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diff --git a/40419-0.txt b/40419-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aa90f22 --- /dev/null +++ b/40419-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7133 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Adventures and Vagaries of Twm Shon +Catti, by T. J. Llewelyn Prichard + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Adventures and Vagaries of Twm Shon Catti + descriptive of Life in Wales: Interspersed with Poems + + +Author: T. J. Llewelyn Prichard + + + +Release Date: August 5, 2012 [eBook #40419] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES AND VAGARIES OF TWM +SHON CATTI*** + + +Transcribed from the 1828 John Cox edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + + THE + ADVENTURES AND VAGARIES + OF + TWM SHÔN CATTI, + + + DESCRIPTIVE OF + + LIFE IN WALES: + + Interspersed with Poems. + + * * * * * + + BY T. J. LLEWELYN PRICHARD. + + * * * * * + + Mae llevain mawr a gwaeddi + Yn Ystrad Fîn eleni + A cherrig nadd yn toddi ’n blwm + Rhag ovn Twm Shôn Catti. + + In Ystrad Fîn this year, appalling + The tumult loud, the weeping, wailing, + That thrills with fear and pity; + The lightning scathes the mountain’s head, + The massy stones dissolve like lead, + All nature shudders at the tread + And shout of Twm Shôn Catti. + + * * * * * + + ABERYSTWYTH: + PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY JOHN COX. + + 1828 + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAP. I. + + +The popularity of Twm Shôn Catti’s name in Wales. The resemblance of his +character to that of Robin Hood and others. An exposition of the +spurious account of our hero in the “INNKEEPER’S ALBUM,” and in the drama +founded thereon. The honor of his birth claimed by different towns. A +true account of his birth and parentage. + +THE preface to the once popular farce of “Killing no Murder” informs us, +that many a fry of infant Methodists are terrified and frightened to bed +by the cry of “the Bishop is coming!”—That the right reverend prelates of +the realm should become bugbears and buggaboos to frighten the children +of Dissenters, is curious enough, and evinces a considerable degree of +ingenious malignity in bringing Episcopacy into contempt, if true. Be +that as it may in England, in Wales it is not so; for the demon of terror +and monster of the nursery there, to check the shrill cry of infancy, and +enforce silent obedience to the nurse or mother, is Twm Shôn Catti. But +“babes and sucklings” are not the only ones on whom that name has +continued to act as a spell; nor are fear and wonder its only attributes, +for the knavish exploits and comic feats of the celebrated freebooter Twm +Shôn Catti, are, like those of Robin Hood in England, the themes of many +a rural rhyme, and the subject of many a village tale; where, seated +round the ample hearth of the farm house, or the more limited one of the +lowly cottage, an attentive audience is ever found, where his +mirth-exciting tricks are told and listened to with vast satisfaction, +unsated by the frequency of repetition: for the “lowly train” are +generally strangers to that fastidiousness which turns, disgusted, from +the twice-told tale. + +Although neither the legends, poetry, nor history of the principality, +seems to interest, or accord with the queasy taste of our English +brethren, the name of Twm Shôn Catti, curiously enough, not only made its +way among them, but had the unexpected honor of being woven into a tale, +and exhibited on the stage as a Welsh national dramatic spectacle, under +the title, and the imposing _second_ title, of Twm _John_ Catti, or the +Welsh Rob Roy. The nationality of the Welsh residents in London, who +always bear their country along with them wherever they go or stay, was +immediately roused, notwithstanding the great offence of substituting +“John” for “Shôn,” which called at once on their curiosity and love of +country to peruse the “Innkeeper’s Album,” in which this tale first +appeared, and to visit the Cobourg Theatre, where overflowing houses +nightly attended the representation of the “Welsh Rob Roy.” Now this +second title, which confounded the poor Cambrians, was a grand expedient +of the author’s, to excite the attention of the Londoners, who naturally +associated it with the hero of the celebrated Scotch novel; the bait was +immediately swallowed, and that tale, an awkward and most weak attempt to +imitate the “Great Unknown,” and by far the worst article in the book, +actually _sold_ a volume, in other respects well deserving the attention +of the public. “It is good to have a friend at court,” is an adage no +less familiar than true; and Mr. Deacon’s success in this instance +clearly illustrates this new maxim—“it is good to have a friend among the +critics,” by most of whom his book has been either praised, or allowed +quietly to pass muster, adorned with the insignia of unquestionable +merit. + +Great was the surprise of the sons of the Cymry to find the robber Twm +Shon Catti, who partially resembled Bamfylde Moore Carew, Robin Hood, and +the humorous but vulgar footpad, Turpin, elevated to the degree of a +high-hearted, injured chieftain;—the stealer of calves, old women’s +flannels, and three-legged pots, a noble character, uttering heroic +speeches, and ultimately dying for his _Ellen_ {3a} a hero’s death! + +“This may do for London, but in Wales, where ‘_Y gwir yn erbyn y byd_’ +{3b} is our motto, we know better!” muttered many a testy Cambrian, while +he felt doubly indignant at the author’s and actors’ errors in +mis-writing and mis-pronouncing their popular outlaw’s “sponsorial or +baptismal appellation,” {4} as Doctor Pangloss would say: and another +source of umbrage to them was, that an English author’s sacrilegiously +dignifying a robber with the qualities of a hero, conveyed the villainous +inference that Wales was barren of _real_ heroes—an insinuation that no +Welshman could tamely endure or forgive. In an instant recurred the +honored names of Rodri Mawr, Owen Gwyneth, Caswallon ab Beli, Owen +Glyndwr, Rhys ab Thomas, and a vast chain of Cambrian worthies, not +forgetting the royal race of Tudor, that gave an Elizabeth to the English +throne; on which the mimic scene before them, and the high vauntings of +Huntley in the character of Twm Shôn Catti, sunk into the insignificance +of a Punch and puppet show, in comparison with the mighty men who then +passed before the mental eye. + +If the misrepresentation of historical characters, re-moulded and +amplified, to suit the fascinating details of romance, be a fault +generally, it is particularly offensive in the present case, where the +being treated of, is so well known to almost every peasant throughout the +principality; so that a real account of our hero, if not exactly useful, +may at least prove amusing, in this age of inquiry, to stand by the side +of the fictitious tale; and if this detail is found also to partake +occasionally of the embellishments of fancy, it will at least be +characteristic. Little, it is true, of his life is known, and that +little collected principally from the varying and uncertain source of +oral tradition. Some anecdotes and remarks respecting him have of late +years been committed to record, in the writings of Theophilus Jones, the +Breconshire historian, and in the “Hynafion Cymreig,” (Cambrian Popular +Antiquities,) which Dr. Meyrick has quoted in his “History of +Cardiganshire;” but his rover’s exploits and vagaries I met with +principally in a homely Welsh pamphlet of eight pages, printed on +tea-paper, and sold at the moderate price of two-pence. + +Twm Shôn Catti was the natural son of Sir John Wynne, of Gwydir, bart. +author of that quaint and singular work, the “History of the Gwydir +Family,” by a woman whose name was Catherine. Of her condition little +has hitherto been made known; but as surnames were not then generally +adopted in Wales, her son became distinguished only by the appellation of +Twm Shôn Catti; literally, Thomas John Catherine, though it implied +“Thomas the son of John and Catherine.” {5} + +Like the immortal Homer, different towns have put forth their claims to +the enviable distinction of having given our hero birth; among which +Cardigan, Llandovery, and Carmarthen, are said to have displayed +considerable warmth in asserting their respective pretensions. A native +of the latter far-famed borough town, whose carbuncled face and rubicund +nose—indelible stamps of bacchanalian royalty—proclaimed him the +undisputed prince of topers, roundly affirmed that no town but +Carmarthen—ever famed for its stout ale, large dampers, {6} and +blustering heroes of the pipe and pot—could possibly have produced such a +jolly dog. It is with regret that we perceive such potent authority +opposed by the united opinions of our Cambrian bards and antiquaries, who +place his birth in the year 1590, at Tregaron—that primitive, yet no +longer obscure, Cardiganshire town, but long celebrated throughout the +principality for its pony fair; and above all, as the established +birth-place of Twm Shôn Catti. He first saw the light, it seems, at a +house of his mother’s, situate on a hill south-east of Tregaron, called +Llidiard-y-Fynnon, (Fountain Gate,) from its situation beside an +excellent well, that previous to the discovery of other springs, nearer +to their habitations, supplied the good people of Tregaron with water. +That distinguished spot is now, however, more generally known by the more +elevated name of Plâs Twm Shôn Catti, (the mansion of Twm Shôn Catti,) +the ruins of which are still pointed out by the neighbouring people to +any curious traveller who may wish to enrich the pages of his virgin tour +by their important communications. + +And now, having given our hero’s birth and parentage with the fidelity of +a true historian, who has a most virtuous scorn of the spurious +embellishments of fiction, a more excursive pen shall flourish on our +future chapters. + + + + +CHAP. II. + + +A glance at Twm’s grandfather. Squire Graspacre. Sir John Wynne. The +adventure that foreran our hero’s birth. + +CATTI, the mother of Twm, lived in the most unsophisticated manner at +Llidiard-y-Fynnon, with an ill-favored, hump-backed sister, who was the +general drudge and domestic manager, and who at other times assisted at +her usual daily avocations. Their mother had long been dead, and their +father, the horned cattle, a small farm and all its appurtenances, had +been lost to them about two years. This little farm was their father’s +freehold property, but provokingly situate in the middle of the vast +possessions of Squire Graspacre, an English gentleman-farmer, who +condescendingly fixed himself in the principality with the laudable idea +of civilizing the Welsh. The most feasible mode of accomplishing so +grand an undertaking, that appeared to him, was, to dispossess them of +their property, and to take as much as possible of their country into his +own paternal care. The rude Welsh, to be sure, he found so blind to +their own interests, as to prefer living on their farms to either selling +or giving them away, to profit by his superior management. His +master-genius now became apparent to every body; for after ruining the +owners and appropriating to himself half the country, the other half also +became his own with ease, as the poor little freeholders found it better +to accept a small sum for their property, than to have all wasted in +litigation, and perhaps ultimately to end their days in prison. Twm’s +maternal grandfather was the last of those who daringly withstood the +desires of the squire, but at last, after having triumphantly gained his +cause, being unable to pay the costs, he was arrested by his own +attorney, and died a prisoner in Cardigan county gaol, as the neighbours +said, of a broken heart. The philanthropic improving squire, then, of +course, gained his end. The old farm-house, alienated from the land, +became the residence of the old farmer’s two daughters; not exactly a +gift, indeed, as they paid the annual rent of two guineas, which was +generally considered about one too much. + +It was soon after this admirable settlement of his affairs, that the +squire had a grand visitor to entertain at Graspacre Hall, who was no +less a personage than Sir John Wynne, of Gwydir, in North Wales, whose +sister our deep-scheming squire had lately married, with the politic view +of identifying himself with the Cambrian principality, and becoming one +of the great landed proprietors in the country. One day, after a long +ride with his noble guest, over his far-spreading hills and vales, it was +poor Catti’s lot to be observed by these lordly sons of affluence. She +was spinning wool at the cottage door, a work which she seldom performed +without the accompaniment of a song; and at that time was giving +utterance to a mournful ditty, as the recent death of her father had +naturally attuned her mind to melancholy, and cast a cloud over her usual +cheerfulness. + +The great men stopped their horses: “a fine girl, Sir John,” cried the +squire. + +“Very!” observed the baronet; “I wonder if she is come-at-able?” + +“How can you wonder at any such thing, my dear Sir John?” quoth the +improvement-loving squire: “the girl’s as poor as a rat, and has lately +lost her father. It would really be a charity, my dear Sir John, if you +were to call and comfort her. Improvement, Sir John, is my motto, and I +fancy this poor girl’s state is very capable of _improvement_.” + +The latter part of this _amiable_ suggestion, given with a significant +leer, was perfectly well understood. The amorous baronet amply availed +himself of the _honorable_ squire’s hint, and called several successive +evenings at Llidiard-y-Fynnon; but some doubts may be entertained of the +_improvements_ he introduced there. The sequel of the adventure soon +grew notorious, and the maiden Catti became the mother of our redoubted +hero, thence, with an allusion to his father, named Twm Shon Catti. + + + + +CHAP. III. + + +Early indications of Twm’s antiquarian propensities. His mother becomes +the very paragon of schoolmistresses. The originality of her system. +Twm becomes her pupil. + +AS the period of early infancy rarely contains incidents worthy of the +recording pen of history, we shall bring our hero at once to his fourth +year. The biographers of great men have generally evinced a predilection +to present their readers with certain early indications of the peculiar +genius that has distinguished their heroes in after life; and far from us +be the presumption of deviating from such a popular and legitimate rule, +by any radical attempt at innovation or improvement. Pope’s lispings in +numbers, West’s quaker daubings in childhood, with many such instances, +not to mention Peter Pindar’s waggery on Sir Joseph Banks’s spreading +spiders on his bread and butter, are cases in point, which are familiar +to every reader; and it will not appear strange to those already +acquainted with his fame, that we have to add to these eminent names that +of our long-neglected hero. It is true he became neither a poet, a +painter, nor a natural historian, but, according to the unbiassed +opinions of geniuses of the same caste with himself, who could not be +suspected of either egotism or partiality, a superior character to +either—an eminent antiquary—to which may be added, though perhaps it +ought to take the lead—a no less eminent thief. Such is the prejudice of +these degenerate times that the latter designation has grown unpopular; +but according to _Bardolph’s_ hint, it might be profitably exchanged, on +the score of respectability, to “conveyancer:”— + + “Steal! a fico for the phrase! + The wise call it convey.” + +It is to be hoped that none of our readers will be infidels enough to +doubt the fact, when they are assured, on the indubitable testimony of +his mother, that our hero’s earliest propensity was to grub up old trash +and trumpery from the gutters of Tregaron—“filth,” as his parent wisely +observed, “which had better have been left alone;” and we may safely +appeal to any candid mind, and boldly ask whether this trait did not in +the most decided manner bespeak the future antiquary. Not a puddle could +be found but its depth and contents were duly examined by the +indefatigable Twm; and the curious urchin was always distinguishable from +the rest of his playmates by certain crusts of mud that adorned his tiny +woollen garb from top to bottom. As in these little fancies he spent the +greater part of his time, it became a wonder to his mother that he seldom +ran home for food; but it was soon discovered that he had a mode peculiar +to himself of raising contributions on the little public of which he was +a member, by forcing them to part with a portion of their bread and +butter—a praiseworthy act, and trebly commendable, as in the first place +it shewed his filial piety, in saving his mother the expence of his +victuals; in the next, it taught courtesy to the churlish, who in time +anticipated his demand by voluntary offerings; and thirdly, it engendered +the principle of honesty in their tender minds, by marking the propriety +of paying for their curiosity in gaping over the treasures of his puddles +and gutters. This, it will also be observed, was another feature that +announced his future character, which, it will be seen, “grew with his +growth, and strengthened with his strength.” + +Here we must return again to our hero’s mother. On learning the event of +his amour, Sir John Wynne bought of the squire, and gave to Catti as her +own for ever, her paternal cottage of Llidiard-y-Fynnon. This fortunate +circumstance gave her no small importance in her neighbourhood. As the +house was large, and not overstocked with inhabitants, it occurred to the +good people of Tregaron, that a day-school might be established within +its walls; and having with their own consent found a school-room, by the +same indisputable right they fixed on Catti for its mistress, and +instituted her governess, to rule their tender progeny. Catti, with a +huge grin of approbation at her unexpected promotion, immediately +ratified their election, and declared both her house and self ready for +the reception of pupils at the moderate terms of a penny a week. Her +ill-favored sister clouded her brow, and elevated her hump on the +occasion, and asked very indignantly, who was going to clean the house +every day after such a grubby fry. Catti made no reply, but in the pride +of her heart hummed a gay song, scratched the mud off her boy’s clothes +with an old birch broom, which being hardened by sweeping the house, +answered the purpose better than a brush, and had some old coffers +converted into benches for the service of her scholars. She then, with +singular alacrity, proceeded to cut from the hedge, with her own fair +hand, one of the most engaging looking birch rods that ever was wielded +by rural governess. This premature display of the sceptre of severity +was far from fortunate, and nearly ruined the undertaking at the outset. +The tender mothers of Tregaron were startled at so unexpected a +proceeding, and pathetically declared they had rather that their dear +babes should be brought up like the calves and pigs, in the most bestial +ignorance, than have knowledge beaten into them at the nether end with a +birch rod. Catti immediately quieted their fears, by protesting that she +entertained the utmost abhorrence of the flagellation system, and that +the bunch of birch was cut and bound together for a very different +purpose, namely, to be suspended as a sign over her door. After a debate +of some hours among the amiable matrons, however, it was decided that the +birch should not be exalted even as an external symbol, over the door of +the school, as the very sight of it might strike a terror into the little +lubberly loves, and frighten them into fits. As Catti was all compliance +with their requisitions, every thing was set to rights; and without more +ado children were sent from every house where the affluence of the +inmates enabled them to give their offspring the first rudiments of +education. The mother of Twm became the very pink and paragon of +schoolmistresses. ’Tis true, the noise and uproar in her school was so +great, that the curate’s wife, who rode an ill-tamed horse, was thrown +headlong into the well, when passing the academy, from the animal taking +fright; but that was no fault of Catti’s; people should break in their +horses properly, and curates’ wives should learn to ride and keep their +seats better. Besides, the alledged uproar was the greatest evidence in +her favor, as it proved the tenderness of her heart in not correcting her +scholars—a quality more valued by their maternal parents than any other +that could possibly be substituted; and in their appreciation of this +prime desideratum, they omitted to enquire too minutely into her other +qualifications for a governess. Fastidious parents, to be sure, might +have insisted that she could read, at least; while others more lenient, +would have suggested the necessity of being able to spell, or at any +rate, to know her letters: but poor Catti could not have passed such a +rigid ordeal in either instance, had she been put to it. Yet that very +deficiency which might have troubled a weaker mind, was to her a great +source of satisfaction, as she always hugged herself warmly in the +gratifying recollection that no person could accuse her, in the words of +Festus to Paul, “Too much learning has made thee mad:” and with +unexampled liberality she determined that the rising generation entrusted +to her care, should participate to the utmost in these her negative +felicitous attainments. + +Many of Catti’s pupils had been taken by their wise and considerate +mothers out of the curate’s school, fearful that his severity would break +their hearts; and having there learnt their letters and a little +spelling, they kept possession at least of what they had acquired, by +teaching other children, which flattered their childish vanity, while it +served their mistress, who, like a sage general that stands aloof from +the broil of battle, takes to himself the credit of success, while the +real operators are forgotten. Thus, in time, with the powerful support +of the matrons of Tregaron, who took the lead of their spouses, and +directed the taste and opinions of the clod-hopping community, Catti’s +school became an alarming rival to the curate’s. + +Teachers, like all other scientific persons, must have their own systems; +and as our heroine’s was very original, though perhaps not entirely +peculiar to herself, with a view of communicating a benefit to others +less enlightened, who follow her avocations, we shall treat the reader, +once for all, with a solitary specimen of her method. + +“Come here, little Gwenny Cadwgan,” said Catti one day, “Come here, my +little pretty buttercup, and say your lesson, if you can, but if you +can’t never mind, I won’t beat or scold you.” Gwenny came forward, +bobbed a curtsey, and, while her mistress broomed the mud from little +Twm’s breeches, and combed his head on the back of the bellows, began her +lesson. + +_Gwenny_.—a, b, hab. + +_Catti_.—There’s a good maaid! + +_Gwenny_.—e, b, heb. + +_Catti_.—There’s a good maaid! + +_Gwenny_.—o, b, hob. + +_Catti_.—There’s a good maaid! + +_Gwenny_.—i, b,—I can’t tell. + +_Catti_.—Skipe it, child, skipe it—(meaning “skip it.”) + +_Gwenny_.—u, b, cub. + +_Catti_.—There’s a good maaid! Twm, you little wicked dog, don’t kick +the child. Go on, Gwenny vach. + +_Twm_.—(who had been struggling for some time to get from under his +mother’s combs,) I want to go a fishing. + +_Catti_.—Lord love the darling child! You’ll fall into the river and be +drowned. + +_Twm_.—Oh! no, mother; I always fish in the gutters. + +_Dio Bengoch_.—I want to go home for some bread and butter. + +“And I! and I! and I!” squalls every other urchin in the school; and out +they would run in a drove, on perceiving the independent exit of master +Twm, without waiting for the permission of his parent and governess. + + + + +CHAP. IV. + + +The bad effects of scholarship among servants. The opinions of a fine +lady on the subject. A horse milliner. Jack o Sîr Gâr, a very original +character. His manufacture and merchandize. His tender interview with +Catti. A suspicion of her coquettings. + +PERHAPS our modern governesses who possess the vain accomplishment of +reading and writing, may feel disposed to undervalue the acquirements of +our rural Welsh governess. But let them not triumph; and be it +recollected that tastes differ, and that many of our living patricians, +as well as wealthy plebians, who are considered the great, the mighty, +and the respectable of the land, deprecate with becoming vehemence the +prevailing mania for educating the poor. We have heard ladies, and great +ones too, attired in silks and velvets, pall and purple, and “that fared +sumptuously every day,” declare most positively they never knew a servant +good for anything, that could read and write. No sooner were they +capable of wielding a goose quill, than the impudent hussies presumed to +have a will of their own, and in their opinions mounted a step nearer to +the altitude of their mistresses. And on men, they said, education had a +worse effect, as thereby they became the idle readers of books, and +newspapers, which made them saucy to their superiors, and sometimes the +most villainous cut-throat radicals. Now it will be readily admitted, we +should think, that there was but little danger of Catti’s scholars ever +becoming such pernicious characters; and therefore, let not illiberal +envy withhold from her the well-merited meed of applause. Alas for the +good old days—we see no such schoolmistresses now-a-days! those days of +the golden age of simplicity are gone for ever. Days approved of by the +great, and therefore good; when the humbler sons of industry looked up to +them as gods, and they returned the compliment by looking down on their +worshippers as good and well-taught dogs, that earned their bones and +scraps.—Days when country squires handled a pitchfork better than a +pen—when good boys learnt their catechism and read their bible against +their will, and forgot it as soon as possible after leaving school.—Days +when “simplicity and harmlessness” were the names that dignified boorish +ignorance and passive stupidity—when a sycophantic subserviency paved the +way to wealth and honors—when the gross vice of manly independence was +unknown, and no class acknowledged among men, but the high and low, or +the rich and poor.—Days that—(to finish this retrospective eulogy,) that, +alas! are no more. + +Although our hero’s mother could not be called a woman of letters, she +certainly possessed qualities more original than generally fell to the +lot of persons in her station. At carding wool or spinning it, knitting +stockings or mittins, the most envious admitted her superiority to every +woman in Tregaron. She moreover had gained no small consideration in +another character, which her jealous neighbours satirically denominated a +hedge milliner, whose province it was to make hedging gloves and coarse +frocks for ploughmen, to darn the heels of their stout woollen stockings, +and also to make and mend horses’ collars; the latter branch of her +occupation, which required a delicate hand to cut the slender sewing +thongs from the raw bull hides, caused her to be called a horse milliner, +which after all, was not much more applicable than if she had been +described as a bull tailor. This malignant waggery, however, was unable +to disturb the tranquil soul of Catti; she loved horses, and in her +juvenile days had often whiled away her mornings and evenings in the +rural pastimes driving of them, both in the plough and barrow, while +carolling some rural ditty, till the rocks and mountains echoed with the +cadence of her harmony. + +It will not be a matter of much wonder that with all these +accomplishments Catti should be importuned in the way of courtship, +notwithstanding the injury her fame had suffered from the adventure with +Sir John Wynne. But the schoolmistress, elated with the success of her +academy, turned a deaf ear to all the praises and protestations of the +swains, until, as the village sages say, the right man came. Like all +her amiable sex, she professed the utmost abhorrence of mercenary motives +in marriage, though many insinuated that she learnt the value of property +from never having possessed any. It was observed that she treated with +indifference, if not aversion, those unprofitable lovers who had nothing +but their goodly persons to recommend them. Certain inuendoes were even +thrown out respecting a suspicion of her coquettings with one of the most +ugly, miserly, and repulsive of clowns;—one who was not only a clown, but +a red-haired one;—not only red haired, but knock-kneed;—not only +knock-kneed, but squint-eyed;—not only squint-eyed, but a woman-hater; +and worse than all, a foreigner!—being a native of a distant part of the +adjoining county of Carmarthen, and known only by the nick-name of Jack o +Sîr Gâr, or Carmarthenshire Jack. This amiable and interesting personage +certainly possessed all those graces here enumerated, with many others, +which were attached to peculiarities of character that rendered him so +far like our great national hero Owen Glendower, that he “was not in the +roll of common men.” He was at this time the chief husbandman and +bailiff at the squire’s, an office which, as he had others under his +command, did not aid his personal recommendations to much popularity in +the squire’s kitchen. Perhaps no being that ever breathed had so fair an +excuse for becoming a misanthrope. His coarse and repulsive exterior, +with his churlish manners, and one unchangeable suit of old patched +ill-looking clothes, combined to make him an object of distaste to the +girls, to whom, and the young men, he became a general butt of ridicule +yet only among themselves, for they were fully aware, that it would be a +less dangerous experiment to catch a mad bull by the horns, than to rouse +the choler of Jack o Sîr Gâr. The standing jest against him was, his +qualifications as a trencherman, and his reputation as a “huge feeder” +was certainly unrivalled. As there was not a single pastime under the +head of amusement, that the ingenuity of man has ever devised for the +entertainment of his fellows, save eating, that possessed a charm for +him, it might be expected that this solitary recreation would be indulged +in the proportion that he excluded all others. He not only performed all +the functions of the gross glutton, but as the actors say, “looked the +character” to perfection. + +The reader, measuring him by other men, would make a very erroneous guess +on the most prominent feature of his face, if he fixed on the nasal +protuberance—no such thing—his nose was flat and small, but his large +projecting upper teeth, like “rocks of peril jutting o’er the sea,” were +ever bared for action, white as those of his only companion, the mastiff, +and nobly independent of a sheathing lip. + + Others more comely features might wear, + But Jack was famed for his white teeth bare. + +As the squire’s lady was not the most liberal in supplying the servants’ +table, those wags, male or female, who were in the habit of committing +the silent satire of mimickry against Jack, were soon taught a severe +lesson at the expence of their bowels. It was discovered that, whenever +enraged at their treatment, instead of spending his breath in vain +reproaches, or taking to the more violent proceeding of fisty-cuffs, Jack +revenged himself by eating most outrageously, so that the scoffers, +deprived of their shares, often found their stomachs minus. His power of +mastication increased with his anger; and the flaming energy that was +mentally inciting him to give an enemy a fierce facer, or a destructive +cross-buttock, was diverted from his knuckles to his teeth; and in every +mouthful which he ground in his relentless mill, he felt the glowing +satisfaction of having annihilated a foe. Woe to those who were his next +neighbours at table, and sat too close to his elbows at those hours of +excitement; sly punches in the ribs, as if by accident, were among the +slightest consequences; and those who were thus taught manners, to keep +at a respectful distance, declared that the fear they entertained was +only of his knife. That, it is true, was saying too much; Jack had no +such bloody propensities, although the glare of his unequal eyes was +enough, when much annoyed, to frighten them into such conclusions. +Although a most unseemly clown, his worst enemies would confess that, +unprovoked, he was a very harmless man. Squire Graspacre knew his value +as a faithful and industrious servant, and therefore disregarded the +constant tattle about his repulsive peculiarities. + +Before methodism spread its puritanic gloom over Wales, and identified +itself almost with the Welsh character, mirth and minstrelsy, dance and +song, emulative games and rural pastimes, were the order of the day; and, +as the country people worked hard all the week, it must be confessed that +these sports often infringed upon the sanctity of the sabbath. Sundays +were often entirely spent in dancing, wrestling, and kicking the +foot-ball. The latter violent exercise, at this time prevalent in +Cardiganshire, was performed in large parties of village against village, +and parish against parish, when the country brought together its mass of +population either to partake in the glories of the game, or to enjoy the +success of their friends, as spectators. On these occasions Carmarthen +Jack loved to be present, but only as a spectator, as he was never known +to take a part in any game. While others were panting with the rough +exercise, swearing at disappointments, hallooing their triumph, or +wincing over a broken shin, Jack would be found seated on some rising +tump that overlooked the field, busily employed with a scooping knife, +hollowing out the bowls of spoons and ladles, or shaping out soles for +wooden shoes, which at every moment that he could call his own, he +manufactured out of the logs of birch, or more frequently alder, with +which he amply provided himself during the week, and stored under his bed +to dry. At fairs also, Carmarthen Jack would be equally punctual, and +after having done his master’s business of buying or selling a horse or +so, would be seen with a load of the merchandize of his own manufacture, +wooden spoons, ladles, and clog soles, in abundance, which drew about him +all the rural housekeepers far and near. “No milliner could suit her +customers with gloves” in greater variety than Jack with spoons to please +his purchasers. He had spoons for man, woman, and child, fashioned for +every sort of mouth, from the tiny infant’s to the shark-jaws of the +hungry ploughman, which, like his own, presented a gap from ear to ear. +He had spoons for use, and spoons for ornament, the latter, meant to keep +company with the showy polished pewter, were made of box or yew, highly +polished and curiously carved with divers characters, principally suns, +moons, stars, hearts transfixt with the dart of cupid, and sometimes a +hen and chickens, which hieroglyphics of his own for fear of their being +mistaken for a cat and mice, with other such misconstructions, Jack +always explained at the time of bargaining, without any extra charge. +Nothing could more emphatically prove the excellency of Jack’s wares, +than the circumstance of his being personally unpopular among the women, +and yet his wares in the highest esteem. The frowns of the fair, which +threw a gloom on the sunshine of his days, may be traced to a source not +at all dishonorable to him. The girls at the squire’s had played him so +many tricks, that once, in the height of aggravation, Jack declared war +against the whole sex, devoting to the infernal gods every creature that +wore a petticoat, and vowing, from that day forward, that not one of the +proscribed race should ever enter his room, which was romantically +situated over the stable, with its glassless window commanding a full +view of both the pigsty and dunghill. The consequence of this terrific +vow caused him, at first, some trouble, as, to keep it he was obliged +thenceforward to be his own chambermaid, lawndress, and sempstress, +offices that accorded ill with his previous habits. The laudable +firmness of his nature, however, soon overcame these petty difficulties; +and so far was he from backsliding from his previous determination, that +he vowed to throw through the window the first woman who entered his +chamber, which the satirical hussies called his den—a threat which +effectually secured him from further intrusion. Sometimes, indeed, when +he would be sitting at the door of the cowhouse, or the stable, listening +to the rural sounds of cackling geese and grunting pigs, while darning +his hose or patching his leather breeches, or treading his shirt in the +brook by way of washing it, these eternal plagues of his, the girls, +would be seen and heard behind the covert of a wall or hedge, smothering +their tittering, which at last would burst out, in spite of suppression, +into a loud horse laugh, when one and all, they would take to their +heels, while Jack amused himself by valiantly pelting their rear, in +their precipitate retreat, with clods of earth, small stones, or anything +that came in his way. Jack o Sîr Gâr, however, in time gained the +reputation of being rich, by the success of his wooden-ware merchandize, +and consequently one of the fair ones who had once been his tormentor, +became suddenly enamoured of him, and incessantly endeavoured to gain his +good will; but being one day thrown headlong out of the window into the +dunghill below, as a gentle hint that she was not wanted, her milk of +tenderness was turned into gall, and she became revengeful as a tigress. +The first act of her resentment was to spread about the insidious report +that Jack o Sîr Gâr was a woman-hater—an insinuation that at first rather +preyed on his mind, as he dreaded the effect such an unmerited stigma +would have upon his private trade. But innocence is ever predestined to +an ultimate triumph; and an event soon happened that proved the falsehood +of those prevalent tales to his discredit, and convinced his greatest +foes that he possessed a heart, if not overflowing with human charity, at +least penetrable to the blandishments of beauty, and quick with +sensibility to female merit. + +On one auspicious market-day, Carmarthen Jack appeared in the street of +Tregaron where the market is held, loaded with his usual merchandize, +which he spread on the ground, and sat beside them; but not meeting with +a ready sale, and disdaining even momentary idleness, began with +earnestness to cut and scoop away at a piece of alder, gradually forming +it into a huge ladle, to correspond with the largest size three-legged +iron pot. On this eventful morning Catti had occasion to perambulate the +fair, to purchase a new ladle, her cross-grained sister having broken the +old one, by thumping with it on the back of an overgrown hog, whose +foraging propensities led it to investigate the recesses of the +school-room. The reputation of Jack’s ware, and the general supposition +that he had saved money, soon reached the ears of our prudent +schoolmistress; and the pardonable ambition of wishing to conquer the +stern heart of one who despised her whole sex was supposed to be the +secret object of her present walk; and evil tongues were not wanting, to +insinuate that she broke the ladle herself, which was only cracked +before, for an excuse to introduce herself to Jack o Sîr Gâr, by buying +another. Be that as it may, she sought and found him in the fair, and +fell in love with him and his ladle at the same instant. After an effort +to conquer her native bashfulness, and to look as lovely as possible, she +accosted him with such uncommon civility as utterly astounded the poor +clownish misanthropic bachelor. She examined the ladle in his hand, and +though not half finished, declared it the handsomest ever her eyes +beheld, and paid for it without seeking the least abatement in the price. +Jack gaped at her, with open mouth and staring eyes, and thought her a +very interesting woman, though his first impression was, that she was +mad, as he had asked double the real selling price, on purpose to abate +one half, according to a custom immemorial in Welsh dealings. She next +purchased half a dozen common birch-wood spoons, and as many ornamental +ones made of box, to adorn her shelf, and, as before, paid him his own +price. Jack thought her very lovely, and when she made another purchase +of a pair of clog soles, quite irresistible!—her ready money opened his +heart like the best manufactured key, and he was almost ready to offer +them as a present, but for a fear of wounding her delicacy. As she found +he had no further variety, she ordered half a dozen more common spoons, +and Jack, with all the amiability that he could possibly throw into his +hard features, presented her with one of his most finished articles of +box. She received it with that peculiar smile with which a lady accepts +a welcome love-token, and replied in the softest tone imaginable, “indeed +I will keep it for your sake John bach!”