Moreover, her husband does not think fit to kick or beat her, though it is my opinion she would like him all the better if he were occasionally to do so, and threaten to bury her alive; at any rate, she would treat him better, and respect him more.""Your sister does not seem to stand much in awe of Jasper Petulengro, Ursula.""Let the matters of my sister and Jasper Petulengro alone, brother; you must travel in their company some time before you can understand them; they are a strange two, up to all kind of chaffing: but two more regular Romans don't breathe, and I'll tell you, for your instruction, that there isn't a better mare-breaker in England than Jasper Petulengro, if you can manage Miss Isopel Berners as well as - ""Isopel Berners," said I, "how came you to think of her?""How should I but think of her, brother, living as she does with you in Mumper's dingle, and travelling about with you;you will have, brother, more difficulty to manage her, than Jasper has to manage my sister Pakomovna.I should have mentioned her before, only I wanted to know what you had to say to me; and when we got into discourse, I forgot her.Isay, brother, let me tell you your dukkerin, with respect to her, you will never - ""I want to hear no dukkerin, Ursula."
"Do let me tell you your dukkerin, brother, you will never manage - ""I want to hear no dukkerin, Ursula, in connection with Isopel Berners.Moreover, it is Sunday, we will change the subject; it is surprising to me that, after all you have undergone, you should look so beautiful.I suppose you do not think of marrying again, Ursula?""No, brother, one husband at a time is quite enough for any reasonable mort; especially such a good husband as I have got.""Such a good husband! why, I thought you told me your husband was drowned?""Yes, brother, my first husband was."
"And have you a second?"
"To be sure, brother."
"And who is he? in the name of wonder."
"Who is he? why Sylvester, to be sure."
"I do assure you, Ursula, that I feel disposed to be angry with you; such a handsome young woman as yourself to take up with such a nasty pepper-faced good for nothing - ""I won't hear my husband abused, brother; so you had better say no more.""Why, is he not the Lazarus of the gypsies? has he a penny of his own, Ursula?""Then the more his want, brother, of a clever chi like me to take care of him and his childer.I tell you what, brother, I will chore, if necessary, and tell dukkerin for Sylvester, if even so heavy as scarcely to be able to stand.You call him lazy; you would not think him lazy if you were in a ring with him: he is a proper man with his hands; Jasper is going to back him for twenty pounds against Slammocks of the Chong gav, the brother of Roarer and Bell-metal, he says he has no doubt that he will win.""Well, if you like him, I, of course, can have no objection.
Have you been long married?"
"About a fortnight, brother; that dinner, the other day, when I sang the song, was given in celebration of the wedding.""Were you married in a church, Ursula?"
"We were not, brother; none but gorgios, cripples, and lubbenys are ever married in a church: we took each other's words.Brother, I have been with you near three hours beneath this hedge.I will go to my husband.""Does he know that you are here?"
"He does, brother."
"And is he satisfied?"
"Satisfied! of course.Lor', you gorgies! Brother, I go to my husband and my house." And, thereupon, Ursula rose and departed.
After waiting a little time I also arose; it was now dark, and I thought I could do no better than betake myself to the dingle; at the entrance of it I found Mr.Petulengro."Well, brother," said he, "what kind of conversation have you and Ursula had beneath the hedge?""If you wished to hear what we were talking about, you should have come and sat down beside us; you knew where we were.""Well, brother, I did much the same, for I went and sat down behind you.""Behind the hedge, Jasper?"
"Behind the hedge, brother."
"And heard all our conversation."
"Every word, brother; and a rum conversation it was.""'Tis an old saying, Jasper, that listeners never hear any good of themselves; perhaps you heard the epithet that Ursula bestowed upon you.""If, by epitaph, you mean that she called me a liar, I did, brother, and she was not much wrong, for I certainly do not always stick exactly to truth; you, however, have not much to complain of me.""You deceived me about Ursula, giving me to understand she was not married.""She was not married when I told you so, brother; that is, not to Sylvester; nor was I aware that she was going to marry him.I once thought you had a kind of regard for her, and Iam sure she had as much for you as a Romany chi can have for a gorgio.I half expected to have heard you make love to her behind the hedge, but I begin to think you care for nothing in this world but old words and strange stories.Lor' to take a young woman under a hedge, and talk to her as you did to Ursula; and yet you got everything out of her that you wanted, with your gammon about old Fulcher and Meridiana.
You are a cunning one, brother."
"There you are mistaken, Jasper.I am not cunning.If people think I am, it is because, being made up of art themselves, simplicity of character is a puzzle to them.
Your women are certainly extraordinary creatures, Jasper.""Didn't I say they were rum animals? Brother, we Romans shall always stick together as long as they stick fast to us.""Do you think they always will, Jasper?"
"Can't say, brother; nothing lasts for ever.Romany chies are Romany chies still, though not exactly what they were sixty years ago.My wife, though a rum one, is not Mrs.
Herne, brother.I think she is rather fond of Frenchmen and French discourse.I tell you what, brother, if ever gypsyism breaks up, it will be owing to our chies having been bitten by that mad puppy they calls gentility."
