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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 Chal。
Tawno Chikno take care of Jasper Petulengro！'
'Is that your name？'
'Don't you like it？'
'Very much； I never heard a sweeter； it is something like what you
call me。'
'The horse…shoe master and the snake…fellow； I am the first。'
'Who gave you that name？'
'Ask Pharaoh。'
'I would； if he were here； but I do not see him。'
'I am Pharaoh。'
'Then you are a king。'
'Chachipen Pal。'
'I do not understand you。'
'Where are your languages？ You want two things； brother： mother
sense； and gentle Rommany。'
'What makes you think that I want sense？'
'That； being so old； you can't yet guide yourself！'
'I can read Dante； Jasper。'
'Anan； brother。'
'I can charm snakes； Jasper。'
'I know you can； brother。'
'Yes； and horses too； bring me the most vicious in the land； if I
whisper he'll be tame。'
'Then the more shame for you … a snake…fellow … a horse…witch … and
a lil…reader … yet you can't shift for yourself。 I laugh at you；
brother！'
'Then you can shift for yourself？'
'For myself and for others； brother。'
'And what does Chikno？'
'Sells me horses； when I bid him。 Those horses on the chong were
mine。'
'And has he none of his own？'
'Sometimes he has； but he is not so well off as myself。 When my
father and mother were bitchadey pawdel； which； to tell you the
truth； they were for chiving wafodo dloovu； they left me all they
had； which was not a little； and I became the head of our family；
which was not a small one。 I was not older than you when that
happened； yet our people said they had never a better krallis to
contrive and plan for them； and to keep them in order。 And this is
so well known that many Rommany Chals； not of our family； come and
join themselves to us； living with us for a time； in order to
better themselves； more especially those of the poorer sort； who
have little of their own。 Tawno is one of these。'
'Is that fine fellow poor？'
'One of the poorest； brother。 Handsome as he is； he has not a
horse of his own to ride on。 Perhaps we may put it down to his
wife； who cannot move about； being a cripple； as you saw。'
'And you are what is called a Gypsy King？'
'Ay； ay； a Rommany Kral。'
'Are there other kings？'
'Those who call themselves so； but the true Pharaoh is Petulengro。'
'Did Pharaoh make horse…shoes？'
'The first who ever did； brother。'
'Pharaoh lived in Egypt。'
'So did we once； brother。'
'And you left it？'
'My fathers did； brother。'
'And why did they come here？'
'They had their reasons； brother。'
'And you are not English？'
'We are not gorgios。'
'And you have a language of your own？'
'Avali。'
'This is wonderful。'
'Ha； ha！' cried the woman； who had hitherto sat knitting； at the
farther end of the tent； without saying a word； though not
inattentive to our conversation； as I could perceive by certain
glances which she occasionally cast upon us both。 'Ha； ha！' she
screamed； fixing upon me two eyes； which shone like burning coals；
and which were filled with an expression both of scorn and
malignity； 'It is wonderful； is it； that we should have a language
of our own？ What； you grudge the poor people the speech they talk
among themselves？ That's just like you gorgios； you would have
everybody stupid； single…tongued idiots； like yourselves。 We are
taken before the Poknees of the gav； myself and sister； to give an
account of ourselves。 So I says to my sister's little boy；
speaking Rommany； I says to the little boy who is with us； Run to
my son Jasper； and the rest； and tell them to be off； there are
hawks abroad。 So the Poknees questions us； and lets us go； not
being able to make anything of us； but； as we are going； he calls
us back。 〃Good woman；〃 says the Poknees； 〃what was that I heard
you say just now to the little boy？〃 〃I was telling him； your
worship； to go and see the time of day； and to save trouble； I said
it in our language。〃 〃Where did you get that language？〃 says the
Poknees。 〃'Tis our own language； sir；〃 I tells him； 〃we did not
steal it。〃 〃Shall I tell you what it is； my good woman？〃 says the
Poknees。 〃I would thank you； sir；〃 says I； 〃for 'tis often we are
asked about it。〃 〃Well； then；〃 says the Poknees； 〃it is no
language at all； merely a made…up gibberish。〃 〃Oh； bless your
wisdom；〃 says I； with a curtsey； 〃you can tell us what our language
is； without understanding it！〃 Another time we meet a parson。
〃Good woman；〃 says he； 〃what's that you are talking？ Is it broken
language？〃 〃Of course； your reverence；〃 says I； 〃we are broken
people； give a shilling； your reverence； to the poor broken woman。〃
Oh； these gorgios！ they grudge us our very language！'
'She called you her son； Jasper？'
'I am her son； brother。'
'I thoug