THE PROMISED VISIT--ROMAN FASHION--WIZARD AND WITCH--CATCHING AT
WORDS--THE TWO FEMALES--DRESSING OF HAIR--THE NEW ROADS--BELLE'S ALTERED
APPEARANCE--HERSELF AGAIN
About mid-day Mr. and Mrs. Petulengro came to the dingle to pay the
promised visit. Belle, at the time of their arrival, was in her tent,
but I was at the fire-place, engaged in hammering part of the outer tire,
or defence, which had come off from one of the wheels of my vehicle. On
perceiving them I forthwith went to receive them. Mr. Petulengro was
dressed in Roman {33} fashion, with a somewhat smartly-cut sporting-coat,
the buttons of which were half-crowns--and a waistcoat, scarlet and
black, the buttons of which were spaded half-guineas: his breeches were
of a stuff half velveteen, half corduroy, the cords exceedingly broad.
He had leggings of buff cloth, furred at the bottom; and upon his feet
were highlows. Under his left arm was a long, black whalebone
riding-whip, with a red lash, and an immense silver knob. Upon his head
was a hat with a high peak, somewhat of the kind which the Spaniards call
_calane_, so much in favour with the bravos of Seville and Madrid. Now,
when I have added that Mr. Petulengro had on a very fine white holland
shirt, I think I have described his array. Mrs. Petulengro--I beg pardon
for not having spoken of her first--was also arrayed very much in the
Roman fashion. Her hair, which was exceedingly black and lustrous, fell
in braids on either side of her head. In her ears were rings, with long
drops of gold. Round her neck was a string of what seemed very much like
very large pearls, somewhat tarnished, however, and apparently of
considerable antiquity. 'Here we are, brother,' said Mr.
Petulengro--'here we are, come to see you--wizard and witch, witch and
wizard:
'"There's a chovahanee, and a chovahano,
The nav se len is Petulengro."' {34a}
'Hold your tongue, sir,' said Mrs. Petulengro; 'you make me ashamed of
you with your vulgar ditties. We are come a visiting now, and everything
low should be left behind.'
'True,' said Mr. Petulengro; 'why bring what's low to the dingle, which
is low enough already?'
'What, are you a catcher at words?' said I. 'I thought that catching at
words had been confined to the pot-house farmers and village witty
bodies.'
'All fools,' said Mrs. Petulengro, 'catch at words, and very naturally,
as by so doing they hope to prevent the possibility of rational
conversation. Catching at words confined to pot-house farmers and
village witty bodies! No, nor to Jasper Petulengro. Listen for an hour
or two to the discourse of a set they call newspaper editors, and if you
don't go out and eat grass as a dog does when he is sick, I am no female
woman. The young lord whose hand I refused when I took up with wise
Jasper, once brought two of them to my mother's tan, {34b} when hankering
after my company: they did nothing but carp at each other's words, and a
pretty hand they made of it. Ill-favoured dogs they were, and their
attempts at what they called wit almost as unfortunate as their
countenances.'
'Well,' said I, 'madam, we will drop all catchings and carpings for the
present. Pray take your seat on this stool, whilst I go and announce to
Miss Isopel Berners your arrival.'
Thereupon I went to Belle's habitation, and informed her that Mr. and
Mrs. Petulengro had paid us a visit of ceremony, and were awaiting her at
the fire-place. 'Pray go and tell them that I am busy,' said Belle, who
was engaged with her needle. 'I do not feel disposed to take part in any
such nonsense.' 'I shall do no such thing,' said I, 'and I insist upon
your coming forthwith, and showing proper courtesy to your visitors. If
you do not their feelings will be hurt, and you are aware that I cannot
bear that people's feelings should be outraged. Come this moment, or--'
'Or what?' said Belle, half smiling. 'I was about to say something in
Armenian,' said I. 'Well,' said Belle, laying down her work, 'I will
come.' 'Stay,' said I, 'your hair is hanging about your ears, and your
dress is in disorder: you had better stay a minute or two to prepare
yourself to appear before your visitors, who have come in their very best
attire.' 'No,' said Belle, 'I will make no alteration in my appearance;
you told me to come this moment, and you shall be obeyed.'
So Belle and I advanced towards our guests. As we drew nigh Mr.
Petulengro took off his hat, and made a profound obeisance to Belle,
whilst Mrs. Petulengro rose from the stool, and made a profound curtsey.
Belle, who had flung her hair back over her shoulders, returned their
salutations by bending her head, and after slightly glancing at Mr.
