you never looked so well
before; and I hope that, from this moment, you will wear your hair in
this way." "And who is to braid it in this way?" said Belle, smiling.
"I, madam," said Mrs. Petulengro; "I will braid it for you every morning,
if you will but be persuaded to join us. Do so, madam, and I think, if
you did, the young rye would do so too." "The young rye is nothing to
me, nor I to him," said Belle; "we have stayed some time together; but
our paths will soon be apart. Now, farewell, for I am about to take a
journey." "And you will go out with your hair as I have braided it,"
said Mrs. Petulengro; "if you do, everybody will be in love with you."
"No," said Belle; "hitherto I have allowed you to do what you please, but
henceforth I shall have my own way. Come, come," said she, observing
that the gypsy was about to speak, "we have had enough of nonsense;
whenever I leave this hollow, it will be wearing my hair in my own
fashion." "Come, wife," said Mr. Petulengro; "we will no longer intrude
upon the rye and rawnie; there is such a thing as being troublesome."
Thereupon Mr. Petulengro and his wife took their leave, with many
salutations. "Then you are going?" said I, when Belle and I were left
alone. "Yes," said Belle; "I am going on a journey; my affairs compel
me." "But you will return again?" said I. "Yes," said Belle, "I shall
return once more." "Once more," said I; "what do you mean by once more?
The Petulengros will soon be gone, and will you abandon me in this
place?" "You were alone here," said Belle, "before I came, and I
suppose, found it agreeable, or you would not have stayed in it." "Yes,"
said I, "that was before I knew you; but having lived with you here, I
should be very loth to live here without you." "Indeed," said Belle; "I
did not know that I was of so much consequence to you. Well, the day is
wearing away--I must go and harness Traveller to the cart." "I will do
that," said I, "or anything else you may wish me. Go and prepare
yourself; I will see after Traveller and the cart." Belle departed to
her tent, and I set about performing the task I had undertaken. In about
half-an-hour Belle again made her appearance--she was dressed neatly and
plainly. Her hair was no longer in the Roman fashion, in which Pakomovna
had plaited it, but was secured by a comb; she held a bonnet in her hand.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" I demanded. "There are two or
three bundles by my t