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the tree； and slumbered for some little time； but my sleep was more
agitated than before。 Something appeared to bear heavy on my
breast； I struggled in my sleep； fell on the grass； and awoke； my
temples were throbbing； there was a burning in my eyes； and my
mouth felt parched； the oppression about the chest which I had felt
in my sleep still continued。 'I must shake off these feelings；'
said I； 'and get upon my legs。' I walked rapidly up and down upon
the green sward； at length； feeling my thirst increase； I directed
my steps down the narrow path to the spring which ran amidst the
bushes； arriving there； I knelt down and drank of the water； but on
lifting up my head I felt thirstier than before； again I drank； but
with the like result； I was about to drink for the third time； when
I felt a dreadful qualm which instantly robbed me of nearly all my
strength。 What can be the matter with me？ thought I； but I suppose
I have made myself ill by drinking cold water。 I got up and made
the best of my way back to my tent； before I reached it the qualm
had seized me again； and I was deadly sick。 I flung myself on my
pallet； qualm succeeded qualm； but in the intervals my mouth was
dry and burning； and I felt a frantic desire to drink； but no water
was at hand； and to reach the spring once more was impossible； the
qualms continued； deadly pains shot through my whole frame； I could
bear my agonies no longer； and I fell into a trance or swoon。 How
long I continued therein I know not； on recovering； however； I felt
somewhat better； and attempted to lift my head off my couch； the
next moment； however； the qualms and pains returned； if possible；
with greater violence than before。 I am dying； thought I； like a
dog； without any help； and then methought I heard a sound at a
distance like people singing； and then once more I relapsed into my
swoon。
I revived just as a heavy blow sounded upon the canvas of the tent。
I started； but my condition did not permit me to rise； again the
same kind of blow sounded upon the canvas； I thought for a moment
of crying out and requesting assistance； but an inexplicable
something chained my tongue； and now I heard a whisper on the
outside of the tent。 'He does not move； bebee；' said a voice which
I knew。 'I should not wonder if it has done for him already；
however； strike again with your ran'； and then there was another
blow； after which another voice cried aloud in a strange tone； 'Is
the gentleman of the house asleep； or is he taking his dinner？' I
remained quite silent and motionless； and in another moment the
voice continued； 'What； no answer？ what can the gentleman of the
house be about that he makes no answer？ perhaps the gentleman of
the house may be darning his stockings？' Thereupon a face peered
into the door of the tent； at the farther extremity of which I was
stretched。 It was that of a woman； but owing to the posture in
which she stood； with her back to the light； and partly owing to a
large straw bonnet； I could distinguish but very little of the
features of her countenance。 I had； however； recognised her voice；
it was that of my old acquaintance； Mrs。 Herne。 'Ho； ho； sir！'
said she； 'here you are。 Come here； Leonora；' said she to the
gypsy girl； who pressed in at the other side of the door； 'here is
the gentleman； not asleep； but only stretched out after dinner。
Sit down on your ham； child； at the door； I shall do the same。
There … you have seen me before； sir； have you not？'
'The gentleman makes no answer； bebee； perhaps he does not know
you。'
'I have known him of old； Leonora；' said Mrs。 Herne； 'and； to tell
you the truth； though I spoke to him just now； I expected no
answer。'
'It's a way he has； bebee； I suppose？'
'Yes； child； it's a way he has。'
'Take off your bonnet； bebee； perhaps he cannot see your face。'
'I do not think that will be of much use； child； however； I will
take off my bonnet … there … and shake out my hair … there … you
have seen this hair before； sir； and this face … '
'No answer； bebee。'
'Though the one was not quite so gray； nor the other so wrinkled。'
'How came they so； bebee？'
'All along of this gorgio； child。'
'The gentleman in the house； you mean； bebee？'
'Yes； child； the gentleman in the house。 God grant that I may
