?"

"I eat when I am hungry, drink when I am thirsty, and have no other
means of subsistence than chance throws in my Way," replied the
vagabond.

"Under whose laws do you live?"

"I acknowledge obedience to none, but an it suits my pleasure or my
necessities," said the Bohemian.

"Who is your leader, and commands you?"

"The father of our tribe--if I choose to obey him," said the guide,
"otherwise I have no commander."

"You are, then," said the wondering querist, "destitute of all that
other men are combined by--you have no law, no leader, no settled means
of subsistence, no house or home. You have, may Heaven compassionate
you, no country--and, may Heaven enlighten and forgive you, you have no
God! What is it that remains to you, deprived of government, domestic
happiness, and religion?"

"I have liberty," said the Bohemian "I crouch to no one, obey no
one--respect no one--I go where I will--live as I can--and die when my
day comes."

"But you are subject to instant execution, at the pleasure of the
Judge?"

"Be it so," returned the Bohemian, "I can but die so much the sooner."

"And to imprisonment also," said the Scot, "and where, then, is your
boasted freedom?"

"In my thoughts," said the Bohemian, "which no chains can bind, while
yours, even when your limbs are free, remain fettered by your laws and
your superstitions, your dreams of local attachment, and your fantastic
visions of civil policy. Such as I are free in spirit when our limbs are
chained.--You are imprisoned in mind even when your limbs are most at
freedom."

"Yet the freedom of your thoughts," said the Scot, "relieves not the
pressure of the gyves on your limbs."

"For a brief time that may be endured," answered the vagrant, "and if
within that period I cannot extricate myself, and fail of relief from
my comrades, I can always die, and death is the most perfect freedom of
all."

There was a deep pause of some duration, which Quentin at length broke
by resuming his queries.

"Yours is a wandering race, unknown to the nations of Europe.--Whence do
they derive their origin?"

"I may not tell you," answered the Bohemian.

"When will they relieve this kingdom from their presence, and return to
the land from whence they came?" said the Scot.

"When the day of their pilgrimage shall be accomplished," replied his
vagrant guide.

"Are you not sprung from those tribes of Israel which were carried into
captivity beyond the great rive