fortune-tellers, star-mongers, dealers in charms and amulets, and Joseph
was tempted more than once to stop and speak with these random folk, but
the promise he had given Azariah was sufficiently powerful to inspire a
dread and a dislike of these, and to avoid them he sought for a third
way to Tiberias and found one: a path through an orchard belonging to a
neighbour who was glad to give him permission to pass through it every
morning, which he did, thereby making progress in his studies till one
day, by the stile over which his custom was to vault into the quiet
lane, he came suddenly upon what seemed to him like a small encampment:
wayfarers of some sort he judged them to be, but of what sort he could
not tell at first, there being some distance and the branches of an
apple-tree between him and them.

But as he came through the trees, he decided in his mind that they were
the servitude of some great man: varlets, hirelings or slaves. But his
eyes fell on their baskets and--deceived by the number and size of
these--the thought crossed his mind that they might be poulterers on
their way to Tiberias. But whatever their trade they had no right to
encamp in the orchard, and he informed them politely that the orchard
belonged to friends of his, and that large and fierce dogs were loose
about the place. For his warning they thanked him, saying they'd make
off at once; remarking as they made their preparations for going that
they did not think they were doing any harm by coming into the orchard,
having only crossed the stile to rest themselves.

Going with poultry to Tiberias? Joseph said. Not with poultry, Sir, the
varlets answered. We are not poulterers, but cockers. Cockers! Joseph
repeated, and on reading the blank look in his face they told him they
were the servants of a great Roman who had sent them in search of
fighting cocks; for a great main was going to be fought that day in