The Romany Rye

G >> George Borrow >> The Romany Rye

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He then departed, and I remained alone in the dingle. I thought at
first that I had committed a great piece of folly in consenting to
purchase this horse; I might find no desirable purchaser for him,
until the money in my possession should be totally exhausted, and
then I might be compelled to sell him for half the price I had
given for him, or be even glad to find a person who would receive
him at a gift; I should then remain sans horse, and indebted to Mr.
Petulengro. Nevertheless, it was possible that I might sell the
horse very advantageously, and by so doing obtain a fund sufficient
to enable me to execute some grand enterprise or other. My present
way of life afforded no prospect of support, whereas the purchase
of the horse did afford a possibility of bettering my condition,
so, after all, had I not done right in consenting to purchase the
horse? the purchase was to be made with another person's property,
it is true, and I did not exactly like the idea of speculating with
another person's property, but Mr. Petulengro had thrust his money
upon me, and if I lost his money, he could have no one but himself
to blame; so I persuaded myself that I had, upon the whole, done
right, and having come to that persuasion, I soon began to enjoy
the idea of finding myself on horseback again, and figured to
myself all kinds of strange adventures which I should meet with on
the roads before the horse and I should part company.

CHAPTER XIX

Trying the Horse--The Feats of Tawno--Man with the Red Waist-coat--
Disposal of Property.

I saw nothing more of Mr. Petulengro that evening--on the morrow,
however, he came and informed me that he had secured the horse for
me, and that I was to go and pay for it at noon. At the hour
appointed, therefore, I went with Mr. Petulengro and Tawno to the
public, where, as before, there was a crowd of company. The
landlord received us in the bar with marks of much satisfaction and
esteem, made us sit down, and treated us with some excellent mild
draught ale. "Who do you think has been here this morning?" he
said to me, "why, that fellow in black, who came to carry me off to
a house of Popish devotion, where I was to pass seven days and
nights in meditation, as I think he called it, before I publicly
renounced the religion of my country. I read him a pretty lecture,
calling him several unhandsome names, and asking him what he meant
by attempting to seduce a church-warden of the Church of England.
I tell you what, he ran some danger; for some of my customers,
learning his errand, laid hold on him, and were about to toss him
in a blanket, and then duck him in the horse-pond. I, however,
interfered, and said, 'that what he came about was between me and
him, and that it was no business of theirs.' To tell you the
truth, I felt pity for the poor devil, more especially when I
considered that they merely sided against him because they thought
him the weakest, and that they would have wanted to serve me in the
same manner had they considered me a down pin; so I rescued him
from their hands, told him not to be afraid, for that nobody should
touch him, and offered to treat him to some cold gin and water with
a lump of sugar in it; and on his refusing, told him that he had
better make himself scarce, which he did, and I hope I shall never
see him again. So I suppose you are come for the horse; mercy upon
us! who would have thought you would have become the purchaser?
The horse, however, seemed to know it by his neighing. How did you
ever come by the money? however, that's no matter of mine. I
suppose you are strongly backed by certain friends you have."

I informed the landlord that he was right in supposing that I came
for the horse, but that, before I paid for him, I should wish to
prove his capabilities. "With all my heart," said the landlord.
"You shall mount him this moment." Then going into the stable, he
saddled and bridled the horse, and presently brought him out before
the door. I mounted him, Mr. Petulengro putting a heavy whip into
my hand, and saying a few words to me in his own mysterious
language. "The horse wants no whip," said the landlord. "Hold
your tongue, daddy," said Mr. Petulengro. "My pal knows quite well
what to do with the whip, he's not going to beat the horse with
it." About four hundred yards from the house there was a hill, to
the foot of which the road ran almost on a perfect level; towards
the foot of this hill I trotted the horse, who set off at a long,
swift pace, seemingly at the rate of about sixteen miles an hour.
On reaching the foot of the hill, I wheeled the animal round, and
trotted him towards the house--the horse sped faster than before.
Ere he had advanced a hundred yards, I took off my hat, in
obedience to the advice which Mr. Petulengro had given me, in his
own language, and holding it over the horse's head commenced
drumming on the crown with the knob of the whip; the horse gave a
slight start, but instantly recovering himself, continued his trot
till he arrived at the door of the public-house, amidst the
acclamations of the company, who had all rushed out of the house to
be spectators of what was going on. "I see now what you wanted the
whip for," said the landlord, "and sure enough, that drumming on
your hat was no bad way of learning whether the horse was quiet or
not. Well, did you ever see a more quiet horse, or a better
trotter?" "My cob shall trot against him," said a fellow, dressed
in velveteen, mounted on a low powerful-looking animal. "My cob
shall trot against him to the hill and back again--come on!" We
both started; the cob kept up gallantly against the horse for about
half way to the hill, when he began to lose ground; at the foot of
the hill he was about fifteen yards behind. Whereupon I turned
slowly and waited for him. We then set off towards the house, but
now the cob had no chance, being at least twenty yards behind when
I reached the door. This running of the horse, the wild uncouth
forms around me, and the ale and beer which were being guzzled from
pots and flagons, put me wonderfully in mind of the ancient horse-
races of the heathen north. I almost imagined myself Gunnar of
Hlitharend at the race of -

