’Well，Ihopeyouwillcomewithus，’saidPeter。
’Comewithus，youngman，’saidWinifred；’letme，ontheothersideofthebrook，welcomeyouintoWales。’
’Thankyouboth，’saidI，’butIwillnotcome。’
’Wherefore？’exclaimedboth，simultaneously。
’BecauseitisneitherfitnorproperthatIcrossintoWalesatthistime，andinthismanner。WhenIgointoWales，Ishouldwishtogoinanewsuitofsuperfineblack，withhatandbeaver，mountedonapowerfulsteed，blackandglossy，likethatwhichboreGreduvtothefightofCatraeth。Ishouldwish，moreover，toseetheWelshmenassembledontheborderreadytowelcomemewithpipeandfiddle，andmuchwhoopingandshouting，andtoattendmetoWrexham，orevenasfarasMachynllaith，whereIshouldwishtobeinvitedtoadinneratwhichallthebardsshouldbepresent，andtobeseatedattherighthandofthepresident，who，whentheclothwasremoved，shouldarise，and，amidstcriesofsilence，exclaim-“BrethrenandWelshmen，allowmetoproposethehealthofmymostrespectablefriendthetranslatoroftheodesofthegreatAbGwilym，theprideandgloryofWales。“’
’How!’saidPeter，’hastthoutranslatedtheworksofthemightyDafydd？’
’Withnotescritical，historical，andexplanatory。’
’Comewithus，friend，’saidPeter。’Icannotpromisesuchadinnerasthouwishest，butneitherpipenorfiddleshallbewanting。’
’Comewithus，youngman，’saidWinifred，’evenasthouart，andthedaughtersofWalesshallbidtheewelcome。’
’Iwillnotgowithyou，’saidI。’Dostthouseethatmanintheford？’
’Whoisstaringatusso，andwhosehorsehasnotyetdonedrinking？OfcourseIseehim。’
’Ishallturnbackwithhim。Godblessyou。’
’Gobackwithhimnot，’saidPeter；’heisoneofthosewhomIlikenot，oneoftheclibberty-clabber，asMasterEllisWynobserves-
turnnotwiththatman。’
’Gonotbackwithhim，’saidWinifred。’Ifthougoestwiththatman，thouwiltsoonforgetallourprofitablecounsels；comewithus。’
’Icannot；Ihavemuchtosaytohim。KoskoDivvus，Mr。
Petulengro。’
’KoskoDivvus，Pal，’saidMr。Petulengro，ridingthroughthewater；
’areyouturningback？’
IturnedbackwithMr。Petulengro。
Petercamerunningafterme：’Onemoment，youngman，-whoandwhatareyou？’
’ImustanswerinthewordsofTaliesin，’saidI：’nonecansaywithpositivenesswhetherIbefishorflesh，leastofallmyself。
Godblessyouboth!’
