首页 >出版文学> The Romany Ryel>第14章

第14章

  "Andthisisyouractionatlaw,Ursula?"
  "Yes,brother,thisismyactionatclub—law。"
  "Andwouldyourbreakingthefellow’sheadquiteclearyouofallsuspicionintheeyesofyourbatus,cokos,andwhatnot?"
  "Theywouldneversuspectmeatall,brother,becausetheywouldknowthatIwouldnevercondescendtobeover—intimatewithagorgio;thebreakingtheheadwouldbemerelyintendedtojustifyUrsulaintheeyesofthegorgios。"
  "Andwoulditclearyouintheireyes?"
  "Woulditnot,brother?whentheysawthebloodrunningdownfromthefellow’scrackedpollonhisgreensandLincolns,theywouldbequitesatisfied;why,thefellowwouldnotbeabletoshowhisfaceatfairormerry—makingforayearandthree—quarters。"
  "Didyouevertryit,Ursula?"
  "Can’tsayIeverdid,brother,butitwoulddo。"
  "Andhowdidyoueverlearnsuchamethodofproceeding?"
  "Why,’tisadvisedbygypsyliri,brother。It’spartofourwayofsettlingdifficultiesamongstourselves;forexample,ifayoungRomanweretosaythethingwhichisnotrespectingUrsulaandhimself,Ursulawouldcallagreatmeetingofthepeople,whowouldallsitdowninaring,theyoungfellowamongstthem;acokowouldthenputastickinUrsula’shand,whowouldthengetupandgototheyoungfellow,andsay,’DidIplaythe—withyou?’andwerehetosay’Yes,’shewouldcrackhisheadbeforetheeyesofall。"
  "Well,"saidI,"Ursula,Iwasbredanapprenticetogorgiolaw,andofcourseoughttostandupforit,wheneverI
  conscientiouslycan,butImustsaythegypsymannerofbringinganactionfordefamationismuchlesstedious,andfarmoresatisfactory,thanthegorgikoone。Iwishyounowtoclearupacertainpointwhichisrathermysterioustome。
  YousaythatforaRomanychitodowhatisunseemlywithagorgioisquiteoutofthequestion,yetonlytheotherdayI
  heardyousingingasonginwhichaRomanychiconfessesherselftobecambribyagrandgorgiousgentleman。"
  "Asadletdown,"saidUrsula。
  "Well,"saidI,"sadornot,there’sthesongthatspeaksofthething,whichyougivemetounderstandisnot。"
  "Well,ifthethingeverwas,"saidUrsula,"itwasalongtimeago,andperhaps,afterall,nottrue。"
  "Thenwhydoyousingthesong?"
  "I’lltellyou,brother,wesingsthesongnowandthentobeawarningtoourselvestohaveaslittletodoaspossibleinthewayofacquaintancewiththegorgios;andawarningitis;youseehowtheyoungwomaninthesongwasdrivenoutofhertentbyhermother,withallkindofdisgraceandbadlanguage;butyoudon’tknowthatshewasafterwardsburiedalivebyhercokosandpals,inanuninhabitedplace;thesongdoesn’tsayit,butthestorysaysit,forthereisastoryaboutit,though,asIsaidbefore,itwasalongtimeago,andperhaps,afterall,wasn’ttrue。"
  "Butifsuchathingweretohappenatpresent,wouldthecokosandpalsburythegirlalive?"
  "Ican’tsaywhattheywoulddo,"saidUrsula;"Isupposetheyarenotsostrictastheywerelongago;atanyrate,shewouldbedrivenfromthetan,andavoidedbyallherfamilyandrelationsasagorgio’sacquaintance;sothat,perhaps,atlast,shewouldbegladiftheywouldburyheralive。"
  "Well,IcanconceivethattherewouldbeanobjectiononthepartofthecokosandbatusthataRomanychishouldformanimproperacquaintancewithagorgio,butIshouldthinkthatthebatusandcokoscouldhardlyobjecttothechi’senteringintothehonourableestateofwedlockwithagorgio。"
  Ursulawassilent。
  "Marriageisanhonourableestate,Ursula。"
  "Well,brother,supposeitbe?"
