登陆注册
5220400000222

第222章

'Well,'said I,'I am afraid your own practice is not very different from that which you have been just now describing;you sided with the Radical in the public-house against me,as long as you thought him the most powerful,and then turned against him when you saw he was cowed.What have you to say to that?'

'Oh,when one is in Rome,I mean England,one must do as they do in England;I was merely conforming to the custom of the country,he!

he!but I beg your pardon here,as I did in the public-house.Imade a mistake.'

'Well,'said I,'we will drop the matter,but pray seat yourself on that stone,and I will sit down on the grass near you.'

The man in black,after proffering two or three excuses for occupying what he supposed to be my seat,sat down upon the stone,and I squatted down,gypsy-fashion,just opposite to him,Belle sitting on her stool at a slight distance on my right.After a time I addressed him thus:'Am I to reckon this a mere visit of ceremony?should it prove so,it will be,I believe,the first visit of the kind ever paid me.'

'Will you permit me to ask,'said the man in black-'the weather is very warm,'said he,interrupting himself,and taking off his hat.

I now observed that he was partly bald,his red hair having died away from the fore part of his crown-his forehead was high,his eyebrows scanty,his eyes gray and sly,with a downward tendency,his nose was slightly aquiline,his mouth rather large-a kind of sneering smile played continually on his lips,his complexion was somewhat rubicund.

'A bad countenance,'said Belle,in the language of the roads,observing that my eyes were fixed on his face.

'Does not my countenance please you,fair damsel?'said the man in black,resuming his hat,and speaking in a peculiarly gentle voice.

'How,'said I,'do you understand the language of the roads?'

'As little as I do Armenian,'said the man in black;'but Iunderstand look and tone.'

'So do I,perhaps,'retorted Belle;'and,to tell you the truth,Ilike your tone as little as your face.'

'For shame,'said I;'have you forgot what I was saying just now about the duties of hospitality?You have not yet answered my question,'said I,addressing myself to the man,'with respect to your visit.'

'Will you permit me to ask who you are?'

'Do you see the place where I live?'said I.

'I do,'said the man in black,looking around.

'Do you know the name of this place?'

'I was told it was Mumpers'or Gypsies'Dingle,'said the man in black.

'Good,'said I;'and this forge and tent,what do they look like?'

'Like the forge and tent of a wandering Zigan;I have seen the like in Italy.'

'Good,'said I;'they belong to me.'

'Are you,then,a gypsy?'said the man in black.

'What else should I be?'

'But you seem to have been acquainted with various individuals with whom I have likewise had acquaintance;and you have even alluded to matters,and even words,which have passed between me and them.'

'Do you know how gypsies live?'said I.

'By hammering old iron,I believe,and telling fortunes.'

'Well,'said I,'there's my forge,and yonder is some iron,though not old,and by your own confession I am a soothsayer.'

'But how did you come by your knowledge?'

'Oh,'said I,'if you want me to reveal the secrets of my trade,Ihave,of course,nothing further to say.Go to the scarlet dyer,and ask him how he dyes cloth.'

'Why scarlet?'said the man in black.'Is it because gypsies blush like scarlet?'

'Gypsies never blush,'said I;'but gypsies'cloaks are scarlet.'

'I should almost take you for a gypsy,'said the man in black,'but for-'

'For what?'said I.

'But for that same lesson in Armenian,and your general knowledge of languages;as for your manners and appearance I will say nothing,'said the man in black,with a titter.

'And why should not a gypsy possess a knowledge of languages?'said I.

同类推荐
  • 跌打秘方

    跌打秘方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 韦十一娘传

    韦十一娘传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 论势

    论势

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 续古尊宿语要目录

    续古尊宿语要目录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 自在王菩萨经

    自在王菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 黑心殿下在身边

    黑心殿下在身边

    【已完结】“我就是爱你,你能拿我怎么办?”“我有什么路可以选择?”她黎孜珂经历了平生最莫名其妙的一次告白,更令人发指的是他竟然装作不知整天处处调戏她。“我只想知道你到底喜不喜欢我……”见他僵硬在嘴角那抹犹豫,一怒,拎起他的衣襟,“法海不懂爱,你TM更不懂爱!”他邪笑,倏尔捧住她的脸,吻上她的唇。她茫然的睁大眼睛,“你干嘛吻我……”他逼上前,靠的她更近,“我喜欢,就亲了。”
  • 工业之动力帝国

    工业之动力帝国

    飞驰的列车,高高的井架,呼啸而过的战机,劈波斩浪的巨舰......我们存在的意义就是让工业的血脉在钢铁怪兽中尽情奔腾!!!共和国工业心脏的缔造者:梁远书友群,欢迎来踩:235141016
  • 走过相思路过痛

