remainedquitesilentandmotionless，andinanothermomentthevoicecontinued，’What，noanswer？whatcanthegentlemanofthehousebeaboutthathemakesnoanswer？perhapsthegentlemanofthehousemaybedarninghisstockings？’Thereuponafacepeeredintothedoorofthetent，atthefartherextremityofwhichIwasstretched。Itwasthatofawoman，butowingtothepostureinwhichshestood，withherbacktothelight，andpartlyowingtoalargestrawbonnet，Icoulddistinguishbutverylittleofthefeaturesofhercountenance。Ihad，however，recognisedhervoice；
itwasthatofmyoldacquaintance，Mrs。Herne。’Ho，ho，sir!’
saidshe，’hereyouare。Comehere，Leonora，’saidshetothegypsygirl，whopressedinattheothersideofthedoor；’hereisthegentleman，notasleep，butonlystretchedoutafterdinner。
Sitdownonyourham，child，atthedoor，Ishalldothesame。
There-youhaveseenmebefore，sir，haveyounot？’
’Thegentlemanmakesnoanswer，bebee；perhapshedoesnotknowyou。’
’Ihaveknownhimofold，Leonora，’saidMrs。Herne；’and，totellyouthetruth，thoughIspoketohimjustnow，Iexpectednoanswer。’
’It’sawayhehas，bebee，Isuppose？’
’Yes，child，it’sawayhehas。’
’Takeoffyourbonnet，bebee，perhapshecannotseeyourface。’
’Idonotthinkthatwillbeofmuchuse，child；however，Iwilltakeoffmybonnet-there-andshakeoutmyhair-there-youhaveseenthishairbefore，sir，andthisface-’
’Noanswer，bebee。’
’Thoughtheonewasnotquitesogray，northeothersowrinkled。’
’Howcametheyso，bebee？’
’Allalongofthisgorgio，child。’
’Thegentlemaninthehouse，youmean，bebee？’
’Yes，child，thegentlemaninthehouse。GodgrantthatImaypreservemytemper。Doyouknow，sir，myname？MynameisHerne，whichsignifiesahairyindividual，thoughneithergray-hairednorwrinkled。ItisnotthenatureoftheHernestobegrayorwrinkled，evenwhentheyareold，andIamnotold。’
’Howoldareyou，bebee？’
’Sixty-fiveyears，child-aninconsiderablenumber。Mymotherwasahundredandone-aconsiderableage-whenshedied，yetshehadnotonegrayhair，andnotmorethansixwrinkles-aninconsiderablenumber。’
’Shehadnogriefs，bebee？’
’Plenty，child，butnotlikemine。’
’Notquitesohardtobear，bebee？’
’No，child；myheadwanderswhenIthinkofthem。Afterthedeathofmyhusband，whocametohisenduntimeously，Iwenttolivewithadaughterofmine，marriedoutamongcertainRomanswhowalkabouttheeasterncounties，andwithwhomforsometimeIfoundahomeandpleasantsociety，fortheylivedrightRomanly，whichgavemyheartconsiderablesatisfaction，whoamaRomanborn，andhopetodieso。WhenIsayrightRomanly，Imeanthattheykepttothemselves，andwerenotmuchgiventoblabbingabouttheirprivatemattersinpromiscuouscompany。Well，thingswentoninthiswayforsometime，whenonedaymyson-in-lawbringshomeayounggorgioofsingularandoutrageousugliness，and，withoutmuchpreamble，saystomeandmine，“Thisismypal，ain’theabeauty？
falldownandworshiphim。““Hold，“saidI，“Iforonewillneverconsenttosuchfoolishness。“’
’Thatwasright，bebee，IthinkIshouldhavedonethesame。’
’Ithinkyouwould，child；butwhatwastheprofitofit？Thewholepartymakesanalmightyofthisgorgio，letshimintotheirways，saysprayersofhismaking，tillthingscometosuchapassthatmyowndaughtersaystome，“Ishallbuymyselfaveilandfan，andtreatmyselftoaplayandsacrament。““Don’t，“saysI；
saysshe，“IshouldlikeforonceinmylifetobecourtesiedtoasaChristiangentlewoman。“’
’Veryfoolishofher，bebee。’
’Wasn’tit，child？WherewasI？Atthefanandsacrament；withaheavyheartIputsevenscoremilesbetweenus，camebacktothehairyones，andfoundthemover-giventogorgiouscompanions；saidI，“Foolishmannersiscatching；allthiscomesofthattheregorgio。“AnswersthechildLeonora，“Takecomfort，bebee；Ihatethegorgiosasmuchasyoudo。“’
’AndIsaysoagain，bebee，asmuchormore。’
’Timeflowson，Iengageinmanymatters，inmostmiscarry。Amsenttoprison；saysItomyself，Iambecomefoolish。Amturnedoutofprison，andgobacktothehairyones，whoreceivemenotovercourteously；saysI，fortheirunkindness，andmyownfoolishness，allthethankstothatgorgio。Answerstomethechild，“IwishIcouldseteyesuponhim，bebee。“’
’Ididso，bebee；goon。’
’“HowshallIknowhim，bebee？’saysthechild。“Youngandgray，tall，andspeaksRomanly。“Runstomethechild，andsays，“I’vefoundhim，bebee。““Where，child？“saysI。“Comewithme，bebee，“
saysthechild。“That’she，“saysI，asIlookedatmygentlemanthroughthehedge。’
’Ha，ha!bebee，andherehelies，poisonedlikeahog。’
’Youhavetakendrows，sir，’saidMrs。Herne；’doyouhear，sir？
drows；tiphimastave，child，ofthesongofpoison。’
Andthereuponthegirlclappedherhands，andsang-
’TheRommanychurlAndtheRommanygirlTo-morrowshallhieTopoisonthesty，AndbewitchonthemeadThefarmer’ssteed。’
’Doyouhearthat，sir？’saidMrs。Herne；’thechildhastippedyouastaveofthesongofpoison：thatis，shehassungitChristianly，thoughperhapsyouwouldliketohearitRomanly；youwerealwaysfondofwhatwasRoman。TipithimRomanly，child。’
’HehashearditRomanlyalready，bebee；’twasbythatIfoundhimout，asItoldyou。’
’Halloo，sir，areyousleeping？youhavetakendrows；thegentlemanmakesnoanswer。Godgivemepatience!’
