the same air of perfect satisfaction.
'Let it stand that way at present, sir, and wait and see how it turns
out. Why, love my heart alive! the only doubt I have is, whether there's
any credit in going with a gentleman like you, that's as certain to make
his way there as a gimlet is to go through soft deal.'

This was touching Martin on his weak point, and having him at a great
advantage. He could not help thinking, either, what a brisk fellow this
Mark was, and how great a change he had wrought in the atmosphere of the
dismal little room already.

'Why, certainly, Mark,' he said, 'I have hopes of doing well there, or I
shouldn't go. I may have the qualifications for doing well, perhaps.'

'Of course you have, sir,' returned Mark Tapley. 'Everybody knows that.'

'You see,' said Martin, leaning his chin upon his hand, and looking at
the fire, 'ornamental architecture applied to domestic purposes,
can hardly fail to be in great request in that country; for men are
constantly changing their residences there, and moving further off; and
it's clear they must have houses to live in.'

'I should say, sir,' observed Mark, 'that that's a state of things as
opens one of the jolliest look-outs for domestic architecture that ever
I heerd tell on.'

Martin glanced at him hastily, not feeling quite free from a suspicion
that this remark implied a doubt of the successful issue of his plans.
But Mr Tapley was eating the boiled beef and bread with such entire good
faith and singleness of purpose expressed in his visage that he could
not but be satisfied. Another doubt arose in his mind however, as this
one disappeared. He produced the blank cover in which the note had been
enclosed, and fixing his eyes on Mark as he put it in his hands, said:

'Now tell me the truth. Do you know anything about that?'

Mark turned it over and over; held it near his eyes; held it away from
him at arm's length; held it with the superscription upwards and with
the superscription downwards; and shook his head with such a genuine
expression of astonishment at being asked the question, that Martin
said, as he took it from him again:

'No, I see you don't. How should you! Though, indeed, your knowing about
it would not be more extraordinary than its being here. Come, Tapley,'
he added, after a moment's thought, 'I'll trust you with my history,
such as it is, and then you'll see more clearly what sort of fortunes
you would link yourself to, if you follo