Petulengro, fixed her large blue eyes full upon his wife. Both these
females were very handsome--but how unlike! Belle fair, with blue eyes
and flaxen hair, Mrs. Petulengro with olive complexion, eyes black, and
hair dark--as dark could be. Belle, in demeanour calm and proud, the
gypsy graceful, but full of movement and agitation. And then, how
different were those two in stature! The head of the Romany rawnie
scarcely ascended to the breast of Isopel Berners. I could see that Mrs.
Petulengro gazed on Belle with unmixed admiration, so did her husband.
'Well,' said the latter, 'one thing I will say, which is, that there is
only one on earth worthy to stand up in front of this she, and that is
the beauty of the world, as far as man flesh is concerned, Tawno Chikno;
what a pity he did not come down!'
'Tawno Chikno,' {36a} said Mrs. Petulengro, flaring up; 'a pretty fellow
he to stand up in front of this gentlewoman, a pity he didn't come,
quotha? not at all, the fellow is a sneak, afraid of his wife. He stand
up against this rawnie! {36b} why the look she has given me would knock
the fellow down.'
'It is easier to knock him down with a look than with a fist,' said Mr.
Petulengro; 'that is, if the look comes from a woman, not that I am
disposed to doubt that this female gentlewoman is able to knock him down
either one way or the other. I have heard of her often enough, and have
seen her once or twice, though not so near as now. Well, ma'am, my wife
and I are come to pay our respects to you; we are both glad to find that
you have left off keeping company with Flaming Bosville, {36c} and have
taken up with my pal; he is not very handsome, but a better--'
'I take up with your pal, {36d} as you call him; you had better mind what
you say,' said Isopel Berners, 'I take up with nobody.'
'I merely mean taking up your quarters with him,' said Mr. Petulengro,
'and I was only about to say a better fellow-lodger you cannot have, or a
more instructive, especially if you have a desire to be inoculated with
tongues, as he calls them. I wonder whether you and he have had any
tongue-work already.'
'Have you and your wife anything particular to say, if you have nothing
but this kind of conversation I must leave you, as I am going to make a
journey this afternoon, and should be getting ready.'
'You must excuse my husband, madam,' said Mrs. Petulengro, 'he is not
overburdened with understanding, and has said but one word of sense since
he has been here, which was that we came to pay our respects to you. We
have dressed ourselves in our best Roman way, in order to do honour to
you; perhaps you do not like it, if so, I am sorry. I have no French
clothes, madam, if I had any, madam, I would have come in them in order
to do you more honour.'
'I like to see you much better as you are,' said Belle; 'people should
keep to their own fashions, and yours is very pretty.'
'I am glad you are pleased to think it so, madam, it has been admired in
the great city, it created what they call a sensation, and some of the
great ladies--the court ladies, imitated it, else I should not appear in
it so often as I am accustomed, for I am not very fond of what is Roman,
having an imagination that what is Roman is ungenteel; in fact, I once
heard the wife of a rich citizen say that gypsies were vulgar creatures.
I should have taken her saying very much to heart, but for her improper
pronunciation; she could not pronounce her words, madam, which we
gypsies, as they call us, usually can, so I thought she was no very high
purchase. You are very beautiful, madam, though you are not dressed as I
could wish to see you, and your hair is hanging down in sad confusion;
allow me to assist you in arranging your hair, madam; I will dress it for
you in our fashion; I would fain see how your hair would look in our poor
gypsy fashion: pray allow me, madam?' and she took Belle by the hand.
'I really can do no such thing,' said Belle withdrawing her hand; 'I
thank you for coming to see me, but--'
'Do allow me to officiate upon your hair, madam,' said Mrs. Petulengro,
'I should esteem your allowing me a great mark of condescension. You are
very beautiful, madam, and I think you doubly so, because you are so
fair; I have a great esteem for persons with fair complexions and hair; I
have a less regard for people with dark hair and complexions, madam.'
'Then why did you turn off the lord, and take up with me?' said Mr.
Petulengro; 'that same lord was fair enough all about him.'
'People do when they are young and silly what they sometimes repent of
when they are of riper years and understandings. I sometimes think that
had I not been something of a simpleton, I might at this time be a great
court lady. Now, madam,' said she, again taking Belle by the hand, 'do
oblige me by allowing me to plait your hair a little?'
'I have really a good mind to be angry with you,' said Belle, giving Mrs.
Petulengro a peculiar glance.
'Do allow her to arrange your hair,' said I, 'she means no harm, and
wishes to do you honour; do oblige her and me too, for I should like to
see how your hair would look dressed in her fashion.'