preserve my temper。 Do you know； sir； my name？ My name is Herne；
which signifies a hairy individual； though neither gray…haired nor
wrinkled。 It is not the nature of the Hernes to be gray or
wrinkled； even when they are old； and I am not old。'
'How old are you； bebee？'
'Sixty…five years； child … an inconsiderable number。 My mother was
a hundred and one … a considerable age … when she died； yet she had
not one gray hair； and not more than six wrinkles … an
inconsiderable number。'
'She had no griefs； bebee？'
'Plenty； child； but not like mine。'
'Not quite so hard to bear； bebee？'
'No； child； my head wanders when I think of them。 After the death
of my husband； who came to his end untimeously； I went to live with
a daughter of mine； married out among certain Romans who walk about
the eastern counties； and with whom for some time I found a home
and pleasant society； for they lived right Romanly； which gave my
heart considerable satisfaction； who am a Roman born； and hope to
die so。 When I say right Romanly； I mean that they kept to
themselves； and were not much given to blabbing about their private
matters in promiscuous company。 Well； things went on in this way
for some time； when one day my son…in…law brings home a young
gorgio of singular and outrageous ugliness； and； without much
preamble； says to me and mine； 〃This is my pal； ain't he a beauty？
fall down and worship him。〃 〃Hold；〃 said I； 〃I for one will never
consent to such foolishness。〃'
'That was right； bebee； I think I should have done the same。'
'I think you would； child； but what was the profit of it？ The
whole party makes an almighty of this gorgio； lets him into their
ways； says prayers of his making； till things come to such a pass
that my own daughter says to me； 〃I shall buy myself a veil and
fan； and treat myself to a play and sacrament。〃 〃Don't；〃 says I；
says she； 〃I should like for once in my life to be courtesied to as
a Christian gentlewoman。〃'
'Very foolish of her； bebee。'
'Wasn't it； child？ Where was I？ At the fan and sacrament； with a
heavy heart I put seven score miles between us； came back to the
hairy ones； and found them over…given to gorgious companions； said
I； 〃Foolish manners is catching； all this comes of that there
gorgio。〃 Answers the child Leonora； 〃Take comfort； bebee； I hate
the gorgios as much as you do。〃'
'And I say so again； bebee； as much or more。'
'Time flows on； I engage in many matters； in most miscarry。 Am
sent to prison； says I to myself； I am become foolish。 Am turned
out of prison； and go back to the hairy ones； who receive me not
over courteously； says I； for their unkindness； and my own
foolishness； all the thanks to that gorgio。 Answers to me the
child； 〃I wish I could set eyes upon him； bebee。〃'
'I did so； bebee； go on。'
'〃How shall I know him； bebee？' says the child。 〃Young and gray；
tall； and speaks Romanly。〃 Runs to me the child； and says； 〃I've
found him； bebee。〃 〃Where； child？〃 says I。 〃Come with me； bebee；〃
says the child。 〃That's he；〃 says I； as I looked at my gentleman
through the hedge。'
'Ha； ha！ bebee； and here he lies； poisoned like a hog。'
'You have taken drows； sir；' said Mrs。 Herne； 'do you hear； sir？
drows； tip him a stave； child； of the song of poison。'
And thereupon the girl clapped her hands； and sang …
'The Rommany churl
And the Rommany girl
To…morrow shall hie
To poison the sty；
And bewitch on the mead
The farmer's steed。'
'Do you hear that； sir？' said Mrs。 Herne； 'the child has tipped you
a stave of the song of poison： that is； she has sung it
Christianly； though perhaps you would like to hear it Romanly； you
were always fond of what was Roman。 Tip it him Romanly； child。'
'He has heard it Romanly already； bebee； 'twas by that I found him
out； as I told you。'
'Halloo； sir； are you sleeping？ you have taken drows； the gentleman
makes no answer。 God give me patience！'
'And what if he doesn't； bebee； isn't he poisoned like a hog？
Gentleman； indeed！ why call him gentleman？ if he ever was one he's
broke； and is now a tinker； a worker of blue metal。'
'That's his way； child； to…day a tinker； to…morrow something else；
and as for being drabbed； I don't know what to say about it。'
'Not drabbed！ what do you mean； bebee？ but look there； bebee； ha；
ha； look at the gentleman's motions。'
'He is sick； child； sure enough。 Ho； h