to be turned into the roads rather
than change your religion, than if you got fifty pounds for renouncing
it." "I am half inclined to take your advice," said the landlord, "only,
to tell you the truth, I feel quite low, without any heart in me." "Come
into the bar," said I, "and let us have something together--you need not
be afraid of my not paying for what I order."

We went into the bar-room, where the landlord and I discussed between us
two bottles of strong ale, which he said were part of the last six which
he had in his possession. At first he wished to drink sherry, but I
begged him to do no such thing, telling him that sherry would do him no
good under the present circumstances; nor, indeed, to the best of my
belief, under any, it being of all wines the one for which I entertained
the most contempt. The landlord allowed himself to be dissuaded, and,
after a glass or two of ale, confessed that sherry was a sickly,
disagreeable drink, and that he had merely been in the habit of taking it
from an idea he had that it was genteel. Whilst quaffing our beverage,
he gave me an account of the various mortifications to which he had of
late been subject, dwelling with particular bitterness on the conduct of
Hunter, who he said came every night and mouthed him, and afterwards went
away without paying for what he had drank or smoked, in which conduct he
was closely imitated by a clan of fellows who constantly attended him.
After spending several hours at the public-house I departed, not
forgetting to pay for the two bottles of ale. The landlord, before I
went, shaking me by the hand, declared that he had now made up his mind
to stick to his religion at all hazards, the more especially as he was
convinced he should derive no good by giving it up.

CHAPTER XIV

Preparations for the Fair--The Last Lesson--The Verb Siriel.

It might be about five in the evening, when I reached the gypsy
encampment. Here I found Mr. Petulengro, Tawno Chikno, Sylvester, and
others in a great bustle, clipping and trimming certain ponies and old
horses which they had brought with them. On inquiring of Jasper the
reason of their being so engaged, he informed me that they were getting
the horses ready for a fair, which was to be held on the morrow, at a
place some miles distant, at which they should endeavour to dispose of
them, adding--"Perhaps, brother, you will go with us, provided you have
nothing better to do?" Not having any