'You hear what the young rye says?' said Mrs. Petulengro. 'I am sure you
will oblige the young rye, if not myself. Many people would be willing
to oblige the young rye, if he would but ask them; but he is not in the
habit of asking favours. He has a nose of his own, which he keeps
tolerably exalted; he does not think small-beer of himself, madam; and
all the time I have been with him, I never heard him ask a favour before;
therefore, madam, I am sure you will oblige him. My sister Ursula would
be very willing to oblige him in many things, but he will not ask her for
anything, except for such a favour as a word, which is a poor favour
after all. I don't mean for her word; perhaps he will some day ask you
for your word. If so--'
'Why here you are, after railing at me for catching at words, catching at
a word yourself,' said Mr. Petulengro.
'Hold your tongue, sir,' said Mrs. Petulengro. 'Don't interrupt me in my
discourse; if I caught at a word now, I am not in the habit of doing so.
I am no conceited body; no newspaper Neddy; no pot-house witty person. I
was about to say, madam, that if the young rye asks you at any time for
your word, you will do as you deem convenient; but I am sure you will
oblige him by allowing me to braid your hair.'
'I shall not do it to oblige him,' said Belle; 'the young rye, as you
call him, is nothing to me.'
'Well, then, to oblige me,' said Mrs. Petulengro; 'do allow me to become
your poor tire-woman.'
'It is great nonsense,' said Belle, reddening; 'however, as you came to
see me, and ask the matter as a particular favour to yourself--'
'Thank you, madam,' said Mrs. Petulengro, leading Belle to the stool;
'please to sit down here. Thank you; your hair is very beautiful,
madam,' she continued, as she proceeded to braid Belle's hair; 'so is
your countenance. Should you ever go to the great city, among the grand
folks, you would make a sensation, madam. I have made one myself, who am
dark; the chi she is kauley, {38} which last word signifies black, which
I am not, though rather dark. There's no colour like white, madam; it's
so lasting, so genteel. Gentility will carry the day, madam, even with
the young rye. He will ask words of the black lass, but beg the word of
the fair.'
In the meantime Mr. Petulengro and myself entered into conversation.
'Any news stirring, Mr. Petulengro?' said I. 'Have you heard anything of
the great religious movements?'
'Plenty,' said Mr. Petulengro; 'all the religious people, more especially
the Evangelicals--those that go about distributing tracts--are very angry
about the fight between Gentleman Cooper and White-headed Bob, {39a}
which they say ought not to have been permitted to take place; and then
they are trying all they can to prevent the fight between the lion and
the dogs, {39b} which they say is a disgrace to a Christian country.
Now, I can't say that I have any quarrel with the religious party and the
Evangelicals; they are always civil to me and mine, and frequently give
us tracts, as they call them, which neither I nor mine can read; but I
cannot say that I approve of any movements, religious or not, which have
in aim to put down all life and manly sport in this here country.'
'Anything else?' said I.
'People are becoming vastly sharp,' said Mr. Petulengro; 'and I am told
that all the old-fashioned, good-tempered constables are going to be set
aside, and a paid body of men to be established, who are not to permit a
tramper or vagabond on the roads of England;--and talking of roads, puts
me in mind of a strange story I heard two nights ago, whilst drinking
some beer at a public-house, in company with my cousin Sylvester. I had
asked Tawno to go, but his wife would not let him. Just opposite me,
smoking their pipes, were a couple of men, something like engineers, and
they were talking of a wonderful invention which was to make a wonderful
alteration in England; inasmuch as it would set aside all the old roads,
which in a little time would be ploughed up, and sowed with corn, and
cause all England to be laid down with iron roads, on which people would
go thundering along in vehicles, pushed forward by fire and smoke. Now,
brother, when I heard this, I did not feel very comfortable; for I
thought to myself, what a queer place such a road would be to pitch one's
tent upon, and how impossible it would be for one's cattle to find a bite
of grass upon it; and I thought likewise of the danger to which one's
family would be exposed of being run over and severely scorched by these
same flying, fiery vehicles; so I made bold to say, that I hoped such an
invention would never be countenanced, because it was likely to do a
great deal of harm. Whereupon, one of the men, giving me a glance, said,
without taking the pipe out of his mouth, that for his part, he sincerely
hoped that it would take effect; and if it did no other good than
stopping the rambles of gypsies, and other like scamps, it ought to be
encouraged. Well, brother, feeling myself insulted, I put my hand into
my pocket, in order to pull out money, intending to challenge him to
fight for a five-shilling stake, but merely found sixpence, having left
all my other money at the tent; which sixpence was just sufficient to pay
for the beer which Sylvester and myself were drinking, of whom I couldn't
hope to borrow anything--"poor as Sylvester" being a by-word amongst us.
