midnight
cried Melchior , `` and she told him the same -- that is , he would meet a friend . '' `` Strange -- very strange -- wonderful -- astonishing ! '' was echoed from all quarters , and the fame of the gipsy was already established . Timothy and I sat down together , conversing as old friends , and Melchior went about from one to the other , narrating the wonderful occurrence till past midnight , when we all three took beds at the inn , as if we were travellers . The report which we had circulated that evening induced many people to go out to see Nattee , who appeared to take no notice of them ; and when asked to tell fortunes , waved them away with her hand . But , although this plan of Melchior 's was , for the first two or three days , very expedient , yet , as it was not intended to last , Timothy , who remained with me at the inn , became very intimate with the bar-maid , and obtained from her most of the particulars of her life . I , also , from repeated conversations with the landlady , received information very important , relative to herself and many of the families in the town , but as the employment of Nattee was for an ulterior object , we contented ourselves with gaining all the information we could before we proceeded further .