tookituponeday，andthoughtImightmakesomethingbyittosupportmyselfadaywith。Chanceorsomethingelseledmeintoagrandshop；therewasamantherewhoseemedtobethemaster，talkingtoajolly，portlyoldgentleman，whoseemedtobeacountrysquire。Well，Iwentuptothefirst，andoffereditforsale；hetookthebook，openeditatthetitle-page，andthenallofasuddenhiseyesglistened，andheshowedittothefat，jollygentleman，andhiseyesglistenedtoo，andIheardhimsay“Howsingular!“andthenthetwotalkedtogetherinaspeechIdidn’tunderstand-IratherthoughtitwasFrench，atanyrateitwasn’tcant；andpresentlythefirstaskedmewhatIwouldtakeforthebook。NowIamnotaltogetherafool，noramIblind，andIhadnarrowlymarkedallthatpassed，anditcameintomyheadthatnowwasthetimeformakingamanofmyself，atanyrateIcouldlosenothingbyalittleconfidence；soIlookedthemanboldlyintheface，andsaid，“Iwillhavefiveguineasforthatbook，thereain’tsuchanotherinthewholeworld。““Nonsense，“saidthefirstman，“thereareplentyofthem，therehavebeennearlyfiftyeditions，tomyknowledge；Iwillgiveyoufiveshillings。““No，“
saidI，“I’llnottakeit，forIdon’tliketobecheated，sogivememybookagain“；andIattemptedtotakeitawayfromthefatgentleman’shand。“Stop，“saidtheyoungerman；“areyousurethatyouwon’ttakeless？““Notafarthing，“saidI；whichwasnotaltogethertrue，butIsaidso。“Well，“saidthefatgentleman，“I
willgiveyouwhatyouask“；andsureenoughhepresentlygavemethemoney；soImadeabow，andwasleavingtheshop，whenitcameintomyheadthattherewassomethingoddinallthis，and，asI
hadthemoneyinmypocket，Iturnedback，and，makinganotherbow，said，“MayIbesoboldastoaskwhyyougavemeallthismoneyforthat’eredirtybook？WhenIcameintotheshop，Ishouldhavebeengladtogetashillingforit；butIsawyouwantedit，andaskedfiveguineas。“Thentheylookedatoneanother，andsmiled，andshruggeduptheirshoulders。Thenthefirstman，lookingatme，said，“Friend，youhavebeenalittletoosharpforus；
however，wecanaffordtoforgiveyou，asmyfriendherehaslongbeeninquestofthisparticularbook；thereareplentyofeditions，asItoldyou，andacommoncopyisnotworthfiveshillings；butthisisafirstedition，andacopyofthefirsteditionisworthitsweightingold。“’
’So，afterall，theyoutwittedyou，’Iobserved。
’Clearly，’saidtheman；’Imighthavegotdoubletheprice，hadI
knownthevalue；butIdon’tcare，muchgoodmayitdothem，ithasdonemeplenty。BymeansofitIhavegotintoanhonest，respectabletrade，inwhichthere’slittledangerandplentyofprofit，andgotoutofonewhichwouldhavegotmelagged，soonerorlater。’
’But，’saidI，’yououghttorememberthatthethingwasnotyours；
youtookitfromme，whohadbeenrequestedbyapooroldapple-
womantoexchangeitforaBible。’
’Well，’saidtheman，’didsheevergetherBible？’
’Yes，’saidI，’shegotherBible。’
’Thenshehasnocausetocomplain；and，asforyou，chanceorsomethingelsehassentyoutome，thatImaymakeyoureasonableamendsforanylossyoumayhavehad。HereamIreadytomakeyoumybonnet，withfortyorfiftyshillingsaweek，whichyousayyourselfarecapitalwages。’
’Ifindnofaultwiththewages，’saidI，’butIdon’tliketheemploy。’
’Notlikebonneting，’saidtheman；’ah，Isee，youwouldliketobeprincipal；well，atimemaycome-thoselongwhitefingersofyourswouldjustserveforthebusiness。’
’Isitadifficultone？’Idemanded。
’Why，itisnotveryeasy：twothingsareneedful-naturaltalent，andconstantpractice；butI’llshowyouapointortwoconnectedwiththegame’；and，placinghistablebetweenhiskneesashesatoverthesideofthepit，heproducedthreethimbles，andasmallbrownpellet，somethingresemblingapea。Hemovedthethimbleandpelletabout，nowplacingittoallappearanceunderone，andnowunderanother；’Underwhichisitnow？’hesaidatlast。’Underthat，’saidI，pointingtothelowermostofthethimbles，which，astheystood，formedakindoftriangle。’No，’
saidhe，’itisnot，butliftitup’；and，whenIliftedupthethimble，thepellet，intruth，wasnotunderit。’Itwasundernoneofthem，’saidhe，’itwaspressedbymylittlefingeragainstmypalm’；andthenheshowedmehowhedidthetrick，andaskedmeifthegamewasnotafunnyone；and，onmyansweringintheaffirmative，hesaid，’Iamgladyoulikeit；comealongandletuswinsomemoney。’