—Jack had nothing to do but +wonder—he never had been called John in his life before; at any other +time he would have thought she mocked him—and the endearing term of +“bach” too, was equally new to his ears, which seemed to grow longer as +they tingled with the grateful sound. This interesting scene was closed +by Catti’s asking him to her house to partake of a dinner of flummery and +milk, which he accepted with the best grace imaginable, and trudged off +with his wares on his back and dangling from his arms and button holes; +and thus gallanting her in the most amatory style, he walked by her side +to Llidiard y Ffynnon. Unaccustomed to kindness in either word or deed, +poor Jack o Sîr Gâr met her condescensions and advances with a sheepish +sort of gratitude. A cordial invitation on the part of Catti to repeat +his visit as soon, and as often, as possible, affected him almost to +tears; and as a proof of his unbounded confidence, he left in her care +his whole stock of ready-made spoons and ladles, and almost blubbered +when he shook her hand at parting. + +As a proof of the beneficial effect of kindness on a churlish nature, and +the contrary, of ridicule and persecution, we need but contrast this +rugged man’s previous character and conduct with what followed, after the +tenderness of Catti had melted the frost of misanthropy which formed a +crusty coat round his heart. The adventure of the day produced a most +extraordinary revolution in his habits. None of the servants at the +hall, male or female, could conceive what it portended, when Jack +condescended to ask one of his fellow husbandmen to trim his hair; and +while the fellow clipped his rough red locks with his sheep-sheers, he +was surprized at his questions about the price of a new pair of leathern +breeches, and a red neck-cloth. Greater still was the astonishment of +the whole house when, in a few days after, he appeared in those very +buckish articles of dress, and while he thought nobody saw him, +endeavouring to cut a dancing caper on the green, which they mistook for +an imitation of a frisky bullock. His walking as well as dancing steps, +were now watched; and when it was found that the former led to the house +of Catti, the nods, winks, horse-laughs, and innuendoes, mentioned in the +commencement of this chapter, took place, and gave food for scandal to +the whole gossiping circle of the town of Tregaron and its vicinity for +many miles around. + +Flummery and milk, named here as the food on which these lovers regaled +themselves, has been considered in Wales a very popular national mess, +common, but still a favorite among high and low, and might be seen on the +board of the lord lieutenant of the county, as well as on that of the +humblest cottager. The lofty of the land whose pampered stomachs have +turned with loathing from more dainty food in sultry seasons, have +welcomed the simplicity of milk and flummery, as the advocate of native +charms would greet the smilings of a rustic beauty, when the meretricious +fair of fashion would be passed by, neglected. The English reader will +not be offended if I dilate a little in praise of my favorite food, while +I explain to him its nature; and if he is a bloated son of affluence, +overflowing with bile and spleen, he will thank us, after adopting our +recommendation of feeding on it often during his rustication among our +mountains. Medical men also recommend it as very effective in promoting +an increase of good clear healthy blood. Flummery is made of the inner +hulls of ground oats, when sifted from the meal, some of which still +adheres to it, by soaking it in water till it acquires a slight taste of +acidity, when it is strained through a hair sieve and boiled till it +becomes a perfect jelly. When poured from that picturesque prince of +culinary vessels, the large three-legged iron pot, into a vast brown +earthen dish, it presents a smooth smiling aspect of the most winning +equanimity, till destroyed by the numerous invading spoons of the +company, that plunge a portion of it, scalding hot, into their bowls of +cool milk. Thus much of its descriptive history is given, to illustrate +the following ode in its immortal praise, with which we shall now close +this long chapter. + + MILK AND FLUMMERY. + + Let luxury’s imbecile train, + Of appetites fastidious, + Each sauced provocative obtain, + The draught or viand perfidious; + But oh! give me that simple food, + So dear to the sons of Cymru, + With health, with nourishment imbued, + The sweet new milk and flummery. + + Let pudding-headed English folks + With boast of roast beef fag us; + Let Scottish Burns crack rural jokes, + And vaunt kail-brose and haggis; + But Cymru’s sons! of mount and plain, + From Brecknock to Montgomery, + Let us the honest praise maintain, + Of sweet new milk and flummery. + + On sultry days when appetites + Wane dull, and low, and queasy, + When loathing stomachs nought delights, + To gulp thee flumm’ry! ’s easy: + Dear oaten jelly, pride of Wales! + Rude child of the vales of Cymru; + On thee the ruddy swain regales, + And blesses milk and flummery. + + ’Tis sweet to stroll on Cambrian heights, + O’erlooking vales and rivers, + Where bird-song sweet, with breeze unites, + Each, sunshine rapture givers! + To crown their gust the light repast— + So cool—can never come awry, + Oh sweet! to break the mid-day fast + On sweet new milk and flummery. + + + + +CHAP. V. + + +An essay on courting in bed. Our hero removed to the curate’s school. + +THE scene so lightly touched upon in the last chapter, between our +schoolmistress and her beau, called forth the mischievous talents of +little Twm Shôn Catti, who, while they sat side by side at the goodly oak +table, fastened them together by the coat and gown with a peeled thorn +spike, which, before the introduction of pins, was used by the fair sex +to join together their various articles of attire. When his mother rose +suddenly to help her spoon-merchant with more spoon meat, she rather +surprized him by carrying away, with his heart, the greater part of the +tattered skirt of his old coat, so that Jack might have said, with Tag +the author, + + “The lovely maid on whom I doat, + Has made a spencer of my coat.” + +The wicked urchin who caused this unsanctioned union, set up a loud +laugh, and Catti’s grumpy sister Juggy, for the first time in her life, +astonished them with a grin on the occasion. Twm received a severe +rebuke from his parent, and the hapless Jack, with the view of +propitiating an evil spirit that might prove troublesome to him +hereafter, made him a present of a new spoon, which, because it was +merely a common one, he ungratefully threw into the blazing turf fire, +which glowed on the hearth in a higher pile and wider dimensions than +usual, and demanded one of his best box-wood ware. Jack would have given +it to him immediately, but for the intervention of his mother, who +forbade the indulgence. No sooner, however, was he gone than Twm watched +his opportunity and purloined as many of the better sort as he could +conveniently take away unperceived, and sold them at the cheap rate of +stolen goods, to an old woman named, or rather nick-named, Rachel Ketch, +from some supposed resemblance in her character to that of the finisher +of the law, so surnamed, although some persons roundly asserted that she +was in fact a relict one of those celebrated law officers, one John Ketch +esquire, of Stretch-neck Place, Sessions Court, Carmarthen. As no +further consequence followed this act of unprovoked delinquency, it was +scarcely worth mentioning, except that it stands as the first of the kind +on record; and when discovered, Twm’s over affectionate mother did not +punish him for it,—an omission much censured by rigid people, who +construed this petty act into the slight root from which sprung the huge +tree of his after enormities; + + “But maudlin mothers, all, have tender hearts, + Too kind to root an early shoot of vice + By wholesome chastisement. The little darlings! + Who could punish them, whate’er their faults?” + +We come now to an era in this history when our hero entered another scene +of life, in that of a new-school, which event was ushered in by unlooked +for circumstances that must be first narrated. + +It may not be unknown to our readers that there has existed a custom, in +some parts of Wales, time out of mind, of courting in bed; this +comfortable mode of forwarding a marriage connexion prevailed very +generally at Tregaron, to the great scandal and virtuous indignation of +the lady of Squire Graspacre. It was amazing to witness with what energy +this good gentlewoman set about reforming the people, by the forcible +abolishment of what she was pleased to call, this odious, dangerous, +blasphemous, and ungodly custom. Her patronage was for ever lost to any +man or woman, youth or maid, of the town or country, who was most +distantly related to, or connected with any person who connived at bed +courtship. There was not a cottager who called at the great house for a +pitcher of whey, skim milk, or buttermilk, as a return for labour in +harvest time, but she closely examined on this head; and woe to the +wretch who had the temerity to assert that there was no harm in the +custom; or that that the wooers merely laid down in their clothes, and +thus conversed at their ease on their future plans or prospects; or who +denied that such a situation was more calculated for amorous caresses and +endearments than sitting in the chimney corner. Mrs. Graspacre was +certainly, most outrageously virtuous—a very termagant of decorous +propriety! if any person dared, in her presence, to advocate this +proscribed and utterly condemned mode, disdaining to argue the point, she +would settle the matter in a summary manner, peculiarly her own, by +protesting she would have any woman burnt alive who would submit to be +courted in bed. To such a fiery argument no reply could possibly be +made; and in time she found her account in this silencing sort of logic +which gave her her own entire unimpeded way in every thing, which +wonderfully restored her equanimity, and saved both time and temper to +the parties concerned, who otherwise might have spent their precious +hours, and more precious patience, in idle and irritable discussions on +the subject. + +In the course of two years there were no less than four young men, and +twice as many damsels turned away from her service for courting in the +hay-loft; and on those occasions the poor girls never escaped personal +violence from the indignant and persevering Mrs. Graspacre. In her +flaming zeal for decorum, the tongs, the poker, the pitchfork, or the +hay-rake, became an instrument of chastisement; a double advantage was +discovered in the terror thus created, the dignity of her sex being in +the first place asserted and supported, and in the next, the offenders +preferred running away without payment of wages, to standing the chance +of having their heads or arms broken with a poker, or their bodies +pierced by the terrible prongs of a pitchfork. + +All the lowly dependants of Mrs. Graspacre found it their interest to +become her spies, who soon vied with each other in giving the earliest +intimation of any amorous pair who committed this most diabolical +offence; and those who were least forward in bringing intelligence on +this score, immediately sunk in her esteem, and were mulct of their +allowance of skim milk and blue whey. But in time the old hen-wives of +the neighbourhood discovered the virtue of sycophancy, and the efficacy +of a little seasonable cant; and when they were not warranted by real +occurrences, they contrived to conciliate their patroness by drawing upon +their own fertile inventions; or at other times hinted their suspicions +of certain offending parties, always taking especial care to echo her +language and blazon their abhorrence of all those imps of the devil who +made love beneath a rug and blanket. + +Not satisfied with these auxiliaries in the cause of virtue, the zealous +Mrs. Graspacre enlisted on her side a very powerful champion, in the +person of the reverend Mr. Evan Evans, the curate of Tregaron. Great was +her mortification to find her attempts on the rector fail of success, as +he declared it dangerous to interfere with the peculiarities and long +established customs of the people; especially as he conceived it was +rarely that any bad consequence ensued from the mode in question: but +when the evil really occurred, if a faithless swain delayed making due +reparation, a gaol, exile from his native place, or a compelled marriage, +held the young men in terrorum. “Besides,” quoth the worthy old rector, +with a hearty laugh, “that was the very way in which I courted my own +wife, and many persons who are no enemies of virtue, consider it the best +mode in the world, and were I young again, ha, ha, ha! egad I think I +should pursue the same fashion.” “And I too!” cries Mr. Graspacre, “as I +have no objection in the world to the custom.” Had the foe of man +appeared at that moment, as popularly identified,—in sooty nakedness, +with bloodshot eyes, and arrayed with hoofs and horns,—the stare of +horror which distinguished the amiable countenance of Mrs. Graspacre, +could not be more strongly marked. “_You_, Mr. Graspacre! _you_! I’m +astonished, but”—(with a severe glance at the rector) “when the shepherd +goes astray, no wonder that the silly sheep follow his example;” with +that she bounced out of the room, and slammed the door in a high fit of +indignation, aggravated by the calm looks of the rector, and the +provoking tittering of her own liege lord. + +The rector’s honest dissent from her scheme of reformation, Mrs. +Graspacre considered as a direct declaration of hostilities, and +therefore, by her peculiar creed of morality, she felt herself bound to +vilify his name, and most piously longed for his death, that the cause of +virtue might be supported by the talents of her favorite curate, who was +now, she said, on a poor stipend, which he increased by keeping a school +in the church. + +The reverend Evan Evans, the curate, played with his cards well; he was a +harsh-featured man, lowering brows and a complete ploughman’s gait; +insolent to his poor parishioners, and a very awkward cringer to the +great. But flattery, direct or covert, does much, and in time completely +won him the favor of the great lady. She encouraged his patience by +assuring him that the vicar, in his declined state of health, could not +possibly live long; and his death, happen when it might, must appear, to +all unprejudiced christians, as a judgement, for advocating, or not +prosecuting, that execrable custom, courting in bed. As the living had +long been promised to him, the hopes and expectations of Mr. Evan Evans +were very sanguine; and as he was no less ambitious than sycophantic and +imperious, he looked forward with confidence to the period when he should +give up school-keeping, and strut forth in a fire-shovel hat, as vicar of +the parish, and a magistrate in the county. Notwithstanding that the +living was promised him by the lady, he was aware that she was not always +paramount, and therefore lost no opportunity of insinuating himself into +the squire’s favor. With the most ludicrous efforts to humanize those +harsh features of his, and to twist them into frequent grins, he would +laugh loudly to the injury of his lungs, at his most vapid jokes; praise +the beauty of his snub-nosed children, and his pointers; tell him where +the prettiest lasses in the parish were to be found; with many such +_honorable_ civilities, that Squire Graspacre at length discovered him to +be a very useful sort of person. When Sir John Wynne of Gwydir paid his +before-mentioned visit, his sister introduced and recommended our curate, +as a right worthy divine who deserved preferment; and the baronet +promised to remember her recommendation, if anything turned out, within +his power, to benefit him. Much time had elapsed, and nothing followed +this agreeable promise; but Mister Evans persevered in his sycophancy, +and if the labour and dirty work be properly estimated, he certainly +earned a good living—in his majesty’s plantations! to which he ought to +have been inducted at the expence of government. + +He soon saw the weak side of his lady patroness, and ever anxious to +strengthen his influence by promoting her views, he gave great +encouragement to those boys in his school, who brought him the most +piquant tales of their grown up brothers and sisters. Much scandal was +at this time afloat respecting the loves of Carmarthen Jack and Catti of +Llidiard-y-Fynnon; and right anxious was he to learn in what manner it +was carried on; but as this interesting pair met only at those hours when +bats and owls were on the wing, and no human witnesses abroad, his wishes +were difficult of attainment. At length his wily brain hit upon a +notable expedient, that offered fairly to increase his good footing with +the squire’s lady. + +Little Twm Shôn Catti, being the natural child of Sir John Wynne, was of +course the illegitimate nephew of the great lady; a relationship which +she, however, disdained to acknowledge: but the cunning curate took the +liberty of observing one day, it was a great pity that the slightest drop +of the noble blood of the Wynnes, however perverted and polluted, should +be suffered to run to waste and be neglected. Proceeding in his drift, +he insinuated that if the boy Twm Shôn Catti were removed to his school, +he should not only be instructed and improved, but that he, the curate, +might thereby learn from the youngster something of his mother’s +proceedings; and especially, whether she entertained her lover in the +legal, or the proscribed manner. This was striking on the very string +that made music to her busy, meddling, troublesome soul;—she of course +warmly approved of his idea, and put it into immediate execution. Thus, +the very next day, in her own and her brother’s name, little Twm Shôn +Catti was ordered for the future to be sent to the curate’s school, which +of course, was complied with accordingly. + + + + +CHAP. VI. + + +Twm improves in the curate’s school. His wit saves him from a flogging. + +THE great success of Catti’s school excited the ill will of Parson Evans, +although he had far more scholars than he could possibly attend to. His +indignation at his wife’s fall from her horse into the well, while +passing his humble rival’s seminary, together with the humiliating +consideration that many of the most juvenile deserted _his_ rule, to +submit to _her’s_, wounded this consequential personage to the quick. +With an awkward attempt at a smile, he feigned to consider the seceders +as a good riddance, and that it was not worth his while to teach babies +to walk as well as to instruct them in their letters; this in fact, ought +to have been the case, but it was not; for Evans, “like the turk, could +bear no rival near the throne.” This new arrangement respecting Twm, +they thought could not but be vexatious to Catti, and therefore Mistress +Evans felt herself avenged for the tittering that she heard in her +school, on her fall into the well as before mentioned. But far different +was the case, from what they anticipated, for Catti no sooner heard the +order, than in the simple sincerity of her heart, she exclaimed, “Thank +God! the boy will learn something from the parson, but I could teach him +nothing.” + +Little Twm was now in his seventh year, and as refractory a pupil as ever +was spoiled by a dawdling mother. Kept aloof from his dear duck-ponds +and puddles, and compelled to explore the mysteries of the horn-book, +this first change in his life was acutely felt. Self-willed and +stubborn, he conceived the utmost abhorrence of horn-books, cross +curates, and birch-rods; he wept and sulked, struck the boys who mocked +him, stayed away from school, and was flogged so often, that at length he +found it much easier to learn his book, than endure the consequence of +neglecting it. Once arrived to this happy mood, and being one day +praised by his master, a new spirit possessed the boy; emulation was +kindled, and he resolved to revenge himself on those youths who formerly +had made him their butt of ridicule, by getting the start of them in +learning. The horn-book was shortly thrown by; the reading-made-easy and +spelling book soon shared a similar fate; and the pride of his young +heart sparkled in his eyes when his great lady aunt, on hearing a good +account of him from his master, presented him with a bible, on the inside +of the cover of which was the following couplet,— + + “Take this Holy Bible book, + God give thee grace therein to look.” + +These lines were not only written by her own fair hand, but actually of +her own composition; and as poor Catti shewed the book to all her friends +and neighbours as a proud proof of the good footing on which her son +stood at Graspacre Hall, the great lady’s lines procured her the general +fame of being a great poetess. + +Notwithstanding his rapid advancement in book learning, Parson Evans was +far from being satisfied with his pupil, nor was his main end answered in +having brought him to his school. Twm loved his mother, and felt no +great affection for his master, nor gratitude for the floggings which had +enforced so much learning into his head; and never could the generous boy +be brought to tell any tales to her disadvantage. The curate’s severity +increased, and no longer praised or encouraged, Twm became not only +indifferent to his tasks, but wanton and unjust severity had the effect +of blunting his feelings and making him stubborn and revengeful; and at +length he arrived at such an extremity of youthful recklessness as to +study tricks for the annoyance of his master and fellow scholars. + +In the eleventh year of his age some decisive shoots of character made +their appearance; a taste for sharp sayings, and skilful trickery in +outwitting his opponents, appear to have been his striking peculiarities, +as well as boldness and resolution on the play ground, where none could +surpass him in robustuous or violent exercises. Wat the mole-catcher, +his constant instructor when out of school, among other accomplishments +had taught him to play at cudgels, and not a boy in the school could +stand before him at the quarter staff. His pre-eminence in this ancient +and national art was often exemplified by the loud cries and broken heads +of his defeated schoolfellows. A catastrophe of that kind one day, even +in school time, brought the enraged master out, who severely asked Twm +what he meant by such conduct; “Why sir,” cried the little rogue, “you +always say that you never can beat anything into that boy’s head, so I +tried what I could do with the cudgel, that’s all!” A few days after, +his master sent him from the school to his house, for a book which he +wanted. Twm found the mistress and maid were out, the first at the hall, +and the last had made a present of her little leisure to her sweetheart, +Wat the mole-catcher. On entering the parlour he saw there a fine bunch +of grapes, which his great lady aunt had sent his master; as this was a +fruit hitherto unknown to him, he deliberately tasted two or three, to +discover whether they were eatable. Having diminished the bunch by a +repetition of this experiment, he found a difficulty in quitting while +any remained, so resolved to finish it, and lay the blame on the cat, if +charged with the theft; as to dividing the spoil, and leaving a portion +for the owner, the scheme was impracticable, so he decided to abide by +his master’s maxim, “that it was not decent for two to eat from the same +dish.” So lifting up the remains of the luscious bunch with affected +ceremony, he exclaimed in a lofty tone, mimicking his master, “I publish +the banns of marriage between my mouth and this bunch of grapes; if any +one knows just cause or impediment why they should not be joined +together, let him now declare it, or hereafter forever hold his peace!” +and as no dissentient voice intervened, he abruptly cried “silence gives +consent,” and hastily consummated the delicious union. No sooner had he +gulped the grapes than his master made his appearance—suspecting the +cause of his delay, he had followed after, and witnessing the imposing +ritual, he stood, rod in hand, surrounded by his scholars, whom he had +called; when all was in readiness he exclaimed, “I publish the banns of +marriage between my rod and your breech; if any one knows just cause or +impediment why they may not be lawfully joined together in hot wedlock, +let him now declare it.” + +“I forbid the banns!” roared Twm Shôn Catti; “For what reason?” cries the +awful pedant, flourishing his rod in eager preparation; “Because,” cries +the waggish urchin, “the parties are not yet agreed.” Although Evans was +generally too crabbed and selfish to enjoy and estimate a witty reply in +any one except his superiors, who seldom possessed a legitimate claim to +his applause, it is but justice to him to record, that this unexpected +and ingenious answer procured Twm a remission of his flogging, when on +the very brink of execution. + + + + +CHAP. VII. + + +The squire favors Welsh customs and female costumes. Offended with his +lady. Protects the system of bed courtship. An eulogy on the ale of +Newcastle Emlyn. Toping rats. + +AT this time a warm altercation one day took place between the squire and +his lady, that terminated in consequences little expected by either. +Notwithstanding the prejudice which Squire Graspacre’s harsh conduct had +given birth to, on his first settlement in Cardiganshire, he had about +him certain saving points, that not only reconciled them to his rule, but +really gained their esteem. He was a plain, bold, sensible man, and +although entertaining a most exalted opinion of English superiority, +generally, in particular instances he had the liberality to confess that +he found many things in this nation of mountaineers, highly worthy of +imitation among his more civilized countrymen. Unlike any of the +half-bred English gentlemen who literally infest Wales, and become +nuisances and living grievances to the people—building their pretensions +to superiority and fashion, on a sneering self-sufficiency, and scorn of +customs and peculiarities merely because they are Welsh—he gave them all +credit for what was really estimable. + +He had formerly expressed his disapprobation of a custom prevalent among +Welsh farmers of leaving their corn long on the ground after being cut, +instead of housing it as soon as possible; but experience taught him that +they were right and himself in error; as, among the corn was a large +quantity of weeds which required to be dried before it could with safety +be brought to the barn or rick, otherwise the grain was sweated and +literally poisoned with the rank juice. He found the Cardiganshire mode +of chopping the young mountain furze, and giving it as food for horses +and cattle, worthy his attention, and after various trials, decided on +its efficacy so far as to adopt it for the future; and actually set +Carmarthen Jack to gather the seed of that mountain plant, which he +forwarded to England to be set on his Devonshire farms. The planting of +flowers on the graves of deceased friends, he eulogized as a beautiful +and endearing custom, forming an agreeable contrast to the clumsy English +tombstones with barbarous lines, often setting truth, rhyme, and reason +at defiance. The Welsh harp he declared the prince of all musical +instruments, and Welsh weddings the best contrived and conducted in the +world, and proved his sincerity by giving something always at the +_Biddings_ of the peasantry, and patronizing all those who entered that +happy state. Above all things he admired the female costume in Wales, +and protested, with much truth, that the poor people in England were not +half so well, or so neatly, clothed. His lofty lady, although a +Welshwoman bred and born, entertained a very different set of ideas on +these subjects. Whenever her husband related the anecdote of Polydore +Virgil’s extacy on his first landing in Britain, when he beheld the +yellow-blossomed furze, which gave a golden glow to the swelling bosom of +the hills—how he knelt on the ground beside a bush of it, fervently +worshipping the God of Nature, that beautified the world with the +production of such a plant; she would instantly reply, “The man was a +fool! for _my part_ I see nothing in the nasty prickly things to admire, +but wish the fire would take them all from one end of the mountains to +the other.” “And yet, my dear,” would he answer, “Polydore Virgil was a +native of no rude soil, but came from the land of the laurel, the +cypress, and the vine, the orange, the lemon, and the citron, and many +other splendid plants, the very names of which you perhaps never heard +of; yet he had the liberality to admire what he justly deemed beautiful, +even in a northern clime, and a comparatively harsh mountainous +district.” As to the harp, whenever he praised its melody, she declared +it odious and unbearable, and gave preference to the fiddle, the +bagpipes, or even the hurdy-gurdy; and the Welsh female costume she +protested still more loudly against, and asked him with a sneer if he did +not conceive it capable of improvement. “Oh, certainly, my dear,” would +he reply, “for instance, I would have the Glamorganshire girls wear +shoes, and soles to their stockings; and convert their awkward wrappers +into neat gowns; the Cardiganshire fair ones should doff their clogs, and +wear leathern shoes; and the Breconshire lass, with all others who +followed the same abominable habit, should be hindered from wearing a +handkerchief around the head; but I know of no improvement that can be +suggested for the Pembrokeshire damsel, except _one_—which, indeed, would +be equally applicable to all Welsh girls—namely, to throw off their +flannel shifts, and wear linen ones.” + +Now this good gentlewoman, whose leading weakness it was to suspect her +husband’s fidelity when away from home, kindled with rage at this remark. +“Shifts, Mr. Graspacre,” exclaimed the angered lady, “what business have +you to concern yourself about such things? You ought, at least, to know +nothing about such matters, but I dare say know too much.” Anxious as a +seaman to turn his bark from the direction of a dangerous rock, he mildly +replied, “Surely, my dear, I may exercise my eyes, when the washed +clothes are hanging on a line;” and then adding in the same breath, +“indeed, if I were you, my dear, I would make some improvements, _such as +your good taste will suggest_, among our own maids; taking care, however, +not to destroy the stamp of nationality on their garbs at any rate.” +This was a well-judged hit on his part, and had the effect of averting +the impending storm. + +It should have been mentioned before, that the squire, soon after his +marriage, had made a tour of South Wales, and, as his lady expressed it, +taken a whim in his head of engaging a maid servant in every county +through which he passed; so that in Graspacre Hall there were to be found +maiden representatives in their native costumes, of all the different +shires of South Wales, except Radnor, in which, the squire said the +barbarous jargon of Herefordshire, and the paltry English cottons, had +supplanted the native tongue and dress of Wales. There might you see the +neat maiden of Pembrokeshire, in her dark cloth dress of one hue, either +a dark brown approximating to black, or a claret colour, made by the +skill of a tailor, and very closely resembling the ladies’ modern riding +habits,—a perfect picture of comfort and neatness, in alliance with good +taste. There would you see her extreme contrast, the Glamorganshire +lass, in stockings cut off at the ankle, and without shoes; and, although +a handsome brunette with fine black eyes, dressed in a slammakin check +wrapper of cotton and wool, utterly shapeless, and tied about the middle +like a wheat-sheaf, or a faggot of wood: possessing, however, the +peculiar conveniences that it could be put on in an instant, without the +loss of time in dressing tastefully, and that it would fit every body +alike, as it is neither a gown nor a bedgown, but between both, and +without a waist.—There would you see the young woman of Breconshire, with +her pretty blushing face half hidden in a handkerchief which envelopes +her head, that at first you would fancy the figure before you to be a +grandmother at least.—Her long linsey gown is pinned up behind, each +extreme corner being joined together in the centre, and confined a few +inches below her waste; she has her wooden-soled shoes for every day, and +leathern ones for sunday, or for a dance, which, with her stockings, she +very economically takes off should a shower of rain overtake her on a +journey; and when it ceases, washes her feet in the first brook she +meets, and puts them on again. This fair one takes especial care that +her drapery shall be short enough to discover a pretty ankle, and her +apron sufficiently scanty to disclose her gay red petticoat with black or +white stripes, beneath, and at the sides. Then comes the stout +Carmarthenshire lass with her thick bedgown and petticoat of a flaring +brick-dust red, knitting stockings as she walks, and singing a loud song +as she cards or spins. Lastly, though not the least in importance, +behold the clogged and cloaked short-statured woman of Cardiganshire. +She scorns the sluttish garb and bare feet of the Glamorganshire maiden, +and hates the abominable pride of the Pembrokeshire lass who is vain +enough to wear leathern shoes instead of honest clogs; proving at the +same time that her own vanity is of a more pardonable stamp, while she +boasts with truth, that her own dress cost twice as much as either of the +others. The Cardiganshire women’s dresses, in fact—generally blue, with +red stripes, and bound at the bottom with red or blue tape—are entirely +of wool, solidly woven and heavy, consequently more expensive than those +made of linsey or minco, or of the common intermixture of wool and +cotton, and presenting an appearance of weighty warmth more desirable +than either a comely cut or tasty neatness. + +It was one of the squire’s fancies never to call these girls by their own +proper names, but by that of their shires, as thus, “Come here little +Pembroke, and buckle my shoe; and you Carmarthen, bring me a bason of +broth: Cardigan, call Glamorgan and Brecon, and tell them they must drive +a harrow apiece through the ploughed part of Rockfield.” On his return +to dinner, a few days after the suggestion about the dresses of the +maids, he was astonished to find that Mrs. Graspacre had used this +privilege with a vengeance; having, with decided bad taste, put them all, +_at their own expence_, to be deducted from their wages, into glaring +cotton prints. The girls were unhappy enough at this change, as well as +at the expence to which they were put, and they never could enter the +town without experiencing the ridicule of their friends and neighbours; +the Cardiganshire maid, who considered such a change in the light of +disowning her country and like a renegade putting on the livery of the +Saxon, in something of a termagant spirit, tendered her resignation to +her master rather than comply with such an innovation. This ungenerous +invasion of his harmless rules, roused his indignation; and after venting +a few “damns” _a la John Bull_, against draggle-tail cotton rags, without +a word of expostulation with his rib, he desired the girls to bring all +their trumpery to him, which they gladly did, and he made them instantly +into a bonfire in the farm yard. He then in a firm under tone of subdued +resentment, gave strict injunctions that no further liberties should be +taken with their national costume; to which his lady made the polite and +submissive reply, that the girls might all walk abroad without any dress +at all if he chose, and go to the devil his own way. + +At this juncture little Pembroke came in with rosy smiles, and told her +master that Carmarthen Jack wanted to speak to him very particularly, on +which the squire laughed, and asked her on what _important_ matter. “Why +sir,” said the rustic beauty, while arch smiles and blushes contended in +her sweet oval face, “Parson Evans has found out that he has been +courting in bed, with Catti the schoolmistress, and he has run here +before the Parson to say it is all a falsehood.” “There’s an impious +rascal for you!” cries the lady of the house, “to charge the clergyman +with falsehood; but I am sure ’tis true, for I long suspected it.” “The +less you interfere in these matters, the more it will be to your credit +Mrs. Graspacre,” said the squire in a quiet tone, but accompanied with an +emphatic look. “I insist,” cried the imperious dame, “that he be put in +the stocks, and she ducked in the river.” “Neither shall be done,” said +he, firmly, “and from henceforward, no person shall be annoyed and +persecuted on that score, but every one shall court as he or she +pleases.” “What!” cried the indignant lady, “would you fill the country +with bastards?” “No madam,” was the reply, “but with as happy a set of +people as possible.” + +Encouraged by the turn which affairs had taken, the Cardiganshire maid +now asked her master for her discharge; as her mistress she said, had +thrown a slur on her brewing abilities, which had almost broken her +heart: “for” said she, with a ludicrous whimper, “she says my brewing is +unfit for the drinking of christian people, and hardly worthy of the +hogs!