第7章

wasthanthey；Iwastakingmyeaseontheniceopenhill，cooledwiththebreezes，whilsttheywereinthenastyclosebag，coilingaboutoneanother，andbreakingtheirveryhearts，alltonopurpose：andIfeltquitecomfortableandhappyinthethought，andlittlebylittleclosedmyeyes，andfellintothesweetestsnoozethateverIwasininallmylife；andthereIlayoverthehill’sside，withmyheadhalfinthefield，Idon’tknowhowlong，alldeadasleep。AtlastitseemedtomethatIheardanoiseinmysleep，somethinglikeathingmoving，veryfaint，however，faraway；thenitdied，andthenitcameagainuponmyearasIslept，andnowitappearedalmostasifIheardcrackle，crackle；thenitdiedagain，orIbecameyetmoredeadasleepthanbefore，Iknownotwhich，butIcertainlylaysometimewithouthearingit。AllofasuddenIbecameawake，andtherewasI，ontheridgeofthehill，withmycheekonthegroundtowardsthestubble，withanoiseinmyearlikethatofsomethingmovingtowardsmeamongstthestubbleofthefield；well，Ilayamomentortwolisteningtothenoise，andthenIbecamefrightened，forIdidnotlikethenoiseatall，itsoundedsoodd；soIrolledmyselfonmybelly，andlookedtowardsthestubble。Mercyuponus!therewasahugesnake，orratheradreadfulviper，foritwasallyellowandgold，movingtowardsme，bearingitsheadaboutafootandahalfabovetheground，thedrystubblecracklingbeneathitsoutrageousbelly。ItmightbeaboutfiveyardsoffwhenIfirstsawit，makingstraighttowardsme，child，asifitwoulddevourme。Ilayquitestill，forIwasstupefiedwithhorror，whilstthecreaturecamestillnearer；andnowitwasnearlyuponme，whenitsuddenlydrewbackalittle，andthen-whatdoyouthink？-itlifteditsheadandchesthighintheair，andhighovermyfaceasIlookedup，flickeringatmewithitstongueasifitwouldflyatmyface。

Child，whatIfeltatthatmomentIcanscarcelysay，butitwasasufficientpunishmentforallthesinsIevercommitted；andtherewetwowere，Ilookingupattheviper，andtheviperlookingdownuponme，flickeringatmewithitstongue。ItwasonlythekindnessofGodthatsavedme：allatoncetherewasaloudnoise，thereportofagun，forafowlerwasshootingatacoveyofbirds，alittlewayoffinthestubble。Whereuponthevipersunkitshead，andimmediatelymadeoffovertheridgeofthehill，downinthedirectionofthesea。Asitpassedbyme，however-anditpassedclosebyme-ithesitatedamoment，asifitwasdoubtfulwhetheritshouldnotseizeme；itdidnot，however，butmadeoffdownthehill。Ithasoftenstruckmethathewasangrywithme，andcameuponmeunawaresforpresumingtomeddlewithhispeople，asIhavealwaysbeeninthehabitofdoing。’

’But，’saidI，’howdoyouknowthatitwasthekingofthevipers？’

’HowdoIknow!’saidtheoldman，’whoelseshoulditbe？TherewasasmuchdifferencebetweenitandotherreptilesasbetweenKingGeorgeandotherpeople。’

’IsKingGeorge，then，differentfromotherpeople？’Idemanded。

’Ofcourse，’saidtheoldman；’Ihaveneverseenhimmyself，butI

haveheardpeoplesaythatheisatentimesgreatermanthanotherfolks；indeed，itstandstoreasonthathemustbedifferentfromtherest，elsepeoplewouldnotbesoeagertoseehim。Doyouthink，child，thatpeoplewouldbefoolsenoughtorunamatteroftwentyorthirtymilestoseetheking，providedKingGeorge-’

’Haven’ttheFrenchaking？’Idemanded。

’Yes，’saidtheoldman，’orsomethingmuchthesame，andaqueeroneheis；notquitesobigasKingGeorge，theysay，butquiteasterribleafellow。Whatofhim？’

’SupposeheshouldcometoNormanCross!’

