buttheouterringiscleared：andnowthesecondfightcommences；
　　itisbetweentwochampionsoflessrenownthantheothers，butisperhapsnottheworseonthataccount。Atallthinboyisfightingintheringwithamansomewhatunderthemiddlesize，withaframeofadamant；that’sagallantboy!he’sayokel，buthecomesfromBrummagem，andhedoescredittohisextraction；buthisadversaryhasaframeofadamant：inwhatastrangelighttheyfight，butwhocanwonder，onlookingatthatfrightfulcloudusurpingnowone-halfofheaven，andatthesunstrugglingwithsulphurousvapour；thefaceoftheboy，whichisturnedtowardsme，lookshorribleinthatlight，butheisabraveboy，hestrikeshisfoeontheforehead，andthereportoftheblowislikethesoundofahammeragainstarock；butthereisarushandaroaroverhead，awildcommotion，thetempestisbeginningtobreakloose；there’swindanddust，acrash，rainandhail；isitpossibletofightamidstsuchacommotion？yes!thefightgoeson；againtheboystrikesthemanfullonthebrow，butitisofnousestrikingthatman，hisframeisofadamant。’Boy，thystrengthisbeginningtogiveway，andthouartbecomingconfused’；themannowgoestowork，amidstrainandhail。’Boy，thouwiltnotholdouttenminuteslongeragainstrain，hail，andtheblowsofsuchanantagonist。’
　　Andnowthestormwasatitsheight；theblackthunder-cloudhadbrokenintomany，whichassumedthewildestshapesandthestrangestcolours，someofthemunspeakablyglorious；therainpouredinadeluge，andmorethanonewaterspoutwasseenatnogreatdistance：animmenserabbleishurryinginonedirection；amultitudeofmenofallranks，peersandyokels，prize-fightersandJews，andthelastcametoplunder，andarenowplunderingamidstthatwildconfusionofhailandrain，menandhorses，cartsandcarriages。Butallhurryinonedirection，throughmudandmire；
　　there’satownonlythreemilesdistant，whichissoonreached，andsoonfilled，itwillnotcontainone-thirdofthatmightyrabble；
　　butthere’sanothertownfartheron-thegoodoldcityisfartheron，onlytwelvemiles；what’sthat!whowillstayhere？onwardtotheoldtown。
　　Hurry-skurry，amixedmultitudeofmenandhorses，cartsandcarriages，allinthedirectionoftheoldtown；and，inthemidstofallthatmadthrong，atamomentwhentherain-gusheswerecomingdownwithparticularfury，andtheartilleryoftheskywaspealingasIhadneverhearditpealbefore，Ifeltsomeoneseizemebythearm-Iturnedround，andbeheldMr。Petulengro。
　　’Ican’thearyou，Mr。Petulengro，’saidI；forthethunderdrownedthewordswhichheappearedtobeuttering。
　　’Dearginni，’IheardMr。Petulengrosay，’itthundreth。Iwasasking，brother，whetheryoubelieveindukkeripens？’
　　’Idonot，Mr。Petulengro；butthisisstrangeweathertobeaskingmewhetherIbelieveinfortunes。’
　　’Grondinni，’saidMr。Petulengro，’ithaileth。Ibelieveindukkeripens，brother。’
　　’Andwhohasmoreright，’saidI；’seeingthatyoulivebythem？
　　Butthistempestistrulyhorrible。’
　　’Dearginni，grondinnitavillaminni!Itthundreth，ithaileth，andalsoflameth，’saidMr。Petulengro。’Lookupthere，brother!’
　　Ilookedup。ConnectedwiththistempesttherewasonefeaturetowhichIhavealreadyalluded-thewonderfulcoloursoftheclouds。
　　Somewereofvividgreen；othersofthebrightestorange；othersasblackaspitch。Thegypsy’sfingerwaspointedtoaparticularpartofthesky。
　　’Whatdoyouseethere，brother？’
　　’Astrangekindofcloud。’
　　’Whatdoesitlooklike，brother？’
　　’Somethinglikeastreamofblood。’
　　’Thatcloudforeshowethabloodydukkeripen。’
　　’Abloodyfortune!’saidI。’Andwhommayitbetide？’
　　’Whoknows!’saidthegypsy。
　　Downtheway，dashingandsplashing，andscatteringman，horse，andcarttotheleftandright，cameanopenbarouche，drawnbyfoursmokingsteeds，withpostilionsinscarletjacketsandleatherskull-caps。Twoformswereconspicuousinit；thatofthesuccessfulbruiser，andofhisfriendandbacker，thesportinggentlemanofmyacquaintance。
　　’His!’saidthegypsy，pointingtothelatter，whosesternfeaturesworeasmileoftriumph，as，probablyrecognisingmeinthecrowd，henoddedinthedirectionofwhereIstood，asthebarouchehurriedby。
　　Therewentthebarouche，dashingthroughtherain-gushes，andinitonewhoseboastitwasthathewasequalto’eitherfortune。’Manyhaveheardofthatman-manymaybedesirousofknowingyetmoreofhim。Ihavenothingtodowiththatman’safterlife-hefulfilledhisdukkeripen。’Abad，violentman!’Softly，friend；
　　whenthouwouldstspeakharshlyofthedead，rememberthatthouhastnotyetfulfilledthyowndukkeripen!