—but”—cried the sturdy little wench, raising her voice to an +accusatory pitch, and at the same time a tone of triumph, “I come from +Newcastle Emlyn, the country of good beer, the very home where the _Cwrw +da_ of _Hên Gymru_ is bred and born! and I would rather die than be told +that I can’t brew.” + +“Indeed Cardy,” said the squire, with a smile, “though your mistress may +have been too severe in her censure, I must say your two last brewings +were unequal to the first.” “A good reason why sir; who can brew without +malt and hops? though I am told some of the town brewers are mighty +independent of those articles—but their brewings won’t do for us at +Newcastle Emlyn! and your wheat sir, which has grown by being out in the +wet harvest, so as to be unfit for bread, is but a poor make-shift for +malt—it may do for the wish-wash paltry ale of Haverfordwest and +Fishguard, but our plough boys would turn up their noses at such stuff at +Newcastle Emlyn!” “Damn Newcastle Emlyn!” cried the squire, provoked by +her continual reference to her native place. “Master! master!” cried the +girl, as if rebuking him for the greatest impiety conceivable, “don’t +damn Newcastle Emlyn, I had rather you should knock me down than damn +Newcastle Emlyn! it is the country of decent people and good ale! the +country where”— + +“You brewed good ale from the grown wheat the first time,” said the +squire, not deeming it necessary to notice her observations. + +“Good! was it?” retorts the girl struggling between respect for her +master and contempt for his taste, in the matter of malt drink; “good was +it! I tell you what master, you are a good master, and I have nothing to +say against mistress, for it would not be decent, but you never tasted +beer like ours at Newcastle Emlyn! the real hearty _cwrw da_! which I +could make you to-morrow, if you would give me good malt and hops, and +let it stand long enough untapped.” + +“But let me ask you my good woman,” said the squire, “what is the reason +that your two last brewings were so far inferior to the first, when you +had the same materials to work on?” + +“’Twas better sir! ten times better! the first would have turned the +devil’s stomach, had he known what was in it.” “Explain yourself,” said +the squire, surprized. “I will sir, if I was to be hanged for it,” cried +the girl in a tone of confidence; “it seems the rats love beer as well as +any christian folks, and can get drunk and die in drink, as a warning to +all sober-minded rats; but that is neither here nor there, and I hate to +tell a rigmarole story; the long and short of it is, that when I came to +wash out the barrels after the first brewing, I found three rats in one, +and two in the other.” + +“You found what?” asked the squire and his lady at the same time. + +“I found three rats sir, that had burst themselves with drinking beer, +and afterwards fell in and were drowned—they were then putrid, and it was +that, it seems, that made the ale so palatable; there were no dead +animals in the last brewing, but if I knew your taste before, I would +have killed a couple of cats, to please you.” + +This explanation excited a titter among the girls, and a loud laugh from +the squire, while the lady evinced the shock which her delicacy had +sustained, by making wry faces, and snuffing violently at her smelling +bottle, to avoid fainting. + +The squire then good humoredly addressed the girl, “now Cardy, you are +perfectly right in the praise you bestow on your own country ale, and I +promise you shall have the best of malt and hops for your next attempt, +when I expect it to be equal to the best _cwrw da_ of Newcastle +Emlyn—and, do you hear? we shall dispense with either rats or cats in it +for the future.” + +This amicable settlement of differences set every one in good humour, +except the haughty mistress, who embittered with her double defeat, +retired in gloom, while her husband went to give audience to Jack o Sîr +Gâr. Cardy stayed behind a full quarter of an hour longer, to edify the +servants while treating, in her cackling style, of the extraordinary +merits of the fat ale of Newcastle Emlyn. + + + + +CHAP. VII. + + +A Welsh wedding, with all its preliminaries, and attendant circumstances. +The Bidding. The Gwahoddwr. The Ystavell. Pwrs a Gwregys. Pwython. +In which Twm Shôn Catti and Wat the mole-catcher play conspicuous parts. + +CARMARTHEN Jack had not been long waiting for his master, before little +Pembroke, full of glee, ran to inform him that the embargo had been taken +forever off bed courtship; and that he was now free, whether guilty or +not. This happy news affected him so well that he met his master with +comparative ease; and after some struggles with his native bashfulness, +an important secret came out—that he was going to be married to Catti the +schoolmistress; and wished to know whether he should be retained in the +squire’s service after that event. Now this was a circumstance exactly +to the squire’s taste; as a Welsh wedding pourtrayed many national +features in the character of the peasantry, that pleased him; and, as he +was generally a donor on these occasions, his vanity was flattered by +being looked up to as their patron. He of course acquiesced in his +servant’s request, and after a little jocular and rough rallying, +proposed that the _Bidding_ should be immediately commenced. + +A _Bidding_ was another of the excellent customs peculiar to the Welsh, +but of late years confined exclusively to the lower classes, which the +squire so much admired, and considered worthy of imitation, he said, +throughout the world. It signifies a general and particular invitation +to all the friends of the bride and bridegroom elect, to meet them at the +houses of their respective parents, or any other place appointed. Any +strangers who choose to attend are also made welcome. It is an +understood thing that every person who comes contributes a small sum +towards making a purse for the young pair to begin the world with. They +have a claim on those persons whose weddings they had themselves +attended; and at these times their parents and friends also make their +claims in their favor on all whom they may have at any time befriended in +a similar manner. These donations are always registered, and considered +as debts, to be repaid, on the occurrence of weddings only; but there are +many contributors, especially the masters and mistresses of the parties, +that of course require no repayment. These returns, being made only by +small instalments, and only at the weddings of their donors, are easily +accomplished; and the benefit derived from this custom is very great, +where the parties are respected. {56} Another agreeable feature in the +rural festivities on these occasions is the appointment of a _Gwahoddwr_, +or Bidder, whose business it is to go from house to house, bearing a +white wand decorated with ribbons, and his staff of office; while his +hat, and sometimes the breast of his coat, is similarly adorned. Thus +attired, he enters each house with suitable “pride of place,” amidst the +smiles of the old people, and the giggling of the young ones; and taking +his stand in the centre of the house, and striking his wand on the floor +to enforce silence, announces the wedding which is to take place, +sometimes in rhyme, but more frequently in a set speech of prose. + +The banns were immediately put in, and every preparation made for the +wedding. Wat the mole-catcher, as the greatest wag in the parish, was +appointed by the squire to the enviable office of _Gwahoddwr_. The +following homely lines are a literal translation of those which were +written purposely for this occasion, by the reverend John David Rhys, a +young poetical clergyman, at this time on a visit with Squire Graspacre. + + List to the Bidder—a health to all + Who dwell in this house, both great and small; + Prosperity’s comforts ever attend + The Bride and the Bridegroom’s generous friend! + + His door, may it never need a latch; + His hearth a fire, his cottage a thatch; + His wife a card, or a spinning wheel; + His floor a table, nor on it a meal! + + On Saturday next a wedding you’ll see, + In fair Tregaron, as gay as can be, + Between John Rees, called Jack o Sîr Gâr, + And Catherine Jones, his chosen fair. + + Haste to the wedding, its joy to share! + Mirth and good humor shall meet ye there; + Come one, come all! there’s a welcome true + To master and mistress and servants too! + + Stools shall ye find to sit upon, + And tables, and goodly food thereon, + Butter and cheese, and flesh and fish + (If we can catch them!) all to your wish. + + There many a lad shall a sweetheart find, + And many a lass meet a youth to her mind, + While nut-brown ale, both cheap and strong, + Shall warm the heart for the dance and song. + + Oft at a wedding are matches made, + When dress’d in their best come youth and maid, + And dance together, and whisper and kiss,— + Who knows what weddings may rise from this? + + Whoever may come to the Bidding, note,— + There’s thanks to the friend who brings three groat; + And ne’er may they hobble on a crutch + Whoe’er give the lovers twice as much! + + Whatever is given, as much they’ll restore— + One shilling, or two, or three, or four; + Whenever in similar case ’tis claim’d, + Else were defaulters ever shamed. {57} + + So haste to the wedding, both great and small, + Master and mistress, and servants, and all! + Catti’s at home, Jack’s at sign of the Cat; + Now God save the king and the Bidder, Wat. + +During these preparations for his mother’s wedding, little Twm Shôn +Catti, by the squire’s orders given at the bridegroom’s request, was +gratified by a whole week’s absence from school; and Wat the mole-catcher +took the happy youngster along with him, during his pleasant excursion, +to every house where he had to perform the functions of the _Gwahoddwr_. +Here the boy was in the height of his happiness, and soon bedecked +himself as a mock _Gwahoddwr_; having cut and peeled a willow wand, and +attached to the end of it a bunch of rush flags and carpenter’s shavings, +in the place of ribbons, thus grotesquely accoutred, he sallied forth +with his protector, and winking to his companions who were lookers on, +burlesqued every action and peculiarity of the mole-snarer. It was on +this occasion that he sported the first effusions of his virgin muse, as +it is said, to the following effect, although it has been suspected that +the delivery only was his own. Like a little clown mimicking the adroit +performances of the harlequin, his speech each time followed the more +important oration of Wat. + + Who’ll come to the wedding of Catti my mother? + Come mother, come daughter, son, father, and brother, + And bring all your cousins, and uncles, and aunts, + To revel and feast at our jolly courants, + Haste, haste to the Bidding ye stingy scrubs! + And out with your purses, and down with your dubs. + + Come Gwenny and Griffith, and Roger and Sal, + Morgan, Meredith, and Peggy and Pal; + Come one, come all, with your best on your back, + To see mother married to spoon-making Jack; + He’s a spoon for his pains! as ye all shall see soon. + But lucky in finding a bowl to his spoon. + + Haste, haste, to the bidding! and friends, if ye please, + For lack of white money bring good yellow cheese, + And butter, but not in your pockets alack, + Bring bacon or mutton well dried on the rack; + So endeth my story; come, haste we friend Watty, + Now God save the king, and his friend Twm Shôn Catti. + +Twm’s delivery of these lines excited much mirth and laughter, and, added +to those of the real _Gwahoddwr_, drew more than ordinary attention to +this Bidding. Many of the children of the different houses had been +Twm’s school-fellows, and the pupils of his mother, which had the effect +of influencing them, and became a sort of tie, to claim their presence at +her Bidding. As Jack’s friends were in Carmarthenshire, another +_Gwahoddwr_ was appointed by his master to go with him to call on his +friends at his own native place; and so liberal was the squire on this +occasion, that he sent them both, mounted, on horses of his own. + +Jack and his Bidder had no great success, as his friends reproached him +for his perverse intention of marrying a strange woman in a far land; and +therefore finding but little pleasure in the subject or manner of their +lectures, he made a precipitate retreat. Blushing for his countrymen, +and ashamed to own his failure in his own land, he bribed Ianto Gwyn the +harper, who was his Bidder, to silence; and brought with him to Tregaron, +in a hired cart, the common contribution of a bridegroom—namely, a +bedstead, table, stools, and a dresser. These, he feigned to have bought +with his Bidding-money, received at Carmarthen. Friday is always +allotted to bring home the _Ystavell_, or the woman’s furniture; +consisting generally of an oaken coffer, or chest; a featherbed and +blankets; all the crockery and pewter; wooden bowls, piggins, spoons, and +trenchers; with the general furniture of the shelf: but as Catti was +already provided with every thing of this kind, she had but little to add +to her stock. + +The landlord of a public house originally called “the Lion,” but with a +sign resembling a more ignoble animal, causing it to be ultimately known +by no other designation than that of “the Cat,” offered Jack his parlour +to receive his Cardiganshire friends in. Accordingly, on the Friday +before the wedding, he was busily employed in receiving money, cheese, +and butter, from them, while Catti was similarly engaged at her +residence, with _her_ partizans, which were not a few. This custom in +Welsh is called _Pwrs a Gwregys_, or purse and girdle; and is, doubtless, +of very remote origin. + +At length the long-looked for, the important Saturday arrived; a day +always fixed upon for the celebration of hymeneal ordinances, in Wales, +from the sage persuasion that it is a _lucky day_, as well as for the +convenience of the Sabbath intervening between it and a working day—a +glorious season of sunshine to the children of labour. + +Contrary to Jack’s expectations, a considerable number of his +Carmarthenshire friends, mounted on their ponies, made their appearance +this morning, and honorably paid their _Pwython_; that is to say, +returned the presents which he and his relatives or friends had made at +different weddings. Jack’s resentful and sudden disappearance, it seems +had a beneficial effect on the feelings of his friends and countrymen; +and a jealousy of yielding the palm for liberality to a neighbouring +county stirred a spirit of emulous contention among them, which ended in +a resolution that a party should attend the wedding, and bear with them +the _Pwython_ of the others, who had an aversion to travel such a very +distant journey. + +After depositing their offerings, and partaking of a little refreshment, +twelve of the bridegroom’s friends, headed by Ianto Gwyn the harper, +mounted their ponies and called at Catti’s house, to demand the bride; +and Wat the mole-catcher and _Gwahoddwr_, who added to these functions +the character of father to Catti, expecting their arrival, at length +heard without appearing, the following lines, delivered by the merry +harper, from the back of his poney. + + Open windows, open doors, + And with flowers strew the floors. + Heap the hearth with blazing wood, + Load the spit with festal food. + The _chrochon_ {62} on its hook be placed, + And tap a barrel of the best! + For this is Catti’s wedding day; + Now bring the fair one forth I pray. + +On which Wat, with the door still closed, made this reply without +appearing. + + Who are ye all? ye noisy train! + Be ye thieves, or honest men? + Tell us quick what brings ye here, + Or this intrusion costs you dear. + +Ianto Gwyn then rejoins, + + Honest men are we, who seek + A dainty dame both fair and meek, + Very good, and very pretty, + And known to all by name of Catti; + We come to claim her for a bride; + Come father! let the fair be tied + To him who loves her ever well:— + +Wat, still within, answers, + + So ye say, but time will tell; + My daughter’s very well at home, + So ye may pack and backward roam. + +Ianto Gwyn resolutely exclaims, + + Your home no more she’s doom’d to share, + Like every marriageable fair + Her father’s roof she quits, for one + Where she is mistress: woo’d and won. + + It now remains to see her wedded, + And homeward brought and safely bedded; + Unless you give her up we swear + The roof from off your house to tear, + Burst in the doors, and batter walls, + To rescue her whom wedlock calls. + +Another of the bridegroom’s party then called aloud in a tone of +authority, + + Peace, in the king’s name here! peace! + Let vaunts and taunting language cease; + We, the bridesmen, come to sue + The favor to all bridesmen due, + The daughter from the father’s hand, + And entertainment kindly bland. + +Now the important ensnarer of moles, with the air of an ancient chieftain +who throws wide his castle gates for the hospitable reception of his +retainers, opens the door, struts forth, and with a smiling face gives +the welcome, while, with his party, he assists them to alight. After +taking a little more refreshment, consisting of newly-baked oaten cakes, +with butter and cheese, washed down with copious draughts of ale, they +all remounted, and were joined by the rest of the bridegroom’s party; the +whole rustic cavalcade making their way towards the church. A motley +assemblage, in truth it was, but withal picturesque, and agreeable to +contemplate, for every face was happy; save when now and then a cautious +damsel, mounted behind her father or brother, would exhibit a touch of +the dismals in the length of her features, on discovery that the _cwrw_ +had any other effect than that of rendering her protector steady in his +seat on the saddle. Almost every sort of animal, large or small, lame or +blind, good or bad, seemed to have been pressed into the service, and +reduced to the levelling system, and without regard to either size or +quality, doomed to carry double. And thus they went on at a walking +pace, while the loud chat of many seemed drowned in the louder laughter +and calling of others, till now and then rebuked by some of the elders; +who, however, to little purpose, vociferated the words +decency—propriety—sobriety—sober purpose—&c. &c. the tendency of which +seemed but little understood. Jack was doomed to bestride a wretched +begalled Rozinante which the dogs could scarce pass without anticipating +their approaching feast, and looked like an equestrian knave of clubs ill +mounted; and if not very merry himself, was certainly “the cause of mirth +in others.” Elevated behind her temporary father on a fleet horse of the +squire’s, poor Catti was doomed to present purgatory to contrast her +enjoyment of future happiness, for, unprovided with a pillion, she sat on +the crupper, holding fast by Wat’s coat. The quiet pace which commenced +this little journey was soon changed into rough horsemanship, for the +mad-cap mole-catcher turning his steed into the Cardigan road, gave him +the spur, and commenced an outrageous gallop; the wedding partly followed +with all the might of their little beasts, and like valiant villagers in +chase of a highwayman, strove their utmost to rescue the bride. Ianto +Gwyn the rural bard and harper, ever ready with an extempore, produced +one on this occasion. + + Lost, stray’d, or ran away + This moment from the king’s highway, + A tall and sightly strapping woman, + A circumstance not very common; + ’Tis said a murderer of vermin + On her abduction did determine; + Whoe’er will bear to gaol th’ offender, + The lost one to her owner render, + Shall be as handsomely rewarded + As can be readily afforded. + +Having considerably distanced his pursuers, he stopped at length, at +Catti’s request, who complained sadly of being sorely bumped upon the +buckle of the crupper. Dexterously turning to a bye-road towards the +church, he was soon perceived and followed by the party, and altogether +they soon arrived at their journey’s end, and alighting, they entered the +sacred fane with due decorum. Evans the curate, to enhance his own +services and increase his importance, took care to damp their hilarity by +keeping them waiting full three quarters of an hour, before he made his +appearance; and when he came, his looks and demeanor partook more of the +rigid priest of Saturn, than of the heart-joining, bliss-dispensing +Hymen. Although the conduct of every individual was perfectly decent, he +very sternly rebuked their smiles and happy looks, and actually +threatened not to perform the marriage ceremony, until, alarmed at the +menace, and indignant at his conduct, they all became perfectly joyless, +and most orthodoxically gloomy. The indissoluble knot was soon tied; and +no longer dependant on the good offices of the magisterial churchman, +their spirit of joyousness burst forth, while in the churchyard the +mellow harp of Ianto Gwyn was playing the sprightly air of _Morwynion +Glân Meirionydd_, or the Fair Maidens of Merionethshire; while many of +the party joined in the words which belong to that beautiful and +animating tune. Suddenly changing the air, the eccentric harper struck +up “Megen has lost her garter,” which was succeeded by “Mentra Gwen,” and +a string of such national melodies, equally gay and appropriate. After +the marriage, they returned in much the same order, or rather disorder; +with the difference that the bride sat behind her husband, instead of her +father: the harper playing the whole time, and many sweet voices joining +in the words of the airs. They soon entered Catti’s house, where her +sister Juggy had provided a good dinner, of which all partook, cost free, +except that every one had to pay for their own ale, the females of course +being treated. In the course of the evening, jigs, reels, and country +dances, were successively gone through with much spirit. Catti danced +with considerable agility; but Jack, pressed on all sides, and at length +compelled to make one, in a country dance, shewed every indication of +this being his virgin attempt at “the poetry of motion;” and alternately +stumping and blowing, while copious streams ran down his rugged forehead, +as they every instant corrected his erratic course, and literally pushed +him down the dance, he vowed that this his first, should also be his last +exhibition on the “fantastic toe.” Young Twm, who had been playing at +sweethearts, with little Gwenny Cadwgan on his knee, to the great mirth +of his seniors, soon brought her out to try her foot in the dance with +him. The poor little wench, blushing scarlet deep, made her first essay +with one equally young and inexperienced as herself; and the juvenile +pair were by many good naturedly instructed in the figure of the dance, +and they contributed not a little to the general harmony. Juggy, the +sister of Catti, absolutely refused to sport her figure among the +dancers, and treated Wat the mole-catcher with a hard favor in the face +for attempting to drag her in perforce. At length, fatigued with +dancing, and alarmed for the state of their inebriated friends and +companions, many, especially the females, turned their serious thoughts +towards home. It was now drawing towards the hour of retiring for the +night, when the usual trick was played of concealing the bride from the +bridegroom. Poor Jack, whom nature had not favored with a great share of +facetiousness, and who never mixed with such a company before, began to +be seriously alarmed. Great was the mirth of the party, while, with a +strange expression of countenance, he sought her up and down in every +corner of the house. At length he discovered a part of her red petticoat +sticking out from under the bottom of the straw armchair, and soon drew +her out from the place of concealment. The parting hour was now arrived; +then came the general shaking of hands, and serious expressions of good +wishes among the sober; while the tipsy folks vented their wit in jocular +allusions to their conjugal felicity: some offering themselves for +godfathers and godmothers to their future offspring, while others far +gone laid bets on the probability that the first child would be either a +boy or a girl. At this time considerable surprize was excited by the +conduct of an individual who had been remarkably unsocial the whole +evening, no person having heard him speak a word; and when asked a +question, or in answer to a health being drank, he merely nodded in a +hurried manner, and immediately drew hard at his pipe, and puffed forth +volumes of smoke, as if to envelope himself in a cloud of invisibility. +Every one was too much engaged with his own pleasures to give him much +attention, and thus he remained till the moment of departure, when he was +observed to stagger as he rose from his seat; somebody then observed, +that it must have been the smoke and not the beer that affected his +brains, as he drank but little: a remark that imputed niggardly and +curmudgeon propensities to him. Determined to give him something of a +roast, a young farmer asked him, with a defying air, whether he had paid +his _Pwython_; “No!” roared the hitherto silent man, “but here it is—take +it Catti my girl, and much good may it do you!” on which he put five +guineas into her hand. With emotions of wonder and gratitude, while +catching an eager glance at his face, Catti involuntarily exclaimed “the +squire!” when he darted out, mounted his horse, as did the rest of the +party, and disappeared. + + + + +CHAP. VIII. + + +Twm’s great improvement under his new master. His attachment to Welsh +literature. Wat’s freak. Twm is taken from school, and sent as a parish +apprentice to a farmer in the Cardiganshire mountains. + +DETERMINED to witness the humble festivities of the “lowly train,” thus +Squire Graspacre had been among them the whole evening, disguised like a +rough mountaineer husbandman, and was heartily gratified, although his +apparent incivility of conduct had nearly subjected him to harsh +treatment from the jovial ale-fraught rustics, who of course, but little +relished his strange behaviour. His deficiency in the Welsh language had +been concealed by alternately feigning deafness and drunkenness, which, +with the aid of the pipe, left him free of further suspicion. The +morning of Sunday after the wedding, which is called _Neithior_, being +come, the happy pair stayed at home, receiving their friends who called +with their good will, which was manifested by the payment of _Pwython_. +The day was drank out, but not as before, as in every other respect, save +the diminishing of ale, each seemed to recollect it was the Sabbath, and +tossed off their cups in quietness. It was not till late on Monday +evening that the drink was exhausted, when Jack and Catti cast up the sum +of their wedding donations, which they found amounted to twenty seven +pounds eight shillings and sixpence, besides fourteen whole, and +twenty-two half cheeses, the greater part of which they soon turned into +cash. In these days, when the value of money has been so much decreased, +the amount of the _Pwython_ and presents at a Welsh wedding has been +known to reach more than treble the sum here stated; especially when the +friends of the parties have been numerous, and headed by the patronage of +a wealthy and liberal master and mistress, who generally enlist their +friends and visitors under the hymeneal banners of a faithful servant, +the architects of whose humble fortunes they become, by laying, +themselves, the corner stone. + +As, from this part of our history, the hero will rise in importance, +those who have hitherto stood forward, must proportionably draw back, to +give him place; especially Jack and Catti; the grand drama of whose lives +has been closed by a matrimonial union; whence, henceforth, they must +sink into inconsiderable personages. + +In consequence of the squire’s liberality on the celebration of Catti’s +wedding, and a general report prevailing that he was well inclined +towards the Welsh, a protector of their customs, and no scorner of their +languages or peculiarities, a general good will towards him was +manifested by the country people. When he gave his opinion in favor of +the female national costume, they considered him, for an Englishman, a +very reasonable man. When he eulogized the Welsh harp, and gave, in +addition to various pieces of silver at different times, a guinea to +Ianto Gwyn for his performances at Jack and Catti’s wedding, he gained a +few steps more into their good opinion. But when he declared that bed +courtship should not be abolished, there was a burst of enthusiasm in his +favor in every breast, especially among the females. During this new +impulse given to the reign of happiness, the great lady of the hall and +her favorite curate hid their diminished heads; the former declaring that +it was utterly impossible that the world could last many months, while +such immorality and ungodliness was practised under the auspices of a +declared patron. Whether it was the influence of this alarm, or the +bitterness of baffled malignity, that preyed on her mind, certain it is, +she was soon thrown on a sick bed, and considered seriously indisposed. +The squire, to his honor be it said, although unfortunately married to a +very disagreeable woman, allowed a sense of duty to supply the place of +affection, when his attentions were so indispensably needed. During her +illness the worthy old rector who had been ill but a single week, died: +and Squire Graspacre, against his own judgement and feelings, well +knowing that such an arrangement would be agreeable to his wife, inducted +the curate, Evans, into the vacant living. In a fortnight after, +however, she died herself; a circumstance perhaps, that gave no real +sorrow to any creature breathing. + +The general report of a liberal English squire in Cardiganshire, who +patronized and upheld the customs of the Welsh, penetrated to the very +extremities of the principality; and became at last so strangely +exaggerated, that, he was represented as the patron of the learned: +consequently many of the humbler sons of the church took long journeys to +be undeceived. Of the many who called upon him with a view of seeking +his patronage of their literary undertakings, one especially took his +fancy; a young clergyman named John David Rhys, before named as the +author of the Bidder’s song. But poetry was not his forte; his energy +and perseverance in the favorite study of Welshmen, British antiquities, +and systemizing his native language, deserved encouragement and applause. +He was then composing a Welsh grammar, and had actually commenced a +dictionary. As he spoke English very well, the squire soon understood +the merit of his undertakings, and promised his patronage and good +offices; in the mean time requesting him to remain on the footing of a +friend beneath his roof, till something could be done for him. This +excellent person he now fixed upon to succeed Evans in the school and +curacy; stipulating, that for his fulfilment of the latter, he was to +have thirty pounds, and for the former ten pounds a year. Fortunate for +Rhys would it have been had the old rector outlived the squire’s lady, in +which case it is more than probable he would have filled the living +instead of Evans, whom the squire never liked. This change in the +mastership of the school was a fortunate event for young Twm Shôn Catti, +who had caught the mania for rhyming, among the wandering harpers and +_bards_, as they called every rhymester who could manufacture verses in +either of the four-and-twenty legitimate Welsh measures. When he found +his new master a kind young man, an historian, antiquarian, and something +of a poet, the “homage of the heart” was immediately paid him. Twm +thought him the wisest man in the world, when he heard him speak of the +battles fought by the Britons in ancient times, against the Romans, +Danes, and Saxons. This was to him a knowledge the most estimable, and +he longed to be enabled also, to talk about battles and to write +patriotic songs. Having now his information from a better source, he +soon learned to despise the jargon and misstatements of Ianto Gwyn, with +whom he argued strongly, and proved to him that Geoffrey of Monmouth was +a fabulist, and no historian; that it was not Joseph of Arimathea who +christianized Britain; and that the Britons were no descendants of Brute, +nor of Trojan origin; with various other such knotty points. The great +deference which he paid his master, his attention to every word which +fell from his lips, with his close and successful application to his +lessons, gained him the esteem and admiration of Rhys, with whom he +became a great favorite. This amiable young clergyman found much +satisfaction on discovering a youngster with taste sufficient to +appreciate his favorite pursuits; and took pleasure in explaining to him +every subject of his enquires. A thirst for information possessed the +boy; and he rummaged the most dry and tedious works connected with Welsh +antiquities, with an avidity that was astonishing even to his master. + +Well would it have been for Twm had he continued his diligence in this +honorable course, but in his breast the love of learning was shared by +his love of mischief, and his admiration of his master divided with his +predilection for the comical vagaries of Wat the mole-catcher: and in the +end, his acquaintance with that worthy proved anything to him but +fortunate. About eighteen months after Rhys’s appointment to the school, +one evening in the Christmas holidays, Wat asked him if he would take a +share in a freak that would keep them up the greater part of the night. +Twm immediately assented, without enquiring its nature; enough for him +that it was a scheme of merry mischief, in the prospect of which his +heart ever bounded. This idle whim of Wat’s was nothing more than to +pull down the signs of all the public houses and shops, which being few, +was easily done, but the greater difficulty was to suspend them from, or +attach them to, the tenements of others, in which they however succeeded. +This trick elicited some humour; and a satirical application was +discernible in the new disposal of the boards. When the light of day +discovered their handy-work, great was the astonishment of the +alehouse-keepers and others, to find their signs vanished, and gracing +the fronts of their neighbours’ houses; and the anger of the reverend +Evan Evans was boundless, on perceiving the “Fox and Goose” over his +rectory house door, with the words proceeding from the mouth of Reynard, +“I have thee now;” and under the pictorial figures “Good entertainment +for man and horse.” A crowd was in consequence collected about his door, +and the provoking laughter of the people stung him to the bitterest +degree of resentment. Squire Graspacre, from indolence or dislike to all +business except farming, declined being in the commission of the peace +himself, and put the parson in his stead. Having now attained the summit +of his ambition, as rector and justice of the peace, his overweening +presumption and conceit become daily more conspicuous; and therefore this +slur upon his consequence became intolerable. The actors in this simple +freak became at length known, in consequence of the secret being +intrusted, a very common case, to a _confidential friend_. + +Although the twenty shillings reward which the parson offered could not +induce the poorest to be base enough to become an informer, yet an idle +spirit of tattling among the women brought it at length to the ears of +Mistress Evans, and her husband soon became possessed of the whole +particulars. He instantly made his complaint to the squire against both +Twm and Wat, who merely reprimanded, cautioned for the future, and +dismissed them. + +The circumstances under which young Twm Shôn Catti was educated, now +suddenly occurred to him. “What the devil is to become of that +mischievous young rascal?” said he, one day, to Rhys the curate, whom he +then informed of the particulars of his birth, and of his deceased wife’s +whim of having him well educated, in consequence of his being a slip of +Sir John Wynne’s. That connexion being entirely closed by the death of +his wife, he no longer felt himself bound or inclined to notice him. +When Rhys gave so good an account of his proficiency, he was surprized to +hear the squire exclaim “I am sorry for it, for he has no prospect in the +world but labour or beggary. As he has already had too good an education +for his circumstances, he must be instantly dismissed from school. Since +Sir John does not think proper to protect his son, I don’t see why I +should.” Twm and his master parted with mutual regret, for latterly they +were more like companions than master and scholar; and the generous Rhys +could not restrain a tear on beholding a youth of so much promise +destined to the uncertain wilderness of a hard and cold world, especially +after having evinced a superiority of taste and intellect, that under +favorable auspices, would have enabled him to shine and flourish in his +day. Twm remained awhile at his mother’s, a big boy of fifteen, idling +away his days without any view to the future. Greatly concerned on his +account and her own inability to support him, Catti went one day to the +squire’s, and implored him to do something for her son; and he at last +_generously_ decided to send him as a parish apprentice to a farmer, +whose grounds were situate in the neighbouring mountains. + + + + +CHAP. IX. + + +Twm’s new master and mistress, with their daughters. His pranks and +buffetings at Cwm du. This humorous-beginning chapter ends tragically. + +THE farmer to whom Twm had been assigned, was named Morris Grump, who +possessed a considerable farm, freehold property, consisting of small +fields occupying either side of a deep narrow mountain dingle, the centre +of which was threaded by a large brook, that in winter aped the +boisterousness of a river, and was, near the farm, crossed by a fallen +tree, answering the purpose of a rustic bridge, worn flat by the feet of +passengers. This cultivated defile extended about three miles, and, with +the farm, was called _Cwm du_, {77} signifying the Black vale, or dingle, +from the deep shade which the acclivious sides of the mountains threw +over it, a great part of the day. This lonely ravine was poorly wooded, +but many objects combined to array it with a hue of the romantic. +Instead of thorn, or other coppice, the hedges were of furze, always +green, and in summer with a rich yellow blossom, intermixed, here and +there, with the purple-flowered heath, which in Scotch literature has +been immortalized as the mountain heather. The trees were stunted, of +stubby, dwarfish, yet fantastic growth, with the heads generally snapped +off in the winter storms, and the branches spreading afar. The large +loose stones, that had parted from their parent rocks, and rolled to the +banks, and into the bed of the brook, were covered, or rather patched, +with a grey and yellow lichen, as were the bare hungry-looking ribs of +the mountains, which, unfleshed with soil, shewed, repulsively gaunt; +strongly contrasting with the small corn fields and green meadows below. +The brook, on a continual descent, was broken by many small, and some +large, falls, down its rocky bed, chafing to a white foam against its +various impediments, and roaring with the futile rage of a petty torrent. + +At the upper end of _Cwm du_ stood the farm house, so called, of Morris +Grump, with its barn, ricks, and the group of outhouses usually +appertaining to such a place. At the further extremity, the dingle +terminated in a vast flat patch of black mountain marsh, where all the +people of the neighbouring country repaired to cut their turf for firing. +All else, on either side the valley of _Cwm du_, was mountain—a wild +uncultured wilderness; the surface of which was diversified with pretty +lakes or alpine pools, on which floated various aquatic fowl; flocks of +sheep; long-maned untamed horses; furze and heath; quarries; caves; +gulfs; intersecting brooks; and the horizon closed with the distant +mountain peaks, one above another, strangely but most grandly clustered. + +In this secluded place, with a wife, six grown-up daughters, and one +man-servant, Morris Grump lived, in the most penurious manner, scarcely +allowing himself or family the common necessaries of live. This was to +Twm a most grievous change, where he was continually compelled to embrace +his antipathies, and disconnect himself from all the felicities most dear +to him. He loved books, rural festivities, rambling, and all those modes +of passing his time which were most allied to idleness; but in this house +not a book was to be seen, nor the sound of mirth, harp, or song ever +heard; nothing but work, hard work, seasoned with the shrill tones of +scolding women, and the deep growls of the farmer. The state of a slave, +in a more agreeable climate, was enviable compared to poor Twm’s. + +It has been complained that the improvements in modern cookery have +caused the human race to devour more than twice the quantity of food +requisite or beneficial; Molly Grump, the mistress of this mountain +mansion, had no idea of inflicting such an evil on her kind, and +therefore as an antidote to gluttony and intemperance, took care that her +food and drink should be neither too savory nor gustful. Her habits +were, to bake a large quantity of bread at once, so that it might soon +get hard and mouldy; steep an immense portion of the matter for flummery, +until as sour as verjuice; mix water with the milk, buttermilk, and whey; +and make the cheeses for home consumption hard enough to answer the +purpose of cannon balls, in case the felicities of _Cwm du_ should ever +tempt our foreign enemies to invade it. + +Our hero, however, had a bold heart, and if a little better fed, would +have endured all, and with that indifference and vein of whim which were +natural to him, turned Misery herself into a scarecrow of mirth rather +than terror. His wretched scanty meals did much to tame him, and he ate +his breakfast of highly-watered milk porridge, with a hungry, and at the +same time loathing, stomach. His dinner was either of very sour flummery +and skim-milk watered, or for variety, broth, made of rusty bacon, or +equally rusty dried beef or mutton; which being made in large quantities, +was generally warmed and served up three or four succeeding days: and +when Twm and his fellow servant (a half idiot lout,) vainly hoped that +this species of drenching was over, they had the mortification to find a +quantity of water added, to spin it out for another meal. When spared +from out-door work, Twm became a drudge for the women; after the work of +the day was over, and each resting in the chimney corner, there was +always a job for him, of some kind or other. By the time he had been +there six months, it was pitiable to see him, in the depth of winter, in +his wooden clogs without stockings, and his happy laughing face rendered +pale and sorrowful. Yet with all these drawbacks he preserved his turn +for mirth, and in the evening would recite either ghost-stories or +war-tales of old times, which he had heard from Ianto Gwyn or his master +Rhys, that astonished and amused his auditors, at least part of them, for +Molly Grump told him ’twas more fitting he should mind his work than give +his time to telling lies and idling; and her eldest daughter Shân always +echoed and imitated her mother, both in scolding and uttering wise +_saws_. + +The employment which they found for him in-doors, sometimes gave him an +opportunity of repairing the deficiency of his stomach and warming his +icy hands. One day, having brought in some turf and furze which he had +chopped for baking plank, or bakestone, bread, while Shân had turned her +back a little, he snatched up the last cake taken from the fire, and +doubling it up, thrust it into his breast, and attempted to make a hasty +retreat to devour it. The great heat against his stomach, however, gave +him infinite pain, which, like the Spartan boy he had determined to +endure rather than be detected; but not having been favored with so +stoical an education, he at length gave way to nature, and roared most +loudly as he ran out and across a field, while Shân and her two younger +sisters followed in full chase, to rescue the bread which the former +immediately missed. Twm soon gained the mountain, when the girls gave up +the pursuit, and he sat down and ate his bread undisturbed, hiding what +remained beneath some stones, for a future meal, determined to abide the +consequence of his theft rather than that of starvation. A severe +thrashing from the farmer, some blows from his wife, much scolding from +both as well from the echo Shân, with deprivation from dinner, were the +attendants of this feat; and instead of being permitted to sit with the +rest, to partake of a meal, he was ordered to give some hay to the cows: +“and mind,” cried Farmer Grump, “that you give more hay to the cow that +yields you most milk, than to the cow that gives but little.” “I will, +be sure of it!” said Twm, pointedly and in a sulky tone; and immediately +carried his two arms full of hay and threw it under the water spout. +“There!” cried he, as the farmer came out and looked with astonishment, +“_that_ is the _cow_ which gives me most milk, for your cursed broth and +porridge is almost wholly made from this never-failing udder.” This cost +him another beating, but it was the last, for the farmer received a hint +that it would not be safe to repeat the experiment, as Twm vowed to his +fellow servant, that if again struck he would fell his assailant to the +ground, like an ox: while his resolute and altered look convinced him +that he meant to keep his word. + +In the early part of the next summer, that dreadful malady, the small +pox, made its awful visitation to Morris Grump’s house, and like a +terrific fiend laid its talons alike on young and old, and remorselessly +swept them off to the grave. The two younger daughters were the first +infected; and in a few days after, two more were taken ill, and Morris’s +house presented the appearance of an hospital. Morris’s wife, as well as +himself, from the excessive anxiety natural to parents in such unhappy +circumstances for the preservation of her offspring, took, like thousands +of others, the wrong course, and literally killed them with kindness; +while the humbler inmates of the house, who had no share in her affection +or concern, were as truly saved by absolute neglect. Thus, while without +judgement or advice, except of those who were as ignorant as herself, she +sought every delicacy to indulge and pamper the appetites of her own +afflicted ones, giving them spiced ale sugared, and even wine, in her +terror of