‘Sit down on the grass, and tell me all about it, sister; do, to oblige me, pretty sister.’

‘Hey, brother, you don’t speak as you did - you don’t speak like a gorgio, you speak like one of us, you call me sister.’

‘As you call me brother; I am not an uncivil person after all, sister.’

‘I say, brother, tell me one thing, and look me in the face - there - do you speak Rommany?’

‘Rommany! Rommany! what is Rommany?’

‘What is Rommany? our language to be sure; tell me, brother, only one thing, you don’t speak Rommany?’

‘You say it.’

‘I don’t say it, I wish to know. Do you speak Rommany?’

‘Do you mean thieves’ slang - cant? no, I don’t speak cant, don’t like it, I only know a few words; they call a sixpence a tanner, don’t they?’

‘I don’t know,’ said the girl, sitting down on the ground, ‘I was almost thinking - well, never mind, you don’t know Rommany. I say, brother, I think I should like to have the kekaubi.’

‘I thought you said it was badly mended?’

‘Yes, yes, brother, but - ‘

‘I thought you said it was only fit to be played at football with?’

‘Yes, yes, brother, but - ‘

‘What will you give for it?’

‘Brother, I am the poor person’s child, I will give you sixpence for the kekaubi.’

‘Poor person’s child; how came you by that necklace?’

‘Be civil, brother; am I to have the kekaubi?’

‘Not for sixpence; isn’t the kettle nicely mended?’

‘I never saw a nicer mended kettle, brother; am I to have the kekaubi, brother?’

‘You like me then?’

‘I don’t dislike you - I dislike no one; there’s only one, and him I don’t dislike, him I hate.’

‘Who is he?’

‘I scarcely know, I never saw him, but ‘tis no affair of yours, you don’t speak Rommany; you will let me have the kekaubi, pretty brother?’

‘You may have it, but not for sixpence; I’ll give it to you.’

‘Parraco tute, that is, I thank you, brother; the rikkeni kekaubi is now mine. O, rare! I thank you kindly, brother.’


  By PanEris using Melati.

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