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'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 thought you said your parents were … '
'Bitchadey pawdel； you thought right； brother。 This is my wife's
mother。'
'Then you are married； Jasper？'
'Ay； truly； I am husband and father。 You will see wife and chabo
anon。'
'Where are they now？'
'In the gav； penning dukkerin。'
'We were talking of language； Jasper？'
'True； brother。'
'Yours must be a rum one？'
''Tis called Rommany。'
'I would gladly know it。'
'You need it sorely。'
'Would you teach it me？'
'None sooner。'
'Suppose we begin now？'
'Suppose we do； brother。'
'Not whilst I am here；' said the woman； flinging her knitting down；
and starting upon her feet； 'not whilst I am here shall this gorgio
learn Rommany。 A pretty manoeuvre； truly； and what would be the
end of it？ I goes to the farming ker with my sister； to tell a
fortune； and earn a few sixpences for the chabes。 I sees a jolly
pig in the yard； and I says to my sister； speaking Rommany； 〃Do so
and so；〃 says I； which the farming man hearing； asks what we are
talking about。 〃Nothing at all； master；〃 says I； 〃something about
the weather〃； when who should start up from behind a pale； where he
has been listening； but this ugly gorgio； crying out； 〃They are
after poisoning your pigs； neighbour！〃 so that we are glad to run；
I and my sister； with perhaps the farm…engro shouting after us。
Says my sister to me； when we have got fairly off； 〃How came that
ugly one to know what you said to me？〃 Whereupon I answers； 〃It
all comes of my son Jasper； who brings the gorgio to our fire； and
must needs be teaching him。〃 〃Who was fool there？〃 says my sister。
〃Who； indeed； but my son Jasper；〃 I answers。 And here should I be
a greater fool to sit still and suffer it； which I will not do。 I
do not like the look of him； he looks over…gorgeous。 An ill day to
the Romans when he masters Rommany； and； when I says that； I pens a
true dukkerin。'
'What do you call God； Jasper？'
'You had better be jawing；' said the woman； raising her voice to a
terrible scream； 'you had better be moving off； my gorgio； hang you
for a keen one； sitting there by the fire； and stealing my language
before my face。 Do you know whom you have to deal with？ Do you
know that I am dangerous？ My name is Herne； and I comes of the
hairy ones！'
And a hairy one she looked！ She wore her hair clubbed upon her
head； fastened with many strings and ligatures； but now； tearing
these off； her locks； originally jet black； but now partially
grizzled with age； fell down on every side of her； covering her
face and back as far down as her knees。 No she…bear of Lapland
ever looked more fierce and hairy than did that woman； as standing
in the open part of the tent； with her head bent down； and her
shoulders drawn up； seemingly about to precipitate herself upon me；
she repeated； again and again； …
'My name is Herne； and I comes of the hairy ones！ … '
'I call God Duvel； brother。'
'It sounds very like Devil。'
'It doth； brother； it doth。'
'And what do you call divine； I mean godly？'
'Oh！ I call that duvelskoe。'
'I am thinking of something； Jasper。'
'What are you thinking of； brother？'
'Would it not be a rum thing if divine and devilish were originally
one and the same word？'
'It would； brother； it would … '
。 。 。
From this time I had frequent interviews with Jasper； sometimes in
his tent； sometimes on the heath； about which we would roam for
hours； discoursing on various matters。 Sometimes； mounted on one
of his horses； of which he had several； I would accompany him to
various fairs and markets in the neighbourhood； to which he went on
his own affairs； or those of his tribe。 I soon found that I had
become acquainted with a most singular people； whose habits and
pursuits awakened within me the highest interest。 Of all connected
with them； however； their language was doubtless that which
exercised the greatest influence over my imagination。 I had at
first some suspicion that it would prove a mere made…up gibberish；
but I was soon undeceived。 Broken； corrupted； and half in ruins as
it was； it was not long before I found that it was an original
speech； far more so； indeed； than one or two others of high name
and celebrity； which； up to that time； I had been in the habit of
regarding with respect and veneration。 Indeed many obscure points
connected with the vocabulary of these languages； and to which
neither classic nor modern lore afforded any clue； I thought I
could now clear up by means of this strange broken tongue； spoken
by people who dwelt amongst thickets and furze bushes； in tents as
tawny as their faces； and whom the generality of mankind
designated； and with much semblance of just