losing them, she suffered the poor apprentice Twm, who was also +deep in the small pox, to languish unattended, without enquiring after +him, or sending him the common necessaries of life, utterly indifferent +whether he lived or died. + +On the first appearance of this disorder, the farmer’s ploughman left him +and went home, so that except Grump’s own family, there were none in the +house but Twm, who, if preserved from the small pox ran great danger of +starvation. His bed was an old hop-sack half filled with oat-chaff, and +his covering an old tattered blanket and a musty rug, which had filled +similar offices for the horses. His bed-chamber being a portion of the +hay-loft, poor Twm remained hours and days without food, groaning away +his time, and until blinded by his malady, amusing himself by counting +the number, and pondering on the formation, of the cobwebs that hung like +sorrow’s garlands from the mouldy beams and rafters, while the squeaking +of the mice in the rotten thatch, served for music. At other times, +somewhat nerved by the cravings of his stomach, his weak hands would +rustle in some pease-straw that happened to be placed there, and now and +then, to his infinite joy, find an unbroken pea-shell that had escaped +the searching of the flail, which, in spite of the soreness of his hands +and mouth, he would open, and with avidity devour its contents. + +As in those days there were none who knew how to treat this disorder, in +general it was looked upon as the certain harbinger of death, when the +terror and confusion which took place on its appearance, was deplorable +in the extreme. Two of the farmer’s children, which had first been taken +ill, now died; and a third in a day after, when Morris himself was +discovered to be infected. Loud cries and lamentations became incessant +day and night; and some of the neighbouring old cottage wives who offered +their services came there to assist—and this to some of them was a +welcome office, as on such occasions as watching the sick, or laying out +the dead; feasting is as prevalent as at weddings. + +Among these old hen-wives and grannies, tales of superstition prevailed +in abundance; some spoke of the corpse candles seen by them previous to +the deaths of the young women of the house; others dilated on the +awfulness of a spectral burial, where shadows of the living supported the +bier of the departed towards the churchyard. + +One night, between twelve and one, while the three coffins and their +contents presented a woeful sight, lying side by side on the long oak +table, Morris, afflicted as he was, assisted his wife in supporting his +fourth daughter, whose death they also deeply dreaded, as an old cottage +woman, while she basted a loin of mutton roasting before the fire, dwelt +much on the certainty of supernatural appearances, illustrating her +convictions by instances of her own experience. All at once, the current +of her discourse was arrested by a shudder that overcame and struck her +dumb, on hearing a rumbling and irregular noise, as of falling furniture, +which also terrified the group about the fire. The noise increased, and +at last seemed as of somebody stumbling in his way in the dark; groans, +mutterings, and approaching human steps succeeded:—some shrieked, some +rose and ran to remote corners, covering their heads with their aprons, +while others sat breathless, as if nailed to the bench, and dissolved in +streams of perspiration, their eyes starting from their sockets—when a +figure with the air and rush of a maniac darted in, tore the roasting +meat from the string, and disappeared with it, uttering in a dismal +hollow tone “O God, I am famished by these wretches!” The consciences of +the farmer and his wife were dreadfully wrung, as they now recollected +the poor apprentice boy Twm, whom they had left in the depth of the +malady which had deprived them of three of their children, to live or +die, as he might; nor would Morris allow anybody to rescue the meat, but +snatching a loaf from the shelf, he entreated Twm to come in and eat his +fill at the fire: but the youngster had entered his hay-loft, and with +the ravenousness of a starved hound devoured his half raw prey in +darkness. While yet the farmer, with tears of real penitence, was +calling out to him, a loud scream from his wife convinced him that his +fourth child was also dead. With wild agony that seemed to have +humanized his hard heart by the bitter arrows of affliction, Morris fell +on his knees, and with interrupting sobs, exclaimed “I see the hand of +God in this, and a judgement, a heavy judgement has befallen us for our +cruelty to the poor boy; but he will live! he! the lad whom we treated +fouler than the beast! he will outlive this pest, while me and mine will +perish!” + +The suffering of the unhappy man was pitiable and heart-rending to +witness; and on the very day of his children’s burial, with loud cries of +remorse and sorrow he expired. + +Twm recovered, according to the farmer’s prophecy, which was further +verified, inasmuch that the remainder of his children did not live to see +the end of the year; and his wife, losing her senses, was ever after a +wretched moping idiot. + + + + +CHAP. X. + + +Twm returns to his mother’s at Tregaron. His reception there, and +amongst his old friends and cronies. Enters the service of Squire +Graspacre, and lives in clover. Becomes a great reader, hates servitude, +and grows melancholy and romantic. + +AFTER setting out early in the morning, and walking hard all day over a +rugged mountain road, the heart of Twm Shôn Catti thrilled with delight, +and the tears filled in his eyes when, late in the evening, his own +native place, the humble town of Tregaron appeared before him; and +although his feet were so blistered that he could scarcely move, he +attempted to make his limbs partake of the new vigour which sprung up in +his heart, and essayed to run, but failing in his aim, fell down +completely mastered by exhaustion and fatigue. Whether, like Brutus, he +was re-nerved by breathing awhile on the bosom of his mother earth, or +that the thoughts within, of home and its associations, gave him +strength, he rose much refreshed, but with considerable pain continued +the short untraced portion of his journey. + +Entering the town, at length, just as the darkness began to veil every +object, he came to his mother’s door, which was open, and cast an +enquiring look before he entered. Catti had long dismissed her scholars, +and sat in the chimney corner with her back towards the door, while her +husband occupied the other side, and sat silently busy in scooping out +the bowl of a new ladle. Twm’s merry, trick-loving soul was not to be +subdued by his troubles; having drawn his flat-rimmed old hat over his +eyes, he leaned over his mother’s hatch, and in a feigned voice begged +for a piece of bread and cheese, saying that he was a poor boy, very +hungry and tired, who was making his way home to Lampeter. “We are poor +folk ourselves, and have nothing to give,” said Carmarthen Jack, rather +gruffly. “Stop!” cried Catti, “he’s a poor child Jack, a bit of bread +and cheese is not much, and somebody might take pity on my poor Twm, and +give as much, if he should ever need it.” The affectionate heart of Twm +could no longer contain itself, but opening the hatch he burst forward, +dashing his hat on the ground, and falling on her neck, giving ardent +utterance to merely the word “mother;” and after the tender pause of +nature’s own embrace, he cried, with streaming eyes, “My good kind +charitable mother! you shall never want bread and cheese, while your poor +Twm has health and strength to earn it.” Warmly returning his embrace +and kisses, Catti long clasped her boy, and was quite terrified to see +his pale lean cheek, and altered look. Ashamed of the exposure of his +pitiless nature, Jack now came up, shook hands and condoled with him, but +Twm _had seen the man_, _and loved him not_. After being refreshed, +Catti eagerly enquired of all that happened to him since he left home, +and wept much as he detailed his narrow escape from starvation and the +small pox. By twelve o’clock next day, his tale was known to every body +at Tregaron. + +The catastrophe at Morris Grump’s, of course, was considered as a +judgement from heaven for his miserly propensities; and Ianto Gwyn wrote +a pathetic ballad, to the great edification of the old women and +tender-hearted damsels, giving _a true and particular_ account of the +whole affair; to which was attached a moral, on the cruelty of +mal-treating parish apprentices, and stuffing them with mouldy bread and +sour flummery. This interesting ballad was daily sung by Wat the +mole-catcher, to the English tune of Chevy Chase, which gained him the +good will of all those old crones, who had taken deep offence at his +numerous tricks. + +Carmarthen Jack, although so careful of his bread and cheese, was +determined not to be outdone on this occasion, but brought the graphic +art to perpetuate his stepson’s tale; that is to say, he carved on a +wooden bowl the figures of four beings, well attended, in bed, with the +scythe of Death across their throats, while in the distance a meagre boy +was snatching a joint of meat from the fire; the idea, it is true, was +better than the execution; but altogether it gained Jack very great +applause. + +Right glad were all Twm’s cronies to see him again at Tregaron; but +dearer than all to him was the welcome of the curate Rhys, with whose +books he was again permitted to make free, while he profited by his +instructions and conversation. He had now been at home about three +months, and recovered his health, strength, and spirits to perfection, +when his mother fancied he had become an eye-sore to her husband, who she +thought looked at him with the scowling brow of a step-father, which +Twm’s conduct, he might imagine, justified, as his behaviour towards Jack +had been very unconciliating, ever since the bread and cheese adventure. +With this impression, Catti once more waited on Squire Graspacre to +solicit that some place or employment should be found for her boy, as she +could not afford to keep him in idleness. The tale of his sufferings at +_Cwm du_, interested the squire in his favor; and he felt some reluctance +to send him as a parish apprentice; particularly as Catti declared he +would rather die than be such again. The worthy curate, Rhys, had also +spoken a kind word in his pupil’s favor; and Carmarthen Jack, gaping hand +in hand, looked as if he would say much to get rid of his stepson, could +he hit on words to his purpose. Amused by his simplicity and awkward +gestures, the squire asked him, “Well Jack, what would you advise me to +do with Catti’s boy?” This plain question met as blunt an answer, “Make +him your servant boy sir, if you please.” “And so I will old hedgehog,” +cried the squire, slapping him on the shoulder, “Your oratory has settled +the matter.” Accordingly, our hero next appears as the squire’s man at +Graspacre Hall; this was an agreeable change in life to him, where he +lived, as they say, in clover; and by his good temper and turn for mirth, +he gained the good will and admiration of his fellow servants, +particularly the girls, with whom he became an especial favorite. Behold +him now then, in the seventeenth year of his age, with the looks and +habits of twenty, gay, happy, and as mischievous as an ape; kissing and +romping with the girls, caring for none of them but shewing attentions to +all, while he jeered and mocked the cross-grained and disagreeable, and +whenever he could, raised a laugh at their peculiarities. His +employments at the squire’s were various, among which, waiting at table +every day, neatly dressed, and carrying his master’s gun and attending +him during his shooting excursions, formed the principal. To these, +Squire Graspacre, who since the death of his wife was ever wench-hunting, +aimed to add the office of pimp. Twm, however, had been swayed too long +by the counsels of Rhys the curate, to lend himself to any such unworthy +services; and having by his conversations with him, and by the tenor of +his readings, imbibed a taste for romantic honor, he was not without a +secret hope, if not presentiment, that his great father might some day +own him, and destine him to a very different sphere in life. These ideas +were no sooner born than they daily expanded in his breast, and filled +his imagination so far as to induce him to seize every opportunity to +improve his mind, and qualify himself for the best chances of Fortune. +With the growth of these notions, rose in his mind a distaste for +servitude, and an ardent longing to shine in a sphere allied to +literature and respectability. + +By the time he had been a twelvemonth in his situation, from a merry +happy youth he became pensive, and sometimes deeply melancholy. His +bed-room was over the lawndry, a building detached from the house; in +which he had shelves put up to hold his books, a small stock, but which +he continually increased by laying out every farthing which he received +from visitors, or saved from his wages, in the purchase of more. On +retiring at night, his habits were to cover closely his window, to +conceal the light of his candle, while he generally sat up more than half +the night luxuriating over his darling volumes; and as he was directed in +his choice of them by Rhys, who made him presents of many, he soon +acquired no inconsiderable share of information: this blessing, however, +became partially a curse to him, for, as he could not be persuaded to +give his attention to books of a religious tendency, the light that +gleamed upon his mind had the effect of shewing him his destitution, and +making him discontented with his lot in life. Sometimes, he talked to +his late school-master on the subject of travelling to England to seek +his fortune, which wandering predilections that worthy man always +discouraged, but events soon occurred to shew our hero in a new +character, in which most men appear at some period of their lives—that of +a lover. + + + + +CHAP. XI. + + +Twm Shôn Catti falls in love, and preserves his mistress from the +squire’s clutches. The adventures of Farmer Cadwgan’s she ass. Twm +escapes from the squire’s. + +THE squire and his man Twm returning one evening from grousing on the +hills, on their descent towards the valleys had to pass by a small farm +house, inhabited by a tenant of the former, who whispered Twm, “This is +the keep, the close, that contains better game, and can afford livelier +sport than any I have had to day.” Twm by his silence testified his +ignorance of his drift; but he resumed “what you don’t understand me? +haven’t you seen this farmer’s plump partridge of a daughter, the pretty +Gwenny Cadwgan, you young dog! I am determined to have that bird down, +some way or other, and you must help me.” Before Twm could reply, the +squire alighted and entered the cottage, at the door of which the farmer +and Gwenny Cadwgan, now grown a fine and blooming young woman, met and +welcomed their landlord. Some oaten bread, butter and cheese, and a cup +of homely ale was put before him; and while he ate, the pretty Gwenny +carried a portion to Twm, as he held the horses in the yard. While he +received the welcome food from the hand of the happy smiling girl, he +perceived the blush with which she gave it, and felt in his breast +certain sensations no less new than agreeable; thus, while each made +brief allusions to their days of childhood, a tear started in the eyes of +Twm, on seeing which the bright eyes of Gwenny were also suffused, till +the pearly drops over-ran her fresh ruddy cheeks. Her father then +calling her in, she suddenly shook hands with, and left our hero, who in +that hour became a captive to her charms, while the innocent girl herself +then felt the first shootings of a passion that daily grew, in sympathy +with his own. + +The squire having finished his hasty lunch, he remarked to his tenant +Cadwgan in a hurried manner, that he should have company, the next day to +entertain at his house, and would thank him to let his lass come to the +hall to assist in attending on them. The farmer of course assented, in +words, for what small farmer would dare to deny his landlord such a +favor, though his heart might tremble with apprehension? + +After the squire’s departure, Cadwgan became deeply distressed at the +predicament in which he found himself; to deny his landlord, was probably +to lose his farm; and to assent to his specious proposal, was to +endanger, if not utterly ruin the innocence of his darling daughter; as, +since the death of Mistress Graspacre, more than one of the neighbouring +damsels had to rue their intimacy with the squire. He passed a sleepless +night of bitter reflection, and saw daylight with an agonized spirit; but +the active mind imbued with honorable ideas, never fails in due season to +work its own relief. When Twm appeared next morning on horseback before +his door, with a pillion behind, for the reception of Gwenny, Cadwgan’s +terrors had vanished, his indignation at the premeditated injuries +intended him, was roused, and with braced nerves, and a firm heart, he +determined to deny the squire, and abide the consequences, be what they +might. But honest Nature was elsewhere at work in Cadwgan’s favor, and +unknown to him, had raised a friend to save him from those impending +perils, to the preservation both of his farm and his more precious +daughter, in the person of young Twm Shôn Catti. + +On his journey home the last evening, while listening to his master’s +commands, and hearing his plans to inveigle the innocent Gwenny, Twm was +silent and meditative, mentally engaged in seeking some mode to preserve +her from his clutches; and at length heroically determined to save the +object of his admiration, even at the risk of losing his place and being +cast again on the wide world. He fed his fancy all night in dwelling on +her beauty, and the merit of preserving her, while he ardently enjoyed in +anticipation, the sacrifice he was about to make for her sake; +considering he should feel himself amply repaid if favored by the sweet +girl with a smile of approbation. + +The morning came, and the squire gave the dreaded order, “Take the horse +Dragon, put a saddle and pillion on him, and bring the farmer’s lass +behind you here; tell Cadwgan not to expect her back to-night, but she +shall be brought home to-morrow.” Although Twm had been preparing +himself to give a doughty reply, and so commence the heroic character he +had modelled, yet when the moment came, his resolution failed him, and +the high-sounding words were not forthcoming; although the determination +to disobey remained as strong as ever. He rode off, through Tregaron, +and up the hills, in a melancholy mood, and without any settled purpose, +except that of straight-forward resistance to the orders he had received. +As he jogged on listlessly, he was suddenly roused from his reverie by +the braying of Cadwgan’s ass, that was grazing in a green lane which he +was about to enter. Such an animal being a rarity in that country, Twm, +with surprise, audibly muttered, “What the devil is that?” An old woman +at that moment opening the gate, which she civilly held for our hero to +pass into the lane which she was leaving, hearing his words, replied “It +is only Cadwgan’s _ass_.” Twm, whose thoughts ran entirely on the +farmer’s fair daughter, mistaking what she said, rejoined “Cadwgan’s +_lass_, did you say?” “You are very ready with your mocks and pranks, +Master Twm,” cried the old woman, slamming the gate against the buttocks +of the horse, “but you know very well that I said Cadwgan’s _ass_, and +not his _lass_, for I should be sorry to compare the good and pretty +Gwenny Cadwgan to such an ugly ill-voiced animal.” Twm laughed at his +mistake, made his apology, and rode on with revived spirits, having now, +from this very ludicrous circumstance, hatched the trick which he +intended to play off on his master. + +The farmer’s mind being made up, as before observed, to refuse the +attendance of his daughter at his landlord’s, he was astonished to hear +Twm say, “Master Cadwgan, it was squire Graspacre’s order to me, that I +should saddle this horse, come to your house, and with your consent, +bring your _ass_ to him, on the pillion behind me.” Cadwgan stared +doubtfully, and Twm resumed “I hope you are too sensible to question or +look into the reasonableness of his whims, and will be so good as to +catch the strange animal, which I passed on the road, that we may tie him +across the pillion.” Cadwgan immediately concluded this to be a +providential mistake of the young man’s, that might have the most +desirable effect of relieving him from his apprehended troubles, and with +a ready presence of mind said, laughing, “To be sure it is no business of +mine to look into the oddness of his fancies, and he shall have my ass by +all means.” “Put an L to ass, and ’twill be _lass_,” said Twm seriously, +and with emphasis, “and such is the squire’s demand: but,” said the youth +with rising enthusiasm, “I would risk my life to save your daughter from +his snares, and will feign that I thought he said _ass_ instead of +_lass_, to be brought on the pillion.” Affected by this instance of +generosity, the farmer, as well as his lovely daughter, burst into tears, +thanking and blessing him; the former assuring him, that if in +consequence of this undertaking, he should be dismissed from his place, +_his_ roof, hearth, and table should be at his service. + +While Cadwgan went out to catch the long-eared victim, Twm spent a +delicious half hour in the company of the fair Gwenny; and took that +opportunity to protest the ardor of his affection for her, and vowed that +when Fortune favored him with the means of getting a livelihood +independent of servitude, it would be the glory of his life to come and +ask her to be his own. The maiden heard him with streaming eyes and +passion-heaving breast, nor withdrew her cheek when her lover imprinted +on it affection’s first kiss; which she considered a sacred compact, the +seal of true love’s faithful covenant, never to be broken by the +intrusion of another. + +Cadwgan at length returned, with his charge in a halter, grumbling and +abusing the beast at every step, in consequence of having been led a +pretty dance in chase of her; for, as if conscious of her coming +troubles, the moment he approached, she scampered off through the lane, +and right through the river, nor stopped until fairly fast in a bog, from +whence, with much trouble, the farmer roughly rescued her. With the +assistance of Twm and a neighbouring cottager, he now tied the animal’s +legs and lifted her into the seat of the pillion, a situation that her +struggling and resistance indicated to be more elevated than comfortable. +Twm, however, rode on slowly with his grotesque companion, without the +occurrence of an accident till they arrived at Tregaron; when the whole +town, men, women, and children, came out to enjoy the strange sight, +amidst roars and shouts of laughter. Whether the principal figure in the +group felt her dignity hurt, or her modesty offended, by such an +exhibition of her charms to the rude ribaldry of a mob, or whether +instigated by the rational motive of seeking ease by change of position, +it may not be an easy matter to determine, but certain it is, that +straining every nerve to liberate her captive limbs, she at length +succeeded, bursting the cord by which she was fastened to the pillion, +and tumbled in a heap to the ground, where, as if inspired by the genius +of perseverance she again struggled hard and soon shook off every remnant +of her hempen gyves; and in all the pride of high achievement and newly +acquired freedom, ran with all her might through the town, brandishing +her heels to right and left, whenever any person approached to impede her +career, till through a long narrow lane she reached the mountains. Here +she seemed to defy her numerous pursuers, but after a long chase which +lasted till dusk, she was surrounded, secured, and placed in her former +situation behind our hero on the pillion. At length he reached Graspacre +Hall, and made his approach at the back of the house. His stepfather +assisted both him and his companion to alight, leading the latter to the +stable, while Twm went to inform his master of his arrival, and the cause +of his long delay. A sudden terror arrested his steps awhile, he felt +himself in a peculiar dilemma, out of which he would have been right glad +to be delivered; but after his fit of apprehension had lasted a few +minutes, he plucked up his courage and his breeches at the same time, +exclaiming, “Well! he can’t kill me for it, a beating and a dismissal +will be the worst of it:” and thus self-comforted he entered the house. + +The squire at this time was seated at the head of the table, pushing +about the bottle among his friends, principally formed of the +neighbouring gentry. In the course of the day he had sent several times +to know whether Twm had arrived. When little Pembroke at length went in +to announce his return, he desired he should be immediately sent in, and +Twm approached him with a burning cheek and an agitated heart. He +questioned the youngster in an under tone, asking _if he had brought +her_, and where he had been so long; to which Twm replied “Yes sir, I +have brought her, and much trouble I had with her, for she didn’t like to +come, thinking perhaps you meant her foul play; and once she escaped off +the pillion into the mountain.” “The devil she did!” cried the squire, +“but you caught her again?” “Oh yes sir, after losing much time, I have +brought her here at last, and she is now much tamer than at first.” “A +good lad Twm, a good lad, remind me to give you a guinea for this day’s +work; but what have you done with her? where is she?” “Why sir,” cried +Twm, “I tied her up to the manger and locked the stable door, to prevent +her escape.” “Shame Twm, shame, you ought not to have done that, for she +will think it was by my orders, and hate me perhaps for cruelty,” quoth +the squire, thinking all the time that Cadwgan’s _lass_, and not his ass, +was the subject of discussion. “No sir,” replies Twm, “but it is likely +though, that she will have an ill will towards me, as long as she lives, +for it.” “Well well,” said his master hastily, “take her from the stable +into the housekeeper’s room, and tell Margery to comfort her and give her +a glass of wine.” This was too much for Twm, and the smothered laugh +burst out in spite of his efforts; on which, his master, with a severe +brow, asked how he dared to laugh in his presence. “Indeed I could not +help it,” cried Twm, “but I don’t think she ever drank a glass of wine in +her life, and perhaps might not like it.” “Why that’s true; then tell +the butler to give out a bottle of the sweet home-made wines for her—let +it be a bottle of the cowslip wine, and say that I am very sorry for the +trouble and vexation she has had.” “Yes sir,” cried Twm, who made his +bow, and retired to the servant’s hall, where he made them acquainted +with the squire’s freak of having Farmer Cadwgan’s ass brought there on a +pillion behind him; and that it was his master’s orders that she was to +be brought into the housekeeper’s room, and a glass of wine given to her, +and that Margery was to make her comfortable. + +They were all aware of their master’s occasional eccentricities, and that +he was as absolute in demanding obedience to his wildest whims as to the +most important matter in the world; and therefore, one and all, they +assisted in bringing the ass from the stable, and with much trouble +forcing her into the housekeeper’s room, where Glamorgan Margery spread a +small carpet for her to lie down on, and amidst the side-aching laughter +of the servants, offering her a glass of wine, which no persuasions could +induce her to accept. + +The squire had given orders that no person was to answer the bell the +rest of the evening but Twm, and as it was now rang, in went our hero, +when he was asked “How is she now?” “Rather fatigued sir; she doesn’t +like wine, nor would she touch a drop of it.” “Well well,” said the +squire, “if she likes ale better, let her have some, with a cold fowl, +and something of the nicest in the house, though perhaps she would prefer +a cup of tea to anything. After she has taken the refreshment she +choses, tell Margery to put her to bed, in the green chamber, then lock +the door and bring me the key.” Here Twm’s risible faculties were again +oppressed to bursting, but a look from his master checked him. + +Squire Graspacre now secretly anticipated the completion of his scheme, +anxiously waiting for the departure of his guests, who by their noisy +hilarity had long given notice that a very little more devotion to the +bottle would lay them all under the table. The wily squire however +desisted, before he had passed the boundary of what topers call _half and +half_, considering in the mean time, that his plan would best succeed by +not appearing before Gwenny Cadwgan till midnight, when all his household +would be asleep, and himself supposed to have retired to his room. + +After some trouble, which was heightened by forced suppression of +laughter, that, however, broke out in spite of them, the servants got the +donkey up stairs, having previously fed her with bread, oaten cakes, and +oats, on her rejection of ale, wine, fowl, and tea, which to their own +great amusement they had successively offered in vain. Having brought +the poor animal into the green room, the best chamber in the house, and +kept only for particular guests, they placed her on the fine handsome +bed; the legs being already tied, they fastened them also to the bed +posts. Twm heightened the drollery of the scene by cutting two holes in +a night cap, drawing through them the ass’s ears, and slitting it at the +edge, he drew the cap down towards the eyes. Thus secured and accoutred, +they bade her good night, locked the door, and gave the key to their +master. + +The guests at length dispersing, they all rode off as well as their +muddled heads would let them, to their respective homes; the squire, as +was his custom, locked the door himself, and saw every light in the house +out before he retired himself. At length he gained his chamber, and all +was still in Graspacre Hall. The amorous squire, chuckling at his luck +as he thought of the fair lass in the green chamber, grew too impatient +to wait till the proposed hour of midnight, and leaving his candle on his +own table, took off his shoes, and softly approached the casket, that he +deemed contained his precious jewel. Applying the key, he opened the +door very gently, and cautiously approaching the side of the bed, said in +a whisper towards the pillow, “Don’t be alarmed Gwenny, my dear, ’tis I, +the squire; fear nothing my girl, this will be the making of your fortune +my dear; and if you are as kind and loving as I could wish you to be, you +may soon become the second Mrs. Graspacre.” Hearing no reply, he +considered that according to the old adage, _silence gives consent_, and +proceeded to bend his face down to kiss the fair one, when a severe +bounce inflicted by a toss of his _incognita’s_ snout, knocked him +backwards off the bed to the floor, and set his nose a-bleeding. After +recovering himself a little, though labouring under the delusion that the +blow had been struck by the hand of a fair maiden, he exclaimed in an +under tone, “You little vixen, how dare you treat me in this manner?” +Proceeding more roughly again towards the bed, he was completely +horror-struck at the loud bray which the terrified ass sent forth; while +the poor animal, after a hard struggle, liberating her limbs, struck him +a severe blow on the forehead with her hoof, and getting off the bed, +made a terrible clatter with her shod feet over the boards of the room. +The unfortunate squire, although hitherto a loud decrier of superstition, +now felt a thrill of the utmost horror pervade him, while he deemed +himself ensnared by the enemy of man, as the punishment of his guilty +intentions; and after a clamorous outcry fell senseless on the floor. + +The servants, having but concealed the lights, expecting some +_denouement_ of this sort, now rushed in, and saw their fallen master +ghastly pale, with streams of perspiration running over his forehead, +while his wildly-staring eyes alternately looked at and turned from the +monster of alarm. When he had sufficiently recovered to learn the real +stand of the affair, from little Pembroke, who had been made Twm’s +confidante in this matter—how that wight had brought the farmer’s ass +according to his orders behind him on the pillion, although he had been +in some doubt whether he had said Cadwgan’s _ass_, or Cadwgan’s _lass_, +the squire’s rage was boundless. Exasperated at the trick put upon him +by a mere youngster, and a menial, and scarcely less provoked at the +exposure he had made of himself before his servants, down he rushed into +the hall, and snatched a heavy horse-whip, unlocked the door, and made +his way towards our hero’s chamber over the lawndry; but when he reached +the bed-side, prepared to inflict the severest punishment that the thong +of a whip was capable of, how great was his mortification to find the +bird flown! his chagrin and resentment were anything but lessened, when +he took up a sheet of paper off the bed, on which in a large hand were +written these pretty lines. + + If from _lass_ you take the letter L, + Then lass is ass if I have learnt to spell; + Yet ass and lass methinks are coupled ill, + Though human asses follow lasses still; + An ass were I too—one yclept a ninny— + If now I stay’d to claim my promised guinea. + + + + +CHAP. XII. + + +Carmarthen Jack’s churlishness to Twm. His mishap in consequence. +Squire Graspacre reforms his conduct. Sends for his son and daughters +home. A delicate Devonshire lady, Twm’s satire on the cook. Gives the +young squire a thrashing, and runs away. Visits Rhys and Cadwgan. About +to be married to Gwenny. A dreadful adventure on the hills that ruins +all his prospects. + +TWM reached his mother’s at Tregaron about one o’clock in the morning, +and alarmed her greatly by the account he gave of his flight from the +squire’s, and the cause which led to it. Jack made the best of the +affair, in his own manner, by assuring his wife that her son had been the +absolute ruin of both himself and her, unless they did their utmost to +conciliate the squire by turning Twm adrift, and refusing him a temporary +shelter. While Jack beneath the bedclothes was grunting these +suggestions of worldly wisdom, Catti, half-drest, was making up a bed for +her son, who, the while, was sitting dejectedly in the chimney corner. +Having caught the drift of his father-in-law’s mutterings, he rose +abruptly, snatched up his hat, and while striding towards the door, +cried, “Good night mother.” Alarmed at his precipitate movement, and the +tone with which he spoke, “Where are you going Twm?” said Catti. Turning +round, while he held the door in his left hand, he replied, “Any where +mother—the world is wide—and I’ll go headlong to the devil rather than +stay here, when I am not welcome.” With that he closed the door, and was +in a moment out of sight, notwithstanding the cries and entreaties of his +mother, who ran after, and earnestly sought to bring him back. + +Catti, with a bitter consciousness, now found that her son had a +stepfather, and she a husband, who was a rude and churlish tyrant. The +severity of this reflection preyed heavily on her mind; nor could she be +persuaded to go to bed again, but sitting at the fireless hearth she +loudly wept and lamented her hard fate. To give him his due, Jack was +far from being regardless of her sorrow, but shewed the tenderness of a +husband in comforting her, in the manner most natural to himself. “What +signifies crying for such an imp of the devil as that,” said this kind +stepfather, “if he starves in the field by being out to-night, it will +save him from dying at the gallows, where he would be sure to come some +day or other.” This tender-hearted speech had the unexpected effect of +immediately curing Catti’s grief, which turned to a desperate fit of +rage, and without a word to signify the transition wrought by his +oratory, she snatched up a stout broom-stick from the floor, and +be-laboured him with all her strength, as he lay beneath the bedclothes, +till he roared like a baited bull: had she taken a wager for thrashing a +given quantity of corn in a certain number of minutes, she could not have +laid on her blows more briskly or vigorously. When the strength of her +arms failed, the energy of her tongue commenced, and after rating him +soundly, she concluded her harangue with eloquent pithiness, hoping that +she had left him a shirtful of broken bones; after which exertion she +thought proper to disappear. + +Jack although he received some hard blows, by dodging under the +bedclothes, escaped better than his help-mate intended he should; he soon +rose, dressed himself, and went to his master’s, sauntering sullenly +about the outhouses till daylight, when a servant informed him, after +narrating Twm’s trick on his master, that he was to take Cadwgan’s ass +home. + +Squire Graspacre, since the death of his wife, gave such free range to +his licentious pleasures, as placed him, especially at his years, in a +most unseemly light. His only son had been two years at Oxford, +returning only occasionally during vacations; while his two daughters, on +the death of their mother, were sent to a boarding school at Exeter. +Thus in his own family he had no witnesses of his vices and follies. He +soon found, however, that in Wales, his offences against religion and +morality were not to be committed with impunity. The respect in which he +was formerly held by the country people gradually declined, while those +who had daughters became extremely shy, and sent their female inmates out +of the way whenever he approached. Never deficient in penetration, he +was not long in discovering this change in the bearings of his tenants +and neighbours, which to a mind like his, proud, fond of domineering, and +being looked up to as the superior—the grand central luminary of his +sphere, round which all others moved as silent and respectful +satellites—was a very hell. The minds of men, however, his knowledge of +mankind told him, were not to be over-ruled, and with a wisdom rare as +effective, he immediately resolved, as the only mode of re-establishing +his credit and happiness, to retrace his steps—to which end he sent for +his daughters home, at a time when his son was about to return from +Oxford—and thus, by the presence of his children, place a restrictive +guard upon his future conduct. With this change in his ideas, it will be +no wonder that Twm Shôn Catti was again taken into favor, and replaced in +his former situation. + +At length the merry bells of Tregaron announced the arrival of the heir, +and the young ladies of Graspacre Hall, which mansion soon became a scene +of festivity. The meeting of the squire with his daughters was ardently +affectionate; but his son Marmaduke had nothing of cordiality in his +nature. His figure was tall and spare, with loose joints and ill-knit +bones, while his countenance indicated both phlegm and a fidgetty, +nervous peevishness. A curious eye might also discover in it decisive +marks of late hours and dissipated habits. Proud, rash, and +self-sufficient, his dislike of Wales and Welshmen surpassed his father’s +partiality for them. He condescended, however, to say, that until he +could get a clever English servant, in the place of the last, who ran +away from him, he must put up with one of the Welsh savages. +Accordingly, our hero was appointed to be his temporary valet, and +ordered to attend exclusively on the young squire. + +With the ladies came their aunt, the squire’s younger sister, a very +affected fantastical spinster from Exeter; who gave every fashion its +full Devonshire latitude in her conformation to it, carrying the mode to +an extreme that left London absurdity far in the back ground. The Misses +Graspacre were neither imitators nor very ardent admirers of their aunt, +whose silly affectation of excessive delicacy became their standing point +of ridicule, which they put in practice on the very evening of their +arrival. The hearty girls wanted something substantial for their supper, +after travelling their long journey; but their aunt intimated her desire +to have something that would be light on he stomach: but great was her +dismay on finding a duck and green pease brought to the table. She +resolved however, even on this fare, to shew her superior Devonshire +breeding; and while the young ladies lifted their pease from their plates +to their mouths in half-dozens or more at a time, she, delicate soul, cut +every pea in four, and swallowed a quarter at a time! This display of +refinement excited stares of wonder from the squire and some of his +friends, whom he had invited on the occasion, but in her nieces, nothing +but smothered laughter. + +Another circumstance of note happened at this supper, which, as it +relates to our hero, must be here told. It seems that during Twm’s +disgrace, and consequent absence from the hall, the servants there +indulged themselves and one another in making remarks on his conduct, and +its probable consequence. This discussion displayed their various +dispositions; some spoke of him with charity, and dwelt upon his rare +qualities of good nature and cheerfulness; while others took a malignant +pleasure in speaking of his satirical and mischievous propensities. +Among the latter was the cook. Twm, on his return, heard of her +_kindness_, and determined to take the first opportunity of shewing his +sense of the obligations she had laid him under. On the removal of the +remains