Thereupon，gettingup，heplacedthetablebeforehim，andwasmovingaway；observing，however，thatIdidnotstir，heaskedmewhatIwasstayingfor。’Merelyformyownpleasure，’saidI；’I
likesittinghereverywell。’’Thenyouwon’tclose？’saidtheman。’Bynomeans，’Ireplied；’yourproposaldoesnotsuitme。’
’Youmaybeprincipalintime，’saidtheman。’Thatmakesnodifference，’saidI；and，sittingwithmylegsoverthepit，I
forthwithbegantodeclineanArmeniannoun。’Thatain’tcant，’
saidtheman；’no，norgypsyeither。Well，ifyouwon’tclose，anotherwill，Ican’tloseanymoretime，’andforthwithhedeparted。
AndafterIhaddeclinedfourArmeniannouns，ofdifferentdeclensions，Irosefromthesideofthepit，andwanderedaboutamongstthevariousgroupsofpeoplescatteredoverthegreen。
PresentlyIcametowherethemanofthethimbleswasstanding，withthetablebeforehim，andmanypeopleabouthim。’Themwhofinds，wins，andthemwhocan’tfind，loses，’hecried。Variousindividualstriedtofindthepellet，butallwereunsuccessful，tillatlastconsiderabledissatisfactionwasexpressed，andthetermsrogueandcheatwerelavisheduponhim。’Nevercheatedanybodyinallmylife，’hecried；and，observingmeathand，’didn’tIplayfair，mylord？’heinquired。ButImadenoanswer。
Presentlysomemoreplayed，andhepermittedoneortwotowin，andtheeagernesstoplaywithhimbecamegreater。AfterIhadlookedonforsometime，Iwasmovingaway：justthenIperceivedashort，thickpersonage，withastaffinhishand，advancinginagreathurry；whereupon，withasuddenimpulse，Iexclaimed-
Shoonthimble-engro；
Avellagorgio。
Theman，whowasinthemidstofhispea-and-thimbleprocess，nosoonerheardthelastwordofthedistichthanheturnedanalarmedlookinthedirectionofwhereIstood；then，glancingaround，andperceivingtheconstable，heslippedforthwithhispelletandthimblesintohispocket，and，liftinguphistable，hecriedtothepeopleabouthim，’Makeway!’andwithamotionwithhisheadtome，asiftofollowhim，hedartedoffwithaswiftnesswhichtheshort，pursyconstablecouldbynomeansrival；andwhitherhewent，orwhatbecameofhim，Iknownot，inasmuchasIturnedawayinanotherdirection。
CHAPTERLIV
Mr。Petulengro-RommanyRye-Lil-writers-One’sownhorn-
Lawfully-earntmoney-Thewoodedhill-Agreatfavourite-Theshopwindow-Muchwanted。
AND，asIwanderedalongthegreen，Idrewneartoaplacewhereseveralmen，withacaskbesidethem，satcarousingintheneighbourhoodofasmalltent。’Herehecomes，’saidoneofthem，asIadvanced，andstandingupheraisedhisvoiceandsang：-
’HeretheGypsygemmansee，WithhisRomanjibandhisromeanddree-
Romeanddree，rumanddryRallyroundtheRommanyRye。’
ItwasMr。Petulengro，whowasheredivertinghimselfwithseveralofhiscomrades；theyallreceivedmewithconsiderablefrankness。
’Sitdown，brother，’saidMr。Petulengro，’andtakeacupofgoodale。’
Isatdown。’Yourhealth，gentlemen，’saidI，asItookthecupwhichMr。Petulengrohandedtome。
’AukkotupiosadreyRommanis。HereisyourhealthinRommany，brother，’saidMr。Petulengro；who，havingrefilledthecup，nowemptieditatadraught。
’YourhealthinRommany，brother，’saidTawnoChikno，towhomthecupcamenext。
’TheRommanyRye，’saidathird。
’TheGypsygentleman，’exclaimedafourth，drinking。
Andthentheyallsanginchorus：-
’HeretheGypsygemmansee，WithhisRomanjibandhisromeanddree-
Romeanddree，rumanddryRallyroundtheRommanyRye。’
’Andnow，brother，’saidMr。Petulengro，’seeingthatyouhavedrunkandbeendrunken，youwillperhapstelluswhereyouhavebeen，andwhatabout？’
’IhavebeenintheBigCity，’saidI，’writinglils。’
’Howmuchmoneyhaveyougotinyourpocket，brother？’saidMr。
Petulengro。
’Eighteenpence，’saidI；’allIhaveintheworld。’
’IhavebeenintheBigCity，too，’saidMr。Petulengro；’butI
havenotwrittenlils-Ihavefoughtinthering-Ihavefiftypoundsinmypocket-Ihavemuchmoreintheworld。Brother，thereisconsiderabledifferencebetweenus。
’Iwouldratherbethelil-writer，afterall，’saidthetall，handsome，blackman；’indeed，Iwouldwishfornothingbetter。’
’Whyso？’saidMr。Petulengro。
’Becausetheyhavesomuchtosayforthemselves，’saidtheblackman，’evenwhendeadandgone。Whentheyarelaidinthechurchyard，itistheirownfaultifpeopleain’ttalkingofthem。
Whowillknow，afterIamdead，orbitchadeypawdel，thatIwasoncethebeautyoftheworld，orthatyouJasperwere-’
’ThebestmaninEnglandofmyinches。That’strue，Tawno-