  "Idon’tseewhyaRomanychishouldobjecttoenterintothehonourableestateofwedlockwithagorgio。"
  "Youdon’t,brother;don’tyou?"
  "No,"saidI;"and,moreover,Iamaware,notwithstandingyourevasion,Ursula,thatmarriagesandconnectionsnowandthenoccurbetweengorgiosandRomanychies;theresultofwhichisthemixedbreed,calledhalfandhalf,whichisatpresenttravellingaboutEngland,andtowhichtheFlamingTinmanbelongs,otherwisecalledAnseloHerne。"
  "Asforthehalfandhalfs,"saidUrsula,"theyareabadset;andthereisnotaworseblackguardinEnglandthanAnseloHerne。"
  "Allthatyousaymaybeverytrue,Ursula,butyouadmitthattherearehalfandhalfs。"
  "Themore’sthepity,brother。"
  "Pity,ornot,youadmitthefact;buthowdoyouaccountforit?"
  "HowdoIaccountforit?why,Iwilltellyou,bythebreakupofaRomanfamily,brother—thefatherofasmallfamilydies,and,perhaps,themother;andthepoorchildrenareleftbehind;sometimes,theyaregatheredupbytheirrelations,andsometimes,iftheyhavenone,bycharitableRomans,whobringthemupintheobservanceofgypsylaw;butsometimestheyarenotsolucky,andfallsintothecompanyofgorgios,trampers,andbasket—makers,wholiveincaravans,withwhomtheytakeup,andso—Ihatetotalkofthematter,brother;butsocomesthisraceofthehalfandhalfs。"
  "Thenyoumeantosay,Ursula,thatnoRomanychi,unlesscompelledbyhardnecessity,wouldhaveanythingtodowithagorgio?"
  "Wearenotover—fondofgorgios,brother,andwehatesbasket—makers,andfolksthatliveincaravans。"
  "Well,"saidI,"supposeagorgiowhoisnotabasket—maker,afine,handsomegorgiousgentleman,wholivesinafinehouse—"
  "Wearenotfondofhouses,brother;Ineversleptinahouseinmylife。"
  "Butwouldnotplentyofmoneyinduceyou?"
  "Ihatehouses,brother,andthosewholiveinthem。"
  "Well,supposesuchapersonwerewillingtoresignhisfinehouse;and,forloveofyou,toadoptgypsylaw,speakRomany,andliveinatan,wouldyouhavenothingtosaytohim?"
  "Bringingplentyofmoneywithhim,brother?"
  "Well,bringingplentyofmoneywithhim,Ursula。"
  "Well,brother,supposeyouproduceyourman;whereishe?"
  "Iwasmerelysupposingsuchaperson,Ursula。"
  "Thenyoudon’tknowofsuchaperson,brother?"
  "Why,no,Ursula;whydoyouask?"
  "Because,brother,Iwasalmostbeginningtothinkthatyoumeantyourself。"
  "Myself!Ursula;Ihavenofinehousetoresign;norhaveI
  money。Moreover,Ursula,thoughIhaveagreatregardforyou,andthoughIconsideryouveryhandsome,quiteashandsome,indeed,asMeridianain—"
  "Meridiana!wheredidyoumeetwithher?"saidUrsula,withatossofherhead。
  "Why,inoldPulci’s—"
  "AtoldFulcher’s!that’snottrue,brother。MeridianaisaBorzlam,andtravelswithherownpeople,andnotwitholdFulcher,whoisagorgio,andabasket—maker。"
  "IwasnotspeakingofoldFulcher,butPulci,agreatItalianwriter,wholivedmanyhundredyearsago,andwho,inhispoemcalled’MorganteMaggiore,’speaksofMeridiana,thedaughterof—"
  "OldCarusBorzlam,"saidUrsula;"butifthefellowyoumentionlivedsomanyhundredyearsago,how,inthenameofwonder,couldheknowanythingofMeridiana?"