of the duck and its accompaniments, the company having just been +helped round with tart or pie, their attention was suddenly arrested by +the voice of Twm, in the passage, who loudly sung the following distich. + + “Apple pie is very rich, + And so is venison pasty, + Our cook has got the itch, + And that is very nasty.” + +Ye gods! what sounds for ears polite! The young ladies laughed +immoderately on perceiving the distress of their aunt, who shewed a +wry-faced consciousness of having partaken of food prepared by unclean +hands; her countenance underwent various contortions, which terminated in +the grand climax of a shriek and a fit. The squire’s anger was instantly +kindled against Twm, probably from an unquenched spark of his former +resentment, which he evinced by telling his son to “give that rascal a +good thrashing.” Proud of the commission, out ran Marmaduke, and finding +Twm in the hall, ran up and struck him a blow in the face, but great was +the amazement of the servants to see the young man turn upon him like a +lion, and with the most dexterous management of his fists overpowering +their young master in an instant, whom he left groaning with pain, and +covered with bruises, and then made a precipitate retreat. + +While walking to Tregaron, it occurred to Twm, that for that night at +least, he might be favored with a lodging by his constant friend, Rhys +the curate. Thither he went, and found the worthy man by his parlour +fire, with a book in his hand, and papers before him, busily employed in +preparing for the press a new edition of his Welsh Grammar. He was +received by him with his usual kindness; and when Twm had told him his +tale, with the important addition that he must leave his native place for +ever, and immediately, he shewed the goodness of his heart by assuring +him of a retreat for the present, and a little pecuniary aid on his +departure. He however gave him a friendly lecture on the impropriety of +his conduct; observing, that if he must be satirical, he ought to choose +the subjects for his lash from the infamous among the great and wealthy, +and not the puny and defenceless, to attack whom, he said, evinced a +paltry and most dastardly spirit; concluding with the pithy injunction, +“while you live, whatever your state while on earth, act the generous and +manly part; and never, never, either manually or with the lash of satire, +war with the weak.” These words were never forgotten by Twm, and however +reprehensible his erratic courses in after life, they were much less so +from his reception of this noble sentiment, which became his standing +rule of conduct. Had it been Twm’s lot to have lived in a loftier sphere +and in the days of chivalry, he would doubtless have had inscribed on his +shield those words so deeply written on his memory “War not with the +weak.” Our hero was heartily pleased with his preceptor, inasmuch, that +amidst all its observations and lectures he imputed to him but slight +blame for his retaliation on young Graspacre; but when he vowed further +vengeance, should he ever meet him alone in the mountains, remonstrated +with him on the risk he ran, urged the necessity of self-preservation, +and advised him not to endanger himself needlessly. + +The next morning Rhys assured Twm that he had reflected on the +peculiarity of his case, and found it by no means so bad as he had +imagined. “As to leaving this place,” said he “I see no necessity; +merely keep out of the way awhile, and in due time make your submissions +to the squire, and as he is by no means a hard man, I have no doubt but +all will speedily be well again.” Twm in a manner adopted this idea, +though he ill stomached the thought of submission, or asking pardon for +an act of manliness which he would on a similar case of aggravation +repeat. Thus matters rested for the present; and in the dusk of evening +he crossed the hills towards Cadwgan’s, and soon had the grateful +satisfaction of seeing once more his beauteous mistress, sitting by her +father before a cheerful fire. Her mild kind face was unusually pale, +but brightened on his approach, and when he related his new mishap, and +that he thought of immediately quitting the country in consequence, her +cheek assumed an ashy paleness, and she nearly fainted in her father’s +arms. Cadwgan dissuaded him from the thought of quitting his native +place for such a trifle, and advised him by all means to follow up the +worthy curate’s suggestion; and when the fair Gwenny repeated her +father’s wishes as her own, Twm at once acquiesced, and resolved not to +quit. + +Cadwgan daily witnessed the affection of the young pair, and at length +thus addressed the young man. “You are a brave and generous lad; you +love my daughter—” “In my heart and soul I do,” said he, +enthusiastically interrupting him; “And I am sure my Gwenny is not behind +hand with you in affection: are you my girl?” Poor Gwenny blushed +deeply, then shed tears, and sobbed heavily, in the midst of which, she +gave her hand to her lover, which he pressed, shed tears upon, and kissed +ardently. Cadwgan continued “And therefore my boy, as nobody deserves +her so well, you shall have her before the best in the county; and you +know how many sweethearts she has refused for you.” Twm grasped his hand +in silence, and before an hour had expired since the commencement of this +discourse, the wedding day became the subject of discussion, but which +could not be fixed until Twm had made his peace with the squire. Thus +time passed on pleasantly, for some days, when our hero, who was +constitutionally formed for active life, felt the effect of being immured +day and night within doors, and said he longed exceedingly for a day’s +coursing on the neighbouring mountains. Cadwgan remarked that as the +squire had shown no desire to seek or pursue him, as he had heard at +Tregaron, he conceived there would be no danger; and in accordance with +his opinion, he lent him his dog and gun, both great favorites, and never +before entrusted to any one breathing. He advised him to confine his +excursion to a certain remote hill called Twyn Du (_Black hill_) which +being rugged of ascent and marshy, seldom invited the steps of the sons +of pleasure in the character of sportsmen. + +Thus with dog and gun, and accoutred with a shot-belt, our hero felt +himself another and superior being to what he had ever been before, +especially as Gwenny assured him that the sportsman’s paraphernalia +became him exceedingly. Flattered with the joint encomiums of the father +and daughter, and with a consciousness that they were not without good +foundation, in full health and high spirits, with an eye sparkling with +happiness, he shook Cadwgan’s hand, kissed the lips of his fair mistress, +and gallantly sallied forth; having gone a few yards, he turned his face +back to assure them, as they looked anxiously after him, that he should +soon return, and well loaded with game. + +While the buoyancy of youth uplifted his gay heart, and dazzled his +perception with bright dreams of the future, little thought he of the +sorrows so soon to overtake him, or that the sombre hill of Twyn Du was +to colour with its gloom the closing scene of his innocent hopes, and +form the most important epoch of his life. + +Twm had been on Twyn Du about an hour and a half, and in that time had +killed several birds, when the report of his gun attracted others to the +spot. He could see several persons on the hill contiguous, and one well +mounted, descending into the deep dingle, that, like a gulf, yawned +between the two hills, and making his way up the steep side of Twyn Du. +He now felt a presentiment that this visit portended him no good, but +scorning an ignominious flight, he carelessly paced the brow of the hill +till the sportsman approached, when, to his great amazement, who should +present himself before him but his inveterate foe, Marmaduke Graspacre. +He approached Twm with the fury of a demoniac, asking how he dared fire a +gun on those grounds, and after a few harsh words of abuse, which our +hero returned with interest, he took an aim at Cadwgan’s pointer, and +instantly shot him on the spot. + +Aware of the regard in which Cadwgan held his excellent dog, this outrage +drove Twm furious, and he was further aggravated by the young squire’s +demanding his gun and laughing the while at his distress and rage. The +youth was not formed of stuff so tame as to endure his insolent triumph; +snatching up his loaded gun with desperate rapidity, he in a moment +lodged the contents in the head of the squire’s fine hunter, on which his +enemy sat taunting him. No sooner had Marmaduke reached the ground, +disengaged himself from the fallen horse, and stood up, than Twm flew at +him, and disregarding his threats, with his dexterous fists inflicted the +most perfect chastisement; leaving him in a far worse predicament than +after their first encounter. + +By this time the men who attended the young squire, hearing the report of +the guns, and fearing that their young master had fallen in with +poachers, made the best of their way down across the dingle, and up the +sides of Twyn Du. + +Roused by their shouts, he left his vanquished foe groaning on the ground +by the side of the dead hunter, and darting down the opposite side he +made a safe retreat. + + + + +CHAP. XIII. + + +A hue and cry after Twm. He conceals himself in a wood. Ventures to +Cadwgan’s house and is kindly received. Sought there by Parson Evans. +Escapes, disguised as a woman. Affectionate parting with Cadwgan and his +daughter. + +NO sooner was Marmaduke Graspacre taken home, and the affair made known +by him to his father, with some little exaggeration against the +assailant, such as the trifling mis-statement that the blows inflicted on +him were by the butt end of the fowling-piece, instead of the fist, than +the squire’s indignation was roused. “As this is not his first offence, +and my forbearance has encouraged his atrocious conduct, I am now +determined to make an example of him,” said he, and immediately sent a +servant for Parson Evans, who, in his capacity of magistrate, was ordered +to take cognizance of the affair, and send constables in all directions +to arrest the culprit. This was an office that well accorded with the +feelings of this malignant man, and well pleased was he to set the +myrmidons of justice abroad to hunt an unfortunate young man, whom he +hated for the trifling offences of youth, that at a distant period, it +seems, stung his consequence. The hue and cry instantly was raised and +spread abroad, and excited as great a commotion throughout the country, +as if a convicted murderer was chased through the land. All Twm’s known +haunts were searched, especially his mother’s and Farmer Cadwgan’s; in +each of which places there was heaviness and wailing for his misfortunes; +and Parson Evans, who went there in person, took care to assure them, +that when caught, all the world could not save him from the gallows, as +he had attempted to murder the young squire of Graspacre Hall. But with +all the vigilance of his enemies, Twm’s retreat remained undiscovered, +and those who were friendly disposed towards him, began to wonder among +themselves what could have become of him. Some thought that in a fit of +despondency he had drowned himself, and others that he had escaped into +the neighbouring counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, or Brecon, or shipped +himself in some vessel at Aberaeron or Aberystwyth, and got off in +safety. The constables, however, had visited each of these places, and +at length, like heavy war-ships that vainly chaced a smart privateer, +returned without any further intelligence than that their journey had +been in vain. + +While the search had been most hot, our hero had concealed himself in a +small patch of marshy underwood, a spot on which the keen eye of +suspicion had never glanced, his pursuers having passed the edge of it +several times, without a thought occurring of seeking him there. In this +retreat he fed himself on nuts and blackberries, and in the night roved +about for recreation, but returned to his green-wood shelter before +daylight. This continued four days, when exceedingly tired of his +solitude, he one midnight ventured to Cadwgan’s door, and both surprised +and gratified the kind farmer and his kinder daughter, when they heard +the lost one’s voice once more. They rose and let him in immediately, +made a fire, gave every necessary refreshment, and then persuaded him to +go to bed. + +Twm remained hidden here a week, when suspicion fixed upon Cadwgan’s +house, although searched before, as the probable place of his +concealment. One day, Gwenny, in a fright ran in to tell her father to +conceal Twm immediately, as the constables, headed by Parson Evans were +coming. Twm started up and said, “Bolt the door for ten minutes, and I +shall be safe.” Gwenny said they could not be there in that time, as +they were then descending the opposite side of the Cwm, which was three +long fields off, and they approached slowly, with fox-like cunning, so as +to excite no suspicion of their purpose. With that, at Twm’s request, +they both went up stairs with him, for a purpose he was there to explain +to them, as neither of them could conceive in what manner he was going to +preserve himself. They all remained above, till the loud summons of +authority, in the raven voice of old Evans, brought Cadwgan down, when +the cleric magistrate told him, in no gentle terms, that there was a +suspicion attached to his house, as the place where the young villain, +Twm Shôn Catti was concealed. The farmer replied, “I must say this is +very hard usage, as I have nobody with me but my daughter and my eldest +sister, who has come on a few week’s visit. But as you are come, you may +search and welcome.” After a brief scrutiny below, they all went up +stairs, where sat, busily employed at their needles, the fair Gwenny +Cadwgan and the ingenious Twm Shôn Catti, excellently disguised in the +dress of Cadwgan’s late wife, which, having been the property of a tall +woman, fitted him very well; his face was slightly coloured with the +juice of blackberries; beneath his chin was pinned a dowdyish cap, which, +in the scant light of a small window, by the aid of a pair of spectacles +he appeared a complete old granny. On the entrance of these amiable +visitors, he turned his full spectacled face on Parson Evans, muttering +in the tone of an old woman, which he mimicked well “lack a day! lack a +day! this is sad usage,” then whispered Gwenny, who took his hint, and +while they were searching, laid some hog’s-lard on different part of the +stairs, so that on their descent the precious party, with their rascally +leader, fell headlong down from top to bottom, to the great amusement of +those above. On being charged of this contrivance, each denied all +knowledge of it, and the quick-witted Gwenny, accounted for the cause of +their accident by saying they had been carrying butter and lard to the +store, up stairs, the whole morning. + +They were no sooner gone than Twm assured Cadwgan, that he saw there was +no safety for him, except in flight, which must take place that very +night. His plan, he said, was matured, that he had no fear but he should +do well, and that his only regret was in parting with them. He purposed, +he said, to make his way towards Carmarthenshire, or perhaps further, and +seek employment among the farmers; or what was more agreeable to him, he +might, perhaps, get to some village, where he might set up a school: so +that after saving a sum of money, to begin life with, he might return, +and make Gwenny his wife. With tearful eyes Cadwgan expressed his +admiration of this plan, while poor Gwenny wept herself almost into fits, +at the thought of his perils, and sudden departure. “At any rate, my +boy, thou shalt not go pennyless to wander the wide world,” said Cadwgan, +and put an old pocket book containing three guineas and near twenty +shillings in silver, which Twm reluctantly took, promising its return +doubly, when fortune favored him. “I have two favors more to ask,” said +he, “the first is, that you will make the best of my affair when you tell +my poor mother and the worthy Mr. Rhys of my flight, and my future plans +in life; and my next request is, that you will give me this old woman’s +dress, with the red cloak belonging to it, as it will answer for a +disguise, should I be troubled before I get far enough off.” Cadwgan +kindly acquiesced, though he smiled at the latter whimsical fancy. At +length, thus attired, to avoid observation, with his own clothes in a +bundle, he took an affectionate and affecting leave of them, and made a +hasty departure from their friendly door. + + + + +CHAP. XIV. + + +Twm ventures to Tregaron in the night. Frightens Wat the mole-catcher. +In danger of being betrayed by him. Outwits Wat, Parson Evans, and his +wife. Escapes, with the Parson’s horse, great coat, and money. + +IT was a dull heavy night, in which fog and darkness contended for +precedence, and the moon gleamed dimly as if about to retire altogether, +when Twm Shôn Catti shaped his course over the mountain, in the direction +which led to Lampeter: he looked instinctively towards his dear native +town, which a fashionable tourist would perhaps have called the most +wretched village in the universe; but to him it was full of sweet +associations, and recollections the most agreeable, the scene of his +childhood, the home of his mother; + + Dear to all their natal spot, + Although twere Nature’s foulest blot. + +He stopped, and looked wistfully towards Tregaron; the lights were +glistening in their various humble casements, and he fancied that among +them all, he could distinguish his mother’s—his kind fond mother, whom +perhaps he was never to see again—and now he recollected many instances +of her tenderness, which had long slumbered in his recollection. His +eyes filled with tears, and the softness of his heart was put at once +into mournful harmony, from thus accidentally touching its first string, +thrilled by reminiscences of maternal tenderness. He sat on a stone and +gave his excited feelings full vent, till at length his heart-pangs +subsided to a calm and sensitive melancholy. A sudden thought, no less +eccentric than daring, now took him, that thus disguised, he might safely +pass through Tregaron, and perhaps see his mother before his departure. +This idea was no sooner started than acted upon; and before an hour had +expired, he found himself once more in the long, and almost only street +in Tregaron. His mother’s door was closed for the night, and he durst +not call to her, as Jack was not to be trusted. He moved on, looking +earnestly to every door, but saw no signs of people being up, any where; +the whole street seemed still as death, except that various snores here +and there, reminded Twm of the sweet sleep enjoyed by others, though +denied to him. He sauntered slowly along, meditating on the +circumstances that made him alone a watcher, till opposite to the cottage +of his old companion and elder brother in mischief, Wat the mole-catcher. +Wat had long lived with a widowed mother, who had recently died, and now +sojourned alone in her solitary hut; it was even reported that he had +forsaken all his wicked merry ways, grown serious, and was consequently +likely to do well. It occurred to Twm that he had often heard Wat deny +the existence of ghosts and hob-goblings, to the great horror of the +elect, who considered such a declaration scarcely less impious than the +denial of his creed; and vaunt that nothing of that description could in +the least frighten him: and now, thought he, I’ll put his courage to the +trial. Peeping through the casement, he saw Wat in bed, at the further +end of the cottage, and the fire burning through the peat heaped up to +preserve it for the night, so that the white walls within were brightened +by the gleams cast on them from the hearth. Such a wonder as a lock, or +even a bolt, Twm knew was rarely to be found in Tregaron, and therefore +softly lifting the latch, he opened the door, entered, and walking +quietly towards the hearth, sat on a three-legged stool, took up the old +snoutless bellows, and blew the fire with all his might. Wat awoke in +extreme terror, and seeing the figure of a tall woman in the chimney +corner, deeming it no other than his mother’s spirit, his fright +increased, trembling and almost dissolved in perspiration, he at last +burst out into a roar of “Lord have mercy on me! oh mother’s dear spirit +pity me!” Twm laughed out and ran to his bed-side to stop his roaring +cries, exclaiming, “Silence man, ’tis I, Twm, your old friend Twm Shôn +Catti.” + +Convinced, at length, of his identity, and having heard of our hero’s +story, he said, “Twere better you were at the bottom of a river Twm, than +here, for I have been compelled by Parson Evans to make oath that if you +came here I would immediately either send or run myself to inform him of +your arrival, and I can’t break an oath, Twm, for any body.” “I did not +think,” said our hero, coolly, “that you, who have broken so many laws, +would scruple much, about breaking a forced oath; but old companionship +pleads weakly opposed to the reward that will be given for my +apprehension; and I thought, though the whole town might turn against me, +that you Wat, would have been my friend, for you have led me into many +troubles, and I never laid a jot of blame to your charge, but took all to +myself, and have often suffered on your account.” + +Wat, who by this time, had nearly dressed himself, was affected by this +appeal, and said, “No Twm, I will never betray you, but if I was known in +the least to favor you, it would ruin all my hopes of success in life. I +am next week to be married to Bessy Gwevel-hîr, Parson Evans’s maid, that +I have courted these ten years; and the Parson has promised to do great +things at the bidding: and more than that, I am to be parish clerk and +grave-digger, when old Morgan Meredith dies, and he can’t live long, as I +have made him a present of a good churchyard cough by breaking a hole in +the thatch right over his bed, by which he has gained a great hoarseness, +and nearly lost his voice; so that I expect to be called in to officiate +for him next Sunday.” “I see you are still my friend,” said Twm, who had +been lost in a reverie during part of Wat’s remarks, “and I give you joy +of your fair prospects, which I would not destroy on any account; you +shall serve me, and at the same time keep your oath. You know my talent +at mimickry, and see how well this dress becomes me; aye, I become the +dress equally as you shall see. Had I not already disclosed myself, I +could have discoursed to you a whole hour at mid-day, fearless of a +discovery, but let us see how this cloak becomes you Wat.” With that he +took off the cloak, and put it on Wat, and after a little jesting on the +subject, Twm suddenly exclaimed, “Only sit down here with the cloak on +your shoulders for ten minutes, while I step out, and with the assistance +of my bundle I will astonish you with my transformation.” + +All this was uttered with the gay rapidity of an anticipated freak, and +Wat being taken by surprise, immediately acquiesced, without knowing what +he was about. Twm ran immediately to the Rectory House, and making a +great clatter, roused Parson Evans, who opened the window and asked what +was the matter; when, assuming Wat’s voice, he said hastily “Mister +Evans! Mister Evans! make haste, Twm Shôn Catti is now in my cottage, +dressed in a cloak, and sitting at the fire.” + +Delighted with this intelligence, Evans wakened the whole house, +especially two strapping fellows whom he called his bull-dogs, sometimes +employing them as husbandry servants, and at others, on account of their +large size and muscular power, as constables. Both these fellows were +first sent to saddle his horse, in case he should have to take Twm to +Cardigan gaol, and then to attend him to Wat’s cottage, where the trio +soon went. Peeping through the casement, Evans discerned a tall figure +wrapped in a cloak, as described. “There he is sure enough,” quoth he, +in a whisper, “now get your cords ready for binding his hands, and stay +here till I call you in; be sure that you watch the door well.” With +that he lifted the latch and went in. Wat, who in the interim of our +hero’s absence, had made up a good fire now stood up, and as he saw the +clerical magistrate before him exclaimed, with a hearty laugh, “Well done +Twm, my boy! I now give you credit; well, well, well, this is indeed +strange, a wonderful disguise? you look the old rascal to the life: if +you had not told me before-hand of your intended transformation, I could +have sworn you were old Evans himself; you look now just as he did when +he promised to make me parish clerk.” Evans remained dumb with +astonishment till the last words, when he replied, “Parish devil! you +infernal scoundrel, have you roused me out of my bed at midnight to hoax +and insult me? but you shall dearly repent your insolence.” Wat stared +with wonder, and replied, “Well, well well! I did never hear such a +thing in my life, you have just the old villain’s voice and swaggering +way, I wish I may die, if you don’t frighten me, and I could almost swear +the spiteful old Evans stood himself before me; hang him, I hate his very +looks, and I am only holding the candle to the devil, in hopes of the +parish clerkship, by seeming so civil to him.” Evans thought him +certainly either mad or drunk; and without any further explanation he +called the two men in, and ordered them to secure him. The light at +length broke on Wat’s mind; Twm’s trick on him, and the real state of the +case appeared: and he struggled hard before the fellows could secure him. +At length he cleared up his confused and chagrined countenance, and said +in an undaunted tone, “Well, well, well, I see the worst, farewell to +mole-catching, farewell to parish-clerkship, and Bessy Gwevel-hîr; and +you, you evil-minded old scourge, may bid farewell to all hopes of having +me to father your brat, of which your maid Bessy is big, I’ll make the +country ring with the stories of your rascalities, if you dare to send me +to the round-house; but if you liberate me at once, I shall leave +Tregaron forever in the course of a few days, and go abroad to see the +world and seek my fortune.” + +To the great surprise of the men, and perhaps of Wat himself, Evans +seemed awed by his threats, and after a little shew of parleying, gave +him that freedom of which he had no legal right to deprive him. Leaving +him alone in his cottage, he shuffled home, accompanied by his worthy +followers. + +While Wat’s cottage became the theatre of the above-described scene, Twm +Shôn Catti had a performance of his own elsewhere—a dance if you will—to +which the same reverend gentleman was doomed to pay the piper. Having +watched the party to Wat’s door, Twm hastened to the parson’s, calling +loudly, in the assumed voice of one of the fellows who accompanied him, +“Mistress Evans! Mistress Evans! make haste, make haste, and send master +his pocket-book with his money, immediately; Twm Shôn Catti is taken, and +we are going off with him to Cardigan gaol.” Mrs. Evans sleeping in a +front room, heard him instantly, and with unusual alacrity jumping out of +bed, she soon threw down the pocket-book, which was caught by Twm, and +asked him, “Doesn’t he want his weather-proof great coat also?” Our hero +replied “Yes, but dear me I did forget that,” and immediately received +the great coat also, Mrs. Evans wishing them safe home from Cardigan, +shut the window. The saddled horse was already at the gate, and Twm, +well coated and cashed, instantly mounted and rode off, glorying in his +triumph over his old rancorous enemy. + + + + +CHAP. XV. + + +Twm’s remorse and terror on the perpetration of his first crime. +Determined to make restitution of the stolen property. Stopped by a +highwayman and robbed. His reflections. Robbed again by a gypsy and +ballad-singer, at Aberayron. Determined to sing ballads at Cardigan +fair. + +TWM took a circuitous route over the mountains towards Lampeter, and when +he felt himself secure from pursuit, his first thought was to change his +feminine attire for his own, as more convenient for riding, which was +soon accomplished, and the suits changed places in the bundle. In his +ignorance of the world, he scarce knew where to direct his course after +reaching Lampeter, where he arrived between one and two o’clock in the +morning. He recollected that this was a central place, from which +different roads led to Aberystwyth, Llandovery, Carmarthen, Aberayron, +and Cardigan; but found a difficulty in deciding which way to take. It +suddenly occurred to him that there was to be a fair at Cardigan the next +day, and he determined to go there to sell the parson’s horse. The whole +town being wrapped in slumbers, he was now at a stand, not knowing the +road which led through Aberayron to Cardigan, but rousing a cottager, he +soon gained the necessary information and proceeded on. + +The distant roaring of the sea gave him notice of his approach to +Aberayron, and the awful sound struck an indescribable dread into his +mind, that seemed unaccountable. Severe self-accusing reflections on the +atrocity of his last act, succeeded the triumphs of enmity that had at +first given a gust to its perpetration: consciousness of gilt and terror +of punishment at once assailed him, for he was yet young in crime. To +give immediate ease to the agony of his mind, he determined on +dismounting and leaving the parson’s horse behind, and to return him, by +the first opportunity, his coat and money. + +While these first, and consequently bitter, agitations of remorse and +terror were racking his breast, the clatter of a distant galloping horse +increased his terrors; and the day beginning to break he discerned both +horse and rider, and making briskly towards him. Strange as it may +appear, notwithstanding the opposite quarter from whence the danger +proceeded, in the wildness of his apprehensions he conceived it could be +no other than Squire Graspacre, Parson Evans, and their party. He was +actually glad when made to understand that the horseman was a highwayman. +When the desperado approached within a few yards, he stopped his horse, +levelled a pistol, and commanded him, with a tremendous oath, to +surrender his money to “Dio the devil!” {129} or take his death at once. + +The name of this terrific freebooter, who had among many other +descriptions of persons, robbed half the farmers in the country, and was +supposed to have committed more than one murder, had its full effect on +Twm. He instantly resigned the Parson’s purse, assuring him it was all +he possessed, and begged that he would allow him to retain one guinea; +these terms the robber in a manner, acceded to, giving him two guineas, +but in return, insisting on having his horse and great coat, which Twm +gave up. Dio the devil, then insolently bade him good morning, rode off +towards Lampeter, holding the parson’s horse by the bridle. + +No sooner had the highwayman disappeared, than Twm was struck with a full +conviction of the folly of the fears he had entertained, which, by +depressing his mind, he thought, led to confusedly yielding his property +too easily: vowing to himself, after some reflection, that if possessed +of a pair of pistols, no highwayman in the world should make him stand. +His thoughts taking their course through this channel, wandered and +diverged, till his mind rested on new, but perilous prospects. “What a +life,” thought he, “this Dio the devil leads—a gentleman of the road—the +terror of wealthy scoundrels, who are themselves the terror of the +hapless poor that are starved into crime—famed, feared, and maintained at +the general cost, while many an honest fool toils like the galled +drudge-horse, crawls through the world half starved, and is despised for +his meanness.” Thus he pondered and soliloquised, and after being silent +for a while, he continued “Let others do as they please, but for me, I +have no taste for buffetings or drudgery, and had I but a good horse and +pistols—” At this moment a countryman was about to pass him on the road, +in whose hand he recognized his bundle, containing his feminine attire, +which in his terror he had dropped, and it rolled from the side of the +road, it seems, into the ditch, previous to the halt of the highwayman. +Twm immediately claimed his property, but the fellow seemed but little +disposed to attend to him, until vehemently insisting on his right, he +evinced an inclination to battle with him; when satisfied with this very +convincing sort of logic, the clown made restitution. + +With his mind full of pistols and highwaymen, he trudged on at a slow +ruminating pace, till he reached a humble public house at Aberayron. +This lowly tavern he found so full that he could scarcely get a seat. +With the exception of two or three fishermen and other sea-farers, these +were people who made a temporary halt on their way to Cardigan fair, low +booth-keepers, fruit and gingerbread sellers, and such like. Twm called +for beer and refreshment, and while eating, observed the habits of these +strange people with much curiosity. He had contrived to squeeze himself +into a window seat between two females who sat apart and civilly made +room for him, and pressed his acceptance of the place. This act of +good-breeding won upon him amazingly, and he could not help contrasting +their politeness with the rude indifference of the rest of the party; nor +was his opinion of them changed when one turned out to be a +fortune-telling gypsy, and the other a ballad singer. He could not do +less he thought than ask them both to partake of his cup, and they felt +themselves bound in honor, in their great devotion to his health, to +return it empty each time he handed it to them full. Such gallantry on +one hand, and confidence and affability on the other, begot a sudden +friendship between them; the gypsy insisting upon telling his fortune +gratis, and the ballad singer on his acceptance of two or three favorite +songs, while our hero, not to be behind-hand in disinterested kindness, +insisted that they would continue to partake of his cup. + +While Twm was busily employed in looking over the bundle of ballads, +among which he met many old friends, which he had frequently sung, one of +the friendly nymphs was beckoned to, by a man at the opposite end of the +kitchen, with whom she went out, and the gypsy soon followed them. + +Our hero having selected the songs that pleased him, waited impatiently +for the return of the damsels. Having waited about an hour and a half, +by which time all the fair people had dropped off, he discovered some +symptoms of surprise, and asked the landlord if he knew what had become +of the young women. He said he did not know, but that the whole party +had paid him and gone off, and that he had no further business with them. +Twm thought the ballad singer a singular good natured young woman, as she +had left her bundle of melody with him, doubtless as a present, and +merely taken herself away thus modestly, instead of ostentatiously +proclaiming her gift, and receiving his thanks. Putting his hand into +his pocket to settle his account, he was confounded on finding his two +guineas gone; his terror, agony, and confusion was manifested to the +landlord, by his sudden change of manner and appearance, who declared +that his face was turned as white as the wall. Having searched every +pocket over and over, at length the doleful tale came out that he had +lost his money, and could not tell how. “Why as to that,” said the +landlord with cool bitterness, “if it is any satisfaction to know _how_ +you lost your money, I can tell you; it was by sitting between two +thieves—a gypsy and a ballad singer, and what could you expect else from +mixing with such cattle?” Poor Twm remained silent in a miserable mood, +with his elbows resting on the table, and his temples in the palms of his +hands for a full half hour, when the landlord disturbed his meditations +by asking payment for his fare; good-naturedly adding, “If you have no +money, I don’t wish to be hard with you, you can merely leave your jacket +with me instead.” “My jacket!” quoth he indignantly, “why, that is ten +times the value of what I owe you.” “May be so, but if you can’t pay you +must leave it, and be thankful that I condescend to take it instead of +cash;” replied the old gruffy. The fishermen in the mean time passed on +him their rough jokes, one observing “You can sing ballads without a +jacket, so I advise you to go on to the fair at Cardigan, where you may +perhaps meet your old friends.” This advice, given in ridicule, Twm at +once determined to take in earnest, and literally sing the ballads so as +to turn them into money. So without more ado he took off his jacket and +gave it to his host, muttering a curse on his cruelty, and commenced his +journey to Cardigan. The dress of Cadwgan’s wife was again put on, not +only as a fit disguise for his minstrel vocation, but as a more perfect +guard against the weather than his own, since deprived of his upper +garment; and in this garb, very low in spirits, and with no cheering +prospects before him, he trod the miry road towards the county town. + + + + +CHAP. XVI. + + +Twm, disguised as a woman, sings ballads at Cardigan fair. Is alarmed on +seeing an unexpected person. Takes a sudden departure from thence. + +TWM at length reached the end of his dreary journey, the latter part of +which was rendered more cheerful from having fallen into company with a +party of drovers, who gallantly treated the apparent fair one with bread +and cheese and ale. Thus he entered Cardigan in comparative good +spirits, and prepared to commence his whimsical new vocation. Although +naturally bold, and more full of confidence than beseemed the modesty of +youth, it was not without considerable efforts in struggling with some +remains of diffidence that he at length ventured to sing in the public +street; but the beer which he had drank was strong, and his voice he knew +was almost unequalled in the county of Cardigan; and with this persuasion +he thought it foolish to hesitate. He fixed himself in rather an obscure +part of the fair, but his musical voice and humorous execution of a comic +song soon drew a crowd about him, and put his ballads in speedy request. + +According to the general custom with street melodists, he introduced each +song with a whimsical argument of its matter, in a strain of drollery +that set the grinning rustics in high glee: “Here my merry men and +maidens,” quoth he, “is a pretty song about a young damsel, who was taken +in by a false lover, that courted her only for what he could get, and +having wheedled her out of her heart and money, then ran away and left +her to wear the willow.” + + THE SLIGHTED MAID’S LAMENT {134} + + 1 + + In comfort and in credit + By the side of Pen-y-vole + I liv’d;—all knew and said it, + None could my will controul; + Until a worthless lover + Did try my heart to move, + Ah soon my joys were over, + I listened to his love. + + 2 + + From far he travell’d to me, + Full many and many a night, + I thought he came to woo me, + My heart was all delight: + My cash he thought of gaining, + It was not me he sought, + E’er moaning and complaining + For clothes—and clothes I bought. + + 3 + + A pair of shoes I placed him + Between his soles and ground, + With stockings then I graced him, + With hat his head I crown’d; + Red garters then I bought him, + At fair the best I saw, + To bind his hose, od rot him! + Instead of bands of straw. + + 4 + + I bought him leather breeches + Strong as a barley sack, + And laid out half my riches + To clothe the beggar’s back: + I gave him money willing, + (Vexation now ubraids!) + With which the thankless villain + Soon treated other maids. + + 5 + + When thus he had bereft me + Of cash, and ah! my heart, + The cruel rover left me + It grieved me then to part: + Those clothes will rend in tatters, + They cannot last him long, + A curse attend such matters, + False lover’s curse is strong! + + 6 + + His coat will rend in creases, + His stockings break in holes, + His breeches go to pieces, + His shoes part from their soles: + His hair, like garden carrot, + Full soon will want a hat, + How soon, indeed I care not, + The devil care for that. + +This pleased his auditors so well that he was soon left without a copy of +it, on which, he began another, preluding it with the observation “Now +this my friends is about a Welsh boy, who was so foolish as to leave old +Cymru and go to London, from which, I warrant you, he would have been +glad enough to return, as they have neither leeks, flummery, nor anything +else there fit for a christian people.” + + When a wild rural Welsh boy I ran o’er the hills, + And sprang o’er the hedges, the gates, brooks, and rills. + The high oak I climb’d for the nest of the kite, + And plung’d in the river with lively delight! + Ah who then so cheerful, so happy as me, + At I skipp’d through the woodlands and meads of Brindee. + + How oft have I wander’d through swamp, hedge, or brake, + Fearful of nought but the never-seen snake, + And gather’d brown nuts from the copses around, + While ev’ry bush echoed with harmony’s sound; + Oh gladness then thrill’d me! I bounded as free + As a hart o’er the lawn through the meads of Brindee. + + Whenever I wander’d to some neighb’ring farm, + How kindly was tender’d the new milk so warm, + O’er her best loaf as butter or honey she’d spread, + The farm wife so friendly would stroke my white head, + And sue that she shortly again should see me + Whenever my rambles led forth from Brindee. + + How of I have I run with my Strawberry wreath {136a} + To rosy young Gwenny of fair Llwyn-y-neath, + And help’d her to drive the white sheep to the pen, {136b} + Oh! I