look about him, and then to stand up, I found that his
wife had put an open knife in his hand. But his intention could not be
carried out, for his right hand was injured in the fight, and was for
the time useless, as he quickly realised.

The couple presently departed, cursing me and the young woman, who
remained behind in the little camp, and, as I was in an exhausted state,
offered to make tea by the camp fire. While we were taking the repast,
she told me the story of her life. Her name was Isopel Berners, and
though she believed that she had come of a good stock, she was born in a
workhouse. When old enough, she had entered the service of a kind widow,
who travelled with small merchandise. After the death of her mistress,
Isopel carried on the same avocation. Being friendless, and falling in
with the Flaming Tinman and his wife, she had associated with them, yet
acknowledged that she had found them to be bad people.

Time passed on. Isopel and I lived still in the dingle, occupying our
separate tents. She went to and fro on her business, and I went on short
excursions. Her company, when she happened to be in camp, was very
entertaining, for she had wandered in all parts of England and Wales.
For recreation, I taught her a great deal of Armenian, much of which was
like the gipsy tongue. She had a kind heart, and was an upright
character. She often asked me questions about America, for she had an
idea she would like to go there. But as I had never crossed the sea to
that country, I could only tell her what I had heard about it.

* * * * *

The Romany Rye

In this work, published in two volumes in 1857, George Borrow
continued the "kind of biography in the Robinson Crusoe style"
which he had begun in the three volumes of "Lavengro," issued
six years earlier. "Romany Rye" is described as a sequel to
"Lavengro," and takes up that story with the author and his
friend Isopel Berners encamped side by side in the Mumpers'
Dingle, whither the gipsies, Mr. and Mrs. Petulengro and their
relations, shortly afterwards arrive. The book consists of a
succession of episodes, without plot, the sole connecting
thread being Borrow's personality as figuring in them. Much of
the "Romany Rye" was written at Oulton Broad, where, after his
marriage in 1840, Borrow lived until he removed to Hereford
Square, Brompton. At Oulton, it is