'No,' replied the visitor. 'I don't ezactly want him, if it's made a
favour on. You can jist give him that 'ere card, and tell him if he
wants to speak to ME, and save trouble, here I am; that's all.'

With these words, the stranger put a thick square card into Kate's hand,
and, turning to his friend, remarked, with an easy air, 'that the rooms
was a good high pitch;' to which the friend assented, adding, by way of
illustration, 'that there was lots of room for a little boy to grow up
a man in either on 'em, vithout much fear of his ever bringing his head
into contract vith the ceiling.'

After ringing the bell which would summon Madame Mantalini, Kate glanced
at the card, and saw that it displayed the name of 'Scaley,' together
with some other information to which she had not had time to refer, when
her attention was attracted by Mr Scaley himself, who, walking up to one
of the cheval-glasses, gave it a hard poke in the centre with his stick,
as coolly as if it had been made of cast iron.

'Good plate this here, Tix,' said Mr Scaley to his friend.

'Ah!' rejoined Mr Tix, placing the marks of his four fingers, and a
duplicate impression of his thumb, on a piece of sky-blue silk; 'and
this here article warn't made for nothing, mind you.'

From the silk, Mr Tix transferred his admiration to some elegant
articles of wearing apparel, while Mr Scaley adjusted his neckcloth,
at leisure, before the glass, and afterwards, aided by its reflection,
proceeded to the minute consideration of a pimple on his chin; in which
absorbing occupation he was yet engaged, when Madame Mantalini, entering