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had the money in my pocket； I turned back； and； making another bow；
said； 〃May I be so bold as to ask why you gave me all this money
for that 'ere dirty book？ When I came into the shop； I should have
been glad to get a shilling for it； but I saw you wanted it； and
asked five guineas。〃 Then they looked at one another； and smiled；
and shrugged up their shoulders。 Then the first man； looking at
me； said； 〃Friend； you have been a little too sharp for us；
however； we can afford to forgive you； as my friend here has long
been in quest of this particular book； there are plenty of
editions； as I told you； and a common copy is not worth five
shillings； but this is a first edition； and a copy of the first
edition is worth its weight in gold。〃'
'So； after all； they outwitted you；' I observed。
'Clearly；' said the man； 'I might have got double the price； had I
known the value； but I don't care； much good may it do them； it has
done me plenty。 By means of it I have got into an honest；
respectable trade； in which there's little danger and plenty of
profit； and got out of one which would have got me lagged； sooner
or later。'
'But；' said I； 'you ought to remember that the thing was not yours；
you took it from me； who had been requested by a poor old apple…
woman to exchange it for a Bible。'
'Well；' said the man； 'did she ever get her Bible？'
'Yes；' said I； 'she got her Bible。'
'Then she has no cause to complain； and； as for you； chance or
something else has sent you to me； that I may make you reasonable
amends for any loss you may have had。 Here am I ready to make you
my bonnet； with forty or fifty shillings a week； which you say
yourself are capital wages。'
'I find no fault with the wages；' said I； 'but I don't like the
employ。'
'Not like bonneting；' said the man； 'ah； I see； you would like to
be principal； well； a time may come … those long white fingers of
yours would just serve for the business。'
'Is it a difficult one？' I demanded。
'Why； it is not very easy： two things are needful … natural
talent； and constant practice； but I'll show you a point or two
connected with the game'； and； placing his table between his knees
as he sat over the side of the pit； he produced three thimbles； and
a small brown pellet； something resembling a pea。 He moved the
thimble and pellet about； now placing it to all appearance under
one； and now under another； 'Under which is it now？' he said at
last。 'Under that；' said I； pointing to the lowermost of the
thimbles； which； as they stood； formed a kind of triangle。 'No；'
said he； 'it is not； but lift it up'； and； when I lifted up the
thimble； the pellet； in truth； was not under it。 'It was under
none of them；' said he； 'it was pressed by my little finger against
my palm'； and then he showed me how he did the trick； and asked me
if the game was not a funny one； and； on my answering in the
affirmative； he said； 'I am glad you like it； come along and let us
win some money。'
Thereupon； getting up； he placed the table before him； and was
moving away； observing； however； that I did not stir； he asked me
what I was staying for。 'Merely for my own pleasure；' said I； 'I
like sitting here very well。' 'Then you won't close？' said the
man。 'By no means；' I replied； 'your proposal does not suit me。'
'You may be principal in time；' said the man。 'That makes no
difference；' said I； and； sitting with my legs over the pit； I
forthwith began to decline an Armenian noun。 'That ain't cant；'
said the man； 'no； nor gypsy either。 Well； if you won't close；
another will； I can't lose any more time；' and forthwith he
departed。
And after I had declined four Armenian nouns； of different
declensions； I rose from the side of the pit； and wandered about
amongst the various groups of people scattered over the green。
Presently I came to where the man of the thimbles was standing；
with the table before him； and many people about him。 'Them who
finds； wins； and them who can't find； loses；' he cried。 Various
individuals tried to find the pellet； but all were unsuccessful；
till at last considerable dissatisfaction was expressed； and the
terms rogue and cheat were lavished upon him。 'Never cheated
anybody in all my life；' he cried； and； observing me at hand；