  "Thewonder,Ursula,is,howyourpeoplecouldeverhavegotholdofthatname,andsimilarones。TheMeridianaofPulciwasnotthedaughterofoldCarusBorzlam,butofCaradoro,agreatpagankingoftheEast,who,beingbesiegedinhiscapitalbyManfredonio,anothermightypaganking,whowishedtoobtainpossessionofhisdaughter,whohadrefusedhim,wasrelievedinhisdistressbycertainpaladinsofCharlemagne,withoneofwhom,Oliver,hisdaughterMeridianafellinlove。"
  "Isee,"said,Ursula,"thatitmusthavebeenaltogetheradifferentperson,forIamsurethatMeridianaBorzlamwouldneverhavefalleninlovewithOliver。Oliver!why,thatisthenameofthecuro—mengro,wholostthefightnearthechonggav,thedayofthegreattempest,whenIgotwetthrough。No,no!MeridianaBorzlamwouldneverhavesofarforgotherbloodastotakeupwithTomOliver。"
  "IwasnottalkingofthatOliver,Ursula,butofOliver,peerofFrance,andpaladinofCharlemagne,withwhomMeridiana,daughterofCaradoro,fellinlove,andforwhosesakesherenouncedherreligionandbecameaChristian,andfinallyingravidata,orcambri,byhim:—
  ’Enacqueneunfigliuol,dicelastoria,ChedetteaCarlo—manpoigranvittoria;’
  whichmeans—"
  "Idon’twanttoknowwhatitmeans,"saidUrsula;"nogood,I’msure。Well,iftheMeridianaofCharles’swain’spalwasnohandsomerthanMeridianaBorzlam,shewasnogreatcatch,brother;forthoughIambynomeansgiventovanity,Ithinkmyselfbettertolookatthanshe,thoughIwillsaysheisnolubbeny,andwouldscorn—"
  "Imakenodoubtshewould,Ursula,andImakenodoubtthatyouaremuchhandsomerthanshe,oreventheMeridianaofOliver。WhatIwasabouttosay,beforeyouinterruptedme,isthis,thatthoughIhaveagreatregardforyou,andhighlyadmireyou,itisonlyinabrotherlyway,and—"
  "Andyouhadnothingbettertosaytome,"saidUrsula,"whenyouwantedtotalktomebeneathahedge,thanthatyoulikedmeinabrotherlywayIwell,Ideclare—"
  "Youseemdisappointed,Ursula。"
  "Disappointed,brother!notI。"
  "Youwerejustnowsayingthatyoudislikedgorgios,so,ofcourse,couldonlywishthatI,whoamagorgio,shouldlikeyouinabrotherlyway:Iwishedtohaveaconversationwithyoubeneathahedge,butonlywiththeviewofprocuringfromyousomeinformationrespectingthesongwhichyousungtheotherday,andtheconductofRomanfemales,whichhasalwaysstruckmeasbeinghighlyunaccountable;so,ifyouthoughtanythingelse—"
  "WhatelseshouldIexpectfromapicker—upofoldwords,brother?Bah!Idislikeapicker—upofoldwordsworsethanapicker—upofoldrags。"
  "Don’tbeangry,Ursula,Ifeelagreatinterestinyou;youareveryhandsome,andveryclever;indeed,withyourbeautyandcleverness,Ionlywonderthatyouhavenotlongsincebeenmarried。"
  "Youdo,doyou,brother?"