still think how joyously sung little Gwen + The old folks oft chuckling, vow’d sweet-hearts were we, + The Llwyn-y-neath maiden and boy of Brindee. + + At the fair of Dyvonnock, o’ertaken by night, + Returning, I’ve dreaded the corpse-candle light, + The wandering spirit, the hobgobling fell, + Of which cottage hen-wives so fearfully tell: + I’ve ran, with my eyes shut, ghosts dreading to see + Prayed, whistled, or sang as I flew to Brindee. + + Pleasure and innocence hand in hand went, + My deeds ever blameless, my heart e’er content, + Unknown to ambition, and free from all care, + A stranger to sorrow, remorse, or despair; + Oh bless’d were those days! long departed from me, + Far far’s my loved Cambria! far far is Brindee. + +This was not so successful as the former, but Twm, nothing daunted, sung +the following which he called a sequel to the last. + + ROSY GWEN. + + Rosy Gwen, rosy Gwen, + Beloved of maids, beloved of men! + Aye, dearly loved of grave and gay, + Of sire, sage, and matron grey! + In youth’s early day—ah what cheer’d me then! + ’Twas her voice so sweet, + Her person neat, + Her form so sleek, + Her spirit meek, + And the cherry-merry cheek of Rosy Gwen. + + Gentle girl, gentle girl, + Coral lipp’d, with teeth of pearl, + On either cheek a vivid rose. + And raven tresses graced thy brows! + Ah thou wert my love and my playmate then: + Happy lass of smiles, + Unversed in wiles + Of guileless breast— + Of minds the best, + Oh my cherry-merry cheek’d young Rosy Gwen! + + Years have flown, years have flown, + And Gwenny thou’rt a woman grown. + While Time, that bears for most a sting, + Has fann’d thy beauties with his wing; + Yet brighter, thou canst not be, than when + O’er the mountain steep + Thou drov’st thy sheep + And sang in glee + A child with me. + Oh my cherry-merry cheek’d young Rosy Gwen. + +He gave them next a love canzonet, of two verses; the first slow and +mournful, and the last with contrasting animation and cheerfulness. + + Her cheek was a rose lowly crush’d by the dew, + Now bleach’d by despair to the lily’s pale hue + For the death of young Morgan the brave; + Fame widely reported sea-mews scream’d his knell. + As in a dread sea-fight with glory he fell, + And was buried beneath thy salt wave. + + But false was the tale, for a victor was he, + Triumphant return’d from the wild roaring sea, + Now to seek with his dear maid repose; + He flew to his Sina with extacy’s zest, + Enraptured he press’d the lorn maid to his breast. + And then kiss’d off the dew from the rose. + +The two last were but tolerated, and the singer soon found that a merry +strain was most congenial to their fancies. He therefore gave them the +old and popular duet of “Hob y deri dando,” rendered more comical by his +singing alternately shrill and gruff, for male and female’s parts. + + HOB Y DERI DANDO {138} + + _Ivor_. The summer storm is on the mountain, + Hob y deri dando, my sweet maid! + + _Gweno_. And foul the stream, though bright the fountain, + Hob y deri dando, for the shade. + + _Ivor_. Let my mantle love protect thee, + Gentle Gweno dear; + + _Gweno_. Ivor kind will ne’er neglect me, + Faithful far and near: + + _Both_. Through life the hue of first love true, + Will never never fade. + + * * * * * + + _Ivor_. The rain is past, the clouds are gone too, + Hob o’r deri dando, far they spread; + + _Gweno_. The lark is up, and bright the sun too, + Hob o’r deri dando, on the mead; + + _Ivor_. Thus may the frowns of life pass over, + Happy then our lot, + + _Gweno_. And the smile of peace be bright as ever + In our humble cot. + + _Both_. Through life the hue of first love true + Will never never fade. + +Having sung the last thrice over, he sold about a dozen ballads; and was +about to treat his auditors with the old and national song of _Nôs +Galan_, or New Year’s Eve, when, to his great surprise, the malignant +visage of Parson Evans presented itself before him. + +Judging of our hero’s sex by his assumed attire, several young men in the +course of the day, offered their treats of cake and ale, some of which +was accepted; and presuming on that circumstance, they amusingly put in +their claims to further notice, and seemed inclined to quarrel, as for a +sweetheart. + +Thus possessed of beaux and champions, Twm resolved to employ them in a +new scheme of vengeance on the unpopular parson. “You see that old +fellow in black,” said he, directing their attention to him as he passed, +“he is a bum-bailiff, and the greatest villain in all the country I come +from; and at this very moment I’ll be bound for it, he is hunting out +some poor fellow to put him in prison. He wanted to be a lover of mine, +but only intended to ruinate me; but if he loved me ever so much I would +not have had him if his skin was stuffed with diamonds. The villainous +old catchpole! it is to him that I owe all my misfortunes; refusing him +for a sweetheart, he grew as spiteful as a snake, and by telling a parcel +of falsehoods he got me turned out of my place without a character, so +that I am now brought to this—to sing ballads in the street.” Here, +assuming a whimpering tone, Twm was compelled to smother a powerful fit +of laughter, which emotion was taken for sobbing, and consequently drew +much on the sympathy of those now addressed; but suddenly withdrawing the +apron that veiled his features, he exclaimed, with the vehemence of a +young termagant, “I’d give the world to see that old fellow tossed in a +blanket!” Mark Antony’s effort of eloquence to rouse the Roman citizens +to avenge the death of Cæsar, was not more effective than our hero’s +appeal. + +With a natural hatred to a bailiff, and as natural a predilection for the +smiles of a handsome young woman, being “full of distempering draughts” +and ripe for a freak, their zeal became inflamed to a ferment, each felt +himself the leading hero to avenge the wrongs of the fair ballad singer, +in the manner suggested by herself. One of the young men, a native of +the town and son to the innkeeper, immediately procured a blanket, when, +watching their opportunity as the supposed bailiff passed along, one +tripped up his heels, while the rest received him in the extended +blanket, and tossed him most vigorously in the air for about ten minutes. +Exhausted at length with their labours, and allured by the fair handful +of silver displayed by their victim, they accepted his bribe and +desisted, each venting his jest on the crest-fallen Evans, “hoping it +would be a warning not to persecute a poor friendless girl again.” + +The knot of swains now separated, and ran in different directions to +avoid being recognized as the perpetrators of the “freak,” but soon met +again at an appointed place at the back of the town, where they had left +our hero, between the empty carts of the ware venders. + +Great was their dismay on discovering, after a long search in various +parts of the fair, that the fair ballad-singer was no where to be found. +Here was a general smelling of a trick put upon them, and consequent +“curses on all jilting ballad-singers” uttered by the unlucky clods. + +It occurred to one bright youth named Johnny Wapstraw, that he had +entrusted his best holiday coat to the custody of the injured damsel, +that he might toss the “catchpole” with the greater vigour; but on +ascertaining the precise spot where he had left her, he found her +complete feminine attire made into a bundle and fastened to a cart with a +band of straw, left as a love-gift for him, while she kept his coat as a +similar token of affection; having inscribed with chalk on the side of +the cart “An exchange is no robbery.” + + + + +CHAP. XVII. + + +Twm escapes from Cardigan. Meets Parson Rhys at Lampeter. The tragical +tale of the heiress of Maes-y-velin and the flower of Llandovery. + +HAVING thus possessed himself of a coat without the tediousness and +expence of giving measure to a tailor, and no more fastidious about a +dressing room, retired to a stable, and soon came out fully dressed in +his male attire; of which, a coat only was before wanting. Bent on a +precipitate retreat, as the urgency of his case demanded, he bolted down +St. Mary’s Street, and soon found himself on the turnpike road, with the +good town of Cardigan some miles behind him. In little more than two +hours he reached the small town of Dinas Emlyn, now called +Newcastle-in-Emlyn, on a romantic part of the Teivy dividing the counties +of Cardigan and Carmarthen, and occupying its banks on either side. +Entering a small public house, he regaled himself on the fine potent ale +for which that place has been so famous. Being refreshed with a little +rest and food, he now, for the first time, began to enquire of himself +whither he was going, and what his aims were to be; questions which he +found very difficult to be resolved. Although the most serious +cogitations on the subject might have availed little or nothing, chance +very unexpectedly decided him, and relieved his apprehensious for the +present. + +Perceiving a very loquacious beer-inspired pig-drover, who vaunted his +successful sale at Cardigan fair, preparing to depart, he suddenly +determined to take the same route wherever it might lead, and on inquiry, +found he was going to Llandovery. + +Glad of company, the pig-drover received Twm’s information that he was +also going to the same town with a hearty shake of the hand and a welcome +to become his fellow traveller. About ten o’clock that night they +arrived together at Lampeter, which Twm now visited for the second time. +The geography of the country being but little known to him, he felt some +alarm on finding himself so contiguous to his own native place. + +While drinking a quiet pint with his companion at a tavern, and thoughts +of danger occupying his mind, a friendly face appeared in smiles before +him, and dissipated every feeling of unhappiness; it was the worthy Rhys +the curate, who had spied him from the little parlour where he had been +sitting before his arrival, and now cordially welcomed him to partake of +his supper which was then preparing. + +Our hero bade a merry farewell to his friend the drover, who had +endeavoured to initiate him into the mysteries of pig-dealing, the latter +declaring his resolution to travel all night until he reached Llandovery. +Supper ended, and having heard as many of Twm’s adventures as he chose to +relate, newly modelled, to suit his peculiar ear, Mr. Rhys informed him +that he had also left Tregaron forever, disgusted with the treatment he +had met with from old Evans, and was on his way to Llandovery to take +possession of the curacy of Llandingad, to which he had been just +appointed by the vicar, the reverend Rhys Prichard. The good-natured +Rhys could scarce forbear smiling, when Twm informed him of the +circumstance that had first led his thoughts to visit Llandovery also, +and that he was determined to go there to seek his fortune, and felt a +sort of presentiment that he should be successful: “Well,” said he, “your +fortunes are altogether romantic, and fortitude such as yours is a virtue +that becomes us all. Whatever I can do to get you into employment, when +you are there, rest assured shall not be wanting.” With this +understanding Twm’s hopes were buoyed up to the highest pitch, and, to +his sanguine mind, became already certainties, which presented themselves +in dreams of various felicitous shapes. + +Rhys rose with daylight, and rousing Twm, they both sallied forth, the +former leading his horse by the bridle, to be more on a par with his more +humble companion. They had nearly reached the top of Pen-y-garreg hill, +over which the road leads from Lampeter to Llandovery, while a bright +prospect of the newly-risen sun attracted their mutual attention, when +the clergyman thus addressed his companion. “We are now on a spot to be +yet immortalized, perhaps, by the legendary muse, for a deed of blood +perpetrated here in our own times; when the banks of the impetuous Teivy, +now before us, became the scene of a lamentable tragedy. Yonder stands +what remains of the once goodly mansion of MAES-Y-VELIN, the fair seat of +the ancient family of the Vaughans, once of considerable note in this +part of the principality. Ten years ago, a young lady and her three +brothers, the last of that race, were its possessors. The lady, named +Ellen, was exceedingly beautiful, and beloved by the son of the venerable +Rhys Prichard, the present Vicar of Llandovery, whose curate I am now +become. + +“It was customary with the young man whenever he reached this spot, to +tie his hankerchief to the end of a rod, that he held as a flag-staff, +which was immediately seen by the heiress of Maes-y-velin; and when she +could succeed in getting her brothers out of the way, the signal of love +was answered by hoisting her own kerchief to the branch of a tree above +the house, on which, both ran down from their respective hills, till they +stood face to face on either side of the Teivy, when the fond lover soon +dashed into the river, crossed over and caught the fair one in his arms. +But as these things sound better perhaps in verse, I shall submit to you +a specimen of my skill at Ballad writing, in one that I have written on +this occasion.” With that they took their seat on a huge stone on the +side of the hill, when Rhys drew a manuscript from his pocket and read to +his attentive auditor. + + THE HEIRESS OF MAES-Y-FELIN, + AND + The flower of Llandovery. + + What is amiss with the maiden fair, + What is the sweet one ailing?— + Why pale her cheek, and her spirits low, + And why up the hill doth she daily go, + The heiress of Maes-y-velin?— + + Why are the brows of her brothers dark? + Nor mother nor sire hath Ellen;— + Her brothers whisper—her steps they watch— + The heart of her mystery eager to catch, + The maiden of Maes-y-velin. + + The parents of Ellen her merits knew, + And frown’d on her brothers’ vices; + Her brothers are disinherited, + And Ellen is heiress in either’s stead; + Thereat all the land rejoices. + + Her brothers one day went out to hunt, + And alone at home left Ellen; + She watched them away, then flew to her bower, + And cried “oh now for Llandovery’s Flower! + Right welcome to Maes-y-velin.” + + She hoisted her silken kerchief red + To the highest branch of her bower, + To Pen-garreg hill then strain’d her eyes, + And the flag of her hope was seen to rise, + ’Twas thine, oh Llandovery’s Flower! + + Long had he watch’d—the faithful youth! + His wish each day unavailing, + At length, he sees with a wild delight, + His true love’s signal, the lady bright, + The heiress of Maes-y-velin. + + That signal was chosen between the twain, + When absent her stern proud kindred; + And then would they rush from either hill, + The lover’s true with a right good will, + Till the waters of Teivy sunder’d. + + Now as erst they rush’d, and as erst they paused, + When arrived on the banks of Teivy, + They gazed on each other across the stream, + And gestured affection’s high glow supreme, + And gayer their hearts, long heavy. + + In plung’d the youth with most anxious speed, + The Flower of fair Llandovery, + The maiden is trembling with wild alarms— + She brightens—she sinks in her true-love’s arms, + Deem’d lost to her past recovery. + + Oh Nature hath many warm generous glows— + But they say love’s joys are fleeting; + Most dear to the mother her new-born son, + And sweet is the fame that’s fairly won, + To the blind restor’d oh the summer’s sun’s + Less sweet than the lover’s meeting. + + Sweet to the donor the generous deed, + That serves merit’s child, unweeting; + Healing is sweet to the gash’d by the sword; + To the wounded heart, the benevolent word; + Oh sweet is the breeze to the sick restored! + But sweeter true lovers’ greeting. + + Each flower that flaunts in vanity’s cap, + And sets youthful hearts a gadding, + Has its charms, its zest,—but the whole above, + Is the magical thrill of sweet woman’s love, + That drives heart and brain a madding. + + And fondly they loved, this youthful pair, + The heiress of Maes-y-velin, + And he whom they called Llandovery’s Flower; + Oh frequent their meeting and parting hour, + Their moments of joy and wailing. + + Once when they met on the Teivy’s banks, + Canopied o’er by the wild wood, + Mid fragrance of flowers that graced the shade, + The youth sung this song, of true lovers betrayed, + An ominous song—that drew tears from the maid, + For her heart was as simple as childhood. + + “‘Oh come to the banks of the Teivy with me, + To the deep woodland glade, ’neath the shady green tree, + Fearless of foemen, of guile, or of might, + In the face of the day and the bright eye of light, + That God and his angels may witness our troth, + That God and his angels may favor us both.’ + + “‘I’ll go to the green-wood,’ the lady replied, + ‘Fore God and his angels be fairly affied, + Fearless of foemen, of guile, or of might, + In the face of the day and the bright eye of light; + That God and his angels may witness our troth, + That God and his angels may favor us both.’ + + “So sung a young chief to his dear lady love, + At the base of her tower—she answered above— + Vile vassals espied them, and flew to their lord, + The lady’s true lover soon fell ’neath his sword: + She threw herself headlong, fulfilling her troth, + And Death was the priest that united them both.” + + PART II. + + Over the hill of Pen-garreg, the road + Is seen that leads from Llandovery, + Maes-y-velin’s green hill is opposite, + The mansion below—oft on either height + The lovers are making discovery.— + + But envious eyes were on the watch, + And the genius of evil hover’d; + The brothers, who wish’d their sister unmatch’d, + For any approach of a lover watch’d, + At length their two flags discover’d. + + They have hatch’d a scheme to enmesh the youth, + And see him at length on the mountain; + His flag they answer—he runs down the hill— + Now forth rush the wretches resolved to kill, + And waste his young heart’s warm fountain. + + Like prey-beasts they hide on the Teivy’s banks + In the covert of thick-leaved bushes; + The youth, he dashes across the river, + And ardent to meet his fond receiver + He seeks her fair form in the rushes.— + + He deems she plays him at hide and seek, + Her heart he knew was gayful— + “Oh come from thy covert my Ellen dear! + Oh come forth and meet thy lover here!” + He cries in soft accents playful. + + No Ellen appears—rustling steps he hears— + Perhaps some perfidious stranger;— + He stops in the rushes, and steals to a copse, + But there not an instant for breathing stops + Peril’s presentiment suddenly drops, + And he flies for his life from danger. + + He knew not his foes, up the hill he goes, + With the speed of a hart that’s hunted; + The brothers pursue, till fatigued they grew, + To Maes-y-velin his course they knew, + And eager revenge is blunted.— + + They saw him enter—“the foe is snared!” + Exclaim’d then the elder brother; + “To kill him surely be firmly prepared + Accurst be the arm by which he is spared! + Let’s stab him, or drown, or smother.” + + “Let’s do him dead and no matter how, + And our sister’s fortune is ours; + No brats of her’s shall supplant our hope: + Prepare we a dagger, a sack, and rope, + For brief are the stripling’s hours.” + + Now rush’d the youth through the mansion door. + And fell at the feet of Ellen; + Ere he could speak the brothers appear, + The maiden shrieks with terrific fear, + The heiress of Maes-y-velin.— + + She fell in a swoon, the brothers soon + Gag his mouth and proceed to bind him, + His hands they fasten’d behind his back, + And over his head they drew a sack, + They jump on his body—his rib bones crack, + Till a corse on the ground they find him. + + Oh God! ’twas a barbarous bloody deed; + ’Twas piteous to hear his groaning: + A demon’s heart might relent to hear + The sobs of death and convulsions drear— + Oh Christ! is no merciful angel near, + Call’d down by this woeful moaning?— + + Oh murderous fiends! the eye of God + Hath flamed on this heartless murther! + They grasp at his throat to check his breath— + With knees on his breast—oh merciful death! + Thou sav’st him from anguish further. + + And dead in the sack his body they bore, + And sunk in a pool of Teivy; + After many days when the body was found, + No tongue could tell was he smother’d or drown’d, + Or crush’d by men’s buffets heavy. + + Thus fell in his bloom the blameless youth;— + Insanity seized on poor Ellen, + The lovely maniac! with bosom bare, + And eyes of wildness, and streaming hair, + Roved frantic o’er Maes-y-velin. + + She said he was thrown in the Teivy’s stream, + The Flower of fair Llandovery; + She cross’d o’er the hills to his father’s town, + And he bless’d the maid like a child of his own; + But Ellen was past recovery. + + Rhys Prichard wept long o’er his murder’d son, + And buried the hapless Ellen; + He cursed her brothers—the land of their birth + He cursed their mansion, its hall and hearth, + And the curse is on Maes-y-velin. + + Strong was the curse on the savage race, + The murderers and their kindred; + Their bosoms possess’d by the furies of hell, + Oft vented the scream, the curse, and the yell:— + All men stood aloof and wonder’d. + + They quarrell’d and stood forth in mortal strife, + Each one opposed to the other; + They never, oh never! are doom’d to agree, + While dividing poor Ellen’s property— + Two murder their elder brother. + + And yet the murderers still are foes, + Furious and unrelenting; + Each coveting all his sister’s share: + At length one falls in the other’s snare, + Ere yet of his crimes repenting. + + Now lived the survivor, a man forbid, + For murder his brow had branded— + Shunn’d by all men, none bade him God speed, + But solitude work’d wild remorse for his deed, + In madness he seized on a poisonous weed, + And a suicide’s grave was commanded. + + Maes-y-velin became a deserted spot, + The roof of the mansion tumbled; + The lawns and the gardens o’er-ran with weeds, + And reptiles, vile emblems of hellish deeds, + Bred there—and the strong walls crumbled.— + + They crumbled to dust, and fell to the earth, + And strangers bought Maes-y-velin; + Vain, it is said, their attempts to rebuild, + Vain was their labour in garden or field, + Snakes, toads, baneful weeds alone they yield, + Not a stone to another adhering. + + The possessors fled, and oft others came, + But all their aims unavailing; + The peasants protest that at midnight hour + The spirit of Ellen is seen in her bower, + While on Pen-garreg hill stands Llandovery’s Flower, + And shrieks burst from Maes-y-velin. + +When Rhys had finished reading his ballad, Twm riveted his eyes on the +ruins of Maes-y-velin, the two hills, the banks of the Teivy, and scenes +now subordinate to the modern grandeur of the new college at Lampeter: +and still remaining silent, seemed, by the force of his imagination, to +bring before his eyes the whole action of this domestic tragedy. Rhys +assured him that all the particulars of the murder, as narrated in the +ballad, were well authenticated, both by the evidence of the unhappy +young lady herself, and that of a countryman who beheld the murderers +bearing the body by night, and who distinctly saw, as the moon shone upon +them while in the act of casting their burthen into the river, the +shining spurs of the murdered youth, projecting from the end of the sack +which contained his body. But in so disordered a state was the country +at the time, from the civil wars between the king and the parliament, +that no cognizance was taken of the atrocious circumstance. The cursing +of Maes-y-velin, and the perpetrators of the bloody deed, by the youth’s +father, he said was no fiction; it was set forth in a pathetic and +nervous poem, in his volume of Divine Carols, entitled “Canwyll y Cymry, +or the Welshman’s Candle,” one of the most popular books ever published +in the Welsh language. With this explanation they both rose from their +stony seats, and pursued their way to Llandovery. + + + + +CHAP. XIX. + + +A discourse on mountains. Turf-cutters, and Moor haymakers. Twm rescues +the lady of Ystrad Ffîn, and captures a highwayman, whom he brings in +triumph to Llandovery. + +HAVING travelled together a few miles further into the mountain, Twm +expressed his wonder at seeing the turf-cutters and haymakers following +their avocations almost side by side in this wild district. “Well,” +cried he, “I know that much has been said, sung, and written, in praise +of mountain scenery; and where ’tis truly romantic as well as wild, I am +a great lover of it myself; but this before us is my aversion. Here no +sound salutes the ear but the lonely cry of a few melancholy kites, +hungry enough to prey upon one another; and no objects strike the eye but +the flat tame desert, and a few wretched cottages thinly scattered over +this desolate region, whose inhabitants are miserably employed in +scooping peat from the marsh for their fires, or cutting their bald thin +crop of hay from the uninclosed mountain—_the gwair rhos cwtta_, or moor +hay, which, dispensing with the incumbrance of a cart or sledge, the +women carry home in their aprons, as the winter maintenance of a +half-starved cow. Even the shepherds and their flocks are wise enough to +keep from this gloomy seat of starvation; but the dull plodding +turf-cutters are numerous enough. To me there is nothing that associates +more with squalid poverty than turf fires: the crackling faggot and the +Christmas log, have their rustic characteristics; coal has its proud and +solid warmth; the clay-and-culm fires of Cardigan and Pembrokeshire, +formed of balls, and fantastically arranged by the industrious hands of +fair maidens, are bright and durable, revealing the gay faces of the +cheerful semicircular group—and above all, the smokeless cleanly stone +coal: but turf, smoky, ill-savored, ash creating, dusty turf—recals the +marsh and moor, rain-loaded skies, and fern-thatched cottages, whose +battered roofs swept by the blast, discover the rotten rafters grinning +like the bare ribs of poverty; and worse than all, the joyless faces of +the toil-bowed children of the desert. I heartily agree with the +sentiment of the old Pennill {152a} + + “How gay seems the valley with rich waving wheat, + Fair lands and fair houses, with shelters so neat; + While the whole feather’d choir to delight us conspires, + There’s nought on the mountain but turf and turf fires.” + +“And let me add,” cried Twm, with vivacity, “as indicative of my own +taste on the subject, a Triban {152b} of my own composition.— + + Three things—to my mind each with loveliness teems: + A vale between mountains that’s threaded by streams; + A neat white-wall’d cottage mid gardens and trees; + And a young married pair that appreciate these.” + +“The mountains, like the plains and vallies,” replied Rhys, “have of +course their rough and unsightly portions; but so very dear to me are the +sensations connected with our _Mountain Land_, that I could kiss the sod +of its dullest region, when I remember how it came the refuge of our +war-worsted forefathers in the days of old, as the waned star of liberty +seemed to have vanished forever from our sphere.” Rhys’s patriotic +enthusiasm rose as he proceeded. “I could as soon twit my beloved mother +with the furrows which time has ploughed on her brows, as censure the +homeliest part of our dear mountains, hallowed of old by the tread of +freemen, when the despot foreigner usurped the vallies. + + “Freedom, amid a cloudy clime, + Erects her mountain throne sublime, + While natives of the vales and plains + Are gall’d with yokes and slavish chains;— + Then shrink we ne’er, unnerved as bann’d, + In the cloudy clime of the Mountain Land. + + Turban’d in her folds of mist + Our Mountain Land the sky hath kiss’d + While on her brow the native wreath + Of yellow furze and purple heath; + The rural reign her vales command, + And the freemen’s swords of the Mountain Land.” + +Twm felt the observations of the curate as a rebuke for his flippancies, +and was about to clear himself from all suspicion of lack of nationality; +but the latter at that moment looking up at the sun, declared the day so +far advanced that he must of necessity instantly mount his horse and ride +with speed, so as to meet the vicar of Llandovery at the place appointed; +on which, directing Twm in the route he was to take, he rode off and left +him to pursue his way at leisure. + +After thus parting with Mr. Rhys, Twm made his way alone, wrapped in +thought, and looking neither to the right or left, for several miles, but +was at length brought to a stand by the discovery that the way he trod +had ceased to be either a road or beaten path; and that he was actually +pacing the trackless mountain, with the disagreeable conviction that he +had gone wrong, without a clue to recover the right way. + +Observing a _bwlch_, or gap, parting the mountains in the distance, where +they rose to a considerable elevation, he naturally concluded that the +road ran through it. Acting on this opinion, he hurried on, and was much +gratified to find his conjecture realized, as a good beaten road +presented itself to him. He entered it, and hastened on with the utmost +alacrity, till he came to a cottage on the road side, opposite to which +was an immense rick of turf, that at a distance looked like a long black +barn. He called at the cottage, and asked if he was right in his route +to Llandovery, “Right!” squeaked a thin old man who met him at the door, +“God bless you young man, you could not be more wrong, as your back is to +Llandovery, and you are making straight for Trecastle.” + +This was mortifying intelligence; and the old man seeing Twm’s chagrin, +asked him to walk in and rest himself, an invitation that he gladly +accepted. “What, I suppose you thought to be at Llandovery to hear the +great preaching there to day?” said the man’s wife, a little fat woman +who was carding wool by the fire. “No,” replied Twm, “I never heard of +any preaching that was to be there.” “That’s very odd,” rejoined the old +man, “as the whole country has been crowding there, to hear the good Rhys +Prichard, the great vicar of Llandovery.” “I have heard he is very +popular,” said Twm. “Popular!” screamed the weazon-faced old man, as if +indignant of the coldness of our hero’s eulogy, “he is the shining light +of our times, and hardly less than a prophet; wisely has he called his +divine book the _Welshman’s Candle_, for it blazes with exceeding +brightness, and men find their way by it from the darkness of perdition. +When it is known that his health permits him to preach, the country +hereabouts is up in swarms, to the distance of two score miles and more. +Then, the farmer forsakes his corn-field, the chapman his shop, and every +tradesman and artizan quits his calling, to listen to the music of his +discourse. Infirmity alone has kept me from going to hear him to-day; +but my wife is no better than an infidel, and would rather listen to a +profane fidler, or a vagrant harper, than to the finest preacher that +ever breathed out a pious discourse.” + +Here the little round woman retorted on her spouse, assuring Twm that he +was a miserable dreamer, whose brains had been turned by the ravings of +fanatical preachers; that some months ago he ran three miles, howling, +thinking he was pursued by the foul fiend, when it turned out to be only +his own shadow: and that when a patch of the mountain furze was set on a +blaze to fertilize the land, nothing could convince him that the world +was not on fire, and the day of judgement come, till he caught an ague by +hiding himself up to the chin in the river for twelve hours. + +All this the old man very indignantly repelled, and vowed that his +courage was equal to that of any man breathing. + +At this moment the violent galloping of a horse attracted their +attention, and in an instant a horse and rider passed the door, but +suddenly checking his speed he returned, and calling at the cottage door, +asking in a tone of authority if a lady had passed that way towards +Llandovery within the last half hour. The old man, trembling as he +spoke, protested that no lady had passed for many hours; on which the +bluff horseman told him as he valued his life, neither he or his wife +should appear on the outside of the cottage door, till he gave them +leave. The old man assured him of his entire obedience, when the fellow +quietly crossed the road, and effectually concealed himself and horse +behind the opposite turf-rick. + +Twm, unseen himself, caught a full view of this burley horseman, and +instantly knew him. He felt a conviction that in a few minutes a scene +was to be acted, in which he was determined to perform himself a +conspicuous, if not a principal, part. He asked the timorous old +cottager if he possessed such a thing as a long-handled hedge bill-hook, +to which the poor dotard, his teeth chattering the while, replied in the +negative. On searching the cottage, with the assistance of his mistress, +to its great vexation he could find no weapon, but a blunt old hatchet, +and a rusty reaping-hook. + +The canter of a light horse now struck his ear; his heart caught fire at +the sound, and with almost fierce vehemence he called to the people of +the cottage, “Give me some weapon in the name of God: to defend you and +myself from having our throats cut;” but it only increased their terror +and confusion. + +In an instant, a lady on a slight white horse was opposite to the +cottage, when the horseman, darting forward from behind the turf-rick, +and producing pistols, demanded her money. The lady protested, in the +most piteous and earnest tone, that she had accidentally left her purse +behind, and must be indebted to a friend at Llandovery, should she fail +to meet her husband there, for some small change. “I’ll not be +disappointed for nothing,” cried the ruffian, “Dio the devil is not to be +fooled, and my pretty lady of Ystrad Fîn, I have depended on a good booty +from you to-day, so that unless in two minutes you strip, and give me +every article in which you are clothed, a pistol bullet shall pass +through your delicate body.” + +The lady, with tears entreated him to be merciful, promising a future +recompence; but the scoundrel laughed scornfully in her face, and cocked +his pistol, on which she uttered a loud scream and fainted, when he +immediately approached to strip and rifle her. + +Our hero, whose blood was boiling with honest indignation, now started up +from behind the lady’s horse, and stood on a small bank raised to +separate the cottage yard from the road, struck the highwayman an +astounding blow on the temples, with a stout hedge-stake grasped with +both hands, and repeated the violent action till it brought the desperado +senseless, and covered with blood, to the ground. After the first +terrible blow, confounded as he was, he instinctively presented his +pistol at random, but Twm struck him heavily on the extended arm, which +caused it to fall, and swing dead by his side, like a withered oak branch +smote by the thunderbolt. + +The good woman of the cottage bathed the lady’s temples and soon brought +about her recovery; and great was her surprize and satisfaction to +witness the result of our hero’s courage and dexterity. While tears of +gratitude suffused her beautiful eyes, and ran down her bright ruddy +face, Twm in the gentlest manner assured her of her entire safety, and +that he would have the happiness of conducting and protecting her to +Llandovery, where he intended to bring the highwayman dead or alive, and +deliver him, with an account of the whole affair, to the magistrates. + +The lady of Ystrad Fîn, smiling as she spoke, uttered many expressions of +her gratitude, and admiration of his courage, assuring him that her +husband, Sir George Devereux, would not allow him to go unrewarded for +such a signal piece of service: “but for my own part,” continued she, “as +I truly assured the merciless highwayman, I am at present without my +purse, having left it accidentally at the house of a poor sick person, +whom I visited, relieved, and stayed with, many hours this morning, by +which I have missed hearing the sermon preached to-day by the rev. Rhys +Prichard.” Twm declared he did not in the least feel himself entitled to +any reward, sufficient for him was the approval of so beautiful and +amiable a lady; but that he had another gratification in the action he +had performed, as it was his fortune to have punished the very man who +had once stopped him on the highway and robbed him of his little all. + +It was in vain that Twm summoned the old man of the cottage to assist in +placing the robber on horseback, as he had hid himself beneath the bed, +roaring all the while “Oh lord! oh dear! I shall surely have my throat +cut.” The lady of Ystrad Fîn, however, alighted and lent an active hand +in binding the thief, still insensible, with old halters contributed by +the fat woman of the cottage, who also gave all possible assistance; so +that with their united aid Twm soon got him across his own horse, like a +sack of barley, and secured him by tying him neck and heels under the +horse’s belly. Our elated hero leaped into the saddle, and rode side by +side with the lady of Ystrad Fîn, and conversing freely with her, +unincumbered with his former bashfulness, till they reached Llandovery. + +They entered the town just as the sermon was over, and the dense swarm, +as they issued from Llandingad church, stopped and gazed with +astonishment at the sight presented to them. At the same instant that +Sir George Devereux came up and assisted his lady to alight, Mr. Rhys the +curate approached Twm, and each in a few minutes was in possession of the +whole story. The baronet eagerly grasped our hero by the hand, and +assured him of his protection and favor to the utmost of his power; +declaring at the same time that no possible reward could equal his +deserts or repay his services. + +As soon as it was known among the farmers that the terrible Dio the +devil, who had robbed many of them at different times, was captured, a +subscription was immediately raised, to reward the captor; so that our +hero was soon in possession of a sum little less than ten pounds, in +addition to five more that the county awarded for the taking of a +highwayman. + +Sir George and his lady invited our hero and Mr. Rhys to dine with them +the next day at Ystrad Fîn, where the baronet said they would discuss in +what manner he could repay the services of the brave deliverer of his +lady. + +The constables were now called to bring their hand-cuffs, and take +possession of the robber, but in vain;—for when he was uncorded and taken +from the horse, it was discovered he was dead. + + + + +CHAP. XX. + + +Twm visits the vicar of Llandovery. Visits also at Ystrad Fîn. Fortune +smiles on him. Undertakes to bear a sum of money to London for Sir +George Devereux. + +TWM retired that evening to a tavern which he had been directed to by Mr. +Rhys; and many of the good people of Llandovery eagerly sought the +company of the wonderful young man who had had the courage to attack and +conquer a highwayman; evincing their kindness by insisting on their right +to treat him with whatever liquor he might be inclined to drink, on +account of the benefit conferred by him on their community. Cautioned by +the worthy curate, however, his potations were very limited; and urging +his fatigue as an excuse for retiring, he soon left his admirers, and +slept that night on a bed of roses. + +Rather early in the morning he was awoke by his friend Rhys, who said +that, by appointment, they were both to breakfast with the rev. Rhys +Prichard, who had expressed a desire to see the brave young man that had +captured the highway robber. This invitation was the most acceptable to +Twm, as he was exceedingly anxious to see so celebrated a character as +the vicar of Llandovery; though less for his pious than poetical +celebrity, and more especially the association of his name with his own +family calamity, in the death of his son Samuel, poetically called the +“Flower of Llandovery,” at the murderous hands of the young men of +Maes-y-velin, as before related. + +Ashamed of the rustic cut of his coat, Twm proposed to purchase a +clerical one from his friend Rhys, who willingly made him a present of +his second best; observing that this was the day of his entrance into the +world, and as the mass of mankind were apt to judge of all by the +external appearance, an appropriate garb would aid even a man of merit in +making a favorable impression. + +The house of the vicar of Llandovery was among the best in the town; a +well-built strong mansion, distinguished from all others by a neat small +cupola on the top, within which was a bell, formerly used to call the +boys to school, but now useless, since the reverend gentleman had long +discontinued teaching. Twm and Rhys waited in the breakfast parlour +about half an hour, filling up the time by noticing and remarking on the +well-waxed oaken floor and furniture, that, with the prints of some of +the English martyrs, with which the room was hung, gave it something of a +gloomy appearance; and skimming over some dusty old volumes of divinity, +till the clock struck six. + +Punctual to the moment, in came the worthy vicar, who received the pair +courteously, but with very few words. Breakfast was preceded by prayers; +after which came in bowls of milk and hot cakes, with cold meat, butter, +cheese, and ale; of which, after grace, each was desired to take his +choice. Twm looked at his venerable host with awed reverence. This +eminent character was of a tall, stately figure; his hair white as wool, +his face pale, and rather long, with a countenance beaming with sedate +benignity. He regarded Twm for some time with silent attention, and +afterwards made a few enquiries respecting his recent feat, which, when +answered, he indulged in some pious ejaculations on the fortunate event. + +In the comparison suggested by the