George Borrow

“ No Englishman will tolerate another in his house, from whom he does not expect advantage of some kind, and to those from whom he does he can be civil enough. An Englishman thinks that, because he is in his own house, he has a right to be boorish and brutal to any one who is disagreeable to him, as all those are who are really in want of assistance. ”

“ The man in black and myself stood opposite to each other for a minute or two in silence; I will not say that we confronted each other that time, for the man in black, after a furtive glance, did not look me in the face, but kept his eyes fixed apparently on the leaves of a bunch of ground-nuts which were growing at my feet. ”

“ Go to the scarlet dyer, and ask him how he dyes cloth.'
'Why scarlet?' said the man in black. 'Is it because gypsies blush like scarlet?'
'Gypsies never blush,' said I; 'but gypsies' cloaks are scarlet.'
'I should almost take you for a gypsy,' said the man in black, 'but for—'
'For what?' said I.
'But for that same lesson in Armenian, and your general knowledge of languages; as for your manners and appearance I will say nothing,' said the man in black, with a titter. ”