As she spoke she looked like an ideal Meg Merrilies, and I wished I had her picture. It was very strange that I made the wish at that instant, for just then she was within an ace of having it taken, and therefore arose and went away to avoid it. An itinerant photographer, seeing me talking with the gypsies, was attempting, though I knew it not, to take
the group. But the keen eye of the Romany saw it all, and she went her way, because she was of the real old kind, who believe it is unlucky to have their portraits taken. I used to think that this aversion was of the same kind as that which many good men evince in a marked manner when requested by the police to sit for their photographs for the rogues’ gallery. But here I did the gypsies great injustice; for they will allow their likenesses to be taken if you will give them a shoe-string. That this old superstition relative to the binding and loosing of ill-luck by the shoe-string should exist in this connection is of itself curious. In the earliest times the shoe-latchet brought luck, just as the shoe itself did, especially when filled with corn or rice, and thrown after the bride. It is a great pity that the ignorant Gentiles, who are so careful to do this at every wedding, do not know that it is all in vain unless they cry aloud in Hebrew, “Peru urphu!” [159] with all their might when the shoe is cast, and that the shoe should be filled with rice.
She went away, and in a few minutes the photographer came in great glee to show a picture which he had taken.
“’Ere you are, sir. An elegant photograph, surroundin’ sentimental scenery and horiental coker-nuts thrown in,—all for a diminitive little shillin’.”
“Now that time you missed it,” I said; “for on my honor as a gentleman, I have only ninepence in all my pockets.”
“A gent like you with only ninepence!” said the artist.
“If he hasn’t got money in his pocket now,” said Old Liz, speaking up in my defense, “he has plenty at home. He has given pounds and pounds to us gypsies.”
“Dovo’s a huckaben,” I said to her in Romany. “Mandy kekker delled tute kūmi’n a trin-grushi.” (That is untrue. I never gave you more than a shilling.)
“Anyhow,” said Liz, “ninepence is enough for it.” And the man, assenting, gave it to me. It was a very good picture, and I have since had several copies taken of it.
“Yes, rya,” said Old Liz, when I regretted the absence of my Lady Lee, and talked with her about shoe-strings and old shoes, and how necessary it was to cry out “Peru urphu!” when you throw them,—“yes. That’s the way the Gorgis always half does things. You see ’em get a horse-shoe off the roads, and what do they do with it! Goes like dinneli idiots and nails it up with the p’ints down, which, as is well beknown, brings all the bad luck there is flyin’ in the air into the house, and taders chovihanees [draws witches] like anise-seed does rats. Now common sense ought to teach that the shoe ought to be put like horns, with the p’ints up. For if it’s lucky to put real horns up, of course the horse-shoe goes the same drom [road]. And it’s lucky to pick up a red string in the morning,—yes, or at any time; but it’s sure love from a girl if you do,—specially silk. And if so be she gives you a red string or cord, or a strip of red stuff, that means she’ll be bound to you and loves you.”