'didn't I play fair； my lord？' he inquired。 But I made no answer。
Presently some more played； and he permitted one or two to win； and
the eagerness to play with him became greater。 After I had looked
on for some time； I was moving away： just then I perceived a
short； thick personage； with a staff in his hand； advancing in a
great hurry； whereupon； with a sudden impulse； I exclaimed …
Shoon thimble…engro；
Avella gorgio。
The man； who was in the midst of his pea…and…thimble process； no
sooner heard the last word of the distich than he turned an alarmed
look in the direction of where I stood； then； glancing around； and
perceiving the constable； he slipped forthwith his pellet and
thimbles into his pocket； and； lifting up his table； he cried to
the people about him； 'Make way！' and with a motion with his head
to me； as if to follow him； he darted off with a swiftness which
the short； pursy constable could by no means rival； and whither he
went； or what became of him； I know not； inasmuch as I turned away
in another direction。
CHAPTER LIV
Mr。 Petulengro … Rommany Rye … Lil…writers … One's own horn …
Lawfully…earnt money … The wooded hill … A great favourite … The
shop window … Much wanted。
AND； as I wandered along the green； I drew near to a place where
several men； with a cask beside them； sat carousing in the
neighbourhood of a small tent。 'Here he comes；' said one of them；
as I advanced； and standing up he raised his voice and sang：…
'Here the Gypsy gemman see；
With his Roman jib and his rome and dree …
Rome and dree； rum and dry
Rally round the Rommany Rye。'
It was Mr。 Petulengro； who was here diverting himself with several
of his comrades； they all received me with considerable frankness。
'Sit down； brother；' said Mr。 Petulengro； 'and take a cup of good
ale。'
I sat down。 'Your health； gentlemen；' said I； as I took the cup
which Mr。 Petulengro handed to me。
'Aukko tu pios adrey Rommanis。 Here is your health in Rommany；
brother；' said Mr。 Petulengro； who； having refilled the cup； now
emptied it at a draught。
'Your health in Rommany； brother；' said Tawno Chikno； to whom the
cup came next。
'The Rommany Rye；' said a third。
'The Gypsy gentleman；' exclaimed a fourth； drinking。
And then they all sang in chorus：…
'Here the Gypsy gemman see；
With his Roman jib and his rome and dree …
Rome and dree； rum and dry
Rally round the Rommany Rye。'
'And now； brother；' said Mr。 Petulengro； 'seeing that you have
drunk and been drunken； you will perhaps tell us where you have
been； and what about？'
'I have been in the Big City；' said I； 'writing lils。'
'How much money have you got in your pocket； brother？' said Mr。
Petulengro。
'Eighteenpence；' said I； 'all I have in the world。'
'I have been in the Big City； too；' said Mr。 Petulengro； 'but I
have not written lils … I have fought in the ring … I have fifty
pounds in my pocket … I have much more in the world。 Brother；
there is considerable difference between us。
'I would rather be the lil…writer； after all；' said the tall；
handsome； black man； 'indeed； I would wish for nothing better。'
'Why so？' said Mr。 Petulengro。
'Because they have so much to say for themselves；' said the black
man； 'even when dead and gone。 When they are laid in the
churchyard； it is their own fault if people ain't talking of them。
Who will know； after I am dead； or bitchadey pawdel； that I was
once the beauty of the world； or that you Jasper were … '
'The best man in England of my inches。 That's true； Tawno …
however； here's our brother will perhaps let the world know
something about us。'
'Not he；' said the other； with a sigh； 'he'll have quite enough to
do in writing his own lils； and telling the world how handsome and
clever he was； and who can blame him？ Not I。 If I could write
lils； every word should be about myself and my own tacho Rommanis …
my own lawful wedded wife； which is the same thing。 I tell you
what； brother； I once heard a wise man say in Brummagem； that
〃there is nothing like blowing one's own horn；〃 which I conceive to
be much the same thing as writing one's own lil。'
After a little more conversation； Mr。 Petulengro arose； and
motioned me to follow him。 'Only eighteenpence in the world；
brother？' said he； as we walked together。
'Nothing more； I assure you。 How came you to ask me how much money
I had？'