lavengro-第124章

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retired；　and　when　there；　through　many　wild　and　desolate　places　to　

their　encampment；　and　there　I　found　the　Hernes；　and　the　dead　body　…　

the　last　laid　out　on　a　mattress；　in　a　tent；　dressed　Romaneskoenaes　

in　a　red　cloak；　and　big　bonnet　of　black　beaver。　　I　must　say　for　the　

Hernes　that　they　took　the　matter　very　coolly；　some　were　eating；　

others　drinking；　and　some　were　talking　about　their　small　affairs；　

there　was　one；　however；　who　did　not　take　the　matter　so　coolly；　but　

took　on　enough　for　the　whole　family；　sitting　beside　the　dead　woman；　

tearing　her　hair；　and　refusing　to　take　either　meat　or　drink；　it　was　

the　child　Leonora。　　I　arrived　at　night…fall；　and　the　burying　was　

not　to　take　place　till　the　morning；　which　I　was　rather　sorry　for；　

as　I　am　not　very　fond　of　them　Hernes；　who　are　not　very　fond　of　

anybody。　　They　never　asked　me　to　eat　or　drink；　notwithstanding　I　

had　married　into　the　family；　one　of　them；　however；　came　up　and　

offered　to　fight　me　for　five　shillings；　had　it　not　been　for　them　I　

should　have　come　back　as　empty　as　I　went　…　he　didn't　stand　up　five　

minutes。　　Brother；　I　passed　the　night　as　well　as　I　could；　beneath　a　

tree；　for　the　tents　were　full；　and　not　over　clean；　I　slept　little；　

and　had　my　eyes　about　me；　for　I　knew　the　kind　of　people　I　was　

among。



'Early　in　the　morning　the　funeral　took　place。　　The　body　was　placed　

not　in　a　coffin　but　on　a　bier；　and　carried　not　to　a　churchyard　but　

to　a　deep　dell　close　by；　and　there　it　was　buried　beneath　a　rock；　

dressed　just　as　I　have　told　you；　and　this　was　done　by　the　bidding　

of　Leonora；　who　had　heard　her　bebee　say　that　she　wished　to　be　

buried；　not　in　gorgious　fashion；　but　like　a　Roman　woman　of　the　old　

blood；　the　kosko　puro　rati；　brother。　　When　it　was　over；　and　we　had　

got　back　to　the　encampment；　I　prepared　to　be　going。　　Before　

mounting　my　gry；　however；　I　bethought　me　to　ask　what　could　have　

induced　the　dead　woman　to　make　away　with　herself　…　a　thing　so　

uncommon　amongst　Romanies；　whereupon　one　squinted　with　his　eyes；　a　

second　spirted　saliver　into　the　air；　and　a　third　said　that　he　

neither　knew　nor　cared；　she　was　a　good　riddance；　having　more　than　

once　been　nearly　the　ruin　of　them　all；　from　the　quantity　of　

brimstone　she　carried　about　her。　　One；　however；　I　suppose　rather　

ashamed　of　the　way　in　which　they　had　treated　me；　said　at　last　that　

if　I　wanted　to　know　all　about　the　matter　none　could　tell　me　better　

than　the　child；　who　was　in　all　her　secrets；　and　was　not　a　little　

like　her；　so　I　looked　about　for　the　child；　but　could　find　her　

nowhere。　　At　last　the　same　man　told　me　that　he　shouldn't　wonder　if　

I　found　her　at　the　grave；　so　I　went　back　to　the　grave；　and　sure　

enough　there　I　found　the　child　Leonora；　seated　on　the　ground　above　

the　body；　crying　and　taking　on；　so　I　spoke　kindly　to　her；　and　said；　

〃How　came　all　this；　Leonora？　tell　me　all　about　it。〃　　It　was　a　long　

time　before　I　could　get　any　answer；　at　last　she　opened　her　mouth　

and　spoke；　and　these　were　the　words　she　said；　〃It　was　all　along　of　

your　Pal〃；　and　then　she　told　me　all　about　the　matter　…　how　Mrs。　

Herne　could　not　abide　you；　which　I　knew　before；　and　that　she　had　

sworn　your　destruction；　which　I　did　not　know　before。　　And　then　she　

told　me　how　she　found　you　living　in　the　wood　by　yourself；　and　how　

you　were　enticed　to　eat　a　poisoned　cake；　and　she　told　me　many　other　

things　that　you　wot　of；　and　she　told　me　what　perhaps　you　don't　wot；　

namely；　that　finding　you　had　been　removed；　she；　the　child；　had　

tracked　you　a　long　way；　and　found　you　at　last　well　and　hearty；　and　

no　ways　affected　by　the　poison；　and　heard　you；　as　she　stood　

concealed；　disputing　about　religion　with　a　Welsh　Methody。　　Well；　

brother；　she　told　me　all　this；　and；　moreover；　that　when　Mrs。　Herne　

heard　of　it；　she　said　that　a　dream　of　hers　had　come　to　pass。　　I　

don't　know　what　it　was；　but　something　about　herself；　a　tinker；　and　

a　dean；　and　then　she　added　that　it　was　all　up　with　her；　and　that　

she　must　take　a　long　journey。　　Well；　brother；　that　same　night　

Leonora；　waking　from　her　sleep　in　the　tent　where　Mrs。　Herne　and　she　

were　wont　to　sleep；　missed　her　bebee；　and；　becoming　alarmed；　went　

in　search　of　her；　and　at　last　found　her　hanging　from　a　branch；　and　

when　the　child　had　got　so　far；　she　took　on　violently；　and　I　could　

not　get　another　word　from　her；　so　I　left　her；　and　here　I　am。'