"Are you satisfied?" said the landlord. "Didn't you tell me that
he could leap?" I demanded. "I am told he can," said the landlord;
"but I can't consent that he should be tried in that way, as he
might be damaged." "That's right!" said Mr. Petulengro, "don't
trust my pal to leap that horse, he'll merely fling him down, and
break his neck and his own. There's a better man than he close by;
let him get on his back and leap him." "You mean yourself, I
suppose," said the landlord. "Well, I call that talking modestly,
and nothing becomes a young man more than modesty." "It a'n't I,
daddy," said Mr. Petulengro. "Here's the man," said he, pointing
to Tawno. "Here's the horse-leaper of the world!" "You mean the
horse-back breaker," said the landlord. "That big fellow would
break down my cousin's horse." "Why, he weighs only sixteen
stone," said Mr. Petulengro. "And his sixteen stone, with his way
of handling a horse, does not press so much as any other one's
thirteen. Only let him get on the horse's back, and you'll see
what he can do!" "No," said the landlord, "it won't do." Whereupon
Mr. Petulengro became very much excited; and pulling out a handful
of money, said, "I'll tell you what, I'll forfeit these guineas, if
my black pal there does the horse any kind of damage; duck me in
the horse-pond if I don't." "Well," said the landlord, "for the
sport of the thing I consent, so let your white pal get down, and
our black pal mount as soon as he pleases." I felt rather
mortified at Mr. Petulengro's interference; and showed no
disposition to quit my seat; whereupon he came up to me and said,
"Now, brother, do get out of the saddle--you are no bad hand at
trotting, I am willing to acknowledge that; but at leaping a horse
there is no one like Tawno. Let every dog be praised for his own
gift. You have been showing off in your line for the last half-
hour; now do give Tawno a chance of exhibiting a little; poor
fellow, he hasn't often a chance of exhibiting, as his wife keeps
him so much out of sight." Not wishing to appear desirous of
engrossing the public attention, and feeling rather desirous to see
how Tawno, of whose exploits in leaping horses I had frequently
heard, would acquit himself in the affair, I at length dismounted,
and Tawno, at a bound, leaped into the saddle, where he really
looked like Gunnar of Hlitharend, save and except the complexion of
Gunnar was florid, whereas that of Tawno was of nearly Mulatto
darkness; and that all Tawno's features were cast in the Grecian
model, whereas Gunnar had a snub nose. "There's a leaping-bar
behind the house," said the landlord. "Leaping-bar!" said Mr.
Petulengro, scornfully. "Do you think my black pal ever rides at a
leaping-bar? No more than a windle-straw. Leap over that meadow-
wall, Tawno." Just past the house, in the direction in which I had
been trotting, was a wall about four feet high, beyond which was a
small meadow. Tawno rode the horse gently up to the wall,
permitted him to look over, then backed him for about ten yards,
and pressing his calves against the horse's sides, he loosed the
rein, and the horse launching forward, took the leap in gallant
style. "Well done, man and horse!" said Mr. Petulengro, "now come
back, Tawno." The leap from the side of the meadow was, however,
somewhat higher; and the horse, when pushed at it, at first turned
away; whereupon Tawno backed him to a greater distance, pushed the
horse to a full gallop, giving a wild cry; whereupon the horse
again took the wall, slightly grazing one of his legs against it.
"A near thing," said the landlord; "but a good leap. Now, no more
leaping, so long as I have control over the animal." The horse was
then led back to the stable; and the landlord, myself and
companions going into the bar, I paid down the money for the horse.

