Of the vignette I may
claim to know something. Of the spirits as artists I have of course
no knowledge, but as regards my father, he, I am certain, could
hardly have told a Raphael from a chromolithograph copy. He was, in
spite of that same vignette, most ignorant of art. Raxton Hall
possesses nothing but family portraits.'
IV
By this time we had reached the encampment, which was close by a
waterfall among ferns and wild-flowers. Little Jerry Lovell, a child
of about four years of age, came running to meet me with a dead
water-wagtail in his hand which he had knocked down.
'Me kill de Romany Chiriklo,' said he, and then proceeded to tell me
very gravely that, having killed the 'Gypsy magpie,' he was bound to
have a great lady for his sweetheart.
'Jerry,' said I bitterly, 'you begin with love and superstition
early; you are an incipient "Aylwinian": take care.'
When I explained to Wilderspin that this was one of the Romany
beliefs, he said that he did not at present see the connection
between a dead water-wagtail and a live lady, but that such a
connection might doubtless exist.
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