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　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　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；　〃Where　can　we　find　him？〃　and　she
  said；　〃I　am　awake　to　his　motions；　three　weeks　from　hence；　the　night
  before　the　full　moon；　at　such　and　such　an　hour；　he　will　pass　down
  such　a　lane　with　such　a　man。〃'
  'Well；'　said　I；　'and　what　did　the　Poknees　do？'
  'Do；　brother！　sent　for　a　plastramengro　from　Bow　Street；　quite
  secretly；　and　told　him　what　the　woman　had　said；　and　the　night
  before　the　full　moon；　the　plastramengro　went　to　the　place　which　the
  juwa　had　pointed　out；　all　alone；　brother；　and　in　order　that　he
  might　not　be　too　late；　he　went　two　hours　before　his　time。　　I　know
  the　place　well；　brother；　where　the　plastramengro　placed　himself
  behind　a　thick　holly　tree；　at　the　end　of　a　lane；　where　a　gate　leads
  into　various　fields；　through　which　there　is　a　path　for　carts　and
  horses。　　The　lane　is　called　the　dark　lane　by　the　Gorgios；　being
  much　shaded　by　trees。　　So　the　plastramengro　placed　himself　in　the
  dark　lane　behind　the　holly　tree；　it　was　a　cold　February　night；
  dreary　though；　the　wind　blew　in　gusts；　and　the　moon　had　not　yet
  risen；　and　the　plastramengro　waited　behind　the　tree　till　he　was
  tired；　and　thought　he　might　as　well　sit　down；　so　he　sat　down；　and
  was　not　long　in　falling　to　sleep；　and　there　he　slept　for　some
  hours；　and　when　he　awoke　the　moon　had　risen；　and　was　shining
  bright；　so　that　there　was　a　kind　of　moonlight　even　in　the　dark
  lane；　and　the　plastramengro　pulled　out　his　watch；　and　contrived　to
  make　out　that　it　was　just　two　hours　beyond　the　time　when　the　men
  should　have　passed　by。　　Brother；　I　do　not　know　what　the
  plastramengro　thought　of　himself；　but　I　know；　brother；　what　I
  should　have　thought　of　myself　in　his　situation。　　I　should　have
  thought；　brother；　that　I　was　a　drowsy　scoppelo；　and　that　I　had　let
  the　fellow　pass　by　whilst　I　was　sleeping　behind　a　bush。　　As　it
  turned　out；　however；　his　going　to　sleep　did　no　harm；　but　quite　the
  contrary：　　just　as　he　was　going　away；　he　heard　a　gate　slam　in　the
  direction　of　the　fields；　and　then　he　heard　the　low　stumping　of
  horses；　as　if　on　soft　ground；　for　the　path　in　those　fields　is
  generally　soft；　and　at　that　time　it　had　been　lately　ploughed　up。
  Well；　brother；　presently　he　saw　two　men　on　horseback　coming　towards
  the　lane　through　the　field　behind　the　gate；　the　man　who　rode
  foremost　was　a　tall　big　fellow；　the　very　man　he　was　in　quest　of；
  the　other　was　a　smaller　chap；　not　so　small　either；　but　a　light；
  wiry　fellow；　and　a　proper　master　of　his　hands　when　he　sees　occasion
  for　using　them。　　Well；　brother；　the　foremost　man　came　to　the　gate；
  reached　at　the　hank；　undid　it；　and　rode　through；　holding　it　open
  for　the　other。　　Before；　however；　the　other　could　follow　into　the
  lane；　out　bolted　the　plastramengro　from　behind　the　tree；　kicked　the
  gate　to　with　his　foot；　and；　seizing　the　big　man　on　horse…back；　〃You
  are　my　prisoner；〃　said　he。　　I　am　of　opinion；　brother；　that　the
  plastramengro；　notwithstanding　he　went　to　sleep；　must　have　been　a
  regular　fine　fellow。'
  'I　am　entirely　of　your　opinion；'　said　I；　'but　what　happened　then？'
  'Why；　brother；　the　Rommany　chal；　after　he　had　somewhat　recovered
  from　his　surprise；　for　it　is　rather　uncomfortable　to　be　laid　hold
  of　at　night…time；　and　told　you　are　a　prisoner；　more　especially　when