’WhatshouldhedoatNormanCross，child？’

’Why，youweretalkingaboutthevipersinyourbagbreakingtheirhearts，andsoon，andtheirkingcomingtohelpthem。Now，supposetheFrenchkingshouldhearofhispeoplebeingintroubleatNormanCross，and-’

’Hecan’tcome，child，’saidtheoldman，rubbinghishands，’thewaterliesbetween。TheFrenchdon’tlikethewater；neithervipersnorFrenchmentakekindlytothewater，child。’

Whentheoldmanleftthecountry，whichhedidafewdaysaftertheconversationwhichIhavejustrelated，heleftmethereptilewhichhehadtamedandrenderedquiteharmlessbyremovingthefangs。Iwasinthehabitoffeedingitwithmilk，andfrequentlycarrieditabroadwithmeinmywalks。

CHAPTERV

Thetent-Manandwoman-Darkandswarthy-Mannerofspeaking-

Badmoney-Transfixed-Falteringtone-Littlebasket-Highopinion-Plentyofgood-Keepingguard-Tiltedcart-Rubricals-Jasper-Therightsort-Thehorsemanofthelane-JohnNewton-Thealarm-Gentlebrothers。

ONEdayithappenedthat，beingonmyrambles，IenteredagreenlanewhichIhadneverseenbefore；atfirstitwasrathernarrow，butasIadvanceditbecameconsiderablywider；inthemiddlewasadriftwaywithdeepruts，butrightandleftwasaspacecarpetedwithaswardoftrefoilandclover；therewasnolackoftrees，chieflyancientoaks，which，flingingouttheirarmsfromeitherside，nearlyformedacanopy，andaffordedapleasingshelterfromtheraysofthesun，whichwasburningfiercelyabove。Suddenlyagroupofobjectsattractedmyattention。Beneathoneofthelargestofthetrees，uponthegrass，wasakindoflowtentorbooth，fromthetopofwhichathinsmokewascurling；besideitstoodacoupleoflightcarts，whilsttwoorthreeleanhorsesorponieswerecroppingtheherbagewhichwasgrowingnigh。Wonderingtowhomthisoddtentcouldbelong，IadvancedtillIwasclosebeforeit，whenIfoundthatitconsistedoftwotilts，likethoseofwaggons，placeduponthegroundandfrontingeachother，connectedbehindbyasailorlargepieceofcanvaswhichwasbutpartiallydrawnacrossthetop；upontheground，intheinterveningspace，wasafire，overwhich，supportedbyakindofironcrowbar，hungacaldron；myadvancehadbeensonoiselessasnottoalarmtheinmates，whoconsistedofamanandwoman，whosatapart，oneoneachsideofthefire；theywerebothbusilyemployed-themanwascardingplaitedstraw，whilstthewomanseemedtoberubbingsomethingwithawhitepowder，someofwhichlayonaplatebesideher；suddenlythemanlookedup，and，perceivingme，utteredastrangekindofcry，andthenextmomentboththewomanandhimselfwereontheirfeetandrushingoutuponme。

Iretreatedafewsteps，yetwithoutturningtoflee。Iwasnot，however，withoutapprehension，which，indeed，theappearanceofthesetwopeoplewaswellcalculatedtoinspire：thewomanwasastoutfigure，seeminglybetweenthirtyandforty；sheworenocap，andherlonghairfelloneithersideofherheadlikehorse-tailshalf-waydownherwaist；herskinwasdarkandswarthy，likethatofatoad，andtheexpressionofhercountenancewasparticularlyevil；herarmswerebare，andherbosomwasbuthalfconcealedbyaslightbodice，belowwhichsheworeacoarsepetticoat，heronlyotherarticleofdress。Themanwassomewhatyounger，butofafigureequallywild；hisframewaslongandlathy，buthisarmswereremarkablyshort，hisneckwasratherbent，hesquintedslightly，andhismouthwasmuchawry；hiscomplexionwasdark，but，unlikethatofthewoman，wasmoreruddythanlivid；therewasadeepscaronhischeek，somethingliketheimpressionofahalfpenny。Thedresswasquiteinkeepingwiththefigure：inhishat，whichwasslightlypeaked，wasstuckapeacock’sfeather；overawaistcoatofhide，untannedandwiththehairuponit，heworearoughjerkinofrussethue；smallclothesofleather，whichhadprobablyoncebelongedtoasoldier，butwithwhichpipeclaydidnotseemtohavecomeincontactformanyayear，protectedhislowermanasfarastheknee；hislegswerecasedinlongstockingsofblueworsted，andonhisshoesheworeimmenseold-fashionedbuckles。

