said, pompously. 'Ha! ha! the antithesis, I think, is good.'

The Wopples family unanimously agreed that it was excellent, and Mr
Handel Wopples observed to Barty that his father often made jokes
worthy of Tom Hood, to which Barty agreed hastily, as he did not
know who Tom Hood was, and besides was flirting in a mild manner
with Miss Fanny Wopples, a pretty girl, who did the burlesque
business.

'And are all these big boys and girls yours, Madame?' asked
Vandeloup, who was rather astonished at the number of the family,
and thought some of them might have been hired for theatrical
purposes. Mrs Wopples nodded affirmatively with a gratified flutter,
and her husband endorsed it.

'There are four dead,' he said, in a solemn voice. 'Rest their
souls.'

All the ten faces round the board reflected the gloom on the
parental countenance, and for a few moments no one spoke.

'This,' said Mr Wopples, looking round with a smile, at which all
the other faces lighted up, 'this is not calculated to make our
supper enjoyable, children. I may tell you that, in consequence of
the great success of "The Cruet Stand", we play it again to-morrow
night.'

'Ah!' said Mr Buckstone Wopples, with his mouth full, 'I knew it
would knock 'em; that business of yours, father, with the writ is
simply wonderful.'