“No,” said the gipsy, “not if you trust to me for food, and if you give me money enough. Silver won’t do for so many; gold is what must cross my hand.” “I have no gold,” said Fisher, “and I don’t know what you mean by ‘so many.’ I’m only talking of number one, you know. I must take care of that first.” So, as Fisher thought it was possible that Archer, clever as he was, might be disappointed in his supplies, he determined to take secret measures for himself. His Aunt Barbara’s interdiction had shut him out of the confectioner’s shop; but he flattered himself that he could outwit his aunt; he therefore begged the gipsy to procure him twelve buns by Thursday morning, and bring them secretly to one of the windows of the schoolroom. As Fisher did not produce any money when he made this proposal, it was at first absolutely rejected; but a bribe at length conquered his difficulties; and the bribe which Fisher found himself obliged to give—for he had no pocket money left of his own, he being as much _restricted_ in that article as Archer was _indulged_—the bribe that he found himself obliged to give to quiet the gipsy was half a crown, which Archer had intrusted to him to buy candles for the theatre. “Oh,” thought he to himself; “Archer’s so careless about money, he will never think of asking me for the half-crown again; and now he’ll want no candles for the _theatre_; or, at anyrate, it will be some time first; and maybe, Aunt Barbara may be got to give me that much at Christmas; then, if the worst comes to the worst, one can pay Archer. My mouth waters for the buns, and have ’em I must now.” So, for the hope of twelve buns, he sacrificed the money which had been intrusted to him. Thus the meanest motives, in mean minds often prompt to the commission of those great faults, to which one should think nothing but some violent passion could have tempted. The ambassador having thus, in his opinion, concluded his own and the public business, returned well satisfied with the result, after receiving the gipsy’s reiterated promise to tap _three times_ at the window on Thursday morning.