’Andwhatifhedoesn’t，bebee；isn’thepoisonedlikeahog？
Gentleman，indeed!whycallhimgentleman？ifheeverwasonehe’sbroke，andisnowatinker，aworkerofbluemetal。’
’That’shisway，child，to-dayatinker，to-morrowsomethingelse；
andasforbeingdrabbed，Idon’tknowwhattosayaboutit。’
’Notdrabbed!whatdoyoumean，bebee？butlookthere，bebee；ha，ha，lookatthegentleman’smotions。’
’Heissick，child，sureenough。Ho，ho!sir，youhavetakendrows；what，anotherthroe!writhe，sir，writhe；thehogdiedbythedrowofgypsies；Isawhimstretchedatevening。That’syourself，sir。Thereisnohope，sir，nohelp，youhavetakendrow；shallItellyouyourfortune，sir，yourdukkerin？Godblessyou，prettygentleman，muchtroublewillyouhavetosuffer，andmuchwatertocross；butnevermind，prettygentleman，youshallbefortunateattheend，andthosewhohateshalltakeofftheirhatstoyou。’
’Hey，bebee!’criedthegirl；’whatisthis？whatdoyoumean？youhaveblessedthegorgio!’
’Blessedhim!no，sure；whatdidIsay？Oh，Iremember，I’mmad；
well，Ican’thelpit，Isaidwhatthedukkerindooktoldme；woe’sme，he’llgetupyet。’
’Nonsense，bebee!Lookathismotions，he’sdrabbed，spiteofdukkerin。’
’Don’tsayso，child；he’ssick，’tistrue，butdon’tlaughatdukkerin，onlyfolksdothatthatknownobetter。I，forone，willneverlaughatthedukkerindook。Sickagain；Iwishhewasgone。’
’He’llsoonbegone，bebee；let’sleavehim。He’sasgoodasgone；
lookthere，he’sdead。’
’No，he’snot，he’llgetup-Ifeelit；can’twehastenhim？’
’Hastenhim!yes，tobesure；setthedoguponhim。Here，juggal，lookinthere，mydog。’
Thedogmadeitsappearanceatthedoorofthetent，andbegantobarkandtearuptheground。
’Athim，juggal，athim；hewishedtopoison，todrabyou。
Halloo!’
Thedogbarkedviolently，andseemedabouttospringatmyface，butretreated。
’Thedogwon’tflyathim，child；heflashedatthedogwithhiseye，andscaredhim。He’llgetup。’
’Nonsense，bebee!youmakemeangry；howshouldhegetup？’
’Thedooktellsmeso，and，what’smore，Ihadadream。IthoughtIwasatYork，standingamidstacrowdtoseeamanhung，andthecrowdshouted，“Therehecomes!“andIlooked，and，lo!itwasthetinker；beforeIcouldcrywithjoyIwaswhiskedaway，andIfoundmyselfinEly’sbigchurch，whichwaschockfullofpeopletohearthedeanpreach，andalleyeswereturnedtothebigpulpit；andpresentlyIheardthemsay，“Therehemounts!“andIlookeduptothebigpulpit，and，lo!thetinkerwasinthepulpit，andheraisedhisarmandbegantopreach。Anon，IfoundmyselfatYorkagain，justasthedropfell，andIlookedup，andIsawnotthetinker，butmyownselfhangingintheair。’
’Youaregoingmad，bebee；ifyouwanttohastenhim，takeyourstickandpokehimintheeye。’
’Thatwillbeofnouse，child，thedukkerintellsmeso；butI
willtrywhatIcando。Halloo，tinker!youmustintroduceyourselfintoaquietfamily，andraiseconfusion-mustyou？Youmuststealitslanguage，and，whatwasneverdonebefore，writeitdownChristianly-mustyou？Takethat-andthat’；andshestabbedviolentlywithhersticktowardstheendofthetent。
’That’sright，bebee，youstruckhisface；nowoncemore，andletitbeintheeye。Stay，what’sthat？getup，bebee。’
’What’sthematter，child？’
’Someoneiscoming，comeaway。’
’Letmemakesureofhim，child；he’llbeupyet。’AndthereuponMrs。Herne，rising，leanedforwardintothetent，and，supportingherselfagainstthepole，tookaiminthedirectionofthefartherend。’Iwillthrustouthiseye，’saidshe；and，lungingwithherstick，shewouldprobablyhaveaccomplishedherpurposehadnotatthatmomentthepoleofthetentgivenway，whereuponshefelltotheground，thecanvasfallinguponherandherintendedvictim。
’Here’saprettyaffair，bebee，’screamedthegirl。
’He’llgetup，yet，’saidMrs。Herne，frombeneaththecanvas。