62 THE HISTORY OF DAME MITCHELL

“Something convinces me he is still living; and, if
your ladyship were only to apply—”

“To whom ?”

“To our neighbour, Mrs. Crustychin, the famous for-
tune-teller, who predicts what is to happen in the future,
draws the cards, removes freckles from the face, reads the
book of fate, and cures the toothach.”

“Fie, fie, Dame Mitchell! Can you, who are a woman
of sense, place any reliance on the tricks of an impostor?”

« But, my lady, I am not the only one; the greatest
lords and ladies visit Mrs. Crustychin: she is more learned
and not so dear as other fortune-tellers, and, for the small
sum of ten shillings, will show young girls the faces of their
future husbands.”

« That’s enough, that’s enough,” replied the Countess,
drily. Dame Mitchell held her tongue; but her mind was
made up, and as soon as she had a moment to spare, she ran
off to the house of Mrs. Crustychin, whom she found in a
spacious apartment richly furnished, for she gained a great
deal of money by cheating the public: black velvet hang-
ings, dotted with tinsel stars, covered the walls; and in the
middle of the room stood a square table, on which were
placed several obelisks, made of painted tin; bottles, con-