  you　happen　to　have　two　or　three　things　on　your　mind　which；　if
  proved　against　you；　would　carry　you　to　the　nashky；　…　the　Rommany
  chal；　I　say；　clubbed　his　whip；　and　aimed　a　blow　at　the
  plastramengro；　which；　if　it　had　hit　him　on　the　skull；　as　was
  intended；　would　very　likely　have　cracked　it。　　The　plastramengro；
  however；　received　it　partly　on　his　staff；　so　that　it　did　him　no
  particular　damage。　　Whereupon；　seeing　what　kind　of　customer　he　had
  to　deal　with；　he　dropped　his　staff　and　seized　the　chal　with　both
  his　hands；　who　forthwith　spurred　his　horse；　hoping；　by　doing　so；
  either　to　break　away　from　him　or　fling　him　down；　but　it　would　not
  do　…　the　plastramengro　held　on　like　a　bull…dog；　so　that　the　Rommany
  chal；　to　escape　being　hauled　to　the　ground；　suddenly　flung　himself
  off　the　saddle；　and　then　happened　in　that　lane；　close　by　the　gate；
  such　a　struggle　between　those　two　…　the　chal　and　the　runner　…　as　I
  suppose　will　never　happen　again。　　But　you　must　have　heard　of　it；
  every　one　has　heard　of　it；　every　one　has　heard　of　the　fight　between
  the　Bow　Street　engro　and　the　Rommany　chal。'
  'I　never　heard　of　it　till　now。'
  'All　England　rung　of　it；　brother。　　There　never　was　a　better　match
  than　between　those　two。　　The　runner　was　somewhat　the　stronger　of
  the　two　…　all　those　engroes　are　strong　fellows　…　and　a　great　deal
  cooler；　for　all　of　that　sort　are　wondrous　cool　people　…　he　had；
  however；　to　do　with　one　who　knew　full　well　how　to　take　his　own
  part。　　The　chal　fought　the　engro；　brother；　in　the　old　Roman
  fashion。　　He　bit；　he　kicked；　and　screamed　like　a　wild　cat　of
  Benygant；　casting　foam　from　his　mouth　and　fire　from　his　eyes。
  Sometimes　he　was　beneath　the　engro's　legs；　and　sometimes　he　was
  upon　his　shoulders。　　What　the　engro　found　the　most　difficult　was　to
  get　a　firm　hold　of　the　chal；　for　no　sooner　did　he　seize　the　chal　by
  any　part　of　his　wearing　apparel；　than　the　chal　either　tore　himself
  away；　or　contrived　to　slip　out　of　it；　so　that　in　a　little　time　the
  chal　was　three　parts　naked；　and　as　for　holding　him　by　the　body；　it
  was　out　of　the　question；　for　he　was　as　slippery　as　an　eel。　　At　last
  the　engro　seized　the　chal　by　the　Belcher's　handkerchief；　which　he
  wore　in　a　knot　round　his　neck；　and　do　whatever　the　chal　could；　he
  could　not　free　himself；　and　when　the　engro　saw　that；　it　gave　him
  fresh　heart；　no　doubt：　　〃It's　of　no　use；〃　said　he；　〃you　had　better
  give　in；　hold　out　your　hands　for　the　darbies；　or　I　will　throttle
  you。〃
  'And　what　did　the　other　fellow　do；　who　came　with　the　chal？'　said　I。
  'I　sat　still　on　my　horse；　brother。'
  'You！'　said　I。　　'Were　you　the　man？'
  'I　was　he；　brother。'
  'And　why　did　you　not　help　your　comrade？'
  'I　have　fought　in　the　ring；　brother。'
  'And　what　had　fighting　in　the　ring　to　do　with　fighting　in　the
  lane？'
  'You　mean　not　fighting。　　A　great　deal；　brother；　it　taught　me　to
  prize　fair　play。　　When　I　fought　Staffordshire　Dick；　t'other　side　of
  London；　I　was　alone；　brother。　　Not　a　Rommany　chal　to　back　me；　and
  he　had　all　his　brother　pals　about　him；　but　they　gave　me　fair　play；
  brother；　and　I　beat　Staffordshire　Dick；　which　I　couldn't　have　done
  had　they　put　one　finger　on　his　side　the　scale；　for　he　was　as　good　a
  man　as　myself；　or　nearly　so。　　Now；　brother；　had　I　but　bent　a　finger
  in　favour　of　the　Rommany　chal；　the　plastramengro　would　never　have
  come　alive　out　of　the　lane；　but　I　did　not；