slight figure of Twm opposed to the +bluff rotundity of the robber, whose corpse he had seen the night before, +he referred to the scriptural records of the combat between David and +Goliah; strictly charging the fortunate youth to take no credit to +himself for the achievement, as he was but an humble instrument in a +mighty hand, and for a special purpose, unknown to the actors of the +scenes themselves. + +After a long grace, and a profusion of good counsel to our hero, the +visitors rose to depart; but ere they left, the worthy churchman placed +twenty shillings and a copy of his “Welshman’s Candle” in the hand of +Twm, and after shaking him warmly by the hand, he saw the pair to the +door and bade them farewell. + +About nine o’clock Rhys mounted his nag, and Twm, the noble hunter, which +had become his property by the right of conquest, and rode towards the +fair mansion of Ystrad Fîn. The road was entirely over the mountains, +through diversified scenery of much interest. At times the road ran +above the edge of a deep ravine of perilous declivity; at others, hills +overtopped them, in peaks of various fantastic forms; till at length +succeeded the tame flat moorland, abounding with wild ducks and various +aquatic and mountain fowl. These scenes were soon left behind, and +others of a different character, succeeded, tamed to softer beauty by the +indefatigable hand of industrious man. + +On reaching the cultivated lands, they passed through a wood at the base +of a hill, on leaving which, the rural chapel of Boiley, the ornamented +estate of Ystrad Fîn, the hill of Dinas, and a glimpse of the river +Towey, were the clustered objects before them. The ancient mansion of +Ystrad Fîn, they found most romantically situate, terminating a sloping +descent from the mountain, with a roaring alpine brook falling headlong +through its rocky bed, at the back; while the high conical hill of Dinas +stood, an object of singular beauty, in front. + +They entered the extensive farm-yard, which occupied one side of the +house, in which stood several large elms and oaks, with, here and there, +a huge hollow yew, that associated well with the antique appearance of +the house. + +The baronet and his lady, who had been waiting their arrival, gave each a +friendly welcome. It wanted about a couple of hours to dinner time, +which interim Sir George determined to employ on their immediate +business; to that end, accompanied by his lady, he introduced them into +the lawn and garden, where they conversed awhile on different subjects. +At length he began by declaring he had not yet learned the name of his +lady’s preserver; on which, Mr. Rhys told the whole story of his +parentage, dwelling with much emphasis on the unprincipled and cruel +neglect of his father, Sir John Wynne of Gwydir; and in conclusion, he +said his friend and late pupil’s name, derived from his mother, was +Thomas Jones: but that from his childhood he was familiarly called Twm +Shôn Catti. + +On the baronet’s inquiry respecting his views and prospects in life, Twm, +with becoming frankness said, that prospects he had none, but he would be +happy to undertake any employment which was not of a menial description; +adding, that as he had some little scholarship, he thought himself +qualified to become a tutor of children in a genteel family, or to take a +preparatory school in some town. The baronet smiled, and replied, that +he had no children, or he would be most happy to engage him in the former +capacity. “But,” cried he, with a sudden turn of jocularity, “allow me +to remark, young man, you surprize me much by your choice of an +occupation; I should have thought that a spirited young fellow like you, +would be more in your element with a commission in the army.” Twm glowed +at the mention of a soldier’s life, and replied with ardour, “You have +named, sir, the dearest sphere on earth in which I would desire to move; +but, friendless and unknown as I am, the very thought of such a thing +would be worse than vain.” “I make no specific promise _now_ on that +head,” returned Sir George, “but I shall not forget your predilection for +a career of arms, nor when communicating with those in power, shall I +ever fail to promote your interests, to the utmost of my power: but I +have now a proposal to make to you, which you can either accept or reject +as you may feel disposed. Were it not for my consciousness that I speak +to a youth of tried courage, animated by a brave enterprising spirit, I +should never think of naming it, but as it is, thus the affair stands. +The roads between Bristol and London are sadly infested by +highway-robbers; I want to send a considerable sum of money to the +metropolis; and I conceive that a lad of mettle and address like you +might bear it in safety, while absolute veterans in the ways of the world +would fail. I would give you a sufficient sum to bear your expenses; and +on your return here, after accomplishing your undertaking, reward you +handsomely, and do my utmost to place you in a situation agreeable to +your wishes, where you may gain an honorable livelihood.” + +Twm, in a moment, agreeably to the decision of his character, acceded to +the proposal, and declared he was ready to commence his journey to London +next morning. While the baronet was about to reply, a servant came to +the garden gate, and announced dinner; to which the party paid immediate +attention, and entered the hospitable dinner parlour of Ystrad Fîn. + + + + +CHAP. XXI. + + +Twm made a shew lion among the great. Benefits flow to him. Commences +his journey. The adventure of the pack-saddle. Outwits a highwayman and +rides off with his horse. + +RHYS slept the first night after his arrival, at Ystrad Fîn; but his +avocations calling him to Llandovery, he took his leave next morning, +after an affectionate parting with his former pupil, wishing him all +possible success in his journey to London. Twm, at the particular and +pressing invitation of his host and fair hostess, continued there, +enjoying their hospitalities, many days. Indeed he became a kind of shew +lion, and was daily exhibited by Lady Devereux to her friends, male and +female, whom she invited by scores to see her hero, as she called him. +The importance thus attributed to him by others, our hero soon took to +himself; and as many of the simpering lady visitors declared him to be no +less handsome than brave, he felt no difficulty in persuading himself +that there was more truth than flattery in the eulogies. + +Previous to the day of his departure, the baronet evinced his liberality +by presenting him with the sum of forty pounds; and gave him as much more +in payment for the hunter taken from the freebooter; while his lady took +from her neck a golden chain, and placed it on his, as a token, she said, +of her gratitude for the preservation of her life, and of her sense of +her preserver’s merit. Twm accepted these favors with a grace little to +have been expected from his previous habits of life; but he possessed an +innate pride and self consideration that soon burst through his native +bashfulness, and his mind ever rose with his good fortunes, nay, +sometimes even took the lead, so that he would boldly look Success in the +face, and wonder that the sum of his congratulations was not greater. + +The day of his departure at length arrived; and it was concerted that his +best mode of travelling would be, on a mean horse, with a pack-saddle, +and disguised as a labouring country lad. Thus mounted and accoutred, +behold him at length disappear through the yard gate of Ystrad Fîn; +having concealed in various parts of his dress the sum of money entrusted +to his care, and made Lady Devereaux his banker till his return, leaving +with her the whole of his lately gained property. Although ill contented +with the slow pace of the worn-out beast beneath him, he rode on with a +heart full of glee, proud of the honors which he had gained, and glowing +with bright anticipations of the future. + +We shall pass over the uninteresting portion of his journey; nor need we +dwell on the sensations natural to a young high-spirited mountaineer on +his continual change of scene, and view of novel objects, till he had +left behind him all the towns and villages of his native principality, +and at length the ancient city of Bristol itself. He had even passed +through Bath and Chippenham before a single adventure occurred worthy of +record. Riding late one evening, between the last named town and +Malborough, he found it necessary to put up at a small public house on +the road side, distinguished by the sign of “the Hop-pole,” the obscurity +of which he considered favorable to his safety. Having fed his beast and +eaten his supper, he went immediately to bed; and with a view of +preserving his treasure in the best manner, slept without divesting +himself of his clothes. + +Just as day was about to break, he was roused from his slumbers by the +trampling of a horse, and the gruff voice of a traveller whom he heard +alight and enter the house. A strong impulse of curiosity determined him +to rise from his bed, and, as the large treble-bedded room which he +occupied was over the parlour to which the guest was introduced, to +listen, and learn whether anything portended danger to himself. On the +first application of his ear to the aperture between the boards, he +found, to his surprise and dismay, that he was the subject of +conversation between the landlady and her guest, whom he also discovered +to be no other than the very character of which he stood most +particularly in peril—a highwayman. He heard himself described to him by +the landlady, as an “uncouth looby of a countryman from the Welsh +mountains, miserably mounted on a piece of animated carrion, for which +the crows cawed as it limped along; and that no booty was to be expected +from such a beggar.” “You are wrong, mistress, you are quite wrong,” +cried the stranger, “from your account I expect much from him. I have no +doubt but that he is a Welsh squire in disguise, as I have robbed more +than one such, dressed like a scarecrow, while making for London, and +bearing with him the twelvemonth’s rent of half a dozen of his +neighbours, to pay to the landlord in town. I shall be at this fellow as +soon he quits your roof; I have no doubt but he’s a prize, and if he _is_ +you of course come in for shares.” Having learnt thus much, Twm in some +trepidation retired to his bed, and began to consider how he should +contrive, in order to preserve the properly in his possession. He rose +again, thinking to escape through the window, but found it too small to +admit his egress, and therefore gave up the idea. As he looked out +through the miserable casement, busily plotting to hatch a scheme of +deliverance, he could perceive no favorable object to aid his purpose, +except a large pool on the road side, in which he thought of dropping his +cash, if he could reach it and do the act unobserved, so that he might +recover it at his leisure. As nothing better offered, he determined to +adopt this plan immediately; and therefore, after making a studied +clattering in putting on his shoes, he went down stairs, and called for a +jug of beer and toast for his breakfast. The freebooter did not shew +himself, but the landlady and her daughter, who seemed to be in the habit +of sitting up all night to receive and entertain such guests, scrutinized +our hero very closely. The worthy hostess asked him some apparently +careless questions respecting his business in travelling the country, to +which he replied he was trying to overtake a brother pigman, who was +driving their joint charge towards London. + +A new idea of arrangement struck him while at breakfast, which quite +altered his fore-constructed plan, and he began to act upon it as soon as +conceived. To give a more clownish character to his manners, the night +before, he carried the old pack-saddle up stairs, brought it down in the +morning, and while at breakfast sat on it before the fire, instead of a +stool. + +Reflecting on the whimsicality of the circumstance, and the probable +construction that would be put on the care thus evinced of so homely an +article, he deemed they would guess that his money was concealed in it, a +fancy that it now suited him to humour. Accordingly, bursting a hole in +the fore end of it, he called the landlady to receive her reckoning, and +in her presence, pushing his fist into the straw cushion of the +pack-saddle, he drew out several pieces of gold, and asked her if she +could give him change: but she answered in the negative, on which, he +again thrust his hand into the pack-saddle, and brought out more gold +with silver intermixed; and with the latter settled his bill, and went to +the stable for his horse. Securing all his money about his person, he +mounted his rozinante; having cut away the girths from the pack-saddle, +he bade the landlady farewell, and rode with all his might towards the +pool, which was about a quarter of a mile forward on the road. He soon +heard the highwayman brushing forward in his rear, and heard him with +many oaths call loudly to stop, a summons that increased our hero’s +speed, till, being opposite to the pond, his pursuer overtook him. Twm +rode to the edge of the water, and threw the pack-saddle with all his +strength towards the centre of the pool; but in bustling to regain a +steady seat as he made towards the road, he fell headlong from his horse. +The freebooter cursed him for a Welsh fool, and with a thundering voice +ordering him to hold his horse, or he would blow his brains out, +(brandishing his pistol the while) that he might go into the water and +recover the booty. Twm feigned great terror, and with ludicrous +whimpering took the bridle in his hand; but the moment the highwayman +reached the water, he with one spring mounted his fine tall horse, and +rode away with all his might. + +Our hero soon found that he had reckoned without his host, in fancying +his achievement now complete; for the knight of the road finding himself +thus tricked, placed his fingers in his mouth and gave a loud whistle, on +which, his horse in the full career of speed, immediately stopped quite +still. Twm, in real terror, as he was within pistol shot, roared +“murder!” with all his might; when the horse, to his great amazement, +took his exclamation of terror for a counter order, and again started +into a gallop. The freebooter repeated his whistle, and again his horse +stood still as a milestone: Twm reiterated “murder!” with all the power +of his lungs; and the well-taught horse was instantly again on his +greatest effort of speed. Thus the highwayman’s whistle and Twm’s +roaring of “murder” had their respective efforts on the noble animal, +till at length our hero got completely out of hearing of the baffled +robber. As he rode on triumphantly, he sang the old Welsh Triban {172}.— + + “No cheat it is to cheat the cheater; + No treason to betray the traitor; + Nor is it theft, but just deceiving, + To thieve from him who lives by thieving.” + +With the good prize of a valuable horse, he entered the town of +Marlborough; the merry peals of its bells were quite in unison with his +feelings, and as the tune changed to “See the conquering hero comes,” it +almost seemed to him a personal greeting, which, with his natural good +animal spirits, elated him to the highest pitch. + +Telling his tale at the inn where he put up, it was soon known throughout +the town; many of the inhabitants of which, were loud in their +congratulations and applause to the young Welshman, who so cleverly +outwitted the English highwayman. + + + + +CHAP. XXI. + + +Twm overtakes an old acquaintance. Sad news from Tregaron. Outwits +another highwayman, and rides off with his horse. + +TWM, though naturally elated with his good fortune, did not suffer it to +overcome his caution for the rest of the journey; and as he found himself +no less than seventy-four miles from London, he calculated on many more +attacks before he should reach it. He was sent for next morning by the +mayor of Marlborough, who had heard of his adventure, and required to +bring the horse with him, which he had so adroitly won. Many gentlemen +having assembled at the entrance of the town-hall, our hero appeared in +all the pride of a conqueror, mounted on his goodly steed; their hats +were doffed, and loud shouts of applause immediately given. It was soon +ascertained by the mayor and the gentlemen present, that the horse was +regularly bred to the road, and instructed by a highwayman, therefore, +not as first conjectured, the property of any person deprived of it by +one of these free-faring gentry: consequently, the mayor, with many +compliments on his cleverness, told our hero that the horse was his own +by right of conquest; but that if he was inclined to part with it, he +would give fifty pounds for it. Twm directly assented, and the money was +paid to him the same morning. + +Learning there was to be a fair next day at Hungerford, a town ten miles +further on, he resolved to walk there with a view of purchasing a +substitute for his lost pony, as he judged his original mode of +travelling, although the least comfortable, the most secure that he could +adopt. About three miles out of Hungerford, he saw before him a +pig-drover with a large herd of porkers, that he alternately cursed in +the ancient British tongue, and cut up with a whip, while at intervals +between these amusing recreations he loudly sang or roared certain scraps +of Welsh songs. Twm’s ear was quick in recognizing the well-known voice, +and he soon stood side by side with his old friend Wat the mole-catcher. +After mutual expressions of wonder and congratulation, Twm eagerly asked +him how his mother was, as well as Farmer Cadwgan and his daughter +Gwenny. Wat replied that his mother and her husband were well; but +instead of answering the latter part of his question, enquired his +adventures since he left Tregaron. Twm, with animated vanity, ran over +that brief portion of his history, occasionally heightening the colour of +events, according to the general practice of story-tellers from time +immemorial; dwelling particularly on his fortunate preservation of the +lady of Ystrad Fîn, and the benefits which accrued to him in consequence, +from the liberality of Sir George Devereux, whose confidential agent he +then was, on business of the utmost importance, to London. + +After practising to his utmost to astonish Wat with the riches and vast +consideration of his “friend” Sir George, Twm very conceitedly observed, +“Well Wat, were he ten times as rich and powerful, I should never envy +him anything he possessed, but one lovely piece of property.” “And what +might that be?” asked Wat. “Why,” replied the other, “could I once +forget poor Gwenny Cadwgan, which I never can, I should envy him the +possession of his charming young wife, the beautiful lady of Ystrad +Fîn—the finest, the handsomest, and cleverest woman I ever saw! and +although now married to a second husband, she is little more than +three-and-twenty years of age. But I was asking of my old sweetheart +Gwenny, poor Gwenny Cadwgan.”—“Poor Gwenny Cadwgan indeed!” sighed Wat, +interrupting him. The pathetic and mysterious manner in which the +mole-catcher spoke this, alarmed our hero and produced an instant change +in his manner; “What of her Wat,” cried he eagerly, “is any thing the +matter? tell me quickly, for heaven’s sake!” Wat answered in a tone of +greater feeling than any one would have believed him to possess, “She is +dead, Twm—dead, and in her cold grave, these four months past. God +forgive you, if you have sent her to it, but you alone have the blame of +it at Tregaron.” This intelligence was a thunderbolt to our hero; his +agony appeared insupportable, as he sat on the road side to indulge it, +till tears came to his relief, which at length flowed abundantly. It was +not till after they were lodged for the night at Hungerford that Twm +found himself capable of questioning his friend further on this unhappy +subject, when he was informed that the fair Gwenny Cadwgan had declined +in health from day to day, pining, it was said, with secret grief, the +cause of which she refused to discover, even to her father; but it soon +came out, for Death hastened to her relief, and she died a mother: a +premature mother, it is true, and her infant was buried in the same grave +with its ill-used broken-hearted, youthful parent. + +Hitherto, mental suffering had never been a long guest with our hero; but +now, in proportion to his affection for the departed fair one, was his +remorse, his self-accusing reflections for his neglect of the fond heart +he had won, and the ruin he had brought on one whom he had found so +happy. He became ill, and incapable of pursuing his journey the next +day, when Wat left him, expressing a hope that he would soon be able to +overtake him, that they might enter London together. + +He remained three days at Hungerford before he was sufficiently recovered +to pursue his journey; at the end of which time, being still at a loss +for a horse, on enquiring for an animal of a humble description, he was +directed to an old pedlar, who had failed to dispose of a wretched thing +of his at the fair. On going with him down a green lane where he had +left it grazing, he was not a little surprized to find the creature +offered to him for sale to be no other than his own mountain pony, left +in exchange with the highwayman, having on its back the identical +pack-saddle, in which he had formerly concealed his money. Too depressed +in spirits to enter into any detail on the subject, having merely learnt +that the pedlar had taken it in exchange for goods from a traveller, Twm +purchased both pony and pack-saddle for the small sum of twelve +shillings, and immediately set off on his journey. + +Alive to the importance of the trust reposed in him, and the danger he +ran of being robbed, these considerations had the effect of dissipating +his melancholy, and setting him somewhat on his mettle. Well for him it +was, that he could so rouse his dormant energies, for by the time that he +was within ten miles of Reading, in Berkshire, anxiously hoping to reach +it without disaster, the sudden discharge of a pistol, close to his ear, +convinced him he was in the centre of danger. Instantly a horseman well +mounted rode fiercely down a lane that entered the road, and ordered him +to stop and deliver in one minute, or have his brains scattered on the +hedge beside him. + +Our hero’s presence of mind never forsook him, and now stood his friend +in an especial manner. Assuming an air of clownish simplicity, he +replied, “Laud bless ye master, I ha gotten nothing to deliver, but an +old testament, a crooked sixpence, and a broken fish-hook, and—and—” +“And what, you prevaricating young scoundrel!” roared the highwayman, +“why this purse,” continued Twm, “which uncle Timothy gave I to market +for him and pay his bills at Reading to-morrow;” producing at the same +time, an old stocking, which he had stuffed with old nails and +cockle-shells, in order to make a jingle. The robber made a grasp at the +supposed well-stocked purse, which Twm dexterously evaded, and flung the +purse over the hedge into the adjoining field, and riding on, while the +former instantly alighted, blustering out a fund of oaths and bullying +threats, as he made his way to the field to search for the coveted +treasure. + +Aware that on his poor pony he could not but be soon overtaken, and +perhaps shot, by the disappointed freebooter, Twm felt that a daring act +requiring the firmest resolution was to be instantly performed to ensure +his safety, and proceeded immediately to its achievement. The knight of +the road, when he alighted, threw his bridle over a hedgestake; Twm +abandoning his pony for the second time, watched the robber into the +field, crawled along the ditch till he reached his horse, which he +instantly seized by the bridle, mounted and rode off in a hot gallop, +till he got safe into the ancient town of Reading, as the clear-toned +bells of St. Lawrence were chiming their last evening peal. + + + + +CHAP. XXII. + + +Twm becomes a pedestrian. Adventures of Wat the mole-catcher. The +Cardiganshire lasses. Tragic relation. Stalking Simon murdered. Twm is +stopped by a footpad, whom he out-generals and shoots. Arrives in +London. + +TWM was not so fortunate with this steed as the former, which, being +white, and otherwise very remarkable, he had the precaution to have cried +next morning, when a wealthy attorney of Reading came forward and claimed +it. On hearing Twm’s story, he very handsomely made him a present of ten +pounds, partly in consideration of the loss of his own beast, which he +had sustained by the adventure. + +Being now within eight-and-thirty miles of London, he resolved to throw +off his rustic disguise, and walk the rest of his journey. Accordingly, +he bought a neat suit of clothes at Reading, in which he concealed his +money and a pair of small pocket pistols; and thus provided, he resumed +his journey to the metropolis. Having gone twelve miles further, which +brought him to Maidenhead, the first person that he met in the street was +Wat the mole-catcher, who had sold his pigs to great advantage to a +London dealer; and was now sauntering about from tavern to tavern, +spending money that was not his own. Twm at first thought of +commissioning him to be the bearer of some cash to his mother, but soon +found sufficient reason for banishing such an idea. On asking him when +he intended to return to Tregaron, the mole-catcher with strong emphasis +exclaimed “never!” adding that he had made the place too hot ever to hold +him again. On being pressed to relate his adventures since our hero left +him at Tregaron, he ran them over in the following off hand strain. +“When you were a child, Twm, I was a merry happy lad; and you know, had +the reputation as the _funny fellow_ of Tregaron, a distinction that it +was my highest ambition to attain. The comical tricks and humorous +sayings of Wat the mole-catcher, made mirth at every farmer’s hearth, and +their tables were spread with food for me whenever I called. As I grew +older, my pleasures and antipathies acquired a stronger cast; and there +were but few in our adjoining parishes who were subject either to +execration or ridicule, but dreaded my satire and exposure. I formed +attachments more than once among the daughters of the farmers whom I had +frequently entertained at the social evening hearth; but although my +jests were relished, my overtures were rejected. In short, I found that +while mirth, innocence, and harmless wit were my companions, parents +generally disposed of their daughters to young men of characters directly +opposed to mine—the stupidly grave, and knavish. My eyes were at length +opened; and I found that the _funny man_ however amusing as an +acquaintance, was by none as coveted as a relative, but considered as a +merry unthrift, a mere diverting vagabond at best. Well, thought I, as I +saw the world in the nakedness of its opinion, this will never do, but +since gravity is the order of the day, I will be grave and roguish as the +most successful of my fellow men. Having once come to this conclusion, I +studied knavery, that is to say, thrifty rascality, like a science. You +had a specimen of my skill when you played me that pretty trick that lost +me the parish clerkship, and the fair hand of Bessy Gwevel-hîr. As a +first step I went immediately to my grandmother, who had often exhorted +me to quit my sinful mirth and become serious, when I assured her of my +conversion, in token of which, I threw myself on my knees, and entreated +her blessing. She afterwards took me to a puritanic chapel, and in that +assembly, where I had often pinned the skirts and gown-tails of the elect +together, the poor old doting soul in the pride of her heart exhibited +her young convert to the gaze of the saints; but neglected to inform them +that I had robbed her that same evening, of half the contents of her +pocket, as she lay asleep. I was not long in discovering that a sedate +aspect was a goodly mask for the most profitable villainy, and therefore +determined to wear it for life. Laughter, jest, and mirthful humour, and +all those thriftless indications of the light and harmless heart, I +abjured forever. I now gave a respite to the rats and moles, and set up +as a butcher at Tregaron; and for one sheep that I bought of the farmers, +I stole three, and slaughtered them either by moonlight on the hills, or +by candle in my own cottage. Although I daily bettered my condition, I +considered this but a slow and creeping course to thrift; and therefore, +as conscience no longer stood in my way, I meditated some bolder way of +leaping into property at once. You know that wrinkled old she-usurer of +Tregaron, Rachel Ketch; in the bitterness of my heart, after losing all +hope of a fair girl, whom I had long doated on, I went to the old Jezebel +and sought her hand in marriage; aye, and would have taken her were she +ten times as loathsome, in the anxious hope of her speedy death and of +succeeding to her golden hoards. I strove to recommend myself by +assuring her I was the most finished scoundrel in existence; and that +when gain was my object, theft, perjury, and even murder, however hideous +to silly innocents, had no power to scare me from my pursuit. This +avowal of my noble qualifications I thought would have won her heart +forever, but I was mistaken. The keen-eyed hag, who never was seen to +smile before, laughed outright at my proposal. ‘What, you want the old +woman’s gold, master cut-throat of the muttons, do you? to cut her throat +also, and make away with her in a month after marriage, like a +troublesome old ewe!’ screamed she, as her spiteful broken snags grinned +defiance, and her shrill tones broke out in laughs of mockery. I never +saw mirth so damnable before! I felt myself the butt of her ridicule, +humbled and degraded; and as my anger rose against the beldame, I +resolved that since I could not wed her, to rob her would answer my +purpose full as well. An opportunity was not long wanting; the little +boys who had formerly been my favorites, and who in their innocence +failed to recognize my altered character, I found it difficult to drive +from me. A neighbour’s child one day asked me to lift him up to Rachel +Ketch’s thatch, to take from it a wren’s nest which he had long watched, +and said he was sure that the young ones were on the eve of flying. It +was a winning little urchin that made the request, and I could not refuse +him. The moment that I had raised him to a standing posture on my +shoulders, he eagerly thrust his little hand into the thatch, and cried, +‘Dear dear, how cold!’ when a snake which he had felt, that had destroyed +the young birds, and coiled itself round in the nest, darted out in his +face, and the youngster shrieked and fainted in my arms. I carried him +home, where he soon died of the fright, for it appeared he was not stung. +I suspected there was a nest of those detestable reptiles in the old +rotten straw thatch, and therefore poked it in all directions with a long +hooked stick, and at last felt something attached to it; as I drew it +forward and examined it, to my great astonishment I found it to be an old +woollen stocking, closely stuffed with various golden coins. Here was a +discovery! I felt myself a made man forever! The old woman was at this +time in Carmarthenshire, where she had gone to enforce her claims to +certain debts among her former neighbours; and therefore having no fear +of detection, I pushed back the golden prize and went away, intending to +return for it at night. As I anxiously watched the hours and minutes +pass away, reflecting the while on my newly-acquired wealth, a raging +savage spirit of avarice so possessed me, that I determined to plunder +old Rachel’s cottage of all the money I could find. Night came, and with +breathless haste I made an entrance through the thatch on the side +furthest from the street, and at midnight went away with a heavy booty, +the greater part of which, I buried beneath the floor of my own cottage, +determined to seek the first opportunity of quitting Tregaron forever. +Fortune seemed to favor me beyond my hopes; Squire Graspacre having a +numerous herd of unusually fine hogs, engaged me to drive them to England +and sell them at a good price; I have done so, and pocketted the cash, +not one farthing of which will the squire ever handle. To relate all my +rogueries since I became a grave man would take too much of your time, so +here ends my story.” + +Twm’s observations on this remarkable narrative were very brief. “I know +my own numerous faults too well to blame you highly for anything you have +done, except robbing the poor helpless old woman: that was a villainous +affair Wat, and will not stand the test of my friend Rhys’s noble +precept—_War not with the weak_. I have a mother, Wat, who is also an +old woman, and who but a dastardly villain could ever think of robbing +her.” “Very true,” replied Wat, “but she whom I plundered was a _rich_ +old woman; and to steal from her who had robbed hundreds by her +over-reaching usury will never lie much on my conscience. Perhaps in +time I may form a plan to recover the cash buried under my cottage floor; +if not, I can make myself very happy with what I already have, in +addition to the squire’s pig-money; so that I shall be quite safe and +unmolested in England, and while I have money, nobody will dare to +question my respectability.” + +At this moment, a party of Cardiganshire lasses, who were making their +annual journey to weed the gardens in the neighbourhood of London, passed +opposite the tavern door, where our worthies were sitting; Twm recognized +two Tregaron girls, and called to them by name, when they all went up +together. The two rural damsels were right glad to see their long lost +countryman; Twm Shôn Catti, but their reception of Wat was very +different, as it amounted to terror and abhorrence. They said he was +charged not only with the robbery of Rachel Ketch’s cottage, but with +murder; that the constables were out to search for him in all quarters, +and that Squire Graspacre had sent out a man to supersede Wat in the care +of his pigs. + +Here Wat’s spirit of bravado entirely deserted him, and evident terror +was depicted in his countenance, while his emotion was too great to make +any remark on the information given by the girls. + +After Twm had treated all the maidens with bread and cheese and ale, and +dismissed them on their journey, Wat, in great agony of mind, exclaimed, +“Oh God, where shall I fly! all my supposed security I find but a dream, +and misery alone awaits me. When I told you the tale of my enormities, I +kept back the relation of one crime, a dreadful one! which, lost as I am, +I felt averse to acknowledge, and too heart-smote with the consciousness +of its atrocity, to turn to it my most secret thought—’twas a deed of +blood, the crime of murder. You remember a tall, thin, skeleton-like +man, generally dressed in an entire suit of grey, who lived in a cottage +on the mountain, in the neighbourhood of Tregaron, known by the nick-name +of Stalking Simon the Moon-calf. This man was known to be a spy employed +and paid by all the neighbouring farmers. His habits were, to sleep all +day, and to spend the night on the hills, watching to identify the +hedge-pluckers and sheep-stealers. Many poor persons who depended on +their nightly excursions, for fuel, while they deemed themselves +unobserved of any human being, cutting down a tree, or drawing dry wood +from an old hedge, would suddenly find themselves in the presence of +Stalking Simon. So instantaneous was his appearance, as to startle his +victims with the idea of an apparition suddenly sprung up through the +ground, as his approach was never seen till close upon them. ‘’Tis only +me, neighbour,’ would be the hypocrite’s reply, ‘searching for my stray +pony:’ but when two persons had been executed, and three transported, on +his evidence, the nature of his employment became known, and he was +execrated by the whole country. One moonlight night, as I was skinning a +fine stolen wether, which I had suspended and spread out on an old +storm-beaten thorn, in a field adjoining the mountain, easy in mind, and +so fearless of danger that I whistled in a half-hushed manner, as I +followed my illicit occupation, a circumstance took place that wrought a +violent change in the tone of my mind. My thoughts ran on the +whimsicality of the idea of selling a portion of this very mutton to the +rightful owner, on the morrow, which was market day, and laughing +inwardly at the thought; all at once, Stalking Simon, with a single +stride, moved from behind a mossy elm, grey as his own suit, and stood +before me. My blood curdled with the sudden transition from mirth to +terror; but when the stone-hearted wretch made the old Judas-like reply, +‘It is only me neighbour, searching for my stray pony,’ I knew the amount +of my danger, and my terror changed to savage ferocity against the vile +informer who had ruined so many of my friends and neighbours. In the +fever of my hatred I darted on him, grasped his collar with one hand, and +with the other stabbed him to the heart.” + +Thus ended Wat’s relation, when he again exclaimed “Oh God where shall I +fly? I cannot return, for that road leads straight to the gallows, and +in London I should be in hourly danger of being seen by somebody from the +country. Since the perpetration of this deed of blood I have not known +an hour’s peace, save in the madness of the intoxicating cup. Heaven is +my witness, I could be content with slavery, and smile beneath the +man-driver’s whip—could strip myself and wander the world in nakedness, +or herd with beasts, to regain my former peace and innocence! Oh, I +could labour till my bones ached, and my exhausted body dropped to the +earth with fatigue, to be once more free from the keen stings of a guilty +conscience.” + +Wat was now a figure of the most heart-torn remorse; his reddened eyes +were tearless, and seemed burning in their sockets; while large drops of +sweat rolled down his sun-burnt cheeks, and his whole countenance +exhibited the most intense agony. In such an hour as this, Twm was no +comforter, although he was much affected, but merely listened in silence. +A grey-coated man now approaching the tavern, brought dreadful +associations to Wat’s terrified conscience, and in the utmost trepidation +he darted out at the back door of the inn, and ran across the fields with +the speed of a pursued murderer. + +Our hero, now a pedestrian, hurried off on his journey, determined to +make up for the time lost at Maidenhead, by walking at a spirited pace; +and without stopping a moment, he passed through Langley, Broom, and +Colnbrook, hoping to reach Hounslow at least that night. He had +travelled unimpeded till within two miles of the last named town, when he +met a long-bearded man, who might have passed for the high priest of a +Jewish synagogue. Twm stared at him with surprize, but passed on a few +steps, when he heard the other at his heels; and turning round, he found +him with a pistol aimed at his head, as he called out in the true slang +of the road, “Your money or your life.” + +Our hero, having now met a few rencontres of this kind, had lost his +terror of them; he answered in a submissive style, declaring that he had +no money of his own to resign, but it was true he had a considerable sum +of his master’s: “I don’t see,” quoth he, “why I should lose or risk my +life for any master’s service, though I should like it may appear that I +made some resistance before I resigned his property; and therefore if you +first fire your pistol through the lapel of my coat, you shall have all;” +when the footpad immediately did as requested. “Now,” quoth Twm again, +“another shot through the skirt on the other side.” “Very true,” replied +the thief, and fired his other pistol as directed. “And now, for a +finish,” said Twm, “before I give up to you this large sum, just fire a +shot through my hat,” laying it down on the ground as he spoke. “I have +no more shot,” cried the robber. “But I have!” exclaimed our hero, +triumphantly, producing a pistol, “the contents of this you must take +instead of the money I spoke of—a just reward for a shallow knave, whose +length of beard is greater than of brains:” at which words, perceiving +that the bearded thief aimed to escape, he fired his pistol and shot him +dead. Tearing his false beard off, he bore it away as a trophy, and +hastened onward. + +Being now, as he was previously informed, in the very republic of +highwaymen and foodpads, our hero, though greatly fatigued, resolved not +to spend the night at Hounslow, but persevere in his route and go the +additional nine miles, which would bring him to the great metropolis, and +his journey’s end, before he rested. It was near one o’clock, when at +length after many inquiries among the Watchmen, he found out the Bull and +Gate inn, Holborn; where with blistered feet and sadly fatigued body, he +joyfully took his supper and ordered his bed. Who but a pedestrian could +enter into his feelings! + + + + +CHAP. XXIII. + + +Twm’s return to Wales. The death of Sir George Devereux. The loves of +Twm Shôn Catti and the lady of Ystrad Fîn. Their joys converted into +sorrows. Their parting. + +IT was soon known at Ystrad Fîn that our hero had fulfilled his +commission by delivering the money with which he was intrusted, at the +place of its destination; and great anxiety was expressed by Sir George +and his lady for his return to Wales. The baronet, however, was not +destined to put his benevolent intentions in his favor into execution, +for, about two months after Twm’s departure, on riding home an ill-broken +horse, which he had purchased at Brecon, he was thrown, and killed by the +fall. His widow, of course, appeared in weeds; but as the last like her +former union with the high pedigreed Thomas ap Rhys ap William Thomas +Goch, the former proprietor of Ystrad Fîn, was a marriage of interest +planned by her father, Sir John Price, of the Priory, Brecon, it was +thought her grief on the occasion was not excessive: at least, such +appeared to be the general opinion among the gallants of Brecon, many of +whom waited anxiously for the throwing off of her mourning, to declare +themselves candidates for her heart and hand. + +Month after month passed away without Twm’s return; and when a whole year +had run its course, the lady of Ystrad Fîn, who had frequently expressed +her alarms for his safety, at length concluded that he certainly was no +longer on the records of the living. The young widow speaking of him one +day to a female friend, described him as very beautiful of person, and +one who deserved the favors of fortune; the greatest of which, in her +estimation, would be his acquirement of rank and station by marriage—by +an union with a liberal fair, who could overlook his humbleness of birth +in consideration of his personal merit. “But the generous young man,” +said she, while the tears started in her fine eyes, “is doubtless dead. +I feel for him as an amiable unfriended stranger who deserved a better +fate than to die in obscurity, as Nature had formed him for distinction, +if not renown.” + +The conversation then changed, when the widow’s fair friend jocularly +alluded to the probability of her again doffing her weeds for bridal +robes. “Never!” exclaimed Lady Devereux, “twice have I been a wife and +widow, and can safely assert that, love never had a share in the disposal +of my hand. Twice have I been bartered to suit the capricious views and +family pride of a father; but were it possible for me to utter ‘love, +honor, and obey,’ again, within sacred walls, it should be to one whom I +love indeed—love, honor, and obey!