Do you know, Belle, that she has just been married to Sylvester, so
that you need not think that she and I--" "She and you are quite
at liberty to sit where you please," said Isopel. "However, young
man," she continued, dropping her tone, which she had slightly
raised, "I believe what you said, that you were merely talking
about gypsy matters, and also what you were going to say, if it
was, as I suppose, that she and you had no particular
acquaintance." Isopel was now silent for some time. "What are you
thinking of?" said I. "I was thinking," said Belle, "how
exceedingly kind it was of you to get everything in readiness for
me, though you did not know that I should come." "I had a
presentiment that you would come," said I; "but you forget that I
have prepared the kettle for you before, though it was true that I
was then certain that you would come." "I had not forgotten your
doing so, young man," said Belle; "but I was beginning to think
that you were utterly selfish, caring for nothing but the
gratification of your own selfish whims." "I am very fond of
having my own way," said I, "but utterly selfish I am not, as I
dare say I shall frequently prove to you. You will often find the
kettle boiling when you come home." "Not heated by you," said
Isopel, with a sigh. "By whom else?" said I; "surely you are not
thinking of driving me away?" "You have as much right here as
myself," said Isopel, "as I have told you before; but I must be
going myself." "Well," said I, "we can go together; to tell you
the truth, I am rather tired of this place." "Our paths must be
separate," said Belle. "Separate," said I, "what do you mean? I
shan't let you go alone, I shall go with you; and you know the road
is as free to me as to you; besides, you can't think of parting
company with me, considering how much you would lose by doing so;
remember that you know scarcely anything of the Armenian language;