lavengro-第32章

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jockeys；　but　in　their　look　…　no　light…brown　hair　have　they；　no　

ruddy　cheeks；　no　blue　quiet　glances　belong　to　them；　their　features　

are　dark；　their　locks　long；　black；　and　shining；　and　their　eyes　are　

wild；　they　are　admirable　horsemen；　but　they　do　not　sit　the　saddle　

in　the　manner　of　common　jockeys；　they　seem　to　float　or　hover　upon　

it；　like　gulls　upon　the　waves；　two　of　them　are　mere　striplings；　but　

the　third　is　a　very　tall　man　with　a　countenance　heroically　

beautiful；　but　wild；　wild；　wild。　　As　they　rush　along；　the　crowd　

give　way　on　all　sides；　and　now　a　kind　of　ring　or　circus　is　formed；　

within　which　the　strange　men　exhibit　their　horsemanship；　rushing　

past　each　other；　in　and　out；　after　the　manner　of　a　reel；　the　tall　

man　occasionally　balancing　himself　upon　the　saddle；　and　standing　

erect　on　one　foot。　　He　had　just　regained　his　seat　after　the　latter　

feat；　and　was　about　to　push　his　horse　to　a　gallop；　when　a　figure　

started　forward　close　from　beside　me；　and　laying　his　hand　on　his　

neck；　and　pulling　him　gently　downward；　appeared　to　whisper　

something　into　his　ear；　presently　the　tall　man　raised　his　head；　

and；　scanning　the　crowd　for　a　moment　in　the　direction　in　which　I　

was　standing；　fixed　his　eyes　full　upon　me；　and　anon　the　countenance　

of　the　whisperer　was　turned；　but　only　in　part；　and　the　side…glance　

of　another　pair　of　wild　eyes　was　directed　towards　my　face；　but　the　

entire　visage　of　the　big　black　man；　half　stooping　as　he　was；　was　

turned　full　upon　mine。



But　now；　with　a　nod　to　the　figure　who　had　stopped　him；　and　with　

another　inquiring　glance　at　myself；　the　big　man　once　more　put　his　

steed　into　motion；　and；　after　riding　round　the　ring　a　few　more　

times；　darted　through　a　lane　in　the　crowd；　and　followed　by　his　two　

companions　disappeared；　whereupon　the　figure　who　had　whispered　to　

him；　and　had　subsequently　remained　in　the　middle　of　the　space；　came　

towards　me；　and；　cracking　a　whip　which　he　held　in　his　hand　so　

loudly　that　the　report　was　nearly　equal　to　that　of　a　pocket　pistol；　

he　cried　in　a　strange　tone：



'What！　the　sap…engro？　　Lor！　the　sap…engro　upon　the　hill！'



'I　remember　that　word；'　said　I；　'and　I　almost　think　I　remember　you。　　

You　can't　be　…　'



'Jasper；　your　pal！　　Truth；　and　no　lie；　brother。'



'It　is　strange　that　you　should　have　known　me；'　said　I。　　'I　am　

certain；　but　for　the　word　you　used；　I　should　never　have　recognised　

you。'



'Not　so　strange　as　you　may　think；　brother；　there　is　something　in　

your　face　which　would　prevent　people　from　forgetting　you；　even　

though　they　might　wish　it；　and　your　face　is　not　much　altered　since　

the　time　you　wot　of；　though　you　are　so　much　grown。　　I　thought　it　

was　you；　but　to　make　sure　I　dodged　about；　inspecting　you。　　I　

believe　you　felt　me；　though　I　never　touched　you；　a　sign；　brother；　

that　we　are　akin；　that　we　are　dui　palor　…　two　relations。　　Your　

blood　beat　when　mine　was　near；　as　mine　always　does　at　the　coming　of　

a　brother；　and　we　became　brothers　in　that　lane。'



'And　where　are　you　staying？'　said　I；　'in　this　town？'



'Not　in　the　town；　the　like　of　us　don't　find　it　exactly　wholesome　to　

stay　in　towns；　we　keep　abroad。　　But　I　have　little　to　do　here　…　come　

with　me；　and　I'll　show　you　where　we　stay。'



We　descended　the　hill　in　the　direction　of　the　north；　and　passing　

along　the　suburb　reached　the　old　Norman　bridge；　which　we　crossed；　

the　chalk　precipice；　with　the　ruin　on　its　top；　was　now　before　us；　

but　turning　to　the　left　we　walked　swiftly　along；　and　presently　came　

to　some　rising　ground；　which　ascending；　we　found　ourselves　upon　a　

wild　moor　or　heath。



'You　are　one　of　them；'　said　I；　'whom　people　call　…　'



'Just　so；'　said　Jasper；　'but　never　mind　what　people　call　us。'



'And　that　tall　handsome　man　on　the　hill；　whom　you　whispered？　　I　

suppose　he's　one　of　ye。　　What　is　his　name？'



