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drinking？ Of course I see him。'
'I shall turn back with him。 God bless you。'
'Go back with him not；' said Peter； 'he is one of those whom I like
not； one of the clibberty…clabber； as Master Ellis Wyn observes …
turn not with that man。'
'Go not back with him；' said Winifred。 'If thou goest with that
man； thou wilt soon forget all our profitable counsels； come with
us。'
'I cannot； I have much to say to him。 Kosko Divvus； Mr。
Petulengro。'
'Kosko Divvus； Pal；' said Mr。 Petulengro； riding through the water；
'are you turning back？'
I turned back with Mr。 Petulengro。
Peter came running after me： 'One moment； young man； … who and
what are you？'
'I must answer in the words of Taliesin；' said I： 'none can say
with positiveness whether I be fish or flesh； least of all myself。
God bless you both！'
'Take this；' said Peter； and he thrust his Welsh Bible into my
hand。
CHAPTER LXXXI
At a funeral … Two days ago … Very coolly … Roman woman … Well and
hearty … Somewhat dreary … Plum pudding … Roman fashion … Quite
different … The dark lane … Beyond the time … Fine fellow … Such a
struggle … Like a wild cat … Fair Play … Pleasant enough spot … No
gloves。
SO I turned back with Mr。 Petulengro。 We travelled for some time
in silence； at last we fell into discourse。 'You have been in
Wales； Mr。 Petulengro？'
'Ay； truly； brother。'
'What have you been doing there？'
'Assisting at a funeral。'
'At whose funeral？'
'Mrs。 Herne's； brother。'
'Is she dead； then？'
'As a nail； brother。'
'How did she die？'
'By hanging； brother。'
'I am lost in astonishment；' said I； whereupon Mr。 Petulengro；
lifting his sinister leg over the neck of his steed； and adjusting
himself sideways in the saddle； replied； with great deliberation；
'Two days ago I happened to be at a fair not very far from here； I
was all alone by myself； for our party were upwards of forty miles
off； when who should come up but a chap that I knew； a relation； or
rather a connection； of mine … one of those Hernes。 〃Aren't you
going to the funeral？〃 said he； and then； brother； there passed
between him and me； in the way of questioning and answering； much
the same as has just now passed between me and you； but when he
mentioned hanging； I thought I could do no less than ask who hanged
her； which you forgot to do。 〃Who hanged her？〃 said I； and then
the man told me that she had done it herself； been her own hinjiri；
and then I thought to myself what a sin and shame it would be if I
did not go to the funeral； seeing that she was my own mother…in…
law。 I would have brought my wife； and； indeed； the whole of our
party； but there was no time for that； they were too far off； and
the dead was to be buried early the next morning； so I went with
the man； and he led me into Wales； where his party had lately
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；