shouldfindyouinthisplace，towhichhegavemeinstructionsnotveryclear。But，nowIamhere，Icravepermissiontoremainalittletime，inorderthatImayholdsomecommunionwithyou。’
’Well，’saidI，’sinceyouarecome，youarewelcome；pleasetostepthisway。’
ThereuponIconductedthemaninblacktothefireplace，whereBellewasstanding，whohadrisenfromherstoolonmyspringinguptogoinquestofthestranger。Themaninblacklookedatherwithevidentcuriosity，thenmakingherratheragracefulbow，’Lovelyvirgin，’saidhe，stretchingouthishand，’allowmetosaluteyourfingers。’
’Iamnotinthehabitofshakinghandswithstrangers，’saidBelle。
’Ididnotpresumetorequesttoshakehandswithyou，’saidthemaninblack，’Imerelywishedtobepermittedtosalutewithmylipstheextremityofyourtwoforefingers。’
’Ineverpermitanythingofthekind，’saidBelle；’Idonotapproveofsuchunmanlyways，theyareonlybefittingthosewholurkincornersorbehindtrees，listeningtotheconversationofpeoplewhowouldfainbeprivate。’
’Doyoutakemeforalistenerthen？’saidthemaninblack。
’Ay，indeedIdo，’saidBelle；’theyoungmanmayreceiveyourexcuses，andputconfidenceinthem，ifheplease，butformypartIneitheradmitthemnorbelievethem；’andthereuponflingingherlonghairback，whichwashangingoverhercheeks，sheseatedherselfonherstool。
’Come，Belle，’saidI，’Ihavebiddenthegentlemanwelcome，I
beseechyou，therefore，tomakehimwelcome；heisastranger，whereweareathome，therefore，evendidwewishhimaway，weareboundtotreathimkindly。’
’That’snotEnglishdoctrine，’saidthemaninblack。
’IthoughttheEnglishpridedthemselvesontheirhospitality，’
saidI。
’Theydoso，’saidthemaninblack；’theyareproudofshowinghospitalitytopeopleabovethem，thatis，tothosewhodonotwantit，butofthehospitalitywhichyouwerenowdescribing，andwhichisArabian，theyknownothing。NoEnglishmanwilltolerateanotherinhishouse，fromwhomhedoesnotexpectadvantageofsomekind，andtothosefromwhomhedoeshecanbecivilenough。AnEnglishmanthinksthat，becauseheisinhisownhouse，hehasarighttobeboorishandbrutaltoanyonewhoisdisagreeabletohim，asallthosearewhoarereallyinwantofassistance。ShouldahuntedfugitiverushintoanEnglishman’shouse，beseechingprotection，andappealingtothemaster’sfeelingsofhospitality，theEnglishmanwouldknockhimdowninthepassage。’
’Youaretoogeneral，’saidI，’inyourstrictures。Lord-，theunpopularToryminister，wasoncechasedthroughthestreetsofLondonbyamob，and，beingindangerofhislife，tookshelterintheshopofaWhiglinen-draper，declaringhisownunpopularname，andappealingtothelinen-draper’sfeelingsofhospitality；
whereuponthelinen-draper，utterlyforgetfulofallpartyrancour，noblyrespondedtotheappeal，andtellinghiswifetoconducthislordshipupstairs，jumpedoverthecounter，withhisellinhishand，andplacinghimselfwithhalf-a-dozenofhisassistantsatthedoorofhisboutique，manfullyconfrontedthemob，tellingthemthathewouldallowhimselftobetorntoathousandpieceserehewouldpermitthemtoinjureahairofhislordship’shead：whatdoyouthinkofthat？’
’He!he!he!’titteredthemaninblack。
’Well，’saidI，’Iamafraidyourownpracticeisnotverydifferentfromthatwhichyouhavebeenjustnowdescribing；yousidedwiththeRadicalinthepublic-houseagainstme，aslongasyouthoughthimthemostpowerful，andthenturnedagainsthimwhenyousawhewascowed。Whathaveyoutosaytothat？’
’Oh，whenoneisinRome，ImeanEngland，onemustdoastheydoinEngland；Iwasmerelyconformingtothecustomofthecountry，he!
