s gone,' the mother said. She would have liked
me to kiss a book to seal the oath. Anxiety about the safety of their
'homes,' that is, the assurance of an untroubled reception upon their
customary camping-ground, is a peculiarity of the gipsies, distinguishing
them, equally with their cleanliness and thriftiness, from mumpers and
the common wanderers.

It is their tribute to civilization, which generally keeps them within
the laws.

Who that does not know them will believe that under their domestic system
I had the best broth and the best tea I have ever tasted! They are very
cunning brewers and sagacious buyers too; their maxims show them to
direct all their acuteness upon obtaining quality for their money. A
compliment not backed by silver is hardly intelligible to the pretty
ones: money is a really credible thing to them; and when they have it,
they know how to use it. Apparently because they know so well, so
perfectly appreciating it, they have only vague ideas of a corresponding
sentiment on the opposite side to the bargain, and imagine that they fool
people much more often than they succeed in doing. Once duped themselves,
they are the wariest of the dog-burnt; the place is notched where it
occurred, and for ever avoided. On the other hand, they repose implicit
faith in a reputation vouched for by their experience. I was amused by
the girl Eveleen's dotting of houses over the breadth of five counties,
where for this and that article of apparel she designed to expend
portions of a golden guinea, confident that she would get the very best,
and a shilling besides. The unwonted coin gave her the joy of supposing
she cheated the Mint of that sum. This guinea was a present to the girl
(to whom I owed my thrashing, by the way) that excused itself under cover
of being a bribe for sight of a mirror interdicted by the implacable
Kiomi. I wanted to have a look at my face. Now that the familiar scenes
were beginning to wear their original features to me, my dread of
personal hideousness was distressing, though Eveleen declared the bad
blood in my cheeks and eyes 'had been sucked by pounds of red meat.' I
wondered, whether if I stood up and walked to either one of the three
great halls lying in an obtuse triangle within view, I should easily be
recognized. When I did see myself, I groaned verily. With the silence of
profound resignation, I handed back to Eveleen the curious fragment of
her boudoir, which would have grimaced a