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-