'Tawno　Chikno；'　said　Jasper；　'which　means　the　small　one；　we　call　

him　such　because　he　is　the　biggest　man　of　all　our　nation。　　You　say　

he　is　handsome；　that　is　not　the　word；　brother；　he's　the　beauty　of　

the　world。　　Women　run　wild　at　the　sight　of　Tawno。　　An　earl's　

daughter；　near　London　…　a　fine　young　lady　with　diamonds　round　her　

neck　…　fell　in　love　with　Tawno。　　I　have　seen　that　lass　on　a　heath；　

as　this　may　be；　kneel　down　to　Tawno；　clasp　his　feet；　begging　to　be　

his　wife　…　or　anything　else　…　if　she　might　go　with　him。　　But　Tawno　

would　have　nothing　to　do　with　her：　　〃I　have　a　wife　of　my　own；〃　said　

he；　〃a　lawful　rommany　wife；　whom　I　love　better　than　the　whole　

world；　jealous　though　she　sometimes　be。〃'



'And　is　she　very　beautiful？'　said　I。



'Why；　you　know；　brother；　beauty　is　frequently　a　matter　of　taste；　

however；　as　you　ask　my　opinion；　I　should　say　not　quite　so　beautiful　

as　himself。'



We　had　now　arrived　at　a　small　valley　between　two　hills；　or　downs；　

the　sides　of　which　were　covered　with　furze；　in　the　midst　of　this　

valley　were　various　carts　and　low　tents　forming　a　rude　kind　of　

encampment；　several　dark　children　were　playing　about；　who　took　no　

manner　of　notice　of　us。　　As　we　passed　one　of　the　tents；　however；　a　

canvas　screen　was　lifted　up；　and　a　woman　supported　upon　a　crutch　

hobbled　out。　　She　was　about　the　middle　age；　and；　besides　being　

lame；　was　bitterly　ugly；　she　was　very　slovenly　dressed；　and　on　her　

swarthy　features　ill　nature　was　most　visibly　stamped。　　She　did　not　

deign　me　a　look；　but；　addressing　Jasper　in　a　tongue　which　I　did　not　

understand；　appeared　to　put　some　eager　questions　to　him。



'He's　coming；'　said　Jasper；　and　passed　on。　　'Poor　fellow；'　said　he　

to　me；　'he　has　scarcely　been　gone　an　hour；　and　she's　jealous　

already。　　Well；'　he　continued；　'what　do　you　think　of　her？　you　have　

seen　her　now；　and　can　judge　for　yourself　…　that　'ere　woman　is　Tawno　

Chikno's　wife！'







CHAPTER　XVII







The　tent　…　Pleasant　discourse　…　I　am　Pharaoh　…　Shifting　for　one's　

self　　…　Horse…shoes　…　This　is　wonderful　…　Bless　your　wisdom　…　A　

pretty　manoeuvre　…　Ill　day　to　the　Romans　…　My　name　is　Herne　…　

Singular　people　…　An　original　speech　…　Word…master　…　Speaking　

Romanly。



WE　went　to　the　farthest　of　the　tents；　which　stood　at　a　slight　

distance　from　the　rest；　and　which　exactly　resembled　the　one　which　I　

have　described　on　a　former　occasion；　we　went　in　and　sat　down　one　on　

each　side　of　a　small　fire；　which　was　smouldering　on　the　ground；　

there　was　no　one　else　in　the　tent　but　a　tall　tawny　woman　of　middle　

age；　who　was　busily　knitting。　　'Brother；'　said　Jasper；　'I　wish　to　

hold　some　pleasant　discourse　with　you。'



'As　much　as　you　please；'　said　I；　'provided　you　can　find　anything　

pleasant　to　talk　about。'



'Never　fear；'　said　Jasper；　'and　first　of　all　we　will　talk　of　

yourself。　　Where　have　you　been　all　this　long　time？'



'Here　and　there；'　said　I；　'and　far　and　near；　going　about　with　the　

soldiers；　but　there　is　no　soldiering　now；　so　we　have　sat　down；　

father　and　family；　in　the　town　there。'



'And　do　you　still　hunt　snakes？'　said　Jasper。



'No；'　said　I；　'I　have　given　up　that　long　ago；　I　do　better　now：　　

read　books　and　learn　languages。'



'Well；　I　am　sorry　you　have　given　up　your　snake…hunting；　many's　the　

strange　talk　I　have　had　with　our　people　about　your　snake　and　

yourself；　and　how　you　frightened　my　father　and　mother　in　the　lane。'



'And　where　are　your　father　and　mother？'



'Where　I　shall　never　see　them；　brother；　at　least；　I　hope　so。'



'Not　dead？'



'No；　not　dead；　they　are　bitchadey　pawdel。'



'What's　that？'



'Sent　across　…　banished。'



'Ah！　I　understand；　I　am　sorry　for　them。　　And　so　you　are　here　

alone？'



'Not　quite　alone；　brother。'



'No；　not　alone；　but　with　the　rest　…　Tawno　Chikno　takes　care　of　

you。'



'Takes　care　of　me；　brother！'



'Yes；　stands　to　you　in　the　place　of　a　father　…　keeps　you　out　of　

harm's　way。'



'What　do　you　take　me　for；　brother？'



'For　about　three　years　older　than　myself。'



'Perhaps；　but　you　are　of　the　Gorgios；　and　I　am　a　Rommany　Cha