The Romany Rye
Page 25
CHAPTER XX
FAREWELL TO THE ROMANS--THE LANDLORD AND HIS NIECE--SET OUT AS ATRAVELLER
On reaching the plain above, I found my Romany friends breakfasting, andon being asked by Mr. Petulengro to join them, I accepted the invitation.No sooner was breakfast over than I informed Ursula and her husband thatthey would find the property, which I had promised them, below in thedingle, commending the little pony Ambrol to their best care. I tookleave of the whole company, which was itself about to break up camp andto depart in the direction of London, and made the best of my way to thepublic-house. I had a small bundle in my hand, and was dressed in thesame manner as when I departed from London, having left my waggoner'sslop with the other effects in the dingle. On arriving at thepublic-house, I informed the landlord that I was come for my horse,inquiring, at the same time, whether he could not accommodate me with abridle and saddle. He told me that the bridle and saddle, with which Ihad ridden the horse on the preceding day, were at my service for atrifle; 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 wererather shabby, and the bit rusty, and the saddle was old-fashioned; but Iwas happy to purchase them for seven shillings, more especially as thelandlord added a small valise, which he said could be strapped to thesaddle, and which I should find very convenient for carrying my thingsin. I then proceeded to the stable, told the horse we were bound on anexpedition, and giving him a feed of corn, left him to discuss it, andreturned to the bar-room to have a little farewell chat with the landlordand at the same time to drink with him a farewell glass of ale. Whilstwe were talking and drinking, the niece came and joined us: she was adecent, sensible, young woman, who appeared to take a great interest inher uncle, whom she regarded with a singular mixture of pride anddisapprobation--pride for the renown which he had acquired by his featsof old, and disapprobation for his late imprudences. She said that shehoped that his misfortunes would be a warning to him to turn more to hisGod than he had hitherto done, and to give up cock-fighting and otherlow-life practices. To which the landlord replied, that with respect tocock-fighting he intended to give it up entirely, being determined nolonger to risk his capital upon birds, and with respect to his religiousduties he should attend the church of which he was churchwarden at leastonce a quarter, adding, however, that he did not intend to become eithercanter or driveller, neither of which characters would befit a publicansurrounded by such customers as he was, and that to the last day of hislife he hoped to be able to make use of his fists. After a stay of abouttwo hours I settled accounts; and having bridled and saddled my horse,and strapped on the valise, I mounted, shook hands with the landlord andhis niece, and departed, notwithstanding that they both entreated me totarry until the evening, it being then the heat of the day.