  "Yes。However,keepupyourspirits,Ursula,youarenotmuchpasttheprimeofyouth,so—"
  "Notmuchpasttheprimeofyouth!Don’tbeuncivil,brother,Iwasonlytwenty—twolastmonth。"
  "Don’tbeoffended,Ursula,buttwenty—twoistwenty—two,or,Ishouldrathersay,thattwenty—twoinawomanismorethantwenty—sixinaman。Youarestillverybeautiful,butI
  adviseyoutoacceptthefirstofferthat’smadetoyou。"
  "Thankyou,brother,butyouradvicecomesratherlate;I
  acceptedthefirstofferthatwasmademefiveyearsago。"
  "Youmarriedfiveyearsago,Ursula!isitpossible?"
  "Quitepossible,brother,Iassureyou。"
  "AndhowcameItoknownothingaboutit?"
  "Howcomesitthatyoudon’tknowmanythousandthingsabouttheRomans,brother?Doyouthinktheytellyoualltheiraffairs?"
  "Married,Ursula,married!well,Ideclare!"
  "Youseemdisappointed,brother。"
  "Disappointed!Oh!no,notatall;butJasper,onlyafewweeksago,toldmethatyouwerenotmarried;and,indeed,almostgavemetounderstandthatyouwouldbeverygladtogetahusband。"
  "Andyoubelievedhim?I’lltellyou,brother,foryourinstruction,thatthereisnotinthewholeworldagreaterliarthanJasperPetulengro。"
  "Iamsorrytohearit,Ursula;butwithrespecttohimyoumarried—whomighthebe?Agorgio,oraRomanychal?"
  "Gorgio,orRomanychal!DoyouthinkIwouldevercondescendtoagorgio!ItwasaCamomescro,brother,aLovell,adistantrelationofmyown。"
  "Andwhereishe?andwhatbecameofhim!Haveyouanyfamily?"
  "Don’tthinkIamgoingtotellyouallmyhistory,brother;
  and,totellyouthetruth,Iamtiredofsittingunderhedgeswithyou,talkingnonsense。Ishallgotomyhouse。"
  "Dositalittlelonger,sisterUrsula。Imostheartilycongratulateyouonyourmarriage。ButwhereisthissameLovell?Ihaveneverseenhim:Iwishtocongratulatehimtoo。YouarequiteashandsomeastheMeridianaofPulci,Ursula,ay,ortheDespinaofRiciardetto。Riciardetto,Ursula,isapoemwrittenbyoneFortiguerra,aboutninetyyearsago,inimitationoftheMorganteofPulci。IttreatsofthewarsofCharlemagneandhisPaladinswithvariousbarbarousnations,whocametobesiegeParis。DespinawasthedaughterandheiressofScricca,KingofCafria;shewasthebelovedofRiciardetto,andwasbeautifulasanangel;
  butImakenodoubtyouarequiteashandsomeasshe。"
  "Brother,"saidUrsula—butthereplyofUrsulaIreserveforanotherchapter,thepresenthavingattainedtoratheranuncommonlength,forwhich,however,theimportanceofthematterdiscussedisasufficientapology。
  CHAPTERXI
  Ursula’sTale—ThePatteran—TheDeepWater—SecondHusband。
  "BROTHER,"saidUrsula,pluckingadandelionwhichgrewatherfeet,"Ihavealwayssaidthatamorecivilandpleasant—
  spokenpersonthanyourselfcan’tbefound。Ihaveagreatregardforyouandyourlearning,andamwillingtodoyouanypleasureinthewayofwordsorconversation。Mineisnotaveryhappystory,butasyouwishtohearit,itisquiteatyourservice。LauncelotLovellmademeanoffer,asyoucallit,andweweremarriedinRomanfashion;thatis,wegaveeachotherourrighthands,andpromisedtobetruetoeachother。Welivedtogethertwoyears,travellingsometimesbyourselves,sometimeswithourrelations;Iborehimtwochildren,bothofwhichwerestill—born,partly,I
