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'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； ho！ sir； you have taken
drows； what； another throe！ writhe； sir； writhe； the hog died by
the drow of gypsies； I saw him stretched at evening。 That's
yourself； sir。 There is no hope； sir； no help； you have taken
drow； shall I tell you your fortune； sir； your dukkerin？ God bless
you； pretty gentleman； much trouble will you have to suffer； and
much water to cross； but never mind； pretty gentleman； you shall be
fortunate at the end； and those who hate shall take off their hats
to you。'
'Hey； bebee！' cried the girl； 'what is this？ what do you mean？ you
have blessed the gorgio！'
'Blessed him！ no； sure； what did I say？ Oh； I remember； I'm mad；
well； I can't help it； I said what the dukkerin dook told me； woe's
me； he'll get up yet。'
'Nonsense； bebee！ Look at his motions； he's drabbed； spite of
dukkerin。'
'Don't say so； child； he's sick； 'tis true； but don't laugh at
dukkerin； only folks do that that know no better。 I； for one； will
never laugh at the dukkerin dook。 Sick again； I wish he was gone。'
'He'll soon be gone； bebee； let's leave him。 He's as good as gone；
look there； he's dead。'
'No； he's not； he'll get up … I feel it； can't we hasten him？'
'Hasten him！ yes； to be sure； set the dog upon him。 Here； juggal；
look in there； my dog。'
The dog made its appearance at the door of the tent； and began to
bark and tear up the ground。
'At him； juggal； at him； he wished to poison； to drab you。
Halloo！'
The dog barked violently； and seemed about to spring at my face；
but retreated。
'The dog won't fly at him； child； he flashed at the dog with his
eye； and scared him。 He'll get up。'
'Nonsense； bebee！ you make me angry； how should he get up？'
'The dook tells me so； and； what's more； I had a dream。 I thought
I was at York； standing amidst a crowd to see a man hung； and the
crowd shouted； 〃There he comes！〃 and I looked； and； lo！ it was the