’Takethis，’saidPeter，andhethrusthisWelshBibleintomyhand。
CHAPTERLXXXI
Atafuneral-Twodaysago-Verycoolly-Romanwoman-Wellandhearty-Somewhatdreary-Plumpudding-Romanfashion-Quitedifferent-Thedarklane-Beyondthetime-Finefellow-Suchastruggle-Likeawildcat-FairPlay-Pleasantenoughspot-Nogloves。
SOIturnedbackwithMr。Petulengro。Wetravelledforsometimeinsilence；atlastwefellintodiscourse。’YouhavebeeninWales，Mr。Petulengro？’
’Ay，truly，brother。’
’Whathaveyoubeendoingthere？’
’Assistingatafuneral。’
’Atwhosefuneral？’
’Mrs。Herne’s，brother。’
’Isshedead，then？’
’Asanail，brother。’
’Howdidshedie？’
’Byhanging，brother。’
’Iamlostinastonishment，’saidI；whereuponMr。Petulengro，liftinghissinisterlegovertheneckofhissteed，andadjustinghimselfsidewaysinthesaddle，replied，withgreatdeliberation，’TwodaysagoIhappenedtobeatafairnotveryfarfromhere；I
wasallalonebymyself，forourpartywereupwardsoffortymilesoff，whenwhoshouldcomeupbutachapthatIknew，arelation，orratheraconnection，ofmine-oneofthoseHernes。“Aren’tyougoingtothefuneral？“saidhe；andthen，brother，therepassedbetweenhimandme，inthewayofquestioningandanswering，muchthesameashasjustnowpassedbetweenmeandyou；butwhenhementionedhanging，IthoughtIcoulddonolessthanaskwhohangedher，whichyouforgottodo。“Whohangedher？“saidI；andthenthemantoldmethatshehaddoneitherself；beenherownhinjiri；
andthenIthoughttomyselfwhatasinandshameitwouldbeifI
didnotgotothefuneral，seeingthatshewasmyownmother-in-
law。Iwouldhavebroughtmywife，and，indeed，thewholeofourparty，buttherewasnotimeforthat；theyweretoofaroff，andthedeadwastobeburiedearlythenextmorning；soIwentwiththeman，andheledmeintoWales，wherehispartyhadlatelyretired，andwhenthere，throughmanywildanddesolateplacestotheirencampment，andthereIfoundtheHernes，andthedeadbody-
thelastlaidoutonamattress，inatent，dressedRomaneskoenaesinaredcloak，andbigbonnetofblackbeaver。ImustsayfortheHernesthattheytookthematterverycoolly；somewereeating，othersdrinking，andsomeweretalkingabouttheirsmallaffairs；
therewasone，however，whodidnottakethemattersocoolly，buttookonenoughforthewholefamily，sittingbesidethedeadwoman，tearingherhair，andrefusingtotakeeithermeatordrink；itwasthechildLeonora。Iarrivedatnight-fall，andtheburyingwasnottotakeplacetillthemorning，whichIwasrathersorryfor，asIamnotveryfondofthemHernes，whoarenotveryfondofanybody。Theyneveraskedmetoeatordrink，notwithstandingI
hadmarriedintothefamily；oneofthem，however，cameupandofferedtofightmeforfiveshillings；haditnotbeenforthemI
shouldhavecomebackasemptyasIwent-hedidn’tstandupfiveminutes。Brother，IpassedthenightaswellasIcould，beneathatree，forthetentswerefull，andnotoverclean；Isleptlittle，andhadmyeyesaboutme，forIknewthekindofpeopleIwasamong。
’Earlyinthemorningthefuneraltookplace。Thebodywasplacednotinacoffinbutonabier，andcarriednottoachurchyardbuttoadeepdellcloseby；andthereitwasburiedbeneatharock，dressedjustasIhavetoldyou；andthiswasdonebythebiddingofLeonora，whohadheardherbebeesaythatshewishedtobeburied，notingorgiousfashion，butlikeaRomanwomanoftheoldblood，thekoskopurorati，brother。Whenitwasover，andwehadgotbacktotheencampment，Ipreparedtobegoing。Beforemountingmygry，however，Ibethoughtmetoaskwhatcouldhaveinducedthedeadwomantomakeawaywithherself-athingsouncommonamongstRomanies；whereupononesquintedwithhiseyes，asecondspirtedsaliverintotheair，andathirdsaidthatheneitherknewnorcared；shewasagoodriddance，havingmorethanoncebeennearlytheruinofthemall，fromthequantityofbrimstoneshecarriedabouther。