Imadenoanswer，butcontinuedmywork，click，click，withthegravitywhichbecameoneofmyprofession。IallowedatleasthalfaminutetoelapsebeforeIevenliftedupmyeyes。
Agirlofaboutthirteenwasstandingbeforeme；herfeatureswereverypretty，butwithapeculiarexpression；hercomplexionwasaclearolive，andherjetblackhairhungbackuponhershoulders。
Shewasratherscantilydressed，andherarmsandfeetwerebare；
roundherneck，however，wasahandsomestringofcorals，withornamentsofgold；inherhandsheheldabulrush。
’Allalonehere，brother？’saidthegirl，asIlookedup；’allalonehere，inthelane；whereareyourwifeandchildren？’
’Whydoyoucallmebrother？’saidI；’amnobrotherofyours。Doyoutakemeforoneofyourpeople？Iamnogypsy；notI，indeed!’
’Don’tbeafraid，brother，youarenoRoman-Romanindeed，youarenothandsomeenoughtobeaRoman；notblackenough，tinkerthoughyoube。IfIcalledyoubrother，itwasbecauseIdidn’tknowwhatelsetocallyou。Marry，comeup，brother，Ishouldbesorrytohaveyouforabrother。’
’Thenyoudon’tlikeme？’
’Neitherlikeyounordislikeyou，brother；whatwillyouhaveforthatkekaubi？’
’What’stheuseoftalkingtomeinthatunchristianway；whatdoyoumean，younggentlewoman？’
’Lord，brother，whatafoolyouare；everytinkerknowswhatakekaubiis。Iwasaskingyouwhatyouwouldhaveforthatkettle。’
’Three-and-sixpence，younggentlewoman；isn’titwellmended？’
’Wellmended!Icouldhavedoneitbettermyself；three-and-
sixpence!it’sonlyfittobeplayedatfootballwith。’
’Iwilltakenolessforit，younggentlewoman；ithascausedmeaworldoftrouble。’
’Ineversawaworsemendedkettle。Isay，brother，yourhairiswhite。’
“Tisnature；yourhairisblack；nature，nothingbutnature。’
’Iamyoung，brother；myhairisblack-that’snature：youareyoung，brother；yourhairiswhite-that’snotnature。’
’Ican’thelpitifitbenot，butitisnatureafterall；didyouneverseegrayhairontheyoung？’
’Never!Ihavehearditistrueofagraylad，andabadonehewas。Oh，sobad。’
’Sitdownonthegrass，andtellmeallaboutit，sister；do，toobligeme，prettysister。’
’Hey，brother，youdon’tspeakasyoudid-youdon’tspeaklikeagorgio，youspeaklikeoneofus，youcallmesister。’
’Asyoucallmebrother；Iamnotanuncivilpersonafterall，sister。’
’Isay，brother，tellmeonething，andlookmeintheface-there-doyouspeakRommany？’
’Rommany!Rommany!whatisRommany？’
’WhatisRommany？ourlanguagetobesure；tellme，brother，onlyonething，youdon’tspeakRommany？’
’Yousayit。’
’Idon’tsayit，Iwishtoknow。DoyouspeakRommany？’
’Doyoumeanthieves’slang-cant？no，Idon’tspeakcant，don’tlikeit，Ionlyknowafewwords；theycallasixpenceatanner，don’tthey？’
’Idon’tknow，’saidthegirl，sittingdownontheground，’Iwasalmostthinking-well，nevermind，youdon’tknowRommany。Isay，brother，IthinkIshouldliketohavethekekaubi。’
’Ithoughtyousaiditwasbadlymended？’
’Yes，yes，brother，but-’
’Ithoughtyousaiditwasonlyfittobeplayedatfootballwith？’
’Yes，yes，brother，but-’
’Whatwillyougiveforit？’
’Brother，Iamthepoorperson’schild，Iwillgiveyousixpenceforthekekaubi。’
’Poorperson’schild；howcameyoubythatnecklace？’
’Becivil，brother；amItohavethekekaubi？’
’Notforsixpence；isn’tthekettlenicelymended？’
’Ineversawanicermendedkettle，brother；amItohavethekekaubi，brother？’
’Youlikemethen？’
’Idon’tdislikeyou-Idislikenoone；there’sonlyone，andhimIdon’tdislike，himIhate。’
’Whoishe？’
’Iscarcelyknow，Ineversawhim，but’tisnoaffairofyours，youdon’tspeakRommany；youwillletmehavethekekaubi，prettybrother？’
’Youmayhaveit，butnotforsixpence；I’llgiveittoyou。’
’Parracotute，thatis，Ithankyou，brother；therikkenikekaubiisnowmine。O，rare!Ithankyoukindly，brother。’
Startingup，sheflungthebulrushasidewhichshehadhithertoheldinherhand，and，seizingthekettle，shelookedatitforamoment，andthenbeganakindofdance，flourishingthekettleoverherheadthewhile，andsinging-
’TheRommanychiAndtheRommanychalShalljawtasaulorTodrabthebawlor，AnddookthegryOfthefarmingrye。
Good-bye，brother，Imustbegoing。’
’Good-bye，sister；whydoyousingthatwickedsong？’
’Wickedsong，hey，brother!youdon’tunderstandthesong!’