So, not being able to back myself, I held my peace, and let the Gorgio
{40} have it all his own way, who, after turning up his nose at me, went
on discoursing about the said invention, saying what a fund of profit it
would be to those who knew how to make use of it, and should have the
laying down of the new roads, and the shoeing of England with iron. And
after he had said this, and much more of the same kind, which I cannot
remember, he and his companion got up and walked away; and presently I
and Sylvester got up and walked to our camp; and there I lay down in my
tent by the side of my wife, where I had an ugly dream of having camped
upon an iron road; my tent being overturned by a flying vehicle; my
wife's leg injured; and all my affairs put into great confusion.'
'Now, madam,' said Mrs. Petulengro, 'I have braided your hair in our
fashion; you look very beautiful, madam; more beautiful, if possible,
than before.' Belle now rose, and came forward with her tire-woman. Mr.
Petulengro was loud in his applause, but I said nothing, for I did not
think Belle was improved in appearance by having submitted to the
ministry of Mrs. Petulengro's hand. Nature never intended Belle to
appear as a gypsy; she had made her too proud and serious. A more proper
part for her was that of a heroine, a queenly heroine--that of Theresa of
Hungary, for example; or, better still, that of Brynhilda the Valkyrie,
the beloved of Sigurd, the serpent-killer, who incurred the curse of
Odin, because, in the tumult of spears, she sided with the young king,
and doomed the old warrior to die, to whom Odin had promised victory.
Belle looked at me for a moment in silence, then turning to Mrs.
Petulengro, she said: 'You have had your will with me; are you
satisfied?' 'Quite so, madam,' said Mrs. Petulengro, 'and I hope you
will be so too, as soon as you have looked in the glass.' 'I have looked
in one already,' said Belle, 'and the glass does not flatter.' 'You mean
the face of the young rye,' said Mrs. Petulengro, 'never mind him, madam;
the young rye, though he knows a thing or two, is not a university, nor a
person of universal wisdom. I assure you that you never looked so well
before, and I hope that, from this moment, you will wear your hair in
this way.' 'And who is to braid it in this way?' said Belle, smiling.
'I, madam,' said Mrs. Petulengro, 'I will braid it for you every morning,
if you will but be persuaded to join us. Do so, madam, and I think if
you did, the young rye would do so too.' 'The young rye is nothing to
me, nor I to him,' said Belle, 'we have stayed some time together, but
our paths will soon be apart. Now farewell, for I am about to take a
journey.' 'And you will go out with your hair as I have braided it,'
said Mrs. Petulengro, 'if you do everybody will be in love with you.'
'No,' said Belle, 'hitherto I have allowed you to do what you please, but
henceforth I shall have my own way. Come, come,' said she, observing
that the gypsy was about to speak, 'we have had enough of nonsense,
whenever I leave this hollow it will be wearing my hair in my own
fashion.' 'Come, wife,' said Mr. Petulengro, 'we will no longer intrude
upon the rye and rawnie, there is such a thing as being troublesome.'
Thereupon Mr. Petulengro and his wife took their leave, with many
salutations. 'Then you are going?' said I, when Belle and I were left
alone. 'Yes,' said Belle, 'I am going on a journey, my affairs compel
me.' 'But you will return again?' said I. 'Yes,' said Belle, 'I shall
return once more.' 'Once more,' said I, 'what do you mean by once more?
The Petulengros {41} will soon be gone, and will you abandon me in this
place?' 'You were alone here,' said Belle, 'before I came, and I
suppose, found it agreeable, or you would not have stayed in it.' 'Yes,'
said I, 'that was before I knew you; but having lived with you here, I
should be very loth to live here without you.' 'Indeed,' said Belle, 'I
did not know that I was of so much consequence to you. Well, the day is
wearing away--I must go and harness Traveller to the cart.' 'I will do
that,' said I, 'or anything else you may wish me. Go and prepare
yourself; I will see after Traveller and the cart.' Belle departed to
her tent, and I set about performing the task I had undertaken. In about
half an hour Belle again made her appearance--she was dressed neatly and
plainly. Her hair was no longer in the Roman fashion, in which Pakomovna
had plaited it, but was secured by a comb; she held a bonnet in her hand.
'Is there anything else I can do for you?' I demanded. 'There are two or
three bundles by my tent which you can put into the cart,' said Belle. I
put the bundles into the cart, and then led Traveller and the cart up the
winding path to the mouth of the dingle, near which was Mr. Petulengro's
encampment. Belle followed. At the top, I delivered the reins into her
hands; we looked at each other steadfastly for some time. Belle then
departed, and I returned to the dingle, where, seating myself on my
stone, I remained for upwards of an hour in thought.