WHICH TELLS SOMEWHAT OF MY DEPLORABLE SITUATION
And after we had stood thus some while my companion spoke, though
without troubling to turn her head or so much as glance towards me:
"Young man, what now?"
"Why, now," I answered, taking off my hat and bowing, "I have the
honour to bid you good-bye!"
At this she wheeled quickly and stood viewing me over with a bold,
unwavering gaze that it seemed nothing might abash; and though her
eyes were large and well-shaped, yet I remember thinking them
excessively unfeminine, the eyes rather of an ill-natured, pugnacious
boy; and now, because of the hard coldness of her look, the
unmaidenly, calculating intensity of her regard, I grew very conscious
of my disfiguring garments and felt myself quite out of countenance.
"Why d'ye blush, young man?"
"Because you don't!"
"And why should I blush?"
"It would be more maidenly--?"
"Maidenly?" she repeated, and broke into such a mockery of laughter
that I felt my cheeks indeed burn with a painful effusion and turning
abruptly, I walked away in high dudgeon.
"Come back!" she commanded, but I went only the faster and being very
earnest to rid myself of her, was even meditating ignominious flight,
when I heard the leap of her feet in pursuit, felt her grip upon my
arm and was checked thus so violently that I was amazed at the
strength of her.
"Don't come your fine airs over me, young man," she panted in hot
anger, her full, red lips tight-drawn, her great eyes dark and
passionate. "Don't do it!" she repeated. "Don't ye dare!"
"Most decidedly not!" I answered, retreating before her threatening
mien; and thus, not caring to turn my back on this young virago, I
fronted her fierce scrutiny with what resolution I could, while
devoutly wishing myself anywhere else in the world. And it was now
that I realised she was taller than myself by fully an inch--indeed,
perhaps a little more.
"Why does ye stare so?" she demanded.
I craved her forgiveness and lifted my offending gaze to the leaves
above her head and maintained a dignified silence; whereupon she
questioned me breathlessly,
"Now what are ye thinking?"
"That the ancient person spoke truly."
"You means as I'm a shrew?"
"Pray remember it was not I said so."
"But you means so! Come, does ye or don't ye?"
"Madam," I began, very conscious of the evil glitter of her knife, "if
you will permit me to--"
"Don't 'madame' me, young man! I don't like it and I won't be madamed
by you or any other--so don't dare--"
"Certainly not!" said I, fixing my gaze on the leaves again. "And may
I suggest that we might converse more easily if you would have the
kindness to put away your knife?"
"My little _churi_, d'ye mean? Not I, young man, not I! 'T is my
best friend as saves from evil more than once! And how do I know as
you won't come any games?"
"Games?" I repeated, shaking my head in mystification. "The sports of
youth never interested me--indeed, I never play games--"
"No," cried she, with sudden, shrill laugh, "I don't think you do!"
Here (to my startled amazement) she whipped short petticoats above her
knee and thrust the knife into her garter. Now though my gaze was
immediately abased to earth I none the less had a memory of an
exceedingly well-turned and shapely limb.
"And so you thinks I'm a shrew, does ye?" she demanded, head aslant,
and hands on shapely hips.
"I think you might perhaps be just a little more gentle."
"Tush, young man, gentleness don't serve a maid among the Folk!"
"What folk?"
"The Romans."
"Romans?" said I, puzzled.
"Aye, Romans. The Romany, gipsies, the poor folk."
"Are you a gipsy, then?"
"I guess so! Though old Azor, of the Romany _rawni Camlo_, do
ever tell I'm no true Roman. So mayhap I'm not. However, when I grows
up I takes to my little knife--by reason of the _chals_--aye, and
uses it too, otherwise I might ha' been tamed by now instead o' being
free to choose. Ah, yes, I might ha' been creeping the ways wi' some
man's brat on my shoulders, to work while he slept, go hungry till
he'd ate his fill and slave for him--ah, I hate men!" And she spat in
contempt and very coarsely. Yet I could not but notice how perfectly
shaped was this vivid, scornful mouth.
"So you don't like me, young man, and I do not like you, which is a
pity, seeing you buys me out o' the tribe and--"
"Bought you!" I exclaimed, utterly aghast.
"Indeed and to be sure you did. Which is what many a man has wished to
do ere this. However, according to the law of our tribe we are
mates--"
"Great heaven!" I exclaimed in such unfeigned consternation that she
knit her black brows at me. "Impossible!" quoth I. "Ridiculous--absolutely
preposterous! There is no bond between us--you are free, quite free--nay,
I'll go--now--"
"Are ye a man?" cried she between snapping white teeth. "If so, you'll
be the first as runs away from me. And why? Is it that I'm not good
enough--fine enough--handsome enough--"
"My good girl, pray be reasonable--" I pleaded, which seemed only to
enrage her the more until, finding me mute and so helpless against the
torrent of her wrath, she checked upon a word, her red lips curved to
sudden smile, and her voice grew singularly and sweetly soft.
"Poor young man, sit down and let us talk," said she, as if we hadn't
uttered a word hitherto. So willy-nilly down I sat facing her amid the
fern and very ill at ease. "Poor young man," said she again, "don't go
for to look so downcast over so small a matter. Here's you and here's
me; what's done is done! Treat me fair and you'll find me faithful,
quick with my needle, a good hand at cooking and not so unkind as they
tell o' me. Your life shall be my life and mine yours. Where you go
I'll follow and belike it is we shall get along without overmuch
fighting and bloodshed."
"But," said I, my brain whirling, "I had no idea--I--I--never imagined
anything of this sort--the whole situation is--impossible!"
"You bought me, remember!"
"Did I?"
"Of course you did!" said she, looking at me great-eyed and I saw her
lips quivering. "You pays over to old Azor fourteen guineas, a florin,
one groat and three pennies."
"The act was slightly involuntary, as I remember!" said I.
"Talk plain, young man, talk plain! You buys me, and what's more, old
Azor weds us and makes me your mort according to the law o' the Folk."
"But not according to the laws of the English Church," said I, "and I
am not one of the Folk. So you are quite free: the words of old Azor
cannot bind me--"
"But they do bind me, young man, now and hereafter. Besides, you have
bought me away from the tribe and I may never go back and you can
never leave me solitary."
Here I groaned and she sighed, but with that quiver of red lips that
might mean tears or laughter.
"A truly terrible situation!" said I.
"It is, young man, it is! Though it might ha' been worse."
"How so?"
"Well, though I have no liking for you, neither your looks, nor your
ways, nor your talk, you are better than Bennigo and Jochabed that are
very brute beasts."
Now at this I leapt to my feet and, turning on indignant heel, strode
off, but soon she was up with me and together we presently came out
into the high road. And now as she went beside me I saw with added
misgiving that the sun was already westering.