They had all
a wild tawdry display of colour; and a group of alders in the rear made a
background of shade for tents, fires, and figures.
I opened a front window of the chariot, and called to the postboys to stop.
The groom from behind came to the window.
'Are not those gipsies?' I enquired.
'Yes, please'm, them's gipsies, sure, Miss,' he answered, glancing with
that odd smile, half contemptuous, half superstitious, with which I have
since often observed the peasants of Derbyshire eyeing those thievish and
uncanny neighbours.
CHAPTER XXXI
_BARTRAM-HAUGH_
In a moment a tall, lithe girl, black-haired, black-eyed, and, as I
thought, inexpressibly handsome, was smiling, with such beautiful rings of
pearly teeth, at the window; and in her peculiar accent, with a suspicion
of something foreign in it, proposing with many courtesies to tell the lady
her fortune.
I had never seen this wild tribe of the human race before--children of
mystery and liberty. Such vagabondism and beauty in the figure before me!
I looked at their hovels and thought of the night, and wondered at their
independence, and felt my inferiority.
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