The Romany Rye A sequel to "Lavengro"

“One day Cogia Efendy went to a bridal festival. The masters of the feast, observing his old and coarse apparel, paid him no consideration whatever. The Cogia saw that he had no chance of notice; so going out, he hurried to his house, and, putting on a splendid pelisse, returned to the place of festival. No sooner did he enter the door than the masters advanced to meet him, and saying, ‘Welcome, Cogia Efendy,’ with all imaginable honour and reverence, placed him at the head of the table, and said, ‘Please to eat, Lord Cogia’. Forthwith the Cogia, taking hold of one of the furs of his pelisse, said, ‘Welcome my pelisse; please to eat, my lord’. The masters looking at the Cogia with great surprise, said, ‘What are you about?’ Whereupon the Cogia replied, ‘As it is quite evident that all the honour paid, is paid to my pelisse, I think it ought to have some food too’.”—PLEASANTRIES OF THE COGIA NASR EDDIN EFENDI.

CONTENTS.

PAGE CHAPTER I. The Making of the Linch-pin—The Sound Sleeper—Breakfast—The 1 Postillion’s Departure CHAPTER II. The Man in Black—The Emperor of Germany—Nepotism—Donna 5 Olympia—Omnipotence—Camillo Astalli—The Five Propositions CHAPTER III. Necessity of Religion—The Great Indian 9 One—Image-worship—Shakespeare—The Pat Answer—Krishna—Amen CHAPTER IV. The Proposal—The Scotch Novel—Latitude—Miracles—Pestilent 16 Heretics—Old Fraser—Wonderful Texts—No Armenian CHAPTER V. Fresh Arrivals—Pitching the Tent—Certificated 28 Wife—High-flying Notions CHAPTER VI. The Promised Visit—Roman Fashion—Wizard and Witch—Catching 32 at Words—The Two Females—Dressing of Hair—The New Roads—Belle’s Altered Appearance—Herself Again CHAPTER VII. The Festival—The Gypsy Song—Piramus of Rome—The 40 Scotchman—Gypsy Names CHAPTER VIII. The Church—The Aristocratical Pew—Days of Yore—The 48 Clergyman—“In what would a Man be Profited?” CHAPTER IX. Return from Church—The Cuckoo and Gypsy—Spiritual Discourse 53 CHAPTER X. Sunday Evening—Ursula—Action at Law—Meridiana—Married 60 Already CHAPTER XI. Ursula’s Tale—The Patteran—The Deep Water—Second Husband 72 CHAPTER XII. The Dingle at Night—The Two Sides of the Question—Roman 78 Females—Filling the Kettle—The Dream—The Tall Figure CHAPTER XIII. Visit to the Landlord—His Mortifications—Hunter and his 86 Clan—Resolution CHAPTER XIV. Preparations for the Fair—The Last Lesson—The Verb Siriel 89 CHAPTER XV. The Dawn of Day—The Last Farewell—Departure for the 95 Fair—The Fine Horse—Return to the Dingle—No Isopel CHAPTER XVI. Gloomy Forebodings—The Postman’s Mother—The Letter—Bears 99 and Barons—The Best of Advice CHAPTER XVII. The Public-house—Landlord on His Legs Again—A Blow in 106 Season—The Way of the World—The Grateful Mind—The Horse’s Neigh CHAPTER XVIII. Mr. Petulengro’s Device—The Leathern Purse—Consent to 113 Purchase a Horse CHAPTER XIX. Trying the Horse—The Feats of Tawno—Man with the Red 117 Waistcoat—Disposal of Property CHAPTER XX. Farewell to the Romans—The Landlord and his Niece—Set out 122 as a Traveller CHAPTER XXI. An Adventure on the Roads—The