Scarcely was the bargain concluded, when two or three of the
company began to envy me the possession of the horse, and forcing
their way into the bar, with much noise and clamour, said that the
horse had been sold too cheap. One fellow, in particular, with a
red waistcoat, the son of a wealthy farmer, said that if he had but
known that the horse had been so good a one, he would have bought
it at the first price asked for it, which he was now willing to
pay, that is to-morrow, supposing--"supposing your father will let
you have the money," said the landlord, "which, after all, might
not be the case; but, however that may be, it is too late now. I
think myself the horse has been sold for too little money, but if
so all the better for the young man, who came forward when no other
body did with his money in his hand. There, take yourselves out of
my bar," he said to the fellows; "and a pretty scoundrel you," said
he to the man of the red waistcoat, "to say the horse has been sold
too cheap; why, it was only yesterday you said he was good for
nothing, and were passing all kinds of jokes at him. Take yourself
out of my bar, I say, you and all of you," and he turned the
fellows out. I then asked the landlord whether he would permit the
horse to remain in the stable for a short time, provided I paid for
his entertainment; and on his willingly consenting, I treated my
friends with ale, and then returned with them to the encampment.

That evening I informed Mr. Petulengro and his party that on the
morrow I intended to mount my horse, and leave that part of the
country in quest of adventures; inquiring of Jasper where, in the
event of my selling the horse advantageously, I might meet with
him, and repay the money I had borrowed of him; whereupon Mr.
Petulengro informed me that in about ten weeks I might find him at
a certain place at the Chong gav. I then stated that as I could
not well carry with me the property which I possessed in the
dingle, which after all was of no considerable value, I had
resolved to bestow the said property, namely, the pony, tent,
tinker-tools, etc., on Ursula and her husband, partly because they
were poor, and partly on account of the great kindness which I bore
to Ursula, from whom I had, on various occasions, experienced all
manner of civility, particularly in regard to crabbed words. On
hearing this intelligence, Ursula returned many thanks to her
gentle brother, as she called me, and Sylvester was so overjoyed
that, casting aside his usual phlegm, he said I was the best friend
he had ever had in the world, and in testimony of his gratitude
swore that he would permit his wife to give me a choomer in the
presence of the whole company, which offer, however, met with a
very mortifying reception, the company frowning disapprobation,
Ursula protesting against anything of the kind, and I myself
showing no forwardness to avail myself of it, having inherited from
nature a considerable fund of modesty, to which was added no slight
store acquired in the course of my Irish education. I passed that
night alone in the dingle in a very melancholy manner, with little
or no sleep, thinking of Isopel Berners; and in the morning when I
quitted it I shed several tears, as I reflected that I should
probably never again see the spot where I had passed so many hours
in her company.

CHAPTER XX

Farewell to the Romans--The Landlord and His Niece--Set Out as a
Traveller.