  believe,fromthefatigueIunderwentinrunningaboutthecountrytellingdukkerinwhenIwasnotexactlyinastatetodoso,andpartlyfromthekicksandblowswhichmyhusbandLauncelotwasinthehabitofgivingmeeverynight,providedIcamehomewithlessthanfiveshillings,whichitissometimesimpossibletomakeinthecountry,providednofairormerry—makingisgoingon。Attheendoftwoyearsmyhusband,Launcelot,whistledahorsefromafarmer’sfield,andsolditforforty—pounds;andforthathorsehewastaken,putinprison,tried,andcondemnedtobesenttotheothercountryforlife。Twodaysbeforehewastobesentaway,Igotleavetoseehimintheprison,andinthepresenceoftheturnkeyIgavehimathincakeofgingerbread,inwhichtherewasadaintysawwhichcouldcutthroughiron。Ithentookonwonderfully,turnedmyeyesinsideout,felldowninaseemingfit,andwascarriedoutoftheprison。Thatsamenightmyhusbandsawedhisironsoff,cutthroughthebarsofhiswindow,anddroppingdownaheightoffiftyfeet,lightedonhislegs,andcameandjoinedmeonaheathwhereIwascampedalone。Wewerejustgettingthingsreadytobeoff,whenweheardpeoplecoming,andsureenoughtheywererunnersaftermyhusband,LauncelotLovell;forhisescapehadbeendiscoveredwithinaquarterofanhourafterhehadgotaway。Myhusband,withoutbiddingmefarewell,setoffatfullspeed,andtheyafterhim,buttheycouldnottakehim,andsotheycamebackandtookme,andshookme,andthreatenedme,andhadmebeforethepoknees,whoshookhisheadatme,andthreatenedmeinordertomakemediscoverwheremyhusbandwas,butIsaidI
  didnotknow,whichwastrueenough;notthatIwouldhavetoldhimifIhad。Soatlastthepokneesandtherunners,notbeingabletomakeanythingoutofme,wereobligedtoletmego,andIwentinsearchofmyhusband。IwanderedaboutwithmycartforseveraldaysinthedirectioninwhichIsawhimrunoff,withmyeyesbentontheground,butcouldseenomarksofhim;atlast,comingtofourcrossroads,I
  sawmyhusband’spatteran。"
  "Yousawyourhusband’spatteran?"
  "Yes,brother。Doyouknowwhatpatteranmeans?"
  "Ofcourse,Ursula;thegypsytrail,thehandfulofgrasswhichthegypsiesstrewintheroadsastheytravel,togiveinformationtoanyoftheircompanionswhomaybebehind,astotheroutetheyhavetaken。Thegypsypatteranhasalwayshadastrangeinterestforme,Ursula。"
  "Likeenough,brother;butwhatdoespatteranmean?"
  "Why,thegypsytrail,formedasItoldyoubefore。"
  "Andyouknownothingmoreaboutpatteran,brother?"
  "Nothingatall,Ursula;doyou?"
  "What’sthenamefortheleafofatree,brother?"
  "Idon’tknow,"saidI;"it’soddenoughthatIhaveaskedthatquestionofadozenRomanychalsandchies,andtheyalwaystoldmethattheydidnotknow。"
  "Nomoretheydid,brother;there’sonlyonepersoninEnglandthatknows,andthat’smyself—thenameforaleafispatteran。Nowtherearetwothatknowsit—theotherisyourself。"
  "Dearme,Ursula,howverystrange!Iammuchobligedtoyou。IthinkIneversawyoulooksoprettyasyoudonow;
  butwhotoldyou?"
