Chapter XI. Maggie Tries to Run away from Her Shadow

?Sityedownandtelluswhereyoucomefrom.” ItwasjustlikeastoryMaggielikedtobecalledprettyladyandtreatedinthisway.Shesatdownandsaid,— “I’mcomefromhomebecauseI’munhappy,andImeantobeagypsy.I’lllivewithyouifyoulike,andIcanteachyouagreatmanythings.” “Suchacleverlittlelady,”saidthewomanwiththebabysittingdownbyMaggie,andallowingbabytocrawl“andsuchaprettybonnetandfrock,”sheadded,takingoffMaggie’sbonnetandlookingatitwhileshemadeanobservationtotheoldwoman,intheunknownlanguage.Thetallgirlsnatchedthebonnetandputitonherownheadhind-foremostwithagrinbutMaggiewasdeterminednottoshowanyweaknessonthissubject,asifsheweresusceptibleaboutherbonnet. “Idon’twanttowearabonnet,”shesaid“I’dratherweararedhandkerchief,likeyours”(lookingatherfriendbyherside).“Myhairwasquitelongtillyesterday,whenIcutitoffbutIdaresayitwillgrowagainverysoon,”sheaddedapologetically,thinkingitprobablethegypsieshadastrongprejudiceinfavouroflonghair.AndMaggiehadforgottenevenherhungeratthatmomentinthedesiretoconciliategypsyopinion. “Oh,whatanicelittlelady!—andrich,I’msure,”saidtheoldwoman.“Didn’tyouliveinabeautifulhouseathome?” “Yes,myhomeispretty,andI’mveryfondoftheriver,wherewegofishing,butI’moftenveryunhappy.Ishouldhavelikedtobringmybookswithme,butIcameawayinahurry,youknow.ButIcantellyoualmosteverythingthereisinmybooks,I’vereadthemsomanytimes,andthatwillamuseyou.AndIcantellyousomethingaboutGeographytoo,—that’sabouttheworldwelivein,—veryusefulandinteresting.DidyoueverhearaboutColumbus?” Maggie’seyeshadbeguntosparkleandhercheekstoflush,—shewasreallybeginningtoinstructthegypsies,andgaininggreatinfluenceoverthem.Thegypsiesthemselveswerenotwithoutamazementatthistalk,thoughtheirattentionwasdividedbythecontentsofMaggie’spocket,whichthefriendatherrighthandhadbythistimeemptiedwithoutattractinghernotice. “Isthatwhereyoulive,mylittlelady?”saidtheoldwoman,atthementionofColumbus. “Oh,no!”saidMaggie,withsomepity“Columbuswasaverywonderfulman,whofoundouthalftheworld,andtheyputchainsonhimandtreatedhimverybadly,youknowit’sinmyCatechismofGeography,butperhapsit’srathertoolongtotellbeforetea—Iwantmyteaso.” ThelastwordsburstfromMaggie,inspiteofherself,withasuddendropfrompatronizinginstructiontosimplepeevishness. “Why,she’shungry,poorlittlelady,”saidtheyoungerwoman.“Givehersomeo’thecoldvictual.You’vebeenwalkingagoodway,I’llbebound,mydear.Where’syourhome?” “It’sDorlcoteMill,agoodwayoff,”saidMaggie.“MyfatherisMrTulliver,butwemustn’tlethimknowwhereIam,elsehe’llfetchmehomeagain.Wheredoesthequeenofthegypsieslive?” “What!doyouwanttogotoher,mylittlelady?”saidtheyoungerwoman.ThetallgirlmeanwhilewasconstantlystaringatMaggieandgrinning.Hermannerswerecertainlynotagreeable. “No,”saidMaggie,“I’monlythinkingthatifsheisn’taverygoodqueenyoumightbegladwhenshedied,andyoucouldchooseanother.IfIwasaqueen,I’dbeaverygoodqueen,andkindtoeverybody.” “Here’sabito’nicevictual,then,”saidtheoldwoman,handingtoMaggiealumpofdrybread,whichshehadtakenfromabagofscraps,andapieceofcoldbacon. “Thankyou,’saidMaggie,lookingatthefoodwithouttakingit“butwillyougivemesomebread-and-butterandteainstead?Idon’tlikebacon.” “We’vegotnoteanorbutter,”saidtheoldwoman,withsomethinglikeascowl,asifsheweregettingtiredofcoaxing. “Oh,alittlebreadandtreaclewoulddo,”saidMaggie. “Wehan’tgotnotreacle,”saidtheoldwoman,crossly,whereupontherefollowedasharpdialoguebetweenthetwowomenintheirunknowntongue,andoneofthesmallsphinxessnatchedatthebread-and-bacon,andbegantoeatit.Atthismomentthetallgirl,whohadgoneafewyardsoff,cameback,andsaidsomethingwhichproducedastrongeffect.Theoldwoman,seemingtoforgetMaggie’shunger,pokedtheskewerintothepotwithnewvigor,andtheyoungercreptunderthetentandreachedoutsomeplattersandspoons.Maggietrembledalittle,andwasafraidthetearswouldcomeintohereyes.Meanwhilethetallgirlgaveashrillcry,andpresentlycamerunninguptheboywhomMaggiehadpassedashewassleeping,—aroughurchinabouttheageofTom.HestaredatMaggie,andthereensuedmuchincomprehensiblechattering.Shefeltverylonely,andwasquitesuresheshouldbegintocrybeforelongthegypsiesdidn’tseemtomindheratall,andshefeltquiteweakamongthem.Butthespringingtearswerecheckedbynewterror,whentwomencameup,whoseapproachhadbeenthecauseofthesuddenexcitement.Theelderofthetwocarriedabag,whichheflungd