Six Flint Stones—A Rural 124 Scene—Mead—The Old Man and his Bees CHAPTER XXII. The Singular Noise—Sleeping in a Meadow—The Book—Cure for 131 Wakefulness—Literary Tea Party—Poor Byron CHAPTER XXIII. Drivers and Front Outside Passengers—Fatigue of Body and 136 Mind—Unexpected Greeting—My Inn—The Governor—Engagement CHAPTER XXIV. An Inn of Times gone by—A First-rate Publican—Hay and 140 Corn—Old-fashioned Ostler—Highwaymen—Mounted Police—Grooming CHAPTER XXV. Stable Hartshorn—How to Manage a Horse on a Journey—Your 145 Best Friend CHAPTER XXVI. The Stage-coachmen of England—A Bully Served 150 Out—Broughton’s Guard—The Brasen Head CHAPTER XXVII. Francis Ardry—His Misfortunes—Dog and Lion Fight—Great Men 158 of the World CHAPTER XXVIII. Mr. Platitude and the Man in Black—The Postillion’s 163 Adventures—The Lone House—A Goodly Assemblage CHAPTER XXIX. Deliberations with Self—Resolution—Invitation to Dinner—The 170 Commercial Traveller—The Landlord’s Offer—The Comet Wine CHAPTER XXX. Triumphal Departure—No Season like Youth—Extreme Old 175 Age—Beautiful England—The Ratcatcher—A Misadventure CHAPTER XXXI. Novel Situation—The Elderly Individual—The Surgeon—A Kind 179 Offer—Chimerical Ideas—Strange Dream CHAPTER XXXII. The Morning after a Fall—The Teapot—Unpretending 185 Hospitality—The Chinese Student CHAPTER XXXIII. Convalescence—The Surgeon’s Bill—Letter of 191 Recommendation—Commencement of the Old Man’s History CHAPTER XXXIV. The Old Man’s Story continued—Misery in the Head—The 201 Strange Marks—Tea-dealer from London—Difficulties of the Chinese Language CHAPTER XXXV. The Leave-taking—Spirit of the Hearth—What’s o’Clock 209 CHAPTER XXXVI. Arrival at Horncastle—The Inn and Ostlers—The Garret—The 211 Figure of a Man with a Candle CHAPTER XXXVII. Horncastle Fair 214 CHAPTER XXXVIII. High Dutch 221 CHAPTER XXXIX. The Hungarian 223 CHAPTER XL. The Horncastle Welcome—Tzernebock and Bielebock 238 CHAPTER XLI. The Jockey’s Tale—Thieves’ Latin—Liberties with Coin—The 244 Smasher in Prison—Old Fulcher—Every one has his Gift—Fashion of the English CHAPTER XLII. A Short-tempered Person—Gravitation—The Best Endowment—Mary 258 Fulcher—Fair Dealing—Horse-witchery—Darius and his Groom—The Jockey’s Tricks—The Two Characters—The Jockey’s Song CHAPTER XLIII. The Church 273 CHAPTER XLIV. An Old Acquaintance 276 CHAPTER XLV. Murtagh’s Tale 283 CHAPTER XLVI. Murtagh’s Story continued—The Priest, Exorcist, and 290 Thimble-engro—How to Check a Rebellion CHAPTER XLVII. Departure from Horncastle—Recruiting Sergeant—Kauloes and 300 Lolloes APPENDIX. CHAPTER I. A Word for Lavengro 302 CHAPTER II. On Priestcraft 310 CHAPTER III. On Foreign Nonsense 317 CHAPTER IV. On Gentility Nonsense—Illustrations of Gentility 320 CHAPTER V. Subject of Gentility continued 323 CHAPTER VI. On Scotch Gentility Nonsense—Charlie o’er the Waterism 334 CHAPTER VII. Same subject continued 341 CHAPTER VIII. On Canting Nonsense 346 CHAPTER IX. Pseudo-Critics 354 CHAPTER X. Pseudo-Radicals 362 CHAPTER XI. The Old Radical 368 Editor’s Notes 379 Gypsy List 389 Bibliography 393

