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The trampers were worse than ever that day, and inspired me with a dread that is yet quite fresh in my mind. Some of them were most ferocious-looking ruffians, who stared at me as I went by; and stopped, perhaps, and called after me to come back and speak to them, and when I took to my heels, stoned me. I recollect one young fellowa tinker, I suppose, from his wallet and brazierwho had a woman with him, and who faced about and stared at me thus; and then roared to me in such a tremendous voice to come back, that I halted and looked round. Come here, when youre called, said the tinker, or Ill rip your young body open. I thought it best to go back. As I drew nearer to them, trying to propitiate the tinker by my looks, I observed that the woman had a black eye. Where are you going? said the tinker, gripping the bosom of my shirt with his blackened hand. I am going to Dover, I said. Where do you come from? asked the tinker, giving his hand another turn in my shirt, to hold me more securely. I come from London, I said. What lay are you upon? asked the tinker. Are you a prig? Nno, I said. Aint you, by G? If you make a brag of your honesty to me, said the tinker, Ill knock your brains out. With his disengaged hand he made a menace of striking me, and then looked at me from head to foot. Have you got the price of a pint of beer about you? said the tinker. If you have, out with it, afore I take it away! I should certainly have produced it, but that I met the womans look, and saw her very slightly shake her head, and form No! with her lips. I am very poor, I said, attempting to smile, and have got no money. Why, what do you mean? said the tinker, looking so sternly at me, that I almost feared he saw the money in my pocket. Sir! I stammered. What do you mean, said the tinker, by wearing my brothers silk handkercher? Give it over here! And he had mine off my neck in a moment, and tossed it to the woman. The woman burst into a fit of laughter, as if she thought this a joke, and tossing it back to me, nodded once, as slightly as before, and made the word Go! with her lips. Before I could obey, however, the tinker seized the handkerchief out of my hand with a roughness that threw me away like a feather, and putting it loosely round his own neck, turned upon the woman with an oath, and knocked her down. I never shall forget seeing her fall backward on the hard road, and lie there with her bonnet tumbled off, and her hair all whitened in the dust; nor, when I looked back from a distance, seeing her sitting on the pathway, which was a bank by the roadside, wiping the blood from her face with a corner of her shawl, while he went on ahead. |
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