rapportage

And if she was absurd, so was the house and its cast. Essie watched it, mainly through the rapportage of Mrs. Harradson, namely the house.

There was, of course, an element of what they now call rapportage in Papa's work. He picked up material from the country folk round about in rather odd ways, and as a result he seems to have gained something of a preternatural character in their regard.