lavengro-第91章

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her　own　people；　as　she　called　them；　but　there　was　another　small　

party　of　Romans；　with　whom　she　soon　became　very　intimate。　　It　so　

happened　that　this　small　party　got　into　trouble；　whether　it　was　

about　a　horse　or　an　ass；　or　passing　bad　money；　no　matter　to　you　and　

me；　who　had　no　hand　in　the　business；　three　or　four　of　them　were　

taken　and　lodged　in　…　Castle；　and　amongst　them　was　a　woman；　but　the　

sherengro；　or　principal　man　of　the　party；　and　who　it　seems　had　most　

hand　in　the　affair；　was　still　at　large。　　All　of　a　sudden　a　rumour　

was　spread　abroad　that　the　woman　was　about　to　play　false；　and　to　

'peach　the　rest。　　Said　the　principal　man；　when　he　heard　it；　〃If　she　

does；　I　am　nashkado。〃　　Mrs。　Herne　was　then　on　a　visit　to　the　party；　

and　when　she　heard　the　principal　man　take　on　so；　she　said；　〃But　I　

suppose　you　know　what　to　do？〃　　〃I　do　not；〃　said　he。　　〃Then　hir　mi　

devlis；〃　said　she；　〃you　are　a　fool。　　But　leave　the　matter　to　me；　I　

know　how　to　dispose　of　her　in　Roman　fashion。〃　　Why　she　wanted　to　

interfere　in　the　matter；　brother；　I　don't　know；　unless　it　was　from　

pure　brimstoneness　of　disposition　…　she　had　no　hand　in　the　matter　

which　had　brought　the　party　into　trouble　…　she　was　only　on　a　visit；　

and　it　had　happened　before　she　came；　but　she　was　always　ready　to　

give　dangerous　advice。　　Well；　brother；　the　principal　man　listened　

to　what　she　had　to　say；　and　let　her　do　what　she　would；　and　she　made　

a　pudding；　a　very　nice　one；　no　doubt　…　for；　besides　plums；　she　put　

in　drows　and　all　the　Roman　condiments　that　she　knew　of；　and　she　

gave　it　to　the　principal　man；　and　the　principal　put　it　into　a　

basket　and　directed　it　to　the　woman　in　…　Castle；　and　the　woman　in　

the　castle　took　it　and　…　〃



'Ate　of　it；'　said　I；　'just　like　my　case！'



'Quite　different；　brother；　she　took　it；　it　is　true；　but　instead　of　

giving　way　to　her　appetite；　as　you　might　have　done；　she　put　it　

before　the　rest　whom　she　was　going　to　impeach；　perhaps　she　wished　

to　see　how　they　liked　it　before　she　tasted　it　herself；　and　all　the　

rest　were　poisoned；　and　one　died；　and　there　was　a　precious　outcry；　

and　the　woman　cried　loudest　of　all；　and　she　said；　〃It　was　my　death　

was　sought　for；　I　know　the　man；　and　I'll　be　revenged。〃　　And　then　

the　Poknees　spoke　to　her　and　said；　〃Where　can　we　find　him？〃　and　she　

said；　〃I　am　awake　to　his　motions；　three　weeks　from　hence；　the　night　

before　the　full　moon；　at　such　and　such　an　hour；　he　will　pass　down　

such　a　lane　with　such　a　man。〃'



'Well；'　said　I；　'and　what　did　the　Poknees　do？'