  "Mymother,Mrs。Herne,tolditmeoneday,brother,whenshewasinagoodhumour,whichsheveryseldomwas,asnoonehasabetterrighttoknowthanyourself,asshehatedyoumortally:itwasonedaywhenyouhadbeenaskingourcompanywhatwasthewordforaleaf,andnobodycouldtellyou,thatshetookmeasideandtoldme,forshewasinagoodhumour,andtriumphedinseeingyoubalked。Shetoldmethewordforleafwaspatteran,whichourpeopleusenowfortrail,havingforgottenthetruemeaning。Shesaidthatthetrailwascalledpatteran,becausethegypsiesofoldwereinthehabitofmakingthemarkswiththeleavesandbranchesoftrees,placedinacertainmanner。Shesaidthatnobodyknewitbutherself,whowasoneoftheoldsort,andbeggedmenevertotellthewordtoanyonebuthimIshouldmarry;andtobeparticularlycautiousnevertoletyouknowit,whomshehated。Well,brother,perhapsIhavedonewrongtotellyou;
  but,asIsaidbefore,Ilikesyou,andamalwaysreadytodoyourpleasureinwordsandconversation;mymother,moreover,isdeadandgone,and,poorthing,willneverknowanythingaboutthematter。So,whenImarried,Itoldmyhusbandaboutthepatteran,andwewereinthehabitofmakingourprivatetrailswithleavesandbranchesoftrees,whichnoneoftheothergypsypeopledid;so,whenIsawmyhusband’spatteran,Iknewitatonce,andIfolloweditupwardsoftwohundredmilestowardsthenorth;andthenIcametoadeep,awful—lookingwater,withanoverhangingbank,andonthebankIfoundthepatteran,whichdirectedmetoproceedalongthebanktowardstheeast,andIfollowedmyhusband’spatterantowardstheeast;andbeforeIhadgonehalfamile,IcametoaplacewhereIsawthebankhadgivenway,andfallenintothedeepwater。Withoutpayingmuchheed,I
  passedon,andpresentlycametoapublic—house,notfarfromthewater,andIenteredthepublic—housetogetalittlebeer,andperhapstotelladukkerin,forIsawagreatmanypeopleaboutthedoor;and,whenIentered,Ifoundtherewaswhattheycallsaninquestbeinghelduponabodyinthathouse,andthejuryhadjustrisentogoandlookatthebody;andbeingawoman,andhavingacuriosity,IthoughtI
  wouldgowiththem,andsoIdid;andnosoonerdidIseethebody,thanIknewittobemyhusband’s;itwasmuchswelledandaltered,butIknewitpartlybytheclothes,andpartlybyamarkontheforehead,andIcriedout,’Itismyhusband’sbody,’andIfelldowninafit,andthefitthattime,brother,wasnotaseemingone。"
  "Dearme,"saidI,"howterrible!buttellme,Ursula,howdidyourhusbandcomebyhisdeath?"
  "Thebank,overhangingthedeepwater,gavewayunderhim,brother,andhewasdrowned;for,likemostofourpeople,hecouldnotswim,oronlyalittle。Thebody,afterithadbeeninthewateralongtime,cameupofitself,andwasfoundfloating。Well,brother,whenthepeopleoftheneighbourhoodfoundthatIwasthewifeofthedrownedman,theywereverykindtome,andmadeasubscriptionforme,withwhich,afterhavingseenmyhusbandburied,IreturnedthewayIhadcome,tillImetJasperandhispeople,andwiththemIhavetravelledeversince:Iwasverymelancholyforalongtime,Iassureyou,brother;forthedeathofmyhusbandpreyedverymuchuponmymind。"
  "Hisdeathwascertainlyaveryshockingone,Ursula;but,really,ifhehaddiedanaturalone,youcouldscarcelyhaveregrettedit,forheappearstohavetreatedyoubarbarously。"
  "Womenmustbear,brother;and,barringthathekickedandbeatme,anddrovemeouttotelldukkerinwhenIcouldscarcelystand,hewasnotabadhusband。Aman,bygypsylaw,brother,isallowedtokickandbeathiswife,andtoburyheralive,ifhethinksproper。Iamagypsy,andhavenothingtosayagainstthelaw。"
  "ButwhathasMikailiaChiknotosayaboutit?"
