’AsanEnglishmanwhohasbeenmorethantwentyyearsinChina，no。’
’Then，’saidMrMeagles，layinghisforefingeronhiscompanion’sbreastwithgreatanimation，’don’tyouseeabeadle，now，ifyoucanhelpit。WheneverIseeabeadleinfullfig，comingdownastreetonaSundayattheheadofacharityschool，Iamobligedtoturnandrunaway，orIshouldhithim。ThenameofBeadlebeingoutofthequestion，andtheoriginatoroftheInstitutionforthesepoorfoundlingshavingbeenablessedcreatureofthenameofCoram，wegavethatnametoPet’slittlemaid。AtonetimeshewasTatty，andatonetimeshewasCoram，untilwegotintoawayofmixingthetwonamestogether，andnowsheisalwaysTattycoram。’
’Yourdaughter，’saidtheother，whentheyhadtakenanothersilentturntoandfro，and，afterstandingforamomentatthewallglancingdownatthesea，hadresumedtheirwalk，’isyouronlychild，Iknow，MrMeagles。MayIaskyou——innoimpertinentcuriosity，butbecauseIhavehadsomuchpleasureinyoursociety，mayneverinthislabyrinthofaworldexchangeaquietwordwithyouagain，andwishtopreserveanaccurateremembranceofyouandyours——mayIaskyou，ifIhavenotgatheredfromyourgoodwifethatyouhavehadotherchildren？’
’No。No，’saidMrMeagles。’Notexactlyotherchildren。Oneotherchild。’
’IamafraidIhaveinadvertentlytoucheduponatendertheme。’