’Ha，ha!gypsydaughter，’saidI，startingupandclappingmyhands，’Idon’tunderstandRommany，don’tI？Youshallsee；here’stheanswertoyourgillie-
’TheRommanychiAndtheRommanychal，LoveLuripenAnddukkeripen，Andhokkeripen，AndeverypenButLachipenAndtatchipen。’
Thegirl，whohadgivenaslightstartwhenIbegan，remainedforsometimeafterIhadconcludedthesongstandingmotionlessasastatue，withthekettleinherhand。Atlengthshecametowardsme，andstaredmefullintheface。’Gray，tall，andtalksRommany，’saidshetoherself。InhercountenancetherewasanexpressionwhichIhadnotseenbefore-anexpressionwhichstruckmeasbeingcomposedoffear，curiosity，andthedeepesthate。Itwasmomentary，however，andwassucceededbyonesmiling，frank，andopen。’Ha，ha，brother，’saidshe，’well，IlikeyouallthebetterfortalkingRommany；itisasweetlanguage，isn’tit？
especiallyasyousingit。Howdidyoupickitup？Butyoupickeditupupontheroads，nodoubt？Ha，itwasfunnyinyoutopretendnottoknowit，andyousoflushwithitallthetime；itwasnotkindinyou，however，tofrightenthepoorperson’schildsobyscreamingout，butitwaskindinyoutogivetherikkenikekaubitothechildofthepoorperson。Shewillbegratefultoyou；shewillbringyouherlittledogtoshowyou，herprettyjuggal；thepoorperson’schildwillcomeandseeyouagain；youarenotgoingawayto-day，Ihope，orto-morrow，prettybrother，gray-hairedbrother-youarenotgoingawayto-morrow，Ihope？’
’Northenextday，’saidI，’onlytotakeastrolltoseeifIcansellakettle；good-bye，littlesister，Rommanysister，dingysister。’
’Good-bye，tallbrother，’saidthegirl，asshedeparted，singing’TheRommanychi，’etc。
’There’ssomethingaboutthatgirlthatIdon’tunderstand，’saidI
tomyself；’somethingmysterious。However，itisnothingtome，sheknowsnotwhoIam，andifshedid，whatthen？’
LatethateveningasIsatontheshaftofmycartindeepmeditation，withmyarmsfolded，IthoughtIheardarustlinginthebushesoveragainstme。Iturnedmyeyesinthatdirection，butsawnothing。’Somebird，’saidI；’anowl，perhaps’；andoncemoreIfellintomeditation；mymindwanderedfromonethingtoanother-musingnowonthestructureoftheRomantongue-nowontheriseandfallofthePersianpower-andnowonthepowersvestedinrecordersatquarter-sessions。Iwasthinkingwhatafinethingitmustbetobearecorderofthepeace，when，liftingupmyeyes，Isawrightopposite，notaculpritatthebar，but，staringatmethroughagapinthebush，afacewildandstrange，halfcoveredwithgrayhair；Ionlysawitamoment，thenextithaddisappeared。
CHAPTERLXXI
FriendofSlingsby-Allquiet-Danger-Thetwocakes-Childreninthewood-Don’tbeangry-Indeepthought-Templesthrobbing-Deadlysick-Anotherblow-Noanswer-Howoldareyou？-Playandsacrament-Heavyheart-Songofpoison-Drowofgypsies-
Thedog-Ely’schurch-Getup，bebee-Thevehicle-Canyouspeak？-Theoil。
THEnextday，atanearlyhour，Iharnessedmylittlepony，and，puttingmythingsinmycart，Iwentonmyprojectedstroll。