Chapter XI. Maggie Tries to Run away from Her Shadow

eatdealofpasture-land,andshehadonlyseenonelaboureratadistance.Thatwasfortunateinsomerespects,aslabourersmightbetooignoranttounderstandtheproprietyofherwantingtogotoDunlowCommonyetitwouldhavebeenbetterifshecouldhavemetsomeonewhowouldtellherthewaywithoutwantingtoknowanythingaboutherprivatebusiness.Atlast,however,thegreenfieldscametoanend,andMaggiefoundherselflookingthroughthebarsofagateintoalanewithawidemarginofgrassoneachsideofit.Shehadneverseensuchawidelanebefore,and,withoutherknowingwhy,itgavehertheimpressionthatthecommoncouldnotbefaroffperhapsitwasbecauseshesawadonkeywithalogtohisfootfeedingonthegrassymargin,forshehadseenadonkeywiththatpitiableencumbranceonDunlowCommonwhenshehadbeenacrossitinherfather’sgig.Shecreptthroughthebarsofthegateandwalkedonwithnewspirit,thoughnotwithouthauntingimagesofApollyon,andahighwaymanwithapistol,andablinkingdwarfinyellowwithamouthfromeartoear,andothermiscellaneousdangers.ForpoorlittleMaggiehadatoncethetimidityofanactiveimaginationandthedaringthatcomesfromovermasteringimpulse.Shehadrushedintotheadventureofseekingherunknownkindred,thegypsiesandnowshewasinthisstrangelane,shehardlydaredlookononesideofher,lestsheshouldseethediabolicalblacksmithinhisleathernaprongrinningatherwitharmsakimbo.Itwasnotwithoutaleapingoftheheartthatshecaughtsightofasmallpairofbarelegsstickingup,feetuppermost,bythesideofahillocktheyseemedsomethinghideouslypreternatural,—adiabolicalkindoffungusforshewastoomuchagitatedatthefirstglancetoseetheraggedclothesandthedarkshaggyheadattachedtothem.Itwasaboyasleep,andMaggietrottedalongfasterandmorelightly,lestsheshouldwakehimitdidnotoccurtoherthathewasoneofherfriendsthegypsies,whoinallprobabilitywouldhaveverygenialmanners.Butthefactwasso,foratthenextbendinthelaneMaggieactuallysawthelittlesemicircularblacktentwiththebluesmokerisingbeforeit,whichwastobeherrefugefromalltheblightingobloquythathadpursuedherincivilisedlife.Sheevensawatallfemalefigurebythecolumnofsmoke,doubtlessthegypsy-mother,whoprovidedtheteaandothergroceriesitwasastonishingtoherselfthatshedidnotfeelmoredelighted.Butitwasstartlingtofindthegypsiesinalane,afterall,andnotonacommonindeed,itwasratherdisappointingforamysteriousillimitablecommon,wherethereweresand-pitstohidein,andonewasoutofeverybody’sreach,hadalwaysmadepartofMaggie’spictureofgypsylife.Shewenton,however,andthoughtwithsomecomfortthatgypsiesmostlikelyknewnothingaboutidiots,sotherewasnodangeroftheirfallingintothemistakeofsettingherdownatthefirstglanceasanidiot.Itwasplainshehadattractedattentionforthetallfigure,whoprovedtobeayoungwomanwithababyonherarm,walkedslowlytomeether.Maggielookedupinthenewfacerathertremblinglyasitapproached,andwasreassuredbythethoughtthatherauntPulletandtherestwererightwhentheycalledheragypsyforthisface,withthebrightdarkeyesandthelonghair,wasreallysomethinglikewhatsheusedtoseeintheglassbeforeshecutherhairoff. “Mylittlelady,whereareyougoingto?”thegypsysaid,inatoneofcoaxingdeference. Itwasdelightful,andjustwhatMaggieexpectedthegypsiessawatoncethatshewasalittlelady,andwerepreparedtotreatheraccordingly. “Notanyfarther,”saidMaggie,feelingasifsheweresayingwhatshehadrehearsedinadream.“I’mcometostaywithyou,please.” “That’sprettycome,then.Why,whatanicelittleladyyouare,tobesure!”saidthegypsy,takingherbythehand.Maggiethoughtherveryagreeable,butwishedshehadnotbeensodirty. Therewasquiteagrouproundthefirewhenshereachedit.Anoldgypsywomanwasseatedonthegroundnursingherknees,andoccasionallypokingaskewerintotheroundkettlethatsentforthanodoroussteamtwosmallshock-headedchildrenwerelyingproneandrestingontheirelbowssomethinglikesmallsphinxesandaplaciddonkeywasbendinghisheadoveratallgirl,who,lyingonherback,wasscratchinghisnoseandindulginghimwithabiteofexcellentstolenhay.Theslantingsunlightfellkindlyuponthem,andthescenewasreallyveryprettyandcomfortable,Maggiethought,onlyshehopedtheywouldsoonsetoutthetea-cups.Everythingwouldbequitecharmingwhenshehadtaughtthegypsiestouseawashing-basin,andtofeelaninterestinbooks.Itwasalittleconfusing,though,thattheyoungwomanbegantospeaktotheoldoneinalanguagewhichMaggiedidnotunderstand,whilethetallgirl,whowasfeedingthedonkey,satupandstaredatherwithoutofferinganysalutation.Atlasttheoldwomansaid,— “What!myprettylady,areyoucometostaywithus