coach was brought out, and Mistress
Bridget, invested with the dignities of her office, went forth as
attendant of the body, and principal conductor of stores and packages.

Journeying southwards at a slow pace, pausing to take a look where
there was any object worth the attention, they came one afternoon,
about the fourth day from their departure, to Wigan. When they had
journeyed thence a mile or so, as they were passing down a jolting
road, Bridget, whose curious eye was ever on the look-out, suddenly
exclaimed, at the same time pointing through the window--

"I declare if there is not the dummy again yonder!"

Ellen beheld the dumb sibyl, whose predictions were not forgotten.
Bridget, by her looks, seemed to ask leave to stop the carriage and
hold another conference with the woman; and Ellen, whom illness had
rendered somewhat passive in such matters, did not make any
opposition. Having accosted this walking oracle, Bridget curtsied with
great reverence, peradventure fancying that St Bridget herself might
be again embodied before her; but the beldame went straight to the
carriage, addressing herself to the invalid within by pointing to her
breast, and making divers motions of the like signification, which
were not easy to be understood, even by the party for whom they were
intended. The prophetess seemed fully to comprehend that her symbolic
representations were unintelligible, and no fitting place being at
hand whereon they could be readily portrayed, she strove with the
greater vehemence to explain her meaning. There appeared a more than
ordinary anxiety on her part to communicate something of importance;
and the travellers looked as though fully aware of it. Her most
unequivocal signs, however, were to this purport--that they should not
proceed farther. Ellen, impelled by fear and curiosity, spoke aloud--

"Surely we are not to remain here at the beck of this woman!"

The one-eyed sibyl nodded an affirmative. This, at any rate, helped
them to an easier mode of communication, finding that she was not
deaf, as they had hitherto supposed.

"And whither shall we proceed?"

The woman here pointed to a narrow lane on the right of the main road
they were pursuing.

"Truly that seems but an indifferent path. Wherefore should we turn in
thither?" inquired Ellen.

Again the prophetess pointed to her own breast, and then at the bosom
of the invalid.

"By this token I understand that in so doing I am to expect so