Mrs. Veneering welcomes her sweet Mr. Twemlow. Mr. Veneering welcomes his dear Twemlow. Mrs. Veneering does not expect that Mr. Twemlow can in nature care much for such insipid things as babies, but so old a friend must please to look at baby. “Ah! You will know the friend of your family better, Tootleums,” says Mr. Veneering, nodding emotionally at that new article, “when you begin to take notice.” He then begs to make his dear Twemlow known to his two friends, Mr. Boots and Mr. Brewer⁠—and clearly has no distinct idea which is which.

But now a fearful circumstance occurs.