    走过相思路过痛

    林思安在遇到顾嘉臣以前,每日的生活是这样的:吃饭,睡觉,让陆之然在心里死一百遍;遇到顾嘉臣以后,每日的生活变成了这样:吃饭,睡觉,让陆之然和顾嘉臣在心里各死一百遍。陆之然的离开让林思安以为自己的爱情注定是荏弱无辜的昙花,盛极,即是将谢之时。一朝偏执,继而是魔障,最后,心字成灰。直到遇见顾嘉臣,名满B城,袖带轻狂,周身尽是罂粟香的男子。第一眼,是谁定了谁的情?他是种在林思安心底的毒药,让她难舍难忘。本以为觅得良人,从此岁月静好,然而素雪的出现,却牵扯出了八年前的离殇。顾嘉臣的两难,陆之然的等待,让林思安节节却步。旧爱新欢,谁才是她刻在胸口的朱砂痣,让她参尽相思?
  • 喜欢你不止一朝一夕

    喜欢你不止一朝一夕

    “大家好,我叫钟意,我喜欢你的那个钟意。”三年前,钟意突然离开了我的世界,没有留下一句告别。三年后,在大学校园里又突然看到了他,而他,已经成为了我的学长……这是缘分吗?久别重逢的我们,到底还会发生什么样的故事……
  • 星乱乾坤

    星乱乾坤

    在一个崇尚修真的世界里,他却不愿意自己的儿子去修真,却甘愿被人瞧不起,这是为什么?多年前,他的妻子,不说缘由的就离开了他和儿子,却又叫他们不要去找她,这又是为何?离奇的大陆,带我们走上一段不寻常的修真之路……
  • 分裂的村庄

    分裂的村庄

    老霍站在房顶,俯视全村,脖子抻成了长颈鹿,脑袋转成了小蜗牛,心里“噼哩啪啦”地打着小算盘。其实,老霍犯不着笨手笨脚地爬上房,也无需抻长脖子到处瞅。他半辈子没离开过村子,当了十几年的村长,哪家啥样,玻璃一样透明。谁家的门锁啥牌子,谁家的水缸摆在哪儿,谁家的孩崽子长了几颗牙,谁家的老爷们儿犯了几回痔疮,他都能如数家珍。甚至谁家的老娘们儿来了红,也瞒不住他,更别说是谁家添个电视机,买个宠物狗,卖出几斤粮了,不消半个时辰,准能传进他的顺风耳。
  • 玄天战神

    玄天战神

    一场意外的事件,夜无伤穿越到了玄天大陆!带着一卷神奇的天书,开始了他的惊艳之旅!治病救人,堪称岐黄圣手;比武竞技,他是绝世天才;驰骋沙场,化身神威将军;纵横天下,尽显风流本色!“针灸,你没听过吗?隔着衣服怎么扎,所以...美女,请宽衣!”
  • 你是我的家

    你是我的家

    我由姐姐弟弟护送,回到了自己的小家,妈妈义无返顾地留到我家里,帮我做家务,接孩子,成了我事实上的保姆。我可以安心地上班。沈家园的二妮,是不会倒下的,二妮坚信,即使明天下雨,大雨过后,必然会有一个灿烂的晴天。就算没有去了省城上班又怎么样?就算失去了廖大伟,失去了刘卫红又怎么样?我还有大妮,还有妈,还有我的沈家园:蓝天白云,小河流水,树木葱茏,野花芬芳,百鸟争鸣……
  • 致命绑架

    致命绑架

    北美销售百万册!亚马逊年度爆款悬疑惊悚小说!一部让人背脊发寒的小说,挑战你神经官能的承受力!午夜梦回,常会被噩梦惊醒。莉齐耗费了十四年的精力和时间,却始终走不出那次绑架案给她带来的巨大精神创伤。遗憾的是,她已经没有更多的时间了……恶毒的邪灵隐藏在阴暗的角落里窥视着莉齐的生活,死亡的阴影正不断逼近。十四年前的变态绑架杀人犯“蜘蛛侠”卷土重来,这次莉齐将如何应对?作为十四年前连环绑架杀人案的唯一幸存者,莉齐是否仍然会被幸运之神眷顾。
  • 梦魇中的棋子

    梦魇中的棋子

    林子在床上翻了个身,右手向左边抱过去,但抱了个空,才明白妻子已经不在了。三个月前的一场车祸,让一个实实在在的肉体,变成墙上的一张带黑框的照片。林子很长时间都不能适应这样的现实,觉得妻子还是活着的。林子有点凄惶,他看了看对面墙上的那面挂钟,凌晨三点一刻了。林子想:还是睡去吧,明天还要上班呢。次日早上,林子吃完早餐到派出所签了个到。前几天五里亭村的村书记给林子打来电话,说村里两户人家为门口道路争吵了好几次了,双方扬言准备叫人来“开打”,让林子有时间去看一下,林子答应他今天过去。