ell down in a
swoon, and Timothy carried her off. When she was taken home to the inn,
she was so ill that she was put into bed, and what she did say was so
incoherent, that, added to Timothy's narrative, the astonishment of the
landlady and others was beyond all bounds. I tried very hard to bring
the landlady, but she would not consent; and now Nattee was pestered by
people of higher condition, who wished to hear what she would say. Here
Nattee's power were brought into play. She would not refuse to see
them, but would not give answers till she had asked question and, as
from us she had gleaned much general information, so by making this
knowledge appear in her questions to them, she made them believe she
knew more. If a young person came to her, she would immediately ask the
name--of that name she had all the references acquired from us as to
family and connexions. Bearing upon them, she would ask a few more, and
then give them an abrupt dismissal.

This behaviour was put up with from one of her commanding presence, who
refused money, and treated those who accosted her as if she was their
superior. Many came again and again, telling her all they knew, and
acquainting her with every transaction of their life, to induce her to
prophesy, for such, she informed them, was the surest way to call the
spirit upon her. By these means we obtained the secret history of the
major part, that is, the wealthier part of the town of --; and although
the predictions of Nattee were seldom given, yet when given, they were
given with such perfect and apparent knowledge of the parties, that when
she left, which she did about six weeks after her first appearance, the
whole town rang with accounts of her wonderful powers.

It will appear strange that Melchior would not permit Nattee to reap a
harvest, which might have been great; but the fact was that he only
allowed the seed to be sown that a greater harvest might be gathered
hereafter. Nattee disappeared, the gipsies' tent was no longer on the
common, and the grass, which had been beaten down into a road by the
feet of the frequent applicants to her, was again permitted to spring
up. We also took our departure, and rejoined the camp with Nattee,
where we remained for a fortnight, to permit the remembrance of her to
subside a little--knowing that the appetite was alive, and would not be
satisfied until it was appeased.

After that time Melchior, Timothy, and I, again set off for