Other duties kept me away from business, and I was not a spectator of their visit. But I heard afterwards long, eloquent and indignant stories of how Milanko, apparelled like a mountebank, with his father and the deformed dwarf Burda or Morkosh, his cousin’s husband, dared to profane the solemnity of the counting-house, a sanctuary where the cumulative respectability of five generations of sugar-boilers is devoutly worshipped. Never during the whole course of its long business experience had that chamber entertained guests so unwelcome. They arrived at ten in the morning and stayed until half-past two, demanding payment from the cashier and relenting gradually from twenty-five to seven pounds, less than which they long refused to accept. Nobody knew what to do with them—the situation was unprecedented. When tired of standing and worrying busy clerks with the question “Master, what you do now?” they scandalized the whole staff by sitting cross-legged on the floor. It was a contest of endurance; and, thanks to the definite orders I had left, we won. Just as the problem of what was to happen at closing time, if they were still in possession, was becoming insistent, the Gypsies gave way, accepted three pounds and retired, after desecrating the office for four hours and a half. It would have been absurd to expect Kola’s disciples to rest content with a reasonable reward, and indeed they often begged for supplementary payments. Even the chief’s wife condescended to interest herself in the matter and complained to me about the character of the engineer—a bad man, as she said; and I had to explain that it was partly for this particular fault of character that we valued him. Yono never forgave me, but Milanko resumed friendly relationships at once, and I believe that the tribe in general respected me the more for my victory. 5. PARLIAMENTS. THE profession of the Gypsies, according to a reverend Spanish professor, whom Borrow quotes, is idleness; and by their proverb _Butin hi dinilenge_ (Work is for fools) the German Gypsies plead guilty to the charge. In this respect the coppersmiths were exceptional, for among them diligence raged almost as an epidemic fever. The missionary of the eight-hours day would not have found a welcome in their camp, nor the agent of a Sabbath-observance society any encouragement. On all days of the week, at all hours of the day, the rhythmic tap of their hammers and the muffled gust of their bellows preached eloquent sermons on industry, while knots of busy women, sewing, washing and cooking, gave an equally striking object-lesson in the same subject.