work. New York: Checkmark and Facts On File, 1998.

Last modified 30 June 2011