t--I would engage
to thrash him with one hand."

"You might beat me with no hands at all," said I, "fair damsel, only by
looking at me--I never saw such a face and figure, both regal--why, you
look like Ingeborg, Queen of Norway; she had twelve brothers, you know,
and could lick them all, though they were heroes:--

'On Dovrefeld in Norway,
Were once together seen,
The twelve heroic brothers
Of Ingeborg the queen.'"

"None of your chaffing, young fellow," said the tall girl, "or I will
give you what shall make you wipe your face; be civil, or you will rue
it."

"Well, perhaps I was a peg too high," said I; "I ask your pardon--here's
something a bit lower:--

'As I was jawing to the gav yeck divvus
I met on the drom miro Rommany chi--'" {285}

"None of your Rommany chies, young fellow," said the tall girl, looking
more menacingly than before, and clenching her fist; "you had better be
civil, I am none of your chies; and though I keep company with Gypsies,
or, to speak more proper, half-and-halfs, I would have you to know that I
come of Christian blood and parents, and was born in the great house of
Long Melford."

"I have no doubt," said I, "that it was a great house; judging from your
size I shouldn't wonder if you were born in a church."

"Stay, Belle," said the man, putting himself before the young virago, who
was about to rush upon me, "my turn is first"--then, advancing to me in a
menacing attitude, he said, with a look of deep malignity, "'Afraid' was
the word, wasn't it?"

"It was," said I, "but I think I wronged you; I should have said, aghast,
you exhibited every symptom of one labouring under uncontrollable fear."

The fellow stared at me with a look of stupid ferocity, and appeared to
be hesitating whether to strike or not: ere he could make up his mind,
the tall girl started forward, crying, "He's chaffing; let me at him;"
and before I could put myself on my guard, she struck me a blow on the
face which had nearly brought me to the ground.

"Enough," said I, putting my hand to my cheek; "you have now performed
your promise, and made me wipe my face: now be pacified, and tell me
fairly the grounds of this quarrel."

"Grounds!" said the fellow; "didn't you say I was afraid; and if you
hadn't, who gave you leave to camp on my ground?"

"Is it your ground?" said I.

"A pretty question," said the fellow; "as if all the world didn't know
that. Do you know who I am?"

"I gues