believe, though I have no certain
warranty thereof, an access of deliquium or fainting. When I did recover
my senses after this interval of suspended faculty, (whether proceeding
from sleep or the other cause above designated,) I lay for many minutes
revolving various circumstances in my mind. I resolved, if by any means
my bodily powers were thereunto sufficient, to depart on the morrow, and
borrow one of Mr Waller's horses to convey me on my way, for I was
uneasy to be thought an intruder; but when I had settled upon this in my
mind, a new incident occurred which altered the current of my thoughts,
for I perceived a slight noise at the door of my chamber as of one
stealthily turning the handle, and I lay, without making any motion, to
watch whereunto this proceeding would tend. The door was put gently
open, and a figure did enter the room, so disguised with fantastical
apparel, that I was much put to it to guess what the issue would be. It
was of a woman, tall and majestical, with a red turbaund round her head,
and over her shoulders a shawl much bedizened with needlework. Her gown
was of green cloth, and I was made aware by the sound, as she passed
along the floor, that the heels of her shoes were more than commonly
high. With this apparition, of which I took only a very rapid
observation through my half-closed eyelids, I was greatly astonished;
for she was an exact resemblance to those bold Egyptian queans who were
at first called Bohemians, but are nothing better than thieves and
vagabonds, if indeed they be not the chosen people of the prince of
darkness himself. She looked carefully all round the room, and after
opening one of the drawers of mahogany wood, and taking something
therefrom which I could not discern, she approached to the side of my
bed, and looked earnestly upon me as I lay. I could not keep up the
delusion any longer, and opened my eyes. She continued gazing
steadfastly upon me without alteration of her countenance or uttering
any word, whether of apology or explanation; and I was so held in by the
lustre of her large eyes, and the fixed rigidity of her features, that
for some time I was unable to give utterance to my thoughts.

"Woman," I said at last, "what want you with me?"

"Your help, if you will be gracious to poor mourners such as we."

I interrogated her much and curiously as to what service she required at
my hands; for I had a scrupulosity to promise any thing to one whose
external mad