buy that horse?" said I. "He's to be sold for fifty pounds," said
Jasper, "and is worth four times that sum; though, like many a splendid
bargain, he is now going a begging; buy him, and I'm confident that, in a
little time, a grand gentleman of your appearance may have anything he
asks for him, and found a fortune by his means. Moreover, brother, I
want to dispose of this fifty pounds in a safe manner. If you don't take
it, I shall fool it away in no time, perhaps at card-playing, for you saw
how I was cheated by those blackguard jockeys the other day--we gyptians
don't know how to take care of money: our best plan when we have got a
handful of guineas is to make buttons with them; but I have plenty of
golden buttons, and don't wish to be troubled with more, so you can do me
no greater favour than vesting the money in this speculation, by which my
mind will be relieved of considerable care and trouble for some time at
least."

Perceiving that I still hesitated, he said, "Perhaps, brother, you think
I did not come honestly by the money: by the honestest manner in the
world, for it is the money I earnt by fighting in the ring: I did not
steal it, brother, nor did I get it by disposing of spavined donkeys, or
glandered ponies--nor is it, brother, the profits of my wife's witchcraft
and dukkerin."

"But," said I, "you had better employ it in your traffic." "I have
plenty of money for my traffic, independent of this capital," said Mr.
Petulengro; "ay, brother, and enough besides to back the husband of my
wife's sister, Sylvester, against Slammocks of the Chong gav for twenty
pounds, which I am thinking of doing."

"But," said I, "after all, the horse may have found another purchaser by
this time." "Not he," said Mr. Petulengro, "there is nobody in this
neighbourhood to purchase a horse like that, unless it be your
lordship--so take the money, brother," and he thrust the purse into my
hand. Allowing myself to be persuaded, I kept possession of the purse.
"Are you satisfied now?" said I. "By no means, brother," said Mr.
Petulengro, "you will please to pay me the five shillings which you lost
to me." "Why," said I, "the fifty pounds which I found in my pocket were
not mine, but put in by yourself." "That's nothing to do with the
matter, brother," said Mr. Petulengro, "I betted you five shillings that
you had fifty pounds in your pocket, which sum you had: I did not say
that they were your own, but merely that you h