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Their eyes； set with a decided slant； are large； very black； and shaded by
long and heavy lashes。 Their glance can only be compared to that of a wild
creature。 It is full at once of boldness and shyness； and in this respect their
eyes are a fair indication of their national character； which is cunning； bold；
but with 〃the natural fear of blows；〃 like Panurge。 Most of the men are
strapping fellows； slight and active。 I don't think I ever saw a gipsy who
had grown fat。 In Germany the gipsy women are often very pretty； but
beauty is very uncommon among the Spanish gitanas。 When very young；
they may pass as being attractive in their ugliness； but once they have
reached motherhood； they become absolutely repulsive。 The filthiness of
both sexes is incredible； and no one who has not seen a gipsy matron's hair
can form any conception of what it is； not even if he conjures up the
roughest； the greasiest； and the dustiest heads imaginable。 In some of the
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large Andalusian towns certain of the gipsy girls； somewhat better looking
than their fellows； will take more care of their personal appearance。 These
go out and earn money by performing dances strongly resembling those
forbidden at our public balls in carnival time。 An English missionary； Mr。
Borrow； the author of two very interesting works on the Spanish gipsies；
whom he undertook to convert on behalf of the Bible Society； declares
there is no instance of any gitana showing the smallest weakness for a man
not belonging to her own race。 The praise he bestows upon their chastity
strikes me as being exceedingly exaggerated。 In the first place； the great
majority are in the position of the ugly woman described by Ovid； 〃/Casta
quam nemo rogavit/。〃 As for the pretty ones； they are； like all Spanish
women； very fastidious in choosing their lovers。 Their fancy must be taken；
and their favour must be earned。 Mr。 Borrow quotes； in proof of their
virtue； one trait which does honour to his own； and especially to his
simplicity： he declares that an immoral man of his acquaintance offered
several gold ounces to a pretty gitana； and offered them in vain。 An
Andalusian； to whom I retailed this anecdote； asserted that the immoral
man in question would have been far more successful if he had shown the
girl two or three piastres； and that to offer gold ounces to a gipsy was as
poor a method of persuasion as to promise a couple of millions to a tavern
wench。 However that may be； it is certain that the gitana shows the most
extraordinary devotion to her husband。 There is no danger and no
suffering she will not brave； to help him in his need。 One of the names
which the gipsies apply to themselves； /Rome/； or 〃the married couple；〃
seems to me a proof of their racial respect for the married state。 Speaking
generally； it may be asserted that their chief virtue is their patriotismif
we may thus describe the fidelity they observe in all their relations with
persons of the same origin as their own； their readiness to help one another；
and the inviolable secrecy which they keep for each other's benefit； in all
compromising matters。 And indeed something of the same sort may be
noticed in all mysterious associations which are beyond the pale of the
law。
* It has struck me that the German gipsies； though they thoroughly
understand the word /cale/； do not care to be called by that name。
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Among themselves they always use the designation /Romane tchave/。
Some months ago； I paid a visit to a gipsy tribe in the Vosges country。
In the hut of an old woman； the oldest member of the tribe； I found a gipsy；
in no way related to the family； who was sick of a mortal disease。 The man
had left a hospital； where he was well cared for； so that he might die
among his own people。 For thirteen weeks he had been lying in bed in
their encampment； and receiving far better treatment than any of the sons
and sons…in…law who shared his shelter。 He had a good bed made of straw
and moss； and sheets that were tolerably white； whereas all the rest of the
family； which numbered eleven persons； slept on planks three feet long。 So
much for their hospitality。 This very same woman； humane as was her
treatment of her guest said to me constantly before the sick man： 〃/Singo；
singo； homte hi mulo/。〃 〃Soon； soon he must die！〃 After all； these people
live such miserable lives； that a reference to the approach of death can
have no terrors for them。
One remarkable feature in the gipsy character is their indifference
about religion。 Not that they are strong…minded or sceptical。 They have
never made any profession of atheism。 Far from that； indeed； the religion
of the country which they inhabit is always theirs； but they change their
religion when they change the country of their residence。 They are equally
free from the superstitions which replace religious feeling in the minds of
the vulgar。 How； indeed； can superstition exist among a race which； as a
rule； makes its livelihood out of the credulity of others？ Nevertheless； I
have remarked a particular horror of touching a corpse among the Spanish
gipsies。 Very few of these could be induced to carry a dead man to his
grave； even if they were paid for it。
I have said that most gipsy women undertake to tell fortunes。 They do
this very successfully。 But they find a much greater source of profit in the
sale of charms and love…philters。 Not only do they supply toads' claws to
hold fickle hearts； and powdered loadstone to kindle love in cold ones； but
if necessity arises； they can use mighty incantations； which force the devil
to lend them his aid。 Last year the following story was related to me by a
Spanish lady。 She was walking one day along the /Calle d'Alcala/； feeling
very sad and anxious。 A gipsy woman who was squatting on the pavement
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called out to her； 〃My pretty lady； your lover has played you false！〃 （It was
quite true。） 〃Shall I get him back for you？〃 My readers will imagine with