The man in black arose from his seat, adjusted his habiliments, which were rather in disorder, and placed upon his head his hat, which he had laid aside; then, looking at me, who was still lying on the ground, he said—­’I might, perhaps, take another glass, though I believe I have had quite as much as I can well bear; but I do not wish to hear you utter anything more this evening, after that last observation of yours—­it is quite original; I will meditate upon it on my pillow this night, after having said an ave and a pater—­go to Rome for money!’ He then made Belle a low bow, slightly motioned to me with his hand as if bidding farewell, and then left the dingle with rather uneven steps.

‘Go to Rome for money,’ I heard him say as he ascended the winding path, ‘he! he! he!  Go to Rome for money, ho! ho! ho!’

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CHAPTER XCV

Wooded retreat—­Fresh shoes—­Wood fire—­Ash, when green—­Queen of China—­Cleverest people—­Declensions—­Armenian—­Thunder—­Deep olive—­What do you mean?—­Koul Adonai—­The thick bushes—­Wood pigeon—­Old Gothe.

Nearly three days elapsed without anything of particular moment occurring.  Belle drove the little cart containing her merchandise about the neighbourhood, returning to the dingle towards the evening.  As for myself, I kept within my wooded retreat, working during the periods of her absence leisurely at my forge.  Having observed that the quadruped which my companion drove was as much in need of shoes as my own had been some time previously, I had determined to provide it with a set, and during the aforesaid periods occupied myself in preparing them.  As I was employed three mornings and afternoons about them, I am sure that the reader will agree that I worked leisurely, or rather, lazily.  On the third day Belle arrived somewhat later than usual; I was lying on my back at the bottom of the dingle, employed in tossing up the shoes which I had produced, and catching them as they fell—­some being always in the air mounting or descending, somewhat after the fashion of the waters of a fountain.

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‘Why have you been absent so long?’ said I to Belle; ’it must be long past four by the day.’

‘I have been almost killed by the heat,’ said Belle; ’I was never out in a more sultry day—­the poor donkey, too, could scarcely move along.’

‘He shall have fresh shoes,’ said I, continuing my exercise; ’here they are quite ready; to-morrow I will tack them on.’

‘And why are you playing with them in that manner?’ said Belle.

’Partly in triumph at having made them, and partly to show that I can do something besides making them; it is not every one who, after having made a set of horse-shoes, can keep them going up and down in the air, without letting one fall—­’