　　CHAPTERXXVII
　　Myfather-Prematuredecay-Theeasy-chair-Afewquestions-Soyoutoldme-Adifficultlanguage-TheycanitHaik-Misusedopportunities-Saul-Wantofcandour-Don’tweep-Heavenforgiveme-DatedfromParis-Iwishhewerehere-Afather’sreminiscences-Farewelltovanities。
　　MYfather，asIhavealreadyinformedthereader，hadbeenendowedbynaturewithgreatcorporealstrength；indeed，Ihavebeenassuredthat，attheperiodofhisprime，hisfigurehaddenotedthepossessionofalmostHerculeanpowers。Thestrongestforms，however，donotalwaysendurethelongest，theveryexcessofthenobleandgenerousjuiceswhichtheycontainbeingthecauseoftheirprematuredecay。But，bethatasitmay，thehealthofmyfather，somefewyearsafterhisretirementfromtheservicetothequietofdomesticlife，underwentaconsiderablechange；hisconstitutionappearedtobebreakingup；andhewassubjecttosevereattacksfromvariousdisorders，withwhich，tillthen，hehadbeenutterlyunacquainted。Hewas，however，wonttorally，moreorless，afterhisillnesses，andmightstilloccasionallybeseentakinghiswalk，withhiscaneinhishand，andaccompaniedbyhisdog，whosympathisedentirelywithhim，piningashepined，improvingasheimproved，andneverleavingthehousesaveinhiscompany；andinthismannermatterswentonforaconsiderabletime，noverygreatapprehensionwithrespecttomyfather’sstatebeingraisedeitherinmymother’sbreastormyown。But，aboutsixmonthsaftertheperiodatwhichIhavearrivedinmylastchapter，itcametopassthatmyfatherexperiencedasevererattackthanonanypreviousoccasion。
　　Hehadthebestmedicaladvice；butitwaseasytosee，fromthelooksofhisdoctors，thattheyentertainedbutslighthopesofhisrecovery。Hissufferingsweregreat，yetheinvariablyborethemwithunshakenfortitude。Therewasonethingremarkableconnectedwithhisillness；notwithstandingitsseverity，itneverconfinedhimtohisbed。Hewaswonttositinhislittleparlour，inhiseasy-chair，dressedinafadedregimentalcoat，hisdogathisfeet，whowouldoccasionallylifthisheadfromthehearth-rugonwhichhelay，andlookhismasterwistfullyintheface。Andthusmyfatherspentthegreaterpartofhistime，sometimesinprayer，sometimesinmeditation，andsometimesinreadingtheScriptures。
　　Ifrequentlysatwithhim，though，asIentertainedagreataweformyfather，Iusedtofeelratherillatease，when，assometimeshappened，Ifoundmyselfalonewithhim。
　　’Iwishtoaskyouafewquestions，’saidhetomeoneday，aftermymotherhadlefttheroom。
　　’Iwillansweranythingyoumaypleasetoaskme，mydearfather。’
　　’Whathaveyoubeenaboutlately？’
　　’Ihavebeenoccupiedasusual，attendingattheofficeattheappointedhours。’
　　’Andwhatdoyouthere？’
　　’WhateverIamordered。’
　　’Andnothingelse？’
　　’Ohyes!sometimesIreadabook。’
　　’Connectedwithyourprofession？’
　　’Notalways；IhavebeenlatelyreadingArmenian-’
　　’What’sthat？’
　　’ThelanguageofapeoplewhosecountryisaregionontheothersideofAsiaMinor。’
　　’Well!’
　　’Aregionaboundingwithmountains。’
　　’Well!’
　　’AmongstwhichisMountArarat。’
　　’Well!’
　　’Uponwhich，astheBibleinformsus，thearkrested。’
　　’Well!’
　　’Itisthelanguageofthepeopleofthoseregions-’
　　’Soyoutoldme。’
　　’AndIhavebeenreadingtheBibleintheirlanguage。’
　　’Well!’
　　’Orrather，Ishouldsay，intheancientlanguageofthesepeople；
　　fromwhichIamtoldthemodemArmeniandiffersconsiderably。’
　　’Well!’
　　’AsmuchastheItalianfromtheLatin。’