Romans have tasted of them, and died. Did you never hear of the
poisoned plum pudding?"

"Never."

"Then I will tell you about it. It happened about six years ago, a few
months after she had quitted us--she had gone first amongst her own
people, as she called them; but there was another small party of Romans,
with whom she soon became very intimate. It so happened that this small
party got into trouble; whether it was about a horse or an ass, or
passing bad money, no matter to you and me, who had no hand in the
business; three or four of them were taken and lodged in --- Castle, and
amongst them was a woman; but the sherengro, or principal man of the
party, and who it seems had most hand in the affair, was still at large.
All of a sudden a rumour was spread abroad that the woman was about to
play false, and to peach the rest. Said the principal man, when he heard
it, 'If she does, I am nashkado.' Mrs. Herne was then on a visit to the
party, and when she heard the principal man take on so, she said, 'But I
suppose you know what to do?' 'I do not,' said he. 'Then hir mi
devlis,' said she, 'you are a fool. But leave the matter to me, I know
how to dispose of her in Roman fashion.' Why she wanted to interfere in
the matter, brother, I don't know, unless it was from pure brimstoneness
of disposition--she had no hand in the matter which had brought the party
into trouble--she was only on a visit, and it had happened before she
came; but she was always ready to give dangerous advice. Well, brother,
the principal man listened to what she had to say, and let her do what
she would; and she made a pudding, a very nice one, no doubt--for,
besides plums, she put in drows and all the Roman condiments that she
knew of; and she gave it to the principal man, and the principal man put
it into a basket and directed it to the woman in --- Castle, and the
woman in the castle took it and--"

"Ate of it," said I, "just like my case?"

"Quite different, brother, she took it, it is true; but instead of giving
way to her appetite as you might have done, she put it before the rest
whom she was going to impeach--perhaps she wished to see how they liked
it before she tasted it herself--and all the rest were poisoned, and one
died, and there was a precious outcry, and the woman cried the loudest of
all; and she said, 'it was my death was sought for; I know the man, and
I'll be revenged,' and then the Poknees spoke to her and said, 'Whe