There was a grove of tall trees near the house where Lorenzo lived, which contained the nests of thousands of rooks. Rooks are large black birds, very much like crows. Bruno used to lie in the yard where Lorenzo kept him, and watch the rooks for hours together.
How gipsies live.
In a solitary place near where Lorenzo lived there was an encampment of gipsies. Gipsies live much like Indians. They wander about England in small bands, getting money by begging, and selling baskets, and they build little temporary huts from time to time in solitary places, where they live for a while, and then, breaking up their encampment, they wander on till they find another place, where they encamp again.
Their ingenuity in stealing.
Sometimes, when they can not get money enough by begging and selling baskets, they will steal. They show a great deal of ingenuity in the plans they devise for stealing. In fact, they are very adroit and cunning in every thing they undertake.
At one time Lorenzos father went away, and one of the gipsies, named Murphy, resolved to take that opportunity to steal something from the house.
Murphys plan.
We can get in, said he to his comrade, very easily, in the night, by the back door, and get the silver bowl. We can melt the bowl, and sell it for four or five sovereigns.
The silver bowl which Murphy referred to was one which had been given to Lorenzo by his uncle when he was a baby. Lorenzos name was engraved upon the side of it.
Lorenzo used his bowl to eat his bread and milk from every night for supper. It was kept on a shelf in a closet opening from the kitchen. Murphy had seen it put there once or twice, when he had been in the kitchen at night, selling baskets.
We can get that bowl just as well as not, said Murphy, when the man is away.
Theres a big dog there, said his comrade.
Yes, said Murphy, but Ill manage the dog.
How will you manage him? asked his comrade.
Ill try coaxing and flattery first, said Murphy. If that dont do, Ill try threatening; if threatening wont do, Ill try bribing; and if he wont be bribed, Ill poison him.
Bruno is on the watch.
That night, about twelve oclock, Murphy crept stealthily round to a back gate which led into the yard behind the house where Lorenzo lived. The instant that Bruno heard the noise, he sprang up, and went bounding down the path till he came to the gate. As soon as he saw the gipsy, he began to bark very vociferously.
Lorenzo was asleep at this time; but as his room was on the back side of the house, and his window was open, he heard the barking. So he got up and went to the window, and called out,
Bruno, whats the matter?
Bruno was at some distance from the house, and did not hear Lorenzos voice. He was watching Murphy.
Murphy immediately began to coax and cajole the dog, calling him Nice fellow, and Good dog, and Poor Bruno, speaking all the time in a very friendly and affectionate tone to him. Bruno, however, had sense enough to know that there was something wrong in such a man being seen prowling about the house at that time of night, and he refused to be quieted. He went on barking louder than ever.
Bruno! said Lorenzo, calling louder, whats the matter? Come back to your house, and be quiet.
Murphy thought he heard a voice, and, peeping through a crack in the fence, he saw Lorenzo standing at the window. The moon shone upon his white night-gown, so that he could be seen very distinctly.
Murphy disappears.
As soon as Murphy saw him, he crept away into a thicket, and disappeared. Bruno, after waiting a little time to be sure that the man had really gone, turned about, and came back to the house. When he saw Lorenzo, he began to wag his tail. He would have told him about the gipsy if he had been able to speak.
Go to bed, Bruno, said he, and not be keeping us awake, barking at the moon this time of night.
So Bruno went into his house, and Lorenzo to his bed.
Murphy tries threats.
The next night, Murphy, finding that Bruno could not be coaxed away from his duty by flattery, concluded to try what virtue there might be in threats and scolding. So he came armed with a club and stones. As soon as he got near the gate, Bruno, as he had expected, took the alarm, and came bounding down the path again to see who was there.
As soon as he saw Murphy, he set up a loud and violent barking as before.
Down, Bruno, down! exclaimed Murphy, in a stern and angry voice. Stop that noise, or Ill break your head.
So saying, he brandished his club, and then stooped down to pick up one of the stones which he had brought, and which he had laid down on the ground where he was standing, so as to have them all ready.
He is unsuccessful.
Bruno, instead of being intimidated and silenced by these demonstrations, barked louder than ever.
Lorenzo jumped out of bed and came to the window.
Bruno! said he, calling out loud, whats the matter? Theres nothing there. Come back to your house, and be still.
The gipsy, finding that Bruno did not fear his clubs and stones, and hearing Lorenzos voice again moreover, went back into the thicket. Bruno waited until he was sure that he was really gone, and then returned slowly up the pathway to the house.
Go to bed, Bruno, said Lorenzo, and not be keeping us awake, barking at the moon this time of night.
So Bruno and Lorenzo both went to bed again.
He tries bribes, which Bruno refuses.
The next night Murphy came again, with two or three pieces of meat in his hands.
Ill bribe him, said he. He likes meat.
Bruno, on hearing the sound of Murphys footsteps, leaped out of his bed, and ran down the path as before. As soon as he saw the gipsy again, he began to bark. Murphy threw a piece of meat toward him, expecting that, as soon as Bruno saw it, he would stop barking at once, and go to eating it greedily. But Bruno paid no attention to the offered bribe. He kept his eyes fixed closely on the gipsy, and barked away as loud as ever.
Lorenzo, hearing the sound, was awakened from his sleep, and getting up as before, he came to the window.
Bruno, said he, what is the matter now? Come back to your house, and go to bed, and be quiet.
Murphy, finding that the house was alarmed again, and that Bruno would not take the bribe that he offered him, crept away back into the thicket, and disappeared.
Ill poison him to-morrow night, said he the savage cur!
The poisoned meat.
Accordingly, the next evening, a little before sunset, he put some poison in a piece of meat, and having wrapped it up in paper, he put it in his pocket. He then went openly to the house where Lorenzo lived, with some baskets on his arm for sale. When he entered the yard, he took the meat out of the paper, and secretly threw it into Brunos house. Bruno was not there at the time. He had gone away with Lorenzo.
Bruno imprisoned.
Murphy then went into the kitchen, and remained there some time, talking about his baskets. When he came out, he found Lorenzo shutting up Bruno in his house, and putting a board up before the door.
What are you doing, Lorenzo? said the gipsy.
I am shutting Bruno up, said Lorenzo. He makes such a barking in the night that we can not sleep.
Thats right, replied the gipsy. So he went away, saying to himself, as he went down the pathway, He wont bark much more, I think, after he has eaten the supper I have put in there for him.