'Oh, maiden, may I humbly pray That I may help you on your way.'" The woman blushed, but said nothing. "Where," I asked, "are the Romany chals and the Romany chis?" She turned her head away and was silent. "Though I am a gorgio," said I, "I know something of the Romany lil," and to prove it I sang the stanza-- "Coliko, coliko saulo wer Apopli to the farming ker Will wel and mang him mullo, Will wel and mang his truppo." The girl laughed, but said nothing. It appeared to me from her appearance that she might be one of those who make a living at telling fortunes or "dukkering," as the master calls it, at racecourses and other gatherings of the sort. "Do you dukker?" I asked. She slapped me on the arm. "Well, you _are_ a pot of ginger!" said she. I was pleased at the slap, for it put me in mind of the peerless Belle. "You can use Long Melford," said I, an expression which, with the master, meant fighting. "Get along with your sauce!" said she, and struck me again. "You are a very fine young woman," said I, "and remind me of Grunelda, the daughter of Hjalmar, who stole the golden bowl from the King of the Islands." She seemed annoyed at this. "You keep a civil tongue, young man," said she. "I meant no harm, Belle. I was but comparing you to one of whom the saga says her eyes were like the shine of sun upon icebergs." This seemed to please her, for she smiled. "My name ain't Belle," she said at last. "What is your name?" "Henrietta." "The name of a queen," I said aloud. "Go on," said the girl. "Of Charles's queen," said I, "of whom Waller the poet (for the English also have their poets, though in this respect far inferior to the Basques)--of whom, I say, Waller the poet said: 'That she was Queen was the Creator's act, Belated man could but endorse the fact.'" "I say!" cried the girl. "How you do go on!" "So now," said I, "since I have shown you that you are a queen you will surely give me a choomer"--this being a kiss in Romany talk. "I'll give you one on the ear-hole," she cried. "Then I will wrestle with you," said I. "If you should chance to put me down, I will do penance by teaching you the Armenian alphabet--the very word alphabet, as you will perceive, shows us that our letters came from Greece. If, on the other hand, I should chance to put you down, you will give me a choomer."