"but you forget that I have prepared the kettle for you
before, though it was true that I was then certain that you would come."
"I had not forgotten your doing so, young man," said Belle; "but I was
beginning to think that you were utterly selfish, caring for nothing but
the gratification of your own selfish whims." "I am very fond of having
my own way," said I, "but utterly selfish I am not, as I dare say I shall
frequently prove to you. You will often find the kettle boiling when you
come home." "Not heated by you," said Isopel, with a sigh. "By whom
else?" said I; "surely you are not thinking of driving me away?" "You
have as much right here as myself," said Isopel, "as I have told you
before; but I must be going myself." "Well," said I, "we can go
together; to tell you the truth, I am rather tired of this place." "Our
paths must be separate," said Belle. "Separate," said I, "what do you
mean? I shan't let you go alone, I shall go with you; and you know the
road is as free to me as to you; besides, you can't think of parting
company with me, considering how much you would lose by doing so;
remember that you know scarcely anything of the Armenian language; now,
to learn Armenian from me would take you twenty years."

Belle faintly smiled. "Come," said I, "take another cup of tea." Belle
took another cup of tea, and yet another; we had some indifferent
conversation, after which I arose and gave her donkey a considerable feed
of corn. Belle thanked me, shook me by the hand, and then went to her
own tabernacle, and I returned to mine.

CHAPTER XIII

Visit to the Landlord--His Mortifications--Hunter and his
Clan--Resolution.

On the following morning, after breakfasting with Belle, who was silent
and melancholy, I left her in the dingle, and took a stroll amongst the
neighbouring lanes. After some time I thought I would pay a visit to the
landlord of the public-house, whom I had not seen since the day when he
communicated to me his intention of changing his religion. I therefore
directed my steps to the house, and on entering it found the landlord
standing in the kitchen. Just then two mean-looking fellows, who had
been drinking at one of the tables, and who appeared to be the only
customers in the house, got up, brushed past the landlord, and saying in
a surly tone, we shall pay you some time or other, took their departure.
"That's the way they serve me now," said the landlord, with a sigh. "