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lavengro-第95部分

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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 J
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