'And　I　am　glad　to　see　you；　Mr。　Petulengro；　but　this　is　sad　news　

which　you　tell　me　about　Mrs。　Herne。'



'Somewhat　dreary；　brother；　yet；　perhaps；　after　all；　it　is　a　good　

thing　that　she　is　removed；　she　carried　so　much　Devil's　tinder　about　

with　her；　as　the　man　said。'



'I　am　sorry　for　her；'　said　I；　'more　especially　as　I　am　the　cause　of　

her　death　…　though　the　innocent　one。'



'She　could　not　bide　you；　brother；　that's　certain；　but　that　is　no　

reason'　…　said　Mr。　Petulengro；　balancing　himself　upon　the　saddle　…　

'that　is　no　reason　why　she　should　prepare　drow　to　take　away　your　

essence　of　life；　and；　when　disappointed；　to　hang　herself　upon　a　

tree：　　if　she　was　dissatisfied　with　you；　she　might　have　flown　at　

you；　and　scratched　your　face；　or；　if　she　did　not　judge　herself　your　

match；　she　might　have　put　down　five　shillings　for　a　turn…up　between　

you　and　some　one　she　thought　could　beat　you　…　myself；　for　example　…　

and　so　the　matter　might　have　ended　comfortably；　but　she　was　always　

too　fond　of　covert　ways；　drows；　and　brimstones。　　This　is　not　the　

first　poisoning　affair　she　has　been　engaged　in。'



'You　allude　to　drabbing　bawlor。'



'Bah！'　said　Mr。　Petulengro；　'there's　no　harm　in　that。　　No；　no！　she　

has　cast　drows　in　her　time　for　other　guess　things　than　bawlor；　both　

Gorgios　and　Romans　have　tasted　of　them；　and　died。　　Did　you　never　

hear　of　the　poisoned　plum　pudding？'



'Never。'



'Then　I　will　tell　you　about　it。　　It　happened　about　six　years　ago；　a　

few　months　after　she　had　quitted　us　…　she　had　gone　first　amongst　

her　own　people；　as　she　called　them；　but　there　was　another　small　

party　of　Romans；　with　whom　she　soon　became　very　intimate。　　It　so　

happened　that　this　small　party　got　into　trouble；　whether　it　was　

about　a　horse　or　an　ass；　or　passing　bad　money；　no　matter　to　you　and　

me；　who　had　no　hand　in　the　business；　three　or　four　of　them　were　

taken　and　lodged　in　…　Castle；　and　amongst　them　was　a　woman；　but　the　

sherengro；　or　principal　man　of　the　party；　and　who　it　seems　had　most　

hand　in　the　affair；　was　still　at　large。　　All　of　a　sudden　a　rumour　

was　spread　abroad　that　the　woman　was　about　to　play　false；　and　to　

'peach　the　rest。　　Said　the　principal　man；　when　he　heard　it；　〃If　she　

does；　I　am　nashkado。〃　　Mrs。　Herne　was　then　on　a　visit　to　the　party；　

and　when　she　heard　the　principal　man　take　on　so；　she　said；　〃But　I　

suppose　you　know　what　to　do？〃　　〃I　do　not；〃　said　he。　　〃Then　hir　mi　

devlis；〃　said　she；　〃you　are　a　fool。　　But　leave　the　matter　to　me；　I　

know　how　to　dispose　of　her　in　Roman　fashion。〃　　Why　she　wanted　to　

interfere　in　the　matter；　brother；　I　don't　know；　unless　it　was　from　

pure　brimstoneness　of　disposition　…　she　had　no　hand　in　the　matter　

which　had　brought　the　party　into　trouble　…　she　was　only　on　a　visit；　

and　it　had　happened　before　she　came；　but　she　was　always　ready　to　

give　dangerous　advice。　　Well；　brother；　the　principal　man　listened　

to　what　she　had　to　say；　and　let　her　do　what　she　would；　and　she　made　

a　pudding；　a　very　nice　one；　no　doubt　…　for；　besides　plums；　she　put　

in　drows　and　all　the　Roman　condiments　that　she　knew　of；　and　she　

gave　it　to　the　principal　man；　and　the　principal　put　it　into　a　

basket　and　directed　it　to　the　woman　in　…　Castle；　and　the　woman　in　

the　castle　took　it　and　…　〃



'Ate　of　it；'　said　I；　'just　like　my　case！'



'Quite　different；　brother；　she　took　it；　it　is　true；　but　instead　of　

giving　way　to　her　appetite；　as　you　might　have　done；　she　put　it　

before　the　rest　whom　she　was　going　to　impeach；　perhaps　she　wished　

to　see　how　they　liked　it　before　she　tasted　it　herself；　and　all　the　

rest　were　poisoned；　and　one　di