he!butIbegyourpardonhere，asIdidinthepublic-house。I
madeamistake。’
’Well，’saidI，’wewilldropthematter，butprayseatyourselfonthatstone，andIwillsitdownonthegrassnearyou。’
Themaninblack，afterprofferingtwoorthreeexcusesforoccupyingwhathesupposedtobemyseat，satdownuponthestone，andIsquatteddown，gypsy-fashion，justoppositetohim，Bellesittingonherstoolataslightdistanceonmyright。AfteratimeIaddressedhimthus：’AmItoreckonthisamerevisitofceremony？shoulditproveso，itwillbe，Ibelieve，thefirstvisitofthekindeverpaidme。’
’Willyoupermitmetoask，’saidthemaninblack-’theweatherisverywarm，’saidhe，interruptinghimself，andtakingoffhishat。
Inowobservedthathewaspartlybald，hisredhairhavingdiedawayfromtheforepartofhiscrown-hisforeheadwashigh，hiseyebrowsscanty，hiseyesgrayandsly，withadownwardtendency，hisnosewasslightlyaquiline，hismouthratherlarge-akindofsneeringsmileplayedcontinuallyonhislips，hiscomplexionwassomewhatrubicund。
’Abadcountenance，’saidBelle，inthelanguageoftheroads，observingthatmyeyeswerefixedonhisface。
’Doesnotmycountenancepleaseyou，fairdamsel？’saidthemaninblack，resuminghishat，andspeakinginapeculiarlygentlevoice。
’How，’saidI，’doyouunderstandthelanguageoftheroads？’
’AslittleasIdoArmenian，’saidthemaninblack；’butI
understandlookandtone。’
’SodoI，perhaps，’retortedBelle；’and，totellyouthetruth，I
likeyourtoneaslittleasyourface。’
’Forshame，’saidI；’haveyouforgotwhatIwassayingjustnowaboutthedutiesofhospitality？Youhavenotyetansweredmyquestion，’saidI，addressingmyselftotheman，’withrespecttoyourvisit。’
’Willyoupermitmetoaskwhoyouare？’
’DoyouseetheplacewhereIlive？’saidI。
’Ido，’saidthemaninblack，lookingaround。
’Doyouknowthenameofthisplace？’
’IwastolditwasMumpers’orGypsies’Dingle，’saidthemaninblack。
’Good，’saidI；’andthisforgeandtent，whatdotheylooklike？’
’LiketheforgeandtentofawanderingZigan；IhaveseenthelikeinItaly。’
’Good，’saidI；’theybelongtome。’
’Areyou，then，agypsy？’saidthemaninblack。
’WhatelseshouldIbe？’
’ButyouseemtohavebeenacquaintedwithvariousindividualswithwhomIhavelikewisehadacquaintance；andyouhaveevenalludedtomatters，andevenwords，whichhavepassedbetweenmeandthem。’
’Doyouknowhowgypsieslive？’saidI。
’Byhammeringoldiron，Ibelieve，andtellingfortunes。’
’Well，’saidI，’there’smyforge，andyonderissomeiron，thoughnotold，andbyyourownconfessionIamasoothsayer。’
’Buthowdidyoucomebyyourknowledge？’
’Oh，’saidI，’ifyouwantmetorevealthesecretsofmytrade，I
have，ofcourse，nothingfurthertosay。Gotothescarletdyer，andaskhimhowhedyescloth。’
’Whyscarlet？’saidthemaninblack。’Isitbecausegypsiesblushlikescarlet？’
’Gypsiesneverblush，’saidI；’butgypsies’cloaksarescarlet。’
’Ishouldalmosttakeyouforagypsy，’saidthemaninblack，’butfor-’
’Forwhat？’saidI。
’ButforthatsamelessoninArmenian，andyourgeneralknowledgeoflanguages；asforyourmannersandappearanceIwillsaynothing，’saidthemaninblack，withatitter。
’Andwhyshouldnotagypsypossessaknowledgeoflanguages？’saidI。
’Becausethegypsyraceisperfectlyilliterate，’saidthemaninblack；’theyarepossessed，itistrue，ofaknavishacuteness，andareparticularlynotedforgivingsubtleandevasiveanswers-andinyouranswers，Iconfess，youremindmeofthem；butthatoneoftheraceshouldacquirealearnedlanguageliketheArmenian，andhaveageneralknowledgeofliterature，isathingcheiononcredoafatto。’
’Whatdoyoutakemefor？’saidI。
’Why，’saidthemaninblack，’Ishouldconsideryoutobeaphilologist，who，forsomepurpose，hastakenupagypsylife；butIconfesstoyouthatyourwayofansweringquestionsisfartooacuteforaphilologist。’
’Andwhyshouldnotaphilologistbeabletoanswerquestionsacutely？’saidI。
’Becausethephilologicalraceisthemoststupidunderheaven，’
saidthemaninblack；’theyarepossessed，itistrue，ofacertainfacultyforpickingupwords，andamemoryforretainingthem；butthatanyoneofthesectshouldbeabletogivearationalanswer，tosaynothingofanacuteone，onanysubject-
eventhoughthesubjectwerephilology-isathingofwhichIhavenoidea。’
’ButyoufoundmegivingalessoninArmeniantothishandmaid？’
’IbelieveIdid，’saidthemaninblack。
’Andyouheardmegivewhatyouaredisposedtocallacuteanswerstothequestionsyouaskedme？’
’IbelieveIdid，’saidthemaninblack。
’AndwouldanyonebutaphilologistthinkofgivingalessoninArmeniantoahandmaidinadingle？
’Ishouldthinknot，’saidthemaninblack。
’Well，then，don’tyouseethatitispossibleforaphilologisttogivenotonlyarational，butanacuteanswer？’
’Ireallydon’tknow，’saidthemaninblack。
’What’sthematterwithyou？’saidI。
’Merelypuzzled，’saidthemaninblack。
’Puzzled？
’Yes。’
’Reallypuzzled？’
’Yes。’
’Remainso。’
’Well，’saidthemaninblack，rising，’puzzledornot，Iwillnolongertrespassuponyourandthisyounglady’sretirement；onlyallowme，beforeIgo，toapologiseformyintrusion。’