Suchwerethetwobeingswhonowcamerushinguponme；themanwasratherinadvance，brandishingaladleinhishand。

’SoIhavecaughtyouatlast，’saidhe；’I’llteachye，youyounghighwayman，tocomeskulkingaboutmyproperties!’

YoungasIwas，IremarkedthathismannerofspeakingwasdifferentfromthatofanypeoplewithwhomIhadbeeninthehabitofassociating。Itwasquiteasstrangeashisappearance，andyetitnothingresembledtheforeignEnglishwhichIhadbeeninthehabitofhearingthroughthepalisadesoftheprison；hecouldscarcelybeaforeigner。

’Yourproperties!’saidI；’IamintheKing’sLane。Whydidyouputthemthere，ifyoudidnotwishthemtobeseen？’

’Onthespy，’saidthewoman，’hey？I’lldrownhiminthesludgeinthetoad-pondoverthehedge。’

’Sowewill，’saidtheman，’drownhimanoninthemud!’

’Drownme，willyou？’saidI；’Ishouldliketoseeyou!What’sallthisabout？WasitbecauseIsawyouwithyourhandsfullofstrawplait，andmymotherthere-’

’Yes，’saidthewoman；’whatwasIabout？’

MYSELF。HowshouldIknow？Makingbadmoney，perhaps!

Anditwillbeaswellheretoobserve，thatatthistimetherewasmuchbadmoneyincirculationintheneighbourhood，generallysupposedtobefabricatedbytheprisoners，sothatthisfalsecoinandstrawplaitformedthestandardsubjectsofconversationatNormanCross。

’I’llstranglethee，’saidthebeldame，dashingatme。’Badmoney，isit？’

’Leavehimtome，wifelkin，’saidtheman，interposing；’youshallnowseehowI’llbastehimdownthelane。’

MYSELF。Itellyouwhat，mychap，youhadbetterputdownthatthingofyours；myfatherliesconcealedwithinmytepidbreast，andiftomeyouofferanyharmorwrong，I’llcallhimforthtohelpmewithhisforkedtongue。

MAN。Whatdoyoumean，yeBengui’sbantling？Ineverheardsuchdiscourseinallmylife：playman’sspeechorFrenchman’stalk-

which，Iwonder？Yourfather!TellthemumpingvillainthatifhecomesnearmyfireI’llservehimoutasIwillyou。Takethat-

TinyJesus!whathavewegothere？Oh，delicateJesus!whatisthematterwiththechild？

Ihadmadeamotionwhichtheviperunderstood；andnow，partlydisengagingitselffrommybosom，whereithadlainperdu，itraiseditsheadtoalevelwithmyface，andstareduponmyenemywithitsglitteringeyes。

Themanstoodlikeonetransfixed，andtheladle，withwhichhehadaimedablowatme，nowhungintheairlikethehandwhichheldit；hismouthwasextended，andhischeeksbecameofapaleyellow，savealonethatplacewhichborethemarkwhichIhavealreadydescribed，andthisshonenowportentously，likefire。Hestoodinthismannerforsometime；atlasttheladlefellfromhishand，anditsfallingappearedtorousehimfromhisstupor。

’Isay，wifelkin，’saidhe，inafalteringtone，’didyoueverseethelikeofthishere？’

Butthewomanhadretreatedtothetent，fromtheentranceofwhichherloathlyfacewasnowthrust，withanexpressionpartlyofterrorandpartlyofcuriosity。Aftergazingsometimelongerattheviperandmyself，themanstoopeddownandtookuptheladle；

then，asifsomewhatmoreassured，hemovedtothetent，whereheenteredintoconversationwiththebeldameinalowvoice。Oftheirdiscourse，thoughIcouldhearthegreaterpartofit，I