And Mivart was able to give me some more extraordinary instances of the transmission of hysterical seizures from one patient to another—­instances where permanent cures were effected. [Footnote] Naturally I asked Mivart what befell the new victims of the seizures.

[Footnote:  The transmissions here alluded to were mostly effected by M. Babinski of the Salpetriere.  They excited great attention in Paris.]

‘That depends,’ said Mivart, ’upon three circumstances—­the acuteness of the seizure, the strength of the recipient’s nervous system, and the kind of imagination she has.  In all Marini’s experiments the new patient has quickly recovered, and the original patient has remained entirely cured and often entirely unconscious that she has ever suffered from the paroxysms at all.’

Mivart went on to say that the case of Miss Wynne was so severe a one that if the new patient’s imagination were very strong the risk to her would be exceptionally great.

At the end of this discussion Mivart directed my attention to Sinfi Lovell.  She sat as though listening to some voice.  Her head was bent forward, her lips were parted, and her eyes were closed.  Then I heard her say in a loud whisper, ’Yis, mammy dear, little Sinfi’s a-listenin’.  Yis, this is the way to make her dukkeripen come true, and then mine can’t.  Yis, this is the very way.  They shall meet again by Knockers’ Llyn, where I seed the Golden Hand, and arter that, never shall little Sinfi go agin you, dear.  And never no more shall any one on ’em, Gorgio or Gorgie, bring their gries and their beautiful livin’-waggins among tents o’ ourn.  Never no more shall they jine our breed—­never no more, never no more.  And then my dukkeripen can’t come true.’

Then, springing up, she said, ’I’ll stand the risk anyhow.  You may pass the cuss on to me if you can.’

‘The seizure has nothing to do with any curse,’ said Mivart, ’but if you think it has, you are the last person to whom it should be transmitted.’

‘Oh, never fear,’ said Sinfi; ’Gorgio cuss can’t touch Romany.  But if you find you can pass the cuss on to me, I’ll stand the cuss all the same.’

I always admired this noble girl very much, and I pointed out to her the danger of the experiment to one of her temperament, but assured her the superstition about the Gorgio curse was entirely an idle one.

‘Danger or no danger,’ she said, ‘I’ll chance it; I’ll chance it.’

‘It might be the death of you,’ I said, ’if you believe that the seizure is a curse.’

‘Death!’ she murmured, with a smile.  ’It ain’t death as is likely to scare a Romany chi, ‘specially if she happens to want to die;’ and then she said aloud, ’I tell you I mean to chance it, but I think my dear old daddy ought to know about it.  So if you’ll jist write to him at Gypsy Dell, by Rington, and ask him to come and see me here, I’m right well sure he’ll come and see me at wonst.  He can’t read the letter hisself, of course, but the Scollard can, and so can Rhona Boswell.  One on ’em will read it to him, and I know he’ll come at wonst.  I shouldn’t like to run such a risk without my dear blessed old daddy knowin’ on it.’