lavengro-第95章

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winding　path　which　led　to　my　retreat。　　Leaving　my　cart；　I　came　

forward　and　placed　myself　near　the　entrance　of　the　open　space；　with　

my　eyes　fixed　on　the　path　down　which　my　unexpected；　and　I　may　say　

unwelcome；　visitors　were　coming。　　Presently　I　heard　a　stamping　or　

sliding；　as　if　of　a　horse　in　some　difficulty；　then　a　loud　curse；　

and　the　next　moment　appeared　a　man　and　a　horse　and　cart；　the　former　

holding　the　head　of　the　horse　up　to　prevent　him　from　falling；　of　

which　he　was　in　danger；　owing　to　the　precipitous　nature　of　the　

path。　　Whilst　thus　occupied；　the　head　of　the　man　was　averted　from　

me。　　When；　however；　he　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　descent；　he　

turned　his　head；　and　perceiving　me；　as　I　stood　bareheaded；　without　

either　coat　or　waistcoat；　about　two　yards　from　him；　he　gave　a　

sudden　start；　so　violent　that　the　backward　motion　of　his　hand　had　

nearly　flung　the　horse　upon　his　haunches。



'Why　don't　you　move　forward？'　said　a　voice　from　behind；　apparently　

that　of　a　female；　'you　are　stopping　up　the　way；　and　we　shall　be　all　

down　upon　one　another'；　and　I　saw　the　head　of　another　horse　

overtopping　the　back　of　the　cart。



'Why　don't　you　move　forward；　Jack？'　said　another　voice；　also　a　

female；　yet　higher　up　the　path。



The　man　stirred　not；　but　remained　staring　at　me　in　the　posture　

which　he　had　assumed　on　first　perceiving　me；　his　body　very　much　

drawn　back；　his　left　foot　far　in　advance　of　his　right；　and　with　his　

right　hand　still　grasping　the　halter　of　the　horse；　which　gave　way　

more　and　more；　till　it　was　clean　down　on　its　haunches。



'What's　the　matter？'　said　the　voice　which　I　had　last　heard。



'Get　back　with　you；　Belle；　Moll；'　said　the　man；　still　staring　at　

me；　'here's　something　not　over　canny　or　comfortable。'



'What　is　it？'　said　the　same　voice；　'let　me　pass；　Moll；　and　I'll　

soon　clear　the　way'；　and　I　heard　a　kind　of　rushing　down　the　path。



'You　need　not　be　afraid；'　said　I；　addressing　myself　to　the　man；　'I　

mean　you　no　harm；　I　am　a　wanderer　like　yourself　…　come　here　to　seek　

for　shelter　…　you　need　not　be　afraid；　I　am　a　Roman　chabo　by　

matriculation　…　one　of　the　right　sort；　and　no　mistake　…　Good…day　to　

ye；　brother；　I　bid　ye　welcome。'



The　man　eyed　me　suspiciously　for　a　moment　…　then；　turning　to　his　

horse　with　a　loud　curse；　he　pulled　him　up　from　his　haunches；　and　

led　him　and　the　cart　farther　down　to　one　side　of　the　dingle；　

muttering；　as　he　passed　me；　'Afraid！　　Hm！'



I　do　not　remember　ever　to　have　seen　a　more　ruffianly…looking　

fellow；　he　was　about　six　feet　high；　with　an　immensely　athletic　

frame；　his　face　was　black　and　bluff；　and　sported　an　immense　pair　of　

whiskers；　but　with　here　and　there　a　gray　hair；　for　his　age　could　

not　be　much　under　fifty。　　He　wore　a　faded　blue　frock…coat；　

corduroys；　and　highlows；　on　his　black　head　was　a　kind　of　red　

nightcap；　round　his　bull　neck　a　Barcelona　handkerchief　…　I　did　not　

like　the　look　of　the　man　at　all。



'Afraid！'　growled　the　fellow；　proceeding　to　unharness　his　horse；　

'that　was　the　word；　I　think。'



But　other　figures　were　now　already　upon　the　scene。　　Dashing　past　

the　other　horse　and　cart；　which　by　this　time　had　reached　the　bottom　

of　the　pass；　appeared　an　exceedingly　tall　woman；　or　rather　girl；　

for　she　could　scarcely　have　been　above　eighteen；　she　was　dressed　in　

a　tight　bodice　and　a　blue　stuff　gown；　hat；　bonnet；　or　cap　she　had　

none；　and　her　hair；　which　was　flaxen；　hung　down　on　her　shoulders　

unconfined；　her　complexion　was　fair；　and　her　features　handsome；　

with　a　determined　but　open　expression　…　she　was　followed　by　another　

female；　about　forty；　stout　and　vulgar…looking；　at　whom　I　scarcely　

glanced；　my　whole　attention　being　absorbed　by　the　tall　girl。



'What's　the　matter；　Jack？'　said　the　latter；　looking　at　the　man。



'Only　afraid；　that's　all；'　said　the　man；　still　proceeding　with　his　

work。



'Afraid　at　what　…　at　that　lad？　why；　he　looks　like　a　ghost　…　I　would　

engage　to　thrash　him　with　one　hand。'



