'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.'
All the family chorused 'Yes,' and Mr Wopples admitted, with a
modest smile, that it was wonderful.
'Practise,' said Mr Wopples, waving a fork with a piece of cold beef
at the end of it, 'makes perfect. My dear Vandeloup, if you will
permit me to call you so, my son Buckstone is truly a wonderful
critic.'
Vandeloup smiled at this, and came to the conclusion that the
Wopples family was a mutual admiration society. However, as it was
now nearly twelve o'clock, he rose to take his leave.
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