elieve--come, brother,
don't be angry, it's quite possible that you may have done things which
neither I nor any one else has seen you do, and that such things may some
day or other come to light, as you say nothing can be kept secret. Be
that, however, as it may, pay the reckoning and let us be going; I think
I can advise you to just such a kind of place as you seem to want."

"And how do you know that I have got wherewithal to pay the reckoning?" I
demanded. "Brother," said Mr. Petulengro, "I was just now looking in
your face, which exhibited the very look of a person conscious of the
possession of property; there was nothing hungry or sneaking in it. Pay
the reckoning, brother."

And when we were once more upon the road, Mr. Petulengro began to talk of
the place which he conceived would serve me as a retreat under present
circumstances. "I tell you frankly, brother, that it is a queer kind of
place, and I am not very fond of pitching my tent in it, it is so
surprisingly dreary. It is a deep dingle in the midst of a large field,
on an estate about which there has been a lawsuit for some years past. I
dare say you will be quiet enough, for the nearest town is five miles
distant, and there are only a few huts and hedge public-houses in the
neighbourhood. Brother, I am fond of solitude myself, but not that kind
of solitude; I like a quiet heath, where I can pitch my house, but I
always like to have a gay stirring place not far off, where the women can
pen dukkerin, {264a} and I myself can sell or buy a horse, if
needful--such a place as the Chong Gav. {264b} I never feel so merry as
when there, brother, or on the heath above it, where I taught you
Rommany."

Shortly after this discourse we reached a milestone, and a few yards from
the milestone, on the left hand, was a cross road. Thereupon Mr.
Petulengro said, "Brother, my path lies to the left; if you choose to go
with me to my camp, good; if not, Chal Devlehi." {264c} But I again
refused Mr. Petulengro's invitation, and, shaking him by the hand,
proceeded forward alone; and about ten miles farther on I reached the
town of which he had spoken, and, following certain directions which he
had given, discovered, though not without some difficulty, the dingle
which he had mentioned. It was a deep hollow in the midst of a wide
field; the shelving sides were overgrown with trees and bushes, a belt of
sallows surrounded it on the top, a steep winding path led down