One，however，Isupposeratherashamedofthewayinwhichtheyhadtreatedme，saidatlastthatifIwantedtoknowallaboutthematternonecouldtellmebetterthanthechild，whowasinallhersecrets，andwasnotalittlelikeher；soIlookedaboutforthechild，butcouldfindhernowhere。Atlastthesamemantoldmethatheshouldn’twonderifIfoundheratthegrave；soIwentbacktothegrave，andsureenoughthereIfoundthechildLeonora，seatedonthegroundabovethebody，cryingandtakingon；soIspokekindlytoher，andsaid，“Howcameallthis，Leonora？tellmeallaboutit。“ItwasalongtimebeforeIcouldgetanyanswer；atlastsheopenedhermouthandspoke，andthesewerethewordsshesaid，“ItwasallalongofyourPal“；andthenshetoldmeallaboutthematter-howMrs。
Hernecouldnotabideyou，whichIknewbefore；andthatshehadswornyourdestruction，whichIdidnotknowbefore。Andthenshetoldmehowshefoundyoulivinginthewoodbyyourself，andhowyouwereenticedtoeatapoisonedcake；andshetoldmemanyotherthingsthatyouwotof，andshetoldmewhatperhapsyoudon’twot，namely，thatfindingyouhadbeenremoved，she，thechild，hadtrackedyoualongway，andfoundyouatlastwellandhearty，andnowaysaffectedbythepoison，andheardyou，asshestoodconcealed，disputingaboutreligionwithaWelshMethody。Well，brother，shetoldmeallthis；and，moreover，thatwhenMrs。Herneheardofit，shesaidthatadreamofhershadcometopass。I
don’tknowwhatitwas，butsomethingaboutherself，atinker，andadean；andthensheaddedthatitwasallupwithher，andthatshemusttakealongjourney。Well，brother，thatsamenightLeonora，wakingfromhersleepinthetentwhereMrs。Herneandshewerewonttosleep，missedherbebee，and，becomingalarmed，wentinsearchofher，andatlastfoundherhangingfromabranch；andwhenthechildhadgotsofar，shetookonviolently，andIcouldnotgetanotherwordfromher；soIlefther，andhereIam。’
’AndIamgladtoseeyou，Mr。Petulengro；butthisissadnewswhichyoutellmeaboutMrs。Herne。’
’Somewhatdreary，brother；yet，perhaps，afterall，itisagoodthingthatsheisremoved；shecarriedsomuchDevil’stinderaboutwithher，asthemansaid。’
’Iamsorryforher，’saidI；’moreespeciallyasIamthecauseofherdeath-thoughtheinnocentone。’
’Shecouldnotbideyou，brother，that’scertain；butthatisnoreason’-saidMr。Petulengro，balancinghimselfuponthesaddle-
’thatisnoreasonwhysheshouldpreparedrowtotakeawayyouressenceoflife；and，whendisappointed，tohangherselfuponatree：ifshewasdissatisfiedwithyou，shemighthaveflownatyou，andscratchedyourface；or，ifshedidnotjudgeherselfyourmatch，shemighthaveputdownfiveshillingsforaturn-upbetweenyouandsomeoneshethoughtcouldbeatyou-myself，forexample-
andsothemattermighthaveendedcomfortably；butshewasalwaystoofondofcovertways，drows，andbrimstones。Thisisnotthefirstpoisoningaffairshehasbeenengagedin。’
’Youalludetodrabbingbawlor。’
’Bah!’saidMr。Petulengro；’there’snoharminthat。No，no!shehascastdrowsinhertimeforotherguessthingsthanbawlor；bothGorgiosandRomanshavetastedofthem，anddied。Didyouneverhearofthepoisonedplumpudding？’
’Never。’
’ThenIwilltellyouaboutit。Ithappenedaboutsixyearsago，afewmonthsaftershehadquittedus-shehadgonefirstamongstherownpeople，asshecalledthem；buttherewasanothersmallpartyofRomans，withwhomshesoonbecameveryintimate。Itsohappenedthatthissmallpartygotintotrouble；whetheritwasaboutahorseoranass，orpassingbadmoney，nomattertoyouandme，whohadnohandinthebusiness；threeorfourofthemweretakenandlodgedin-Castle，andamongstthemwasawoman；butthesherengro，orprincipalmanoftheparty，andwhoitseemshadmosthandintheaffair，wasstillatlarge。Allofasuddenarumourwasspreadabroadthatthewomanwasabouttoplayfalse，andto’peachtherest。Saidtheprincipalman，whenheheardit，“Ifshedoes，Iamnashkado。“Mrs。Hernewasthenonavisittotheparty，andwhensheheardtheprincipalmantakeonso，shesaid，“ButI