'Do；　brother！　sent　for　a　plastramengro　from　Bow　Street；　quite　

secretly；　and　told　him　what　the　woman　had　said；　and　the　night　

before　the　full　moon；　the　plastramengro　went　to　the　place　which　the　

juwa　had　pointed　out；　all　alone；　brother；　and　in　order　that　he　

might　not　be　too　late；　he　went　two　hours　before　his　time。　　I　know　

the　place　well；　brother；　where　the　plastramengro　placed　himself　

behind　a　thick　holly　tree；　at　the　end　of　a　lane；　where　a　gate　leads　

into　various　fields；　through　which　there　is　a　path　for　carts　and　

horses。　　The　lane　is　called　the　dark　lane　by　the　Gorgios；　being　

much　shaded　by　trees。　　So　the　plastramengro　placed　himself　in　the　

dark　lane　behind　the　holly　tree；　it　was　a　cold　February　night；　

dreary　though；　the　wind　blew　in　gusts；　and　the　moon　had　not　yet　

risen；　and　the　plastramengro　waited　behind　the　tree　till　he　was　

tired；　and　thought　he　might　as　well　sit　down；　so　he　sat　down；　and　

was　not　long　in　falling　to　sleep；　and　there　he　slept　for　some　

hours；　and　when　he　awoke　the　moon　had　risen；　and　was　shining　

bright；　so　that　there　was　a　kind　of　moonlight　even　in　the　dark　

lane；　and　the　plastramengro　pulled　out　his　watch；　and　contrived　to　

make　out　that　it　was　just　two　hours　beyond　the　time　when　the　men　

should　have　passed　by。　　Brother；　I　do　not　know　what　the　

plastramengro　thought　of　himself；　but　I　know；　brother；　what　I　

should　have　thought　of　myself　in　his　situation。　　I　should　have　

thought；　brother；　that　I　was　a　drowsy　scoppelo；　and　that　I　had　let　

the　fellow　pass　by　whilst　I　was　sleeping　behind　a　bush。　　As　it　

turned　out；　however；　his　going　to　sleep　did　no　harm；　but　quite　the　

contrary：　　just　as　he　was　going　away；　he　heard　a　gate　slam　in　the　

direction　of　the　fields；　and　then　he　heard　the　low　stumping　of　

horses；　as　if　on　soft　ground；　for　the　path　in　those　fields　is　

generally　soft；　and　at　that　time　it　had　been　lately　ploughed　up。　　

Well；　brother；　presently　he　saw　two　men　on　horseback　coming　towards　

the　lane　through　the　field　behind　the　gate；　the　man　who　rode　

foremost　was　a　tall　big　fellow；　the　very　man　he　was　in　quest　of；　

the　other　was　a　smaller　chap；　not　so　small　either；　but　a　light；　

wiry　fellow；　and　a　proper　master　of　his　hands　when　he　sees　occasion　

for　using　them。　　Well；　brother；　the　foremost　man　came　to　the　gate；　

reached　at　the　hank；　undid　it；　and　rode　through；　holding　it　open　

for　the　other。　　Before；　however；　the　other　could　follow　into　the　

lane；　out　bolted　the　plastramengro　from　behind　the　tree；　kicked　the　

gate　to　with　his　foot；　and；　seizing　the　big　man　on　horse…back；　〃You　

are　my　prisoner；〃　said　he。　　I　am　of　opinion；　brother；　that　the　

plastramengro；　notwithstanding　he　went　to　sleep；　must　have　been　a　

regular　fine　fellow。'



'I　am　entirely　of　your　opinion；'　said　I；　'but　what　happened　then？'



'Why；　brother；　the　Rommany　chal；　after　he　had　somewhat　recovered　

from　his　surprise；　for　it　is　rather　uncomfortable　to　be　laid　hold　

of　at　night…time；　and　told　you　are　a　prisoner；　more　especially　when　

you　happen　to　have　two　or　three　things　on　your　mind　which；　if　

proved　against　you；　would　carry　you　to　the　nashky；　…　the　Rommany　

chal；　I　say；　clubbed　his　whip；　and　aimed　a　blow　at　the　

plastramengro；　which；　if　it　had　hit　him　on　the　skull；　as　was　

intended；　would　very　likely　have　cracked　it。　　The　plastramengro；　

however；　received　it　partly　on　his　staff；　so　that　it　did　him　no　

particular　damage。　　Whereupon；　seeing　what　kind　of　customer　he　had　

to　deal　with；　he　dropped　his　staff　and　seized　the　chal　with　both　

his　hands；　who　forthwith　spurred　his　horse；　hoping；　by　doing　so；　

either　to　break　away　from　him　or　fling　him　down；　but　it　would　not　

do　…　the　plastramengro　held　on　like　a　bull…dog；　so　that　the　Rommany　

chal；　to　escape　being　hauled　to　the　ground；　suddenly　flung　himself　

off　the　saddle；　and　then　happened　in　that　lane；　close　by　the　gate；　

such　a　struggle　between　those　two　…　the　chal　and　the　runner　…　as　I　

suppose　will　never　happen　again。　　But　you　must　have　heard　of　it；　

every　one　has　heard　of　it；　every　one　has　heard　of　the　fight　between　

the　Bow　Street　engro　and　the　Rommany　chal。'



'I　never　heard　of　it　till　now。'



