It was the same family, sure enough. Altered by the salubrious air of
Eden. But the same.
'This is a new sort of a morning call,' said Mark, drawing a long
breath. 'It strikes one all of a heap. Wait a little bit! I'm a-coming
round fast. That'll do! These gentlemen ain't my friends. Are they on
the visiting list of the house?'
The inquiry referred to certain gaunt pigs, who had walked in after him,
and were much interested in the heels of the family. As they did not
belong to the mansion, they were expelled by the two little boys.
'I ain't superstitious about toads,' said Mark, looking round the room,
'but if you could prevail upon the two or three I see in company, to
step out at the same time, my young friends, I think they'd find the
open air refreshing. Not that I at all object to 'em. A very handsome
animal is a toad,' said Mr Tapley, sitting down upon a stool; 'very
spotted; very like a partickler style of old gentleman about the throat;
very bright-eyed, very cool, and very slippy. But one sees 'em to the
best advantage out of doors perhaps.'
While pretending, with such talk as this, to be perfectly at his ease,
and to be the most indifferent and careless of men, Mark Tapley had
an eye on all around him.
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