There can be no doubt that you are the cause of Mrs.Herne's death--innocently, you will say, but still the cause.

Now I shouldn't like it to be known that I went up and down the country with a pal who was the cause of my mother-in-law's death: that is to say, unless he gave me satisfaction." So they fell to with their naked fists on a broad strip of grass in the shade under some lofty trees.

In half an hour's time Lavengro's face was covered with blood, whereupon Mr.Petulengro exclaimed, "Put your hands down, brother: I'm satisfied; blood has been shed, which is all that can be expected for an old woman who carried so much brimstone about with her as Mrs.Herne."] So we resumed our route, Mr.Petulengro sitting sideways on his horse, and I driving my little pony-cart; and when we had proceeded about three miles, we came to a small public-house, which bore the sign of the "Silent Woman," where we stopped to refresh our cattle and ourselves; and as we sat over our bread and ale, it came to pass that Mr.Petulengro asked me various questions, and amongst others, how I intended to dispose of myself.

I told him that I did not know; whereupon, with considerable frankness, he invited me to his camp, and told me that if I chose to settle down amongst them, and become a Rommany chal, {61} I should have his wife's sister, Ursula, who was still unmarried, and occasionally talked of me.
I declined his offer, assigning as a reason the recent death of Mrs.
Herne, of which I was the cause, although innocent.

"A pretty life I should lead with those two," said I, "when they came to know it." "Pooh," said Mr.Petulengro, "they will never know it.