'You　might　beat　me　with　no　hands　at　all；'　said　I；　'fair　damsel；　

only　by　looking　at　me　…　I　never　saw　such　a　face　and　figure；　both　

regal　…　why；　you　look　like　Ingeborg；　Queen　of　Norway；　she　had　

twelve　brothers；　you　know；　and　could　lick　them　all；　though　they　

were　heroes：…





On　Dovrefeld　in　Norway

Were　once　together　seen

The　twelve　heroic　brothers

Of　Ingeborg　the　queen。'





'None　of　your　chaffing；　young　fellow；'　said　the　tall　girl；　'or　I　

will　give　you　what　shall　make　you　wipe　your　face；　be　civil；　or　you　

will　rue　it。'



'Well；　perhaps　I　was　a　peg　too　high；'　said　I；　'I　ask　your　pardon　…　

here's　something　a　bit　lower：…





As　I　was　jawing　to　the　gav　yeck　divvus

I　met　on　the　drom　miro　Rommany　chi　…　'





None　of　your　Rommany　chies；　young　fellow；'　said　the　tall　girl；　

looking　more　menacingly　than　before；　and　clenching　her　fist；　'you　

had　better　be　civil；　I　am　none　of　your　chies；　and　though　I　keep　

company　with　gypsies；　or；　to　speak　more　proper；　half…and…halfs；　I　

would　have　you　to　know　that　I　come　of　Christian　blood　and　parents；　

and　was　born　in　the　great　house　of　Long　Melford。'



'I　have　no　doubt；'　said　I；　'that　it　was　a　great　house；　judging　from　

your　size　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　you　were　born　in　a　church。'



'Stay；　Belle；'　said　the　man；　putting　himself　before　the　young　

virago；　who　was　about　to　rush　upon　me；　'my　turn　is　first'　…　then；　

advancing　to　me　in　a　menacing　attitude；　he　said；　with　a　look　of　

deep　malignity；　'〃Afraid；〃　was　the　word；　wasn't　it？'



'It　was；'　said　I；　'but　I　think　I　wronged　you；　I　should　have　said；　

aghast；　you　exhibited　every　symptom　of　one　labouring　under　

uncontrollable　fear。'



The　fellow　stared　at　me　with　a　look　of　stupid　ferocity；　and　

appeared　to　be　hesitating　whether　to　strike　or　not：　　ere　he　could　

make　up　his　mind；　the　tall　girl　started　forward；　crying；　'He's　

chaffing；　let　me　at　him'；　and　before　I　could　put　myself　on　my　

guard；　she　struck　me　a　blow　on　the　face　which　had　nearly　brought　me　

to　the　ground。



'Enough；'　said　I；　putting　my　hand　to　my　cheek；　'you　have　now　

performed　your　promise；　and　made　me　wipe　my　face：　　now　be　pacified；　

and　tell　me　fairly　the　grounds　of　this　quarrel。'



'Grounds！'　said　the　fellow；　'didn't　you　say　I　was　afraid；　and　if　

you　hadn't；　who　gave　you　leave　to　camp　on　my　ground？'



'Is　it　your　ground？'　said　I。



'A　pretty　question；'　said　the　fellow；　'as　if　all　the　world　didn't　

know　that。　　Do　you　know　who　I　am？'



'I　guess　I　do；'　said　I；　'unless　I　am　much　mistaken；　you　are　he　whom　

folks　call　the　〃Flaming　Tinman。〃　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I'm　glad　

we　have　met；　for　I　wished　to　see　you。　　These　are　your　two　wives；　I　

suppose；　I　greet　them。　　There's　no　harm　done　…　there's　room　enough　

here　for　all　of　us　…　we　shall　soon　be　good　friends；　I　daresay；　and　

when　we　are　a　little　better　acquainted；　I'll　tell　you　my　history。'



'Well；　if　that　doesn't　beat　all！'　said　the　fellow。



'I　don't　think　he's　chaffing　now；'　said　the　girl；　whose　anger　

seemed　to　have　subsided　on　a　sudden；　'the　young　man　speaks　civil　

enough。'



'Civil！'　said　the　fellow；　with　an　oath；　'but　that's　just　like　you；　

with　you　it　is　a　blow；　and　all　over。　　Civil！　　I　suppose　you　would　

have　him　stay　here；　and　get　into　all　my　secrets；　and　hear　all　I　may　

have　to　say　to　my　two　morts。'