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

East Dereham, Norfolk (referred to as “Pretty Frontispiece D—,” George Borrow’s Birthplace) (photogravure) The Old Church, St. Giles, at Willenhall, To face page 48 Staffordshire (rebuilt 1867) Porch of St. Nicholas Church, East Dereham 50 The Old “Bull’s Head,” Wolverhampton Street, 106 Willenhall The “Swan” Inn, Stafford (“My Inn—a very large 136 Building with an Archway”) High Street, Horncastle 215 The Horse Fair, Horncastle 220 Horncastle Church in 1820 (since restored) 273

I AWOKE at the first break of day, and, leaving the postillion fast asleep, stepped out of the tent. The dingle was dank and dripping. I lighted a fire of coals, and got my forge in readiness. I then ascended to the field, where the chaise was standing as we had left it on the previous evening. After looking at the cloud-stone near it, now cold, and split into three pieces, I set about prying narrowly into the condition of the wheel and axle-tree. The latter had sustained no damage of any consequence, and the wheel, as far as I was able to judge, was sound, being only slightly injured in the box. The only thing requisite to set the chaise in a travelling condition appeared to be a linch-pin, which I determined to make. Going to the companion wheel, I took out the linch-pin, which I carried down with me to the dingle, to serve me as a model.

I found Belle by this time dressed, and seated near the forge. With a slight nod to her like that which a person gives who happens to see an acquaintance when his mind is occupied with important business, I forthwith set about my work. Selecting a piece of iron which I thought would serve my purpose, I placed it in the fire, and plying the bellows in a furious manner, soon made it hot; then seizing it with the tongs, I laid it on the anvil, and began to beat it with my hammer, according to the rules of my art. The dingle resounded with my strokes. Belle sat still, and occasionally smiled, but suddenly started up, and retreated towards her encampment, on a spark which I purposely sent in her direction alighting on her knee. I found the making of a linch-pin no easy matter; it was, however, less difficult than the fabrication of a pony-shoe; my work, indeed, was much facilitated by my having another pin to look at. In about three-quarters of an hour I had succeeded tolerably well, and had produced a linch-pin which I thought would serve. During all this time, notwithstanding the noise which I was making, the postillion never showed his face. His non-appearance at first alarmed me: I was afraid he might be dead, but, on looking into the tent, I found him still buried in the soundest sleep. “He must surely be descended from one of the seven sleepers,” said I, as I turned away, and resumed my work. My work finished, I took a little oil, leather and sand, and polished the pin as well as I could; then, summoning Belle, we both went to the chaise, where, with her assistance, I put on the wheel. The linch-pin which I had made fitted its place very well, and having replaced the other, I gazed at the chaise for some time with my heart full of that satisfaction which results from the consciousness of having achieved a great action; then, after looking at Belle in the hope of obtaining a compliment from her lips, which did not come, I returned to the dingle, without saying a word, followed by her. Belle set about making preparations for breakfast; and I taking the kettle went and filled it at the spring. Having hung it over the fire, I went to the tent in which the postillion was still sleeping, and called upon him to arise. He awoke with a start, and stared around him at first with the utmost surprise, not unmixed, I could observe, with a certain degree of fear. At last, looking in my face, he appeared to recollect himself. “I had quite forgot,” said he, as he got up, “where I was, and all that happened yesterday. However, I remember now the whole affair, thunder-storm, thunder-bolt, frightened horses, and all your kindness. Come, I must see after my coach and horses; I hope we shall be able to repair the damage.” “The damage is already quite repaired,” said I, “as you will see, if you come to the field above.” “You don’t say so,” said the postillion, coming out of the tent; “well, I am mightily beholden to you. Good-morning, young gentlewoman,” said he, addressing Belle, who, having finished her preparations was seated near the fire. “Good morning, young man,” said Belle, “I suppose you would be glad of some breakfast; however, you must wait a little, the kettle does not boil.” “Come and look at your chaise,” said I; “but tell me how it happened that the noise which I have been making did not awake you; for three-quarters of an hour at least I was hammering close at your ear.” “I heard you all the time,” said the postillion, “but your hammering made me sleep all the sounder; I am used to hear hammering in my morning sleep. There’s a forge close by the room where I sleep when I’m at home, at my inn; for we have all kinds of conveniences at my inn—forge, carpenter’s shop, and wheelwright’s—so that when I heard you hammering I thought, no doubt, that it was the old noise, and that I was comfortable in my bed at my own inn.” We now ascended to the field, where I showed the postillion his chaise. He looked at the pin attentively, rubbed his hands, and gave a loud laugh. “Is it not well done?” said I. “It will do till I get home,” he replied. “And that is all you have to say?” I demanded. “And that’s a good deal,” said he, “considering who made it. But don’t be offended,” he added, “I shall prize it all the more for its being made by a gentleman, and no blacksmith; and so will my governor, when I show it to him. I shan’t let it remain where it is, but will keep it, as a remembrance of you, as long as I live.” He then again rubbed his hands with great glee, and said: “I will now go and see after my horses, and then to breakfast, partner, if you please”. Suddenly, however, looking at his hands, he said, “Before sitting down to breakfast I am in the habit of washing my hands and face; I suppose you could not furnish me with a little soap and water”. “As much water as you please,” said I, “but if you want soap, I must go and trouble the young gentlewoman for some.” “By no means,” said the postillion, “water will do at a pinch.” “Follow me,” said I, and leading him to the pond of the frogs and newts, I said, “this is my ewer; you are welcome to part of it—the water is so soft that it is scarcely necessary to add soap to it;” then lying down on the bank, I plunged my head into the water, then scrubbed my hands and face, and afterwards wiped them with some long grass which grew on the margin of the pond. “Bravo,” said the postillion, “I see you know how to make a shift”: he then followed my example, declared he never felt more refreshed in his life, and, giving a bound, said, “he would go and look after his horses”.