'All　England　rung　of　it；　brother。　　There　never　was　a　better　match　

than　between　those　two。　　The　runner　was　somewhat　the　stronger　of　

the　two　…　all　those　engroes　are　strong　fellows　…　and　a　great　deal　

cooler；　for　all　of　that　sort　are　wondrous　cool　people　…　he　had；　

however；　to　do　with　one　who　knew　full　well　how　to　take　his　own　

part。　　The　chal　fought　the　engro；　brother；　in　the　old　Roman　

fashion。　　He　bit；　he　kicked；　and　screamed　like　a　wild　cat　of　

Benygant；　casting　foam　from　his　mouth　and　fire　from　his　eyes。　　

Sometimes　he　was　beneath　the　engro's　legs；　and　sometimes　he　was　

upon　his　shoulders。　　What　the　engro　found　the　most　difficult　was　to　

get　a　firm　hold　of　the　chal；　for　no　sooner　did　he　seize　the　chal　by　

any　part　of　his　wearing　apparel；　than　the　chal　either　tore　himself　

away；　or　contrived　to　slip　out　of　it；　so　that　in　a　little　time　the　

chal　was　three　parts　naked；　and　as　for　holding　him　by　the　body；　it　

was　out　of　the　question；　for　he　was　as　slippery　as　an　eel。　　At　last　

the　engro　seized　the　chal　by　the　Belcher's　handkerchief；　which　he　

wore　in　a　knot　round　his　neck；　and　do　whatever　the　chal　could；　he　

could　not　free　himself；　and　when　the　engro　saw　that；　it　gave　him　

fresh　heart；　no　doubt：　　〃It's　of　no　use；〃　said　he；　〃you　had　better　

give　in；　hold　out　your　hands　for　the　darbies；　or　I　will　throttle　

you。〃



'And　what　did　the　other　fellow　do；　who　came　with　the　chal？'　said　I。



'I　sat　still　on　my　horse；　brother。'



'You！'　said　I。　　'Were　you　the　man？'



'I　was　he；　brother。'



'And　why　did　you　not　help　your　comrade？'



'I　have　fought　in　the　ring；　brother。'



'And　what　had　fighting　in　the　ring　to　do　with　fighting　in　the　

lane？'



'You　mean　not　fighting。　　A　great　deal；　brother；　it　taught　me　to　

prize　fair　play。　　When　I　fought　Staffordshire　Dick；　t'other　side　of　

London；　I　was　alone；　brother。　　Not　a　Rommany　chal　to　back　me；　and　

he　had　all　his　brother　pals　about　him；　but　they　gave　me　fair　play；　

brother；　and　I　beat　Staffordshire　Dick；　which　I　couldn't　have　done　

had　they　put　one　finger　on　his　side　the　scale；　for　he　was　as　good　a　

man　as　myself；　or　nearly　so。　　Now；　brother；　had　I　but　bent　a　finger　

in　favour　of　the　Rommany　chal；　the　plastramengro　would　never　have　

come　alive　out　of　the　lane；　but　I　did　not；　for　I　thought　to　myself　

fair　play　is　a　precious　stone；　so　you　see；　brother　…　'



'That　you　are　quite　right；　Mr。　Petulengro；　I　see　that　clearly；　and　

now；　pray　proceed　with　your　narration；　it　is　both　moral　and　

entertaining。'



But　Mr。　Petulengro　did　not　proceed　with　his　narration；　neither　did　

he　proceed　upon　his　way；　he　had　stopped　his　horse；　and　his　eyes　

were　intently　fixed　on　a　broad　strip　of　grass　beneath　some　lofty　

trees；　on　the　left　side　of　the　road。　　It　was　a　pleasant　enough　

spot；　and　seemed　to　invite　wayfaring　people；　such　as　we　were；　to　

rest　from　the　fatigues　of　the　road；　and　the　heat　and　vehemence　of　

the　sun。　　After　examining　it　for　a　considerable　time；　Mr。　

Petulengro　said；　'I　say；　brother；　that　would　be　a　nice　place　for　a　

tussle！'



'I　daresay　it　would；'　said　I；　'if　two　people　were　inclined　to　

fight。'



'The　ground　is　smooth；'　said　Mr。　Petulengro；　'without　holes　or　

ruts；　and　the　trees　cast　much　shade。　　I　don't　think；　brother；　that　

we　could　find　a　better　place；'　said　Mr。　Petulengro；　springing　from　

his　horse。



'But　you　and　I　don't　want　to　fight！'



'Speak　for　yourself；　brother；'　said　Mr。　Petulengro。　　'However；　I　

will　tell　you　how　the　matter　stands。　　There　is　a　point　at　present　

between　us。　　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　you　are　the　cause　of　Mrs。　

Herne's　death；　innocently；　you　will　say；　but　still　the　cause。　　Now；　

I　shouldn't　like　it　to　be　known　that　I　went　up　and　down　the　country　

with　a　pal　who　was　the　cause　of　my　mother…in…law's　death；　that's　to　

say；　unless　he　gave　me　satisfaction。　　Now；　if　I　and　my　pal　have　a　

tussle；　he　gives　me　satisfaction；　and；　if　he　knocks　my　eyes　out；　

which　I　know　you　can't　do；　it　makes　no　difference　at　all；　he　gives　

me　satisfaction；　and　he　who　says　to　the　contrary　knows　nothing　of　

gypsy　law；　and　is　a　dinelo　into　the　bargain。'



'But　we　have　no　gloves！'



'Gloves！'　said　Mr。　Petulengro；　contemptuously；　'gloves！　　I　tell　you　

what；　brother；　I　always