had a child in the company more than he knew of, and, taking Fanny by
the hand, told him, this was that daughter of his who had been stolen
away by gypsies in her infancy. Mr Andrews, after expressing some
astonishment, assured his honour that he had never lost a daughter by
gypsies, nor ever had any other children than Joseph and Pamela. These
words were a cordial to the two lovers; but had a different effect on
Lady Booby. She ordered the pedlar to be called, who recounted his story
as he had done before.--At the end of which, old Mrs Andrews, running to
Fanny, embraced her, crying out, "She is, she is my child!" The company
were all amazed at this disagreement between the man and his wife; and
the blood had now forsaken the cheeks of the lovers, when the old woman,
turning to her husband, who was more surprized than all the rest, and
having a little recovered her own spirits, delivered herself as follows:
"You may remember, my dear, when you went a serjeant to Gibraltar, you
left me big with child; you stayed abroad, you know, upwards of three
years. In your absence I was brought to bed, I verily believe, of this
daughter, whom I am sure I have reason to remember, for I suckled her at
this very breast till the day she was stolen from me. One afternoon,
when the child was about a year, or a year and a half old, or
thereabouts, two gypsy-women came to the door and offered to tell my
fortune. One of them had a child in her lap. I showed them my hand, and
desired to know if you was ever to come home again, which I remember as
well as if it was but yesterday: they faithfully promised me you
should.--I left the girl in the cradle and went to draw them a cup of
liquor, the best I had: when I returned with the pot (I am sure I was
not absent longer than whilst I am telling it to you) the women were
gone. I was afraid they had stolen something, and looked and looked, but
to no purpose, and, Heaven knows, I had very little for them to steal.
At last, hearing the child cry in the cradle, I went to take it up--but,
O the living! how was I surprized to find, instead of my own girl that I