On reaching the plain above, I found my Romany friends
breakfasting, and on being asked by Mr. Petulengro to join them, I
accepted the invitation. No sooner was breakfast over than I
informed Ursula and her husband that they would find the property,
which I had promised them, in the dingle, commanding the little
pony Ambrol to their best care. I took leave of the whole company,
which was itself about to break up camp and to depart in the
direction of London, and made the best of my way to the public-
house. I had a small bundle in my hand, and was dressed in the
same manner as when I departed from London, having left my
waggoner's slop with the other effects in the dingle. On arriving
at the public-house, I informed the landlord that I was come for my
horse, inquiring, at the same time, whether he could not
accommodate me with a bridle and saddle. He told me that the
bridle and saddle, with which I had ridden the horse on the
preceding day, were at my service for a trifle; that he had
received them some time since in payment for a debt, and that he
had himself no use for them. The leathers of the bridle were
rather shabby, and the bit rusty, and the saddle was old fashioned;
but I was happy to purchase them for seven shillings, more
especially as the landlord added a small valise, which he said
could be strapped to the saddle, and which I should find very
convenient for carrying my things in. I then proceeded to the
stable, told the horse we were bound on an expedition, and giving
him a feed of corn, left him to discuss it, and returned to the
bar-room to have a little farewell chat with the landlord, and at
the same time to drink with him a farewell glass of ale. Whilst we
were talking and drinking, the niece came and joined us: she was a
decent, sensible young woman, who appeared to take a great interest
in her uncle, whom she regarded with a singular mixture of pride
and, disapprobation--pride for the renown which he had acquired by
his feats of old, and disapprobation for his late imprudences. She
said that she hoped that his misfortunes would be a warning to him
to turn more to his God than he had hitherto done, and to give up
cock-fighting and other low-life practices. To which the landlord
replied, that with respect to cock-fighting he intended to give it
up entirely, being determined no longer to risk his capital upon
birds, and with respect to his religious duties, he should attend
the church of which he was churchwarden at least once a quarter,
adding, however, that he did not intend to become either canter or
driveller, neither of which characters would befit a publican
surrounded by such customers as he was, and that to the last day of
his life he hoped to be able to make use of his fists. After a
stay of about two hours I settled accounts, and having bridled and
saddled my horse, and strapped on my valise, I mounted, shook hands
with the landlord and his niece, and departed, notwithstanding that
they both entreated me to tarry until the evening, it being then
the heat of the day.

CHAPTER XXI

An Adventure on the Road--The Six Flint Stone--A Rural Scene--Mead-
-The Old Man and His Bees.

I bent my course in the direction of the north, more induced by
chance than any particular motive; all quarters of the world having
about equal attractions for me. I was in high spirits at finding
myself once more on horse-back, and trotted gaily on, until the
heat of the weather induced me to slacken my pace, more out of pity
for my horse than because I felt any particular inconvenience from
it--heat and cold being then, and still, matters of great
indifference to me. What I thought of I scarcely know, save and
except that I have a glimmering recollection that I felt some
desire to meet with one of those adventures which upon the roads of
England are generally as plentiful as blackberries in autumn; and
Fortune, who has generally been ready to gratify my inclinations,
provided it cost her very little by so doing, was not slow in
furnishing me with an adventure, perhaps as characteristic of the
English roads as anything which could have happened.

I might have travelled about six miles amongst cross roads and
lanes, when suddenly I found myself upon a broad and very dusty
road which seemed to lead due north. As I wended along this I saw
a man upon a donkey riding towards me. The man was commonly
dressed, with a broad felt hat on his head, and a kind of satchel
on his back; he seemed to be in a mighty hurry, and was every now
and then belabouring the donkey with a cudgel. The donkey,
however, which was a fine large creature of the silver-grey
species, did not appear to sympathize at all with its rider in his
desire to get on, but kept its head turned back as much as
possible, moving from one side of the road to the other, and not
making much forward way. As I passed, being naturally of a very
polite disposition, I gave the man the sele of the day, asking him,
at the same time, why he beat the donkey; whereupon the fellow
eyeing me askance, told me to mind my own business, with the
addition of something which I need not repeat. I had not proceeded
a furlong before I saw seated on the dust by the wayside, close by
a heap of stones, and with several flints before him, a
respectable-looking old man, with a straw hat and a white smock,
who was weeping bitterly.

