Romany rawnie scarcely ascended to the breast
of Isopel Berners. I could see that Mrs. Petulengro gazed on Belle with
unmixed admiration; so did her husband. "Well," said the latter, "one
thing I will say, which is, that there is only one on earth worthy to
stand up in front of this she, and that is the beauty of the world, as
far as man flesh is concerned, Tawno Chikno; what a pity he did not come
down!"

"Tawno Chikno," said Mrs. Petulengro, flaring up; "a pretty fellow he to
stand up in front of this gentlewoman, a pity he didn't come, quotha? not
at all, the fellow is a sneak, afraid of his wife. He stand up against
this rawnie! why, the look she has given me would knock the fellow down."

"It is easier to knock him down with a look than with a fist," said Mr.
Petulengro; "that is, if the look comes from a woman: not that I am
disposed to doubt that this female gentlewoman is able to knock him down
either one way or the other. I have heard of her often enough, and have
seen her once or twice, though not so near as now. Well, ma'am, my wife
and I are come to pay our respects to you; we are both glad to find that
you have left off keeping company with Flaming Bosville, and have taken
up with my pal; he is not very handsome, but a better--"

"I take up with your pal, as you call him! you had better mind what you
say," said Isopel Berners, "I take up with nobody."

"I merely mean taking up your quarters with him," said Mr. Petulengro;
"and I was only about to say a better fellow-lodger you cannot have, or a
more instructive, especially if you have a desire to be inoculated with
tongues, as he calls them. I wonder whether you and he have had any
tongue-work already."

"Have you and your wife anything particular to say? if you have nothing
but this kind of conversation I must leave you, as I am going to make a
journey this afternoon, and should be getting ready."

"You must excuse my husband, madam," said Mrs. Petulengro, "he is not
overburdened with understanding, and has said but one word of sense since
he has been here, which was that we came to pay our respects to you. We
have dressed ourselves in our best Roman way, in order to do honour to
you; perhaps you do not like it; if so, I am sorry. I have no French
clothes, madam; if I had any, madam, I would have come in them, in order
to do you more honour."

"I like to see you much better as you are," said Belle; "people should
keep to their own fashions,