  "Sheisacripple,brother,theonlycrippleamongsttheRomanpeople:sosheisallowedtodoandsayasshepleases。
  Moreover,herhusbanddoesnotthinkfittokickorbeather,thoughitismyopinionshewouldlikehimallthebetterifhewereoccasionallytodoso,andthreatentoburyheralive;atanyrate,shewouldtreathimbetter,andrespecthimmore。"
  "YoursisterdoesnotseemtostandmuchinaweofJasperPetulengro,Ursula。"
  "LetthemattersofmysisterandJasperPetulengroalone,brother;youmusttravelintheircompanysometimebeforeyoucanunderstandthem;theyareastrangetwo,uptoallkindofchaffing:buttwomoreregularRomansdon’tbreathe,andI’lltellyou,foryourinstruction,thatthereisn’tabettermare—breakerinEnglandthanJasperPetulengro,ifyoucanmanageMissIsopelBernersaswellas—"
  "IsopelBerners,"saidI,"howcameyoutothinkofher?"
  "HowshouldIbutthinkofher,brother,livingasshedoeswithyouinMumper’sdingle,andtravellingaboutwithyou;
  youwillhave,brother,moredifficultytomanageher,thanJasperhastomanagemysisterPakomovna。Ishouldhavementionedherbefore,onlyIwantedtoknowwhatyouhadtosaytome;andwhenwegotintodiscourse,Iforgother。I
  say,brother,letmetellyouyourdukkerin,withrespecttoher,youwillnever—"
  "Iwanttohearnodukkerin,Ursula。"
  "Doletmetellyouyourdukkerin,brother,youwillnevermanage—"
  "Iwanttohearnodukkerin,Ursula,inconnectionwithIsopelBerners。Moreover,itisSunday,wewillchangethesubject;itissurprisingtomethat,afterallyouhaveundergone,youshouldlooksobeautiful。Isupposeyoudonotthinkofmarryingagain,Ursula?"
  "No,brother,onehusbandatatimeisquiteenoughforanyreasonablemort;especiallysuchagoodhusbandasIhavegot。"
  "Suchagoodhusband!why,Ithoughtyoutoldmeyourhusbandwasdrowned?"
  "Yes,brother,myfirsthusbandwas。"
  "Andhaveyouasecond?"
  "Tobesure,brother。"
  "Andwhoishe?inthenameofwonder。"
  "Whoishe?whySylvester,tobesure。"
  "Idoassureyou,Ursula,thatIfeeldisposedtobeangrywithyou;suchahandsomeyoungwomanasyourselftotakeupwithsuchanastypepper—facedgoodfornothing—"
  "Iwon’thearmyhusbandabused,brother;soyouhadbettersaynomore。"
  "Why,ishenottheLazarusofthegypsies?hasheapennyofhisown,Ursula?"
  "Thenthemorehiswant,brother,ofacleverchilikemetotakecareofhimandhischilder。Itellyouwhat,brother,Iwillchore,ifnecessary,andtelldukkerinforSylvester,ifevensoheavyasscarcelytobeabletostand。Youcallhimlazy;youwouldnotthinkhimlazyifyouwereinaringwithhim:heisapropermanwithhishands;JasperisgoingtobackhimfortwentypoundsagainstSlammocksoftheChonggav,thebrotherofRoarerandBell—metal,hesayshehasnodoubtthathewillwin。"
  "Well,ifyoulikehim,I,ofcourse,canhavenoobjection。
  Haveyoubeenlongmarried?"
  "Aboutafortnight,brother;thatdinner,theotherday,whenIsangthesong,wasgivenincelebrationofthewedding。"
  "Wereyoumarriedinachurch,Ursula?"
  "Wewerenot,brother;nonebutgorgios,cripples,andlubbenysareevermarriedinachurch:wetookeachother’swords。Brother,Ihavebeenwithyounearthreehoursbeneaththishedge。Iwillgotomyhusband。"
  "Doesheknowthatyouarehere?"
  "Hedoes,brother。"
  "Andishesatisfied?"