"What are you crying for, father?" said I. "Have you come to any
hurt?" "Hurt enough," sobbed the old man, "I have just been
tricked out of the best ass in England by a villain, who gave me
nothing but these trash in return," pointing to the stones before
him. "I really scarcely understand you," said I, "I wish you would
explain yourself more clearly." "I was riding on my ass from
market," said the old man, "when I met here a fellow with a sack on
his back, who, after staring at the ass and me a moment or two,
asked me if I would sell her. I told him that I could not think of
selling her, as she was very useful to me, and though an animal, my
true companion, whom I loved as much as if she were my wife and
daughter. I then attempted to pass on, but the fellow stood before
me, begging me to sell her, saying that he would give me anything
for her; well, seeing that he persisted, I said at last that if I
sold her, I must have six pounds for her, and I said so to get rid
of him, for I saw that he was a shabby fellow, who had probably not
six shillings in the world; but I had better have held my tongue,"
said the old man, crying more bitterly than before, "for the words
were scarcely out of my mouth, when he said he would give me what I
asked, and taking the sack from his back, he pulled out a
steelyard, and going to the heap of stones there, he took up
several of them and weighed them, then flinging them down before
me, he said, 'There are six pounds, neighbour; now, get off the
ass, and hand her over to me.' Well, I sat like one dumbfoundered
for a time, till at last I asked him what he meant? 'What do I
mean?' said he, 'you old rascal, why, I mean to claim my purchase,'
and then he swore so awfully, that scarcely knowing what I did I
got down, and he jumped on the animal and rode off as fast as he
could." "I suppose he was the fellow," said I, "whom I just now
met upon a fine gray ass, which he was beating with a cudgel." "I
dare say he was," said the old man, "I saw him beating her as he
rode away, and I thought I should have died." "I never heard such
a story," said I; "well, do you mean to submit to such a piece of
roguery quietly?" "Oh, dear," said the old man, "what can I do? I
am seventy-nine years of age; I am bad on my feet, and dar'n't go
after him."--"Shall I go?" said I; "the fellow is a thief, and any
one has a right to stop him." "Oh, if you could but bring her
again to me," said the old man, "I would bless you till my dying
day; but have a care; I don't know but after all the law may say
that she is his lawful purchase. I asked six pounds for her, and
he gave me six pounds." "Six flints, you mean," said I, "no, no,
the law is not quite so bad as that either; I know something about
her, and am sure that she will never sanction such a quibble. At
all events, I'll ride after the fellow." Thereupon turning my
horse round, I put him to his very best trot; I rode nearly a mile
without obtaining a glimpse of the fellow, and was becoming
apprehensive that he had escaped me by turning down some by-path,
two or three of which I had passed. Suddenly, however, on the road
making a slight turning, I perceived him right before me, moving at
a tolerably swift pace, having by this time probably overcome the
resistance of the animal. Putting my horse to a full gallop, I
shouted at the top of my voice, "Get off that donkey, you rascal,
and give her up to me, or I'll ride you down." The fellow hearing
the thunder of the horse's hoofs behind him, drew up on one side of
the road. "What do you want?" said he, as I stopped my charger,
now almost covered with sweat and foam close beside him. "Do you
want to rob me?" "To rob you?" said I. "No! but to take from you
that ass, of which you have just robbed its owner." "I have robbed
no man," said the fellow; "I just now purchased it fairly of its
master, and the law will give it to me; he asked six pounds for it,
and I gave him six pounds." "Six stones, you mean, you rascal,"
said I; "get down, or my horse shall be upon you in a moment;" then
with a motion of my reins, I caused the horse to rear, pressing his
sides with my heels as if I intended to make him leap. "Stop,"
said the man, "I'll get down, and then try if I can't serve you
out." He then got down, and confronted me with his cudgel; he was
a horrible-looking fellow, and seemed prepared for anything.
Scarcely, however, had he dismounted, when the donkey jerked the
bridle out of his hand, and probably in revenge for the usage she
had received, gave him a pair of tremendous kicks on the hip with
her hinder legs, which overturned him, and then scampered down the
road the way she had come. "Pretty treatment this," said the
fellow, getting up without his cudgel, and holding his hand to his
side, "I wish I may not be lamed for life." "And if you be," said
I, "it will merely serve you right, you rascal, for trying to cheat
a poor old man out of his property by quibbling at words."
"Rascal!" said the fellow, "you lie, I am no rascal; and as for
quibbling with words--suppose I did! What then? All the first
people does it! The newspapers does it! the gentlefolks that calls
themselves the guides of the popular mind does it! I'm no
ignoramus. I read the newspapers, and knows what's what." "You
read them to some purpose," said I. "Well, if you are lamed for
life, and unfitted for any active line--turn newspaper editor; I
should say you are perfectly qualified, and this day's adventure
may be the foundation of your fortune," thereupon I turned round
and rode off. The fellow followed me with a torrent of abuse.
"Confound you," said he--yet that was not the expression either--"I
know you; you are one of the horse-patrol come down into the
country on leave to see your relations. Confound you, you and the
like of you have knocked my business on the head near Lunnon, and I
suppose we shall have you shortly in the country." "To the
newspaper office," said I, "and fabricate falsehoods out of flint
stones;" then touching the horse with my heels, I trotted off, and
coming to the place where I had seen the old man, I found him
there, risen from the ground, and embracing his ass.

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