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voices in the next breath； speaking in the jargon of the tribe。
'Won't your Moorish Royalty please to eat something？' said the tall
hag。 'We have nothing in the house； but I will run out and buy a
fowl； which I hope may prove a royal peacock to nourish and
strengthen you。' 'I hope it may turn to drow in your entrails；'
she muttered to the rest in Gypsy。 She then ran down； and in a
minute returned with an old hen； which； on my arrival； I had
observed below in the stable。 'See this beautiful fowl；' said she；
'I have been running over all Tarifa to procure it for your
kingship； trouble enough I have had to obtain it； and dear enough
it has cost me。 I will now cut its throat。' 'Before you kill it；'
said I； 'I should wish to know what you paid for it； that there may
be no dispute about it in the account。' 'Two dollars I paid for
it； most valorous and handsome sir； two dollars it cost me； out of
my own quisobi … out of my own little purse。' I saw it was high
time to put an end to these zalamerias； and therefore exclaimed in
Gitano； 'You mean two brujis （reals）； O mother of all the witches；
and that is twelve cuartos more than it is worth。' 'Ay Dios mio；
whom have we here？' exclaimed the females。 'One；' I replied； 'who
knows you well and all your ways。 Speak！ am I to have the hen for
two reals？ if not； I shall leave the house this moment。' 'O yes；
to be sure； brother； and for nothing if you wish it；' said the tall
woman； in natural and quite altered tones； 'but why did you enter
the house speaking in Corahai like a Bengui？ We thought you a
Busno； but we now see that you are of our religion； pray sit down
and tell us where you have been。' 。 。
MYSELF。 … 'Now； my good people； since I have answered your
questions； it is but right that you should answer some of mine；
pray who are you？ and how happens it that you are keeping this
inn？'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'Verily； brother； we can scarcely tell you who we are。
All we know of ourselves is； that we keep this inn； to our trouble
and sorrow； and that our parents kept it before us； we were all
born in this house； where I suppose we shall die。'
MYSELF。 … 'Who is the master of the house； and whose are these
children？'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'The master of the house is the fool； my brother； who
stands before you without saying a word； to him belong these
children； and the cripple in the chair is his wife； and my cousin。
He has also two sons who are grown…up men； one is a chumajarri
（shoemaker）； and the other serves a tanner。'
MYSELF。 … 'Is it not contrary to the law of the Cales to follow
such trades？'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'We know of no law； and little of the Cales
themselves。 Ours is the only Calo family in Tarifa； and we never
left it in our lives； except occasionally to go on the smuggling
lay to Gibraltar。 True it is that the Cales； when they visit
Tarifa； put up at our house； sometimes to our cost。 There was one
Rafael； son of the rich Fruto of Cordova； here last summer； to buy
up horses； and he departed a baria and a half in our debt； however；
I do not grudge it him； for he is a handsome and clever Chabo … a
fellow of many capacities。 There was more than one Busno had cause
to rue his coming to Tarifa。'
MYSELF。 … 'Do you live on good terms with the Busne of Tarifa？'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'Brother； we live on the best terms with the Busne of
Tarifa； especially with the errays。 The first people in Tarifa
come to this house； to have their baji told by the cripple in the
chair and by myself。 I know not how it is； but we are more
considered by the grandees than the poor； who hate and loathe us。
When my first and only infant died； for I have been married； the
child of one of the principal people was put to me to nurse； but I
hated it for its white blood； as you may well believe。 It never
throve； for I did it a private mischief； and though it grew up and
is now a youth； it is … mad。'
MYSELF。 … 'With whom will your brother's children marry？ You say
there are no Gypsies here。'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'Ay de mi； hermano！ It is that which grieves me。 I
would rather see them sold to the Moors than married to the Busne。
When Rafael was here he wished to persuade the chumajarri to
accompany him to Cordova； and promised to provide for him； and to
find him a wife among the Callees of that town； but the faint heart
would not； though I myself begged him to comply。 As for the
curtidor （tanner）； he goes every night to the house of a Busnee；
and once； when I reproached him with it； he threatened to marry
her。 I intend to take my knife； and to wait behind the door in the
dark； and when she comes out to gash her over the eyes。 I trow he
will have little desire to wed with her then。'
MYSELF。 … 'Do many Busne from the country put up at this house？'
GYPSY HAG。 … 'Not so many as formerly； brother； the labourers from
the Campo say that we are all thieves； and that it is impossible
for any one but a Calo to enter this house without having the shirt
stripped from his back。 They go to the houses of their
acquaintance in the town； for they fear to enter these doors。 I
scarcely know why； for my brother is the veriest fool in Tarifa。
Were it not for his face； I should say that he is no Chabo； for he
cannot speak； and permits every chance to slip through his fingers。
Many a good mule and borrico have gone out of the stable below；
which he might have secured； had he but tongue enough to have
cozened the owners。 But he is a fool； as I said before； he cannot
speak； and is no Chabo。'
How far the person in question； who sat all the while smoking his
pipe； with the most unperturbed tranquillity； deserved the
character bestowed upon him by his sister； will presently appear。
It is not my intention to describe here all the strange things I
both saw and heard in this Gypsy inn。 Several Gypsies arrived from
the country during the six days that I spent within its walls； one
of them； a man； from Moron； was received with particular
cordiality； he having a son； whom he was thinking of betrothing to
one of the Gypsy daughters。 Some females of quality likewise
visited the house to gossip； like true Andalusians。 It was
singular to observe the behaviour of the Gypsies to these people；
especially that of the remarkable woman； some of whose conversation
I have given above。 She whined； she canted； she blessed； she
talked of beauty of colour； of eyes； of eyebrows； and pestanas
（eyelids）； and of hearts which were aching for such and such a
lady。 Amongst others； came a very fine woman； the widow of a
colonel lately slain in battle； she brought with her a beautiful