about
half an hour Belle again made her appearance--she was dressed neatly and
plainly. Her hair was no longer in the Roman fashion, in which Pakomovna
had plaited it, but was secured by a comb; she held a bonnet in her hand.
'Is there anything else I can do for you?' I demanded. 'There are two or
three bundles by my tent which you can put into the cart,' said Belle. I
put the bundles into the cart, and then led Traveller and the cart up the
winding path to the mouth of the dingle, near which was Mr. Petulengro's
encampment. Belle followed. At the top, I delivered the reins into her
hands; we looked at each other steadfastly for some time. Belle then
departed, and I returned to the dingle, where, seating myself on my
stone, I remained for upwards of an hour in thought.

CHAPTER VII

THE FESTIVAL--THE GYPSY SONG--PIRAMUS OF ROME--THE SCOTCHMAN--GYPSY NAMES

On the following day there was much feasting amongst the Romany chals of
Mr. Petulengro's party. Throughout the forenoon the Romany chies did
scarcely anything but cook flesh, and the flesh which they cooked was
swine's flesh. About two o'clock, the chals and chies dividing
themselves into various parties sat down and partook of the fare, which
was partly roasted, partly sodden. I dined that day with Mr. Petulengro,
and his wife and family, Ursula, Mr. and Mrs. Chikno, and Sylvester and
his two children. Sylvester, it will be as well to say; was a widower,
and had consequently no one to cook his victuals for him, supposing he
had any, which was not always the case, Sylvester's affairs being seldom
in a prosperous state. He was noted for his bad success in trafficking,
notwithstanding the many hints which he received from Jasper, under whose
protection he had placed himself, even as Tawno Chikno had done, who
himself, as the reader has heard on a former occasion, was anything but a
wealthy subject, though he was at all times better off than Sylvester,
the Lazarus of the Romany tribe.

All our party ate with a good appetite, except myself, who, feeling
rather melancholy that day, had little desire to eat. I did not, like
the others, partake of the pork, but got my dinner entirely off the body
of a squirrel which had been shot the day before by a chal {43a} of the
name of Piramus, who, besides being a good shot, was celebrated for his
skill in playing on the fiddle. During the dinner a horn filled with ale
passed frequently around; I drank of it m