'Two　morts！'　said　the　girl；　kindling　up；　'where　are　they？　　Speak　

for　one；　and　no　more。　　I　am　no　mort　of　yours；　whatever　some　one　

else　may　be。　　I　tell　you　one　thing；　Black　John；　or　Anselo；　…　for　

t'other　ain't　your　name；　…　the　same　thing　I　told　the　young　man　

here；　be　civil；　or　you　will　rue　it。'



The　fellow　looked　at　the　girl　furiously；　but　his　glance　soon　

quailed　before　hers；　he　withdrew　his　eyes；　and　cast　them　on　my　

little　horse；　which　was　feeding　amongst　the　trees。　　'What's　this？'　

said　he；　rushing　forward　and　seizing　the　animal。　　'Why；　as　I　am　

alive；　this　is　the　horse　of　that　mumping　villain　Slingsby。'



'It's　his　no　longer；　I　bought　it　and　paid　for　it。'



'It's　mine　now；'　said　the　fellow；　'I　swore　I　would　seize　it　the　

next　time　I　found　it　on　my　beat；　ay；　and　beat　the　master　too。'



'I　am　not　Slingsby。'



'All's　one　for　that。'



'You　don't　say　you　will　beat　me？'



'Afraid　was　the　word。'



'I'm　sick　and　feeble。'



'Hold　up　your　fists。'



'Won't　the　horse　satisfy　you？'



'Horse　nor　bellows　either。'



'No　mercy；　then？'



'Here's　at　you。'



'Mind　your　eyes；　Jack。　　There；　you've　got　it。　　I　thought　so；'　

shouted　the　girl；　as　the　fellow　staggered　back　from　a　sharp　blow　in　

the　eye；　'I　thought　he　was　chaffing　at　you　all　along。'



'Never　mind；　Anselo。　　You　know　what　to　do　…　go　in；'　said　the　vulgar　

woman；　who　had　hitherto　not　spoken　a　word；　but　who　now　came　forward　

with　all　the　look　of　a　fury；　'go　inapopli；　you'll　smash　ten　like　

he。'



The　Flaming　Tinman　took　her　advice；　and　came　in　bent　on　smashing；　

but　stopped　short　on　receiving　a　left…handed　blow　on　the　nose。



'You'll　never　beat　the　Flaming　Tinman　in　that　way；'　said　the　girl；　

looking　at　me　doubtfully。



And　so　I　began　to　think　myself；　when；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　

the　Flaming　Tinman；　disengaging　himself　of　his　frock…coat；　and　

dashing　off　his　red　night…cap；　came　rushing　in　more　desperately　

than　ever。　　To　a　flush　hit　which　he　received　in　the　mouth　he　paid　

as　little　attention　as　a　wild　bull　would　have　done；　in　a　moment　his　

arms　were　around　me；　and　in　another　he　had　hurled　me　down；　falling　

heavily　upon　me。　　The　fellow's　strength　appeared　to　be　tremendous。



'Pay　him　off　now；'　said　the　vulgar　woman。　　The　Flaming　Tinman　made　

no　reply；　but；　planting　his　knee　on　my　breast；　seized　my　throat　

with　two　huge　horny　hands。　　I　gave　myself　up　for　dead；　and　probably　

should　have　been　so　in　another　minute　but　for　the　tall　girl；　who　

caught　hold　of　the　handkerchief　which　the　fellow　wore　round　his　

neck；　with　a　grasp　nearly　as　powerful　us　that　with　which　he　pressed　

my　throat。



'Do　you　call　that　fair　play？'　said　she。



'Hands　off；　Belle；'　said　the　other　woman；　'do　you　call　it　fair　play　

to　interfere？　hands　off；　or　I'll　be　down　upon　you　myself。'



But　Belle　paid　no　heed　to　the　injunction；　and　tugged　so　hard　at　the　

handkerchief　that　the　Flaming　Tinman　was　nearly　throttled；　suddenly　

relinquishing　his　hold　of　me；　he　started　on　his　feet；　and　aimed　a　

blow　at　my　fair　preserver；　who　avoided　it；　but　said　coolly：…



'Finish　t'other　business　first；　and　then　I'm　your　woman　whenever　

you　like；　but　finish　it　fairly　…　no　foul　play　when　I'm　by　…　I'll　be　

the　boy's　second；　and　Moll　can　pick　up　you　when　he　happens　to　knock　

you　down。'



The　battle　during　the　next　ten　minutes　raged　with　considerable　

fury；　but　it　so　happened　that　during　this　time　I　was　never　able　to　

knock　the　Flaming　Tinman　down；　but　on　the　contrary　received　six　

knock…down　blows　myself。　　'I　can　never　stand　this；'　said　I；　as　I　

sat　on　the　knee　of　Be