FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142  
143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   >>   >|  
"provided you can find anything pleasant to talk about." "Never fear," said Jasper; "and first of all we will talk of yourself. Where have you been all this long time?" "Here and there," said I, "and far and near, going about with the soldiers; but there is no soldiering now, so we have sat down, father and family, in the town there." "And do you still hunt snakes?" said Jasper. "No," said I, "I have given up that long ago; I do better now: read books and learn languages." "Well, I am sorry you have given up your snake-hunting; many's the strange talk I have had with our people about your snake and yourself, and how you frightened my father and mother in the lane." "And where are your father and mother?" "Where I shall never see them, brother; at least, I hope so." "Not dead?" "No, not dead; they are bitchadey pawdel." "What's that?" "Sent across--banished." "Ah! I understand; I am sorry for them. And so you are here alone?" "Not quite alone, brother." "No, not alone; but with the rest--Tawno Chikno takes care of you." "Takes care of me, brother!" "Yes, stands to you in the place of a father--keeps you out of harm's way." "What do you take me for, brother?" "For about three years older than myself." "Perhaps; but you are of the Gorgios, and I am a Rommany Chal. Tawno Chikno take care of Jasper Petulengro!" "Is that your name?" "Don't you like it?" "Very much, I never heard a sweeter; it is something like what you call me." "The horse-shoe master and the snake-fellow, I am the first." "Who gave you that name?" "Ask Pharaoh." "I would, if he were here, but I do not see him." "I am Pharaoh." "Then you are a king." "Chachipen Pal." "I do not understand you." "Where are your languages? You want two things, brother: mother sense, and gentle Rommany." "What makes you think that I want sense?" "That, being so old, you can't yet guide yourself!" "I can read Dante, Jasper." "Anan, brother." "I can charm snakes, Jasper." "I know you can, brother." "Yes, and horses too; bring me the most vicious in the land, if I whisper he'll be tame." "Then the more shame for you--a snake-fellow--a horse-witch--and a lil-reader--yet you can't shift for yourself. I laugh at you, brother!" "Then you can shift for yourself?" "For myself and for others, brother." "And what does Chikno?" "Sells me horses, when I bid him. Those horses on the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142  
143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

brother

 

Jasper

 
father
 

mother

 

Chikno

 
horses
 

Rommany


fellow
 
Pharaoh
 

understand

 
snakes
 

languages

 

Chachipen

 

pleasant


gentle

 

things

 

master

 

reader

 

provided

 
sweeter
 
whisper

vicious

 

pawdel

 
bitchadey
 
banished
 

people

 

hunting

 
strange

frightened

 

family

 
Gorgios
 

Perhaps

 

Petulengro

 
soldiering
 

stands


soldiers