—and not to the contemporary of my +grandfather, or my father’s schoolfellow.” + +It was about two months after this conversation took place, that our hero +appeared, well mounted on a goodly steed, and entered the court yard of +Ystrad Fîn. In a moment, the circumstance was told to Lady Devereux, who +almost leaped from her seat, and hurried to meet him, as he reached the +entrance of the hall. Twm had heard of the decease of Sir George, and +prepared himself with the tone and manner of a condoler, but found it +quite unnecessary when he noticed the brisk advance and gay countenance +of the handsome widow. “My dear Mr. Jones, welcome, most welcome, back +to Wales, and trebly welcome to me and the lonely walls of Ystrad Fîn!” +was her first salutation, as with her natural cordiality she stretched +out her right hand, which our hero eagerly seized, ardently pressed, and +held to his lips. She was not long in discovering the change for the +better which had taken place in his address; his former ungainly +diffidence and indecision of manner being supplanted by easy confidence, +supported by high animal spirits. + +The widow, in conversing with her friend Miss Meredith, declared herself +delighted with him, and our hero appeared no less pleased with the lady. +At her invitation, he became an inmate of the house, until, as she said, +he could put himself to rights. The sum of money left to her care, was +delivered up to him with considerable additions, in return for his +services by the journey to London, and from her own private bounty. + +When the youth, beauty, and frank good nature of the lady are taken into +account, it will be no matter of surprize that our hero was soon very +deeply infatuated with the lady of Ystrad Fîn; or that he should, +agreeably to his matured character, very energetically protest himself +her sincere admirer, friend, and even lover! If the lady chided him, it +was with that gentleness that seemed to say, “Pray do so again.” If she +turned aside her head to conceal her blushes, smiles ever accompanied +them, in coming and retreating; or if she frowned, it was so equivocally, +that for the life of him, our hero could not help considering each +transient bend of the brow as so many invitations to kiss them away, +which the gallant Twm never failed to accept and obey. These golden days +were too rich in delight to last long. As the _good-natured and most +virtuous world_ discovered that they were very happy and pleased with +each other, it breathed forth its malignant spirit, and doubted whether +they had a legitimate right to be so; of course deciding that they had +not, and consequently awarding to the lovers the pains and penalties of +persecution and mutual banishment. When they had become, for some time, +undivided companions, and walked, rode, danced at Brecon balls, and +resided under the same roof together, although under the strict guidance +of moral propriety, as daily witnessed by the lady’s female friends: it +will be no wonder that scandal at last became busy with the lady’s fame. +An additional incentive for raising these evil reports was, that she had +rejected the attentions of several of the rural nobles, who had +endeavoured to recommend themselves to her good graces. All at once, +like the inmates of a hornet’s nest, the various members of her family, +the proud Prices of Breconshire, buzzed about her ears, and stung her +with their reproaches. She bore all with determined patience, until +assured that her fame had been vilified, and that she had been described +as living a life of profligacy and dishonour. Conscious of rectitude, +however indiscreet she might have been, the haughtiness of her spirit now +rose, as she indignantly repelled the infamous charges; in the end, +requesting her _dear friends and relatives_ to dismiss their tender fears +for her reputation, and keep to their own domains for the future, or at +least not trouble hers. + +Notwithstanding this rough reception of her generous advisers, and +reporters of the world’s slanders, others came, almost daily, buzzing +still the same tale, till at length tired and wore down in spirits, she +consented to send away her deliverer and friend, as she called him, from +the protection of her roof. Our hero, however, could never be brought to +distinguish between her real kind feelings towards him, and the +constrained appearance which her altered conduct made in his sight. Free +as the air, as he felt himself, he could not understand why a great and +wealthy lady could not at least be equally unshackled and independent. +Explanations and excuses were entirely thrown away upon him, as he could +not, or would not, understand aught so opposed to his happiness and +preconceived notions. When at length it was made known to him that the +separation was inevitable, and the season of it arrived, he received the +astounding intelligence like a severe blow of fortune, that struck him at +once both sorrowful and meditative. Pride and resentment, from a sense +of injury, at last supplanted every other feeling; and, starting up with +a frenzied effort, he ordered his horse to be got ready, and gave +directions for his things to be forwarded to Llandovery; after which he +wrote a note, and sent it to the lady’s room, requesting a momentary +interview with her alone, before he took his departure. She came down +with a slow languid step, and met him in the parlour. Her eyes were red +with weeping; and before she could utter a syllable, our hero’s much +altered looks affected her so much, that she burst out into heavy +sobbing. “Do not think hardly—do not feel unkindly towards me, Jones,” +were her first words; “I entreat you to give me the credit due to my +sincerity, when I assure you that the sacrifice I made on consenting to +part with you, was—yes! although I have buried two husbands who loved me +tenderly, it was the heaviest of my life.” Twm replied in a tone and +manner that evinced both his pride and sufferings: “I have but few words, +madam, and they shall not long intrude upon your leisure. I came here a +stranger, and had some trifling claims, perhaps, on your attention.—Those +claims have been more than satisfied—noble has been your remuneration of +my humble services, your beneficence generous and princely. A change +took place in your destiny; you honoured me beyond my merits, and bade me +stand to the world in a new character. You called me friend, your sole +true friend in a faithless world.—Nay, lady, your lover. I loved, and +love you, with a pure but unconquerable flame. Blame me not if I am +presumptuous—it was your own condescension, your own encouragement, that +made me so, and elevated me to a stand of equality with yourself. You +gave me hopes to be the future, the only husband of your choice. You +stretched forth your hand to aid my efforts, as I eagerly climbed towards +the darling object of my aim; but before I attained the summit, you, +madam, in a spirit of caprice or treachery, dashed me headlong downward, +to perish in despair. Your great and wealthy friends will praise you for +this, while mincing madams and insipid misses shall learn a noble lesson +by your conduct, and emulating you, become in their day as arrant +coquettes and tramplers on manly hearts, as their more limited powers and +vanity will permit. But enough! you shall have your generous +triumph,—and from this hour I tread the world without an aim, a wanderer +in a wilderness, reckless of all that can either better or worsen my +state in life. Advancement, estimation, the pride of generous and +applauded deeds, I here abjure; nor from this hour would I raise my hand +to save from annihilation the being I am—for life is henceforth hateful +to me. Lady, farewell—never will I cross your path; but you may hear of +my wayward steps,—and if in me you are told of a wretched idiot, a being +whose mind had perished while his frame was strong, let it strike +strongly to your heart that it was yourself that wrought that mental +desolation. Or if they name me as a lawless being, plunged headlong into +deeds of guilt and madness, remember it is you, you, madam! you are the +authoress of my crimes and sorrows, and may be, of an ignominious death +to follow my career of guilt. And now madam, farewell indeed!” On which +he darted out, mounted his horse, and rode off; while the unhappy lady of +Ystrad Fîn, whose agitation choked the utterance of replies, caught a +last glimpse of him, and fell on the parlour floor in a swoon. + + + + +CHAP. XXIV. + + +Twm’s eccentricities. His rural adventures with the two sheep, the white +ox, and the grey horse. Teaches the farmer how to pound the squire’s +trespassing pigeons. + +WHEN our hero arrived at Llandovery, his sorrows were augmented on +learning that his faithful friend Rhys the curate was no longer to be his +comforter, though much needed under his present mental depression; it was +no small satisfaction to him, however, to be informed that he had been +inducted into a good living in a distant part of the principality. The +life he led at Llandovery, although lodging at an inn, was, for some +days, that of a solitary; _days_! alas for the consistency of the +lover,—days, we repeat, and not weeks or months, much less years, of +seclusion from his kind. He soon illustrated the Shakspearian adage, +“Men have died, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.” But by him +every thing was to done by strokes of boldness; to banish his cares, he +plunged at once into intemperance; and from merely tolerating a little +cheerful company, he entered the society of the greatest topers and +madcaps to be found, till he emulated and outdid the highest, and became +the very prince of wags and practical jokers. He was, of course, +recognized as the capturer of the tremendous highwayman Dio the Devil, +and the acknowledged preserver of the lady of Ystrad Fîn, which, with his +relations of many freaks and vagaries in England, together with the +assured fact that he had been once in London, and spent a year there, +gained him no inconsiderable share of celebrity. One day, while the +landlord of the Owen Glendower inn was trumpeting forth the humorous fame +of his lodger, among a parlour full of country squires, who were dining +together, after the business of Quarter Sessions was over; a merry +magistrate named Prothero said, that he was certain he had a servant, a +shrewd fellow, whose wits never slumbered, whom he would back in a bet +against the vaunted cleverness of Twm Shôn Catti, in any feat of +dexterity that could be named. To come to the point, he said, he would +lay a wager of five pounds that Twm could not steal a sheep from shrewd +Roger, his ploughman, who the next morning should carry one to the +village of Llangattock. Twm was sent for; and being invited to sit among +these rural nobles, appeared as complete a high fellow as the best of +them. Without the least hesitation, he accepted Mr. Prothero’s wager, +and deposited five pounds with the landlord, as the merry magistrate had +already done. Early the next morning shrewd Roger rose, and shouldered +his sheep, vowing before his grinning fellow-servants, who grouped round +to crack their jests on him, that the wild devil himself should not +deprive him of his burthen. As he proceeded along a part of the high +road, up a slight ascent, he discovered with surprise, a good leathern +shoe lying in the mud. A shoe of leather, be it known, in a country +where wooden clogs are generally worn, is no despicable prize. The +shrewd servant looked at the object before him with a longing eye; but +reflecting that one shoe, however good, was useless unmatched with a +fellow, spared himself the trouble of stooping, for troublesome it would +have been with such a weight on his shoulders, and passed on without +lifting it. On walking a little further, and pursuing a bend in the +road, great was his surprise on finding another shoe, a fellow to the +former, lying in the sledge-mark, which, like the rut of a wheel, +indented the mud with hollow stripes. In the height of his joy he laid +down the sheep, with its legs tied, beside the shoe, and ran back for the +other; when Twm Shôn Catti, watching his opportunity, sprang over the +hedge, and seized his prize, which he bore off securely, won his bet, and +ate his mutton undisturbed. + +Prothero, although the most good-humoured of country gentlemen, was +rather angry with shrewd Roger, whose shrewdness became rather +questionable. It was admitted, in excuse, that the most cunning, at +times, may be accidentally overreached by his inferior in wit: on this +plea the merry magistrate was conciliated, and induced to enter into +another wager, precisely like the former, when a similar sum, against our +hero, and in favor of his servant was laid and accepted. The man of +shrewdness, as before, determined to use the utmost vigilance and caution +to preserve his charge and redeem his reputation. He grasped his load, +which was a fine fat ewe, most manfully, and swore violent oaths in +answer to his master’s exhortation to chariness, that human ingenuity +should never trick him again; but + + “Great protestations do make that doubted, + Which we would else right willingly believe.” + +In his way to Llangattock, he had to pass partly through a wood, which he +scarce entered when the bleating of a sheep attracted his attention, and +he came to a dead stand, as he intently listened to what he conceived a +well-known voice. “Baa!—baa!” again saluted his ear: a sudden conviction +rushed across his mind that this was the very sheep he had before lost, +which he imagined might have been concealed by Twm in the rocky recesses +of that woody dingle. What a glorious chance, thought he, of recovering +his lost credit with his master, and depriving his antagonist at the same +time, of his hidden prey, and the laurels achieved in the winning of it. +He instantly deposited his burthen beneath a tree; and eagerly forcing +his way through the copse and bushes, he followed the bleating a +considerable way down the wood, when to his great dismay it ceased +altogether. A thought now struck him, though rather too late, that the +bleating proceeded from no sheep, but a most subtle ram, in the person of +Twm Shôn Catti: he hurried back in a grievous fright, and found his +surmises but too true—the second sheep, and his high reputation for +shrewdness, had both taken flight together. + +On being confronted with shrewd Roger, in his master’s parlour, Twm +recognized in him an old acquaintance, and no other than the clever youth +with whom he had exchanged his feminine attire at Cardigan fair, and made +off with his coat. On being reminded of that affair, and told by Twm +that he was the fair ballad-singer with whom he was so deeply captivated, +the poor fellow was absorbed in wonderment. He then related to his +master the whole of that adventure, with the episode of the parson tossed +in a blanket for a bum-bailiff, in such a manner as to excite the most +immoderate laughter on the part of the jest-loving Prothero, who +good-naturedly assured his man that he lost but little credit with the +sheep, when it was considered that he stood opposed to an arch wag of so +much celebrity. + +Fortune was not so scurvy a stepmother to Twm as to confine him long to a +diet of mere mutton, but took occasion to vary it very agreeably with a +change of beef. + +Determined to have more mirth with our hero, at the hazard of some loss, +Prothero offered to oppose to his cunning, the collective vigilance of +his husbandmen and maidens; laying a bet with him that he should not +steal a white ox, which, with a black one, was to be yoked to the plough. +The plough to be held by Roger and driven by another servant; while two +girls, driving each a harrow, should also be on their guard to prevent +his aim if possible. + +Twm accepted the bet, and obligingly undertook to convey away the white +ox, and eat the gentleman’s beef, provided it turned out sufficiently +tender; protesting, with a half yawn and the perfect ease of a modern +Corinthian, that he was absolutely tired of mutton, which he had too long +persisted in eating, against the judgement and advice of his physician. + +The day arrived, the great, the important day, big with the fate of the +white ox. The plough was guided and the cattle driven, while the two +bare-footed maidens giggled and laughed till the rocks echoed, as they +whipped the horses and ran by their sides, till the harrows bounced +against the stones, and sometimes turned over; their mirth was excited by +the idea of Twm’s folly in accepting such a bet, and thinking to steal +the white ox from under their noses, the impossibility of which was so +evident. The two servants at the plough also cracked and enjoyed their +joke at the thoughts of our hero’s temerity, at the same time keeping a +wary eye in every direction, armed against surprisals, and exulting in +the thought that for once, at least, the dexterous Twm would be baffled +in his aim. Time passed on; the day waned away towards evening, and as +their fatigue increased, their vigilance gradually lessened. + +A Llandovery-man, known to them all, passing through the green lane by +the field, now addressed these husbandmen, laughing at their caution, and +assuring them that Twm had given up the idea of outwitting such a wary +and clever party, and was at that moment drinking his wine with their +master, whom he had allowed to win the wager. “Allowed, indeed!” quoth a +sharp-tongued lass, as she stopped her harrow to listen, “pretty +allowing, when he could not help himself.” “Aye,” cried the other girl, +“so the fox allowed the goose to escape, when she took to flight and +escaped his clutches.” Roger and the plough-boy exulted in their +anticipated reward of a skin full of strong beer; thus the whole party +was excited to a high pitch of triumphant mirth. The Llandovery-man was +of course a decoy, and his report had really the effect of throwing them +off their guard, which another circumstance contributed to aid. The +rural party had rested, sitting on their ploughs and harrows, at one end +of the field, while they listened to their informant; and now were about +to resume their labours, when a hare started from an adjoining thicket, +crossing the ground towards the opposite hedge. Suddenly the halloo +arose, away ran the ploughmen and girls, and away ran the yapping +sheep-dog, amid the clamour of shouting and barking; but still stood the +wondering oxen, whose grave looks of astonishment gradually changed to a +more animated expression of alarm on the arrival of Twm Shôn Catti. +Having loosed his captive hare to decoy the clowns, he availed himself of +their absence to dress the black ox in a white morning gown,—that is to +say, a sheet, which became him much, and contrasted with his complexion +amazingly; and the white ox he attired in a suit of mourning, formed of +the burial pall, which he had borrowed of the clerk of Llandingad church +for that express purpose, and having loosened his fair friend from the +yoke, they suddenly disappeared through a gap in the hedge. Although +busily engaged in the gentlemanly pastime of the chase, the husbandry +worthies now and then glanced towards the plough, but seeing, as they +thought, the white ox safe, returned to it at a leisurely pace, till +quickened as they neared it by the singular sight before them: and their +petty vexation at losing the hare was now swallowed up by the terrible +circumstance of the loss of their especial charge. A suitable +lamentation followed of course, which was succeeded by fear and +trembling, from a conviction that Twm Shôn Catti dealt with the devil; +and that the hare which they had chased was no other than the foe of man +in disguise. This reasonable and self-evident assumption quite satisfied +their merry master, who deemed himself well compensated for his loss by +the hearty laugh he enjoyed. + +Twm entered Llandovery, leading his white ox in triumph; having tied +together several silk handkerchiefs of various colours and thrown them +across its horns, while the head and neck were adorned with a gay +garland, formed of a profusion of wild flowers. Loud were the huzzas and +laughter with which he was received by the juvenile part of the +population of Llandovery; not one of whom enjoyed the sight more than the +good-humoured Prothero, who cheerfully paid the bet, and from a tavern +window had a full view of the scene, which he declared excited his +laughter till his heart and sides ached with the agreeable convulsion. + +Our hero loved variety; without altogether alienating his affections from +beef and mutton, he evinced a very ardent passion for horse-flesh; and +pursued it with all the fiery zest of a first-love, when impeded by +difficulties the most insurmountable. The lady of Ystrad Fîn still +sitting on his heart like a night-mare, and pinching it with pain, +rendered him, however amusing to others, miserable enough within himself. +Lassitude, chagrin, and bitterness, often betrayed themselves in his +countenance and manners, and were only transiently removed by the +hilarity of the company with which he mixed, or the freaks which he +played in his ill-combined humours of mirth and sorrow. Reckless of +consequences, he now entered into follies less innocent than hitherto +detailed, led to them more by a spirit of youthful wildness than any +really criminal intention. + +Being one day at Machynlleth, Montgomeryshire, he saw his old enemy, +Evans of Tregaron, riding into the town on a fine grey horse; he +determined in an instant that he would deprive him of a property which he +deemed too good for such a churl; and as self-will was with him the sole +ruling power that claimed either his attention or obedience, the affair +was at once settled. Off rode the dauntless Twm, on the parson’s horse, +to Welshpool fair, where he soon found a purchaser for it, and received +the amount in hard cash. The new proprietor of the grey steed was well +pleased with his bargain, and Twm took a generous pleasure in making him +still happier, by descanting further on the noble creature’s merits, +which, certainly, was very generous, as he was not interested in vaunting +its qualities. “I protest to you, in honesty and truth,” said he with +much earnestness, “you have a greater bargain than you imagine; as I was +not at all anxious to sell him, I have omitted to inform you of half his +good points: he is capable of performing such wonderful feats as you +never saw or heard of.” “You don’t say so!” exclaimed the elated +purchaser, staring alternately at his horse and in the face of our hero. +“A fact I assure you,” cries Twm, with the most sober face imaginable; +“and if you don’t believe me, I’ll convince you in a moment, if you will +allow me to mount him.” “Oh certainly, with many thanks,” quoth the +delighted Jemmy Green of past days. Twm very leisurely mounted, and +after a variety of postures and curvetings, gradually got out of the fair +into the high road; suddenly giving spur and rein to the “gallant steed,” +he astonished his new friend by his disappearance. The “green one” had +to confess with bitterness of heart that the jockey had certainly kept +his word, as he shewed him such a trick as he never before saw or heard +of. + +Twm had scarcely been seated at the Owen Glendower, on his return to +Llandovery, when a person called upon him, who described himself as a +small farmer living in the neighbourhood, his name Morgan Thomas, and +having heard so much of his cleverness, he came to consult him on an +affair of great weight. He had been sadly annoyed, he said, by the +continual trespassing of a certain squire’s pigeons on his ground, which +made such a havoc amid his wheat, yearly, that the loss was grievous to +him: he had computed his damages, and applied for the amount, for the +four last years, reckoning that the forty pigeons would devour at least a +bushel of wheat each, annually. The squire only laughed at his claims +and complaints, telling him he might pound them, and be d—ned, if he +liked, when he would pay the alledged damages, and not till then. “Now, +to pound them I should like vastly,” quoth Morgan Thomas, “but without +the squire’s polite invitation to be d—ned at the same time. But,” added +the poor farmer, “pounding pigeons, I look upon as impossible; yet as you +have the fame of performing feats no less wonderful, if you will pound +those mischievous pigeons for me, I will engage to give you half the +amount of my claims.” “Agreed!” cried Twm, and grasped his hand, in +token that he undertook the task. He sent a quantity of rum to the +farmer’s, next morning, and steeped in it a peck of wheat, which he +afterwards scattered about the farm-yard. The pigeons came, as usual, +and eagerly devouring the grain, each and all soon appeared as top-heavy +as the veriest toss-pot in Carmarthenshire; and, like the said +fraternity, incapable of returning home, they fell in a stupor on the +ground. Our hero, assisted by the farmer, picked them up, tied their +legs, and put the whole party in the pound. The squire, who was no other +than Prothero the laughing magistrate, ever pleased with a jest, +especially when cracked by our hero, immediately paid the farmer’s +demand; and Twm generously refused the proffered remuneration for his +very effective assistance. + + + + +CHAP. XXV. + + +Twm composes and sends to his mistress his CYWYDD Y GOVID. Visits her in +disguise, and obtains the solemn promise of her hand. Description of the +romantic hill of Dinas, and the excavation in it, since called Twm Shôn +Catti’s cave. Twm suspects himself jilted. + +WHILE our hero was thus pursuing his vagaries, the unhappy lady of Ystrad +Fîn, who had not known a day’s peace since his absence, was daily +wavering between a resolution to send for him back, to bestow on him her +hand, and a deference for her father and proud relatives, who insisted +that if ever she married again, it should only be to a title and fortune; +by which they should themselves share in the honor. In the mean time +information was brought to her, of his wild tricks and excesses, greatly +exaggerated to his disadvantage, which gave that kind-hearted lady the +greatest concern, as she conceived herself in part the authoress of his +misfortunes. Twm, at the same time, felt that his tedious absence from +the fair widow was no longer to be endured; and as he knew her conduct to +be daily watched by her father’s spies, he determined on paying her a +visit in disguise. Previous to putting his design into execution, he +composed and sent her the following poem, in which he dwells on, and +over-rates his own misfortunes, in a strain calculated to move her +tenderness in his favor. + + CYWYDD Y GOVID. {208} + + The outcast’s forced ally is mine, + Affliction is his name; + It is a ruthless savage mate, + And like a foe that’s pale with hate, + To crush me is his aim: + His cruel shafts are fiercely hurl’d, + He forced me friendless on the world. + + If forward, seeking good, I wend, + My eager steps out-strips the fiend; + If backward, I retreat from ill, + My cruel foe arrests me still; + I seek the flood, to end despair. + Relentless Govid meets me there, + And tells of endless pangs for pride, + The wages of the suicide. + + Fell Govid’s mighty in the land, + His children are a horrid band, + Who joy in hapless man’s distress, + Lo, one is Debt—one Nakedness;— + And Need against me doth combine, + (Fierce Govid’s loveless concubine); + And Care, that knows not how to yearn, + Is Govid’s consort, keen and stern: + And thus this family of ill, + E’er bruise my heart and bruise my will. + + Though lost to me the tranquil day, + My vanquisher I hope to slay, + The fierce enormous giant fiend + No more the heart of Twm shall rend, + If thou, my lady-love! but smile, + Thou gentle fair, devoid of guile— + Thou darling object of my choice, + Oh bless me with assentive voice, + And soon shall Govid lay his length, + A corse! struck down by Rapture’s strength. + +Lady Devereux had read this little poem over the third time, and +repeatedly wiped the tears from her beautiful blue eyes, when the maid +entered her chamber, and in a tone of complaint informed her mistress +that there was a very importunate and troublesome gypsy in the kitchen, +who, after having told the fortunes of all the servants in the house, and +partook of the usual hospitalities, insisted on seeing her, to tell also, +she said, the fortune of the lady of the house. “I am not in a mood to +relish such foolery now, so send her about her business,” answered the +lady, in a tone more sorrowful than angry. “It is quite useless,” +replied the girl, “to attempt to send her away; big Evan the gardener +tried to take her by the shoulders, and turn her out by force, but she +whirled round, grasped him by the arms, tripped up his heels, and laid +him in a moment on the floor. There she sits in the kitchen, and vows +she will not budge from thence for either man or woman, till she sees the +lady of Ystrad Fîn, whom she loves, she says, dearer than her life, and +would not for millions harm a hair of her head.” Although too deeply +absorbed in sorrow to have her curiosity much excited, she went down +stairs, and approaching the sibyl, who had now taken her station in the +hall, asked, “What do you want, my good woman?”—“To tell you,” answered +she, “not your fortune, but what may be your fortune if you choose.” +“Let me hear then,” said the lady of Ystrad Fîn, with a faint incredulous +smile, walking before her, at the same time, into a little back parlour. +Before she could seat herself, the apparent gypsy caught her right hand +wrist, and looking round, whispered in her ear, + + “To heal your torn bosom, and ease every smart, + Oh take—he’s before you—the youth of your heart.” + +The colour fled the fair widow’s cheeks, and in a moment she sank in a +swoon in her lover’s arms. Soon recovering, she desired her maid to deny +her to every body that called, “as,” added she with a smile, “I have +particular business with the gypsy.” A scene of tears and tenderness +ensued; when Twm, with the utmost fervour, urged his suit with the young +widow. She replied that her father had insisted on, and received her +promise, that she would wed no being but who either bore a title, or +stood within a relative to one. “You did well,” replied our hero, with +the most impudent and easy confidence, “and your promise, so far from +militating against me, is really in my favor; for am not I the son of a +baronet? his natural child, ’tis true, but still his son; and you would +break no promise to your father in marrying me; but if you did, so much +the better, for a bad promise is better broke than kept. I have friends +at this moment, who are doing their utmost to move my father, Sir John +Wynne of Gwydir, to own me publicly for his right worthy son; and if he +does not, the loss is his, for I shall certainly disown him else for a +father, and claim the parentage of some greater man.” + +Twm’s rattling assertions in this respect were more true than he was +himself aware; for his friend Prothero, the merry magistrate, learning +accidentally, by a chance rencontre with Squire Graspacre, many +particulars of his birth, and the hardships of his neglected childhood, +determined, if possible, to get him righted at last. + +Twm, as he had predetermined, used the present _tete-a-tete_ to some +purpose, and soon succeeded in obtaining from the fair object of his +hopes a decisive promise that she would be his forever. The joy of our +hero knew no bounds, nor did the lady very strenuously resist his +rapturous embraces; but seemed to find her heart relieved by the +resolution she had come to, that now, forever, put an end to the +conflicting doubts as to her future course, which had so long torn her +heart, and banished her peace. + +Noon was now verging into evening, and at the earnest request of his +mistress, Twm consented, to save appearances, immediately to quit her +roof. She directed him to wait for her, and her confidential friend Miss +Meredith, at the entrance to the ancient cave on the top of Dinas, which +was the name of the conical hill exactly fronting the mansion of Ystrad +Fîn. He accordingly took his departure; and winding round the base of +Dinas, he crossed the river Towey, which, being then in summer, was there +little more than a brook. After walking over a couple of fields, and a +piece of rough common, he had to cross the Towey once more, when he +commenced his ascent at the only part of this very steep hill where it +was possible to climb. During his former stay at Ystrad Fîn, this wildly +romantic height had been his favorite haunt, as the cave in its side was +the greatest object of his wonder. It was, in fact, a mighty mound, that +bore all the appearance of having been, at the period of its formation, +convulsed by an earthquake, and in the height of nature’s tremendous +heavings, suddenly arrested and becalmed, even while the huge crags were +in the act of tumbling down its steep sides. A narrow valley circled its +base, and the mountains around of equal height with itself, separated +only by this deep and scanty dell, seemed as if rent from it, during the +supposed convulsion of the earth, and Dinas left alone, an interesting +monument of the memorable event. The surface of the acclivous ground was +so speckled with huge loose stones, that it was dangerous to hold by them +in ascending, as the slightest impetus would roll them downward. + +Twm, at one time, when assisting his mistress to climb the steep sides of +Dinas, in his wild way said, that he had no doubt but an earthquake had +turned the bosom of the hill inside out, so that no secret could be +therein concealed; archly insinuating that he trusted the time would soon +come when without so violent a process, her own fair bosom would be +equally open to him, while it rejected the stony barriers that then stood +between him and her heart. + +The entrance into this excavated work was no less singular that the +petite cave itself. It was through a narrow aperture, formed of two +immense slate rocks that faced each other, and the space between them +narrower at the bottom than the top, so that the passage could be entered +only sideways, with the figure inclined forward, according to the slant +of the rocks: a thin person being barely able to make his way in, while a +man of some rotundity might also succeed, by rising on his toes, and +forcing himself upwards. Between these rocks of entrance, a massive +stone block was wedged at the top, so that it formed a rude and faint +resemblance of an arch. After _sidling_ so far through a comparatively +long passage, it was no small surprise to find that it led to so small a +cave; scarcely large enough to shelter three persons huddled close +together, from a shower of rain. What it wanted in breadth, in possessed +however in height, as it ran up like a chimney, to the altitude of forty +five feet, and was open at the top to the very summit of the mount, +forming a skylight to the _room_ below. Although the little cave was +deficient of a solid roof, a very rural one was formed by the large tufts +of heather, and fern, which sprung through the crevices of the rocks; the +whole being surmounted by the pendant branch of a dwarf oak, that with +many other trees stood like a crown on the elevated head of Dinas. +However singular the interior of this cave might appear to our hero, he +found a superior pleasure in examining the grand combinations that graced +its exterior. There he saw, with never satiated delight and wonder, +objects of the most romantic character, curiously united here near the +junction of three counties. The rocky Dinas, with its many inaccessible +sides, besides the loose crags before mentioned, was partially covered +with aged dwarfish trees, all bending in the same direction; many with +their heads broken by tempests, but still throwing out fantastic-looking +branches, while others, stark, sere, and shrouded in grey moss, were +things that seasons knew not. + +The opposite mountain, called Maesmaddegan, facing the entrance of the +cave, was more gaily bedecked with underwood, birch, oak, and the +mountain ash; while the junction of the rivers Towey and Dorthea, {214} +enlivened the gloom caused by the deep gulfs which separated Dinas from +the parent mountain. + +However interesting these objects might formerly have been to Twm, he +looked now only in one direction,—towards the spot where he might catch +the earliest glimpse of his approaching mistress. Out of all patience at +her long delay, he now began to wonder at the cause of it, when at +length, to his great dismay, he saw _one_ female hurrying on, and her not +the right one, although the faithful Miss Meredith. Having reached the +side of the river, which separated her from the base of Dinas, and +finding that he was watching her, she placed a paper on the rock and a +stone upon it, then kissing her hand to him, sportively, she turned +about, and hastened homeward with the utmost precipitation. In his +eagerness to overtake her, Twm attempted to run down the declivity, but +soon lost his footing, sliding and rolling down several yards, by which +he was for a few moments rather stunned. Losing all hope of catching his +mistress’s confidante, to learn the cause of her non-appearance, +according to promise, he applied to the paper on the rock, which he found +to be a note hastily scrawled with a pencil, containing merely these +words—“My father has unexpectedly arrived, with several of his +friends—can’t see you till at Llandovery on fair day. Yours ever.”—“By +the Lord!” muttered Twm to himself, “if this is a coquette’s trick which +she puts on me, it will avail her nothing in the end;—mine she is, by +promise, and mine she shall be, in spite of the devil, and all her +Brecknockshire friends to boot.” Determined to bring his affairs with +the widow to a speedy crisis, he changed his clothes, and soon made his +way to Llandovery. + + + + +CHAP. XXVI. + + +Twm’s vagaries and disguises at Llandovery fair. The adventure of the +bale of flannel and the iron pot. Quotations from Catwg the wise. Twm +discovered. A strange catastrophe. + +THE day of Llandovery fair arrived; and Twm, who calculated nearly as +much on the amusement he intended to create on this occasion for himself, +as with meeting his mistress, determined that the grey horse should +become the hero of another adventure. Much to their credit, the +neighbouring gentry had recently opened a subscription for rebuilding +between thirty and forty poor people’s houses, which had unfortunately +been burnt down; and our hero resolved that every farthing gained by the +grey horse, or otherwise, clandestinely, should be appropriated to this +laudable purpose. It was no small satisfaction to him to find that while +it mortified the purse-proud vanity of the haughty squires to see so +large a sum attached to his name, it had the good effect of increasing +their contributions, resolved not to be out-done, in money matters at +least, by so obscure a personage as Twm. + +For the purpose here named he assumed the garb and manner of the most +absolute lout that ever trudged after a plough tail. His feet were +thrust into a very heavy pair of clogs, or wooden-soled shoes, which +being stiff and large, maintained such a haughty independence of the +inmates, as to need being tied on with a hay-band. His legs were +enveloped in a pair of wheat-stalk leggings, or bands of twisted straw, +winding round and round, and covering them from the knee to the ankle. A +raw hairy cow-hide formed the material of his _inexpressibles_, which +were loose, like trowsers cut off at the knee; and his jerkin was of a +brick-dust red, with black stripes, like the faded garb of the old +Carmarthenshire women. A load of red locks, straight as a bunch of +candles, hung dangling behind, but in front rather matted and entangled, +quite innocent of the slightest acquaintance with that useful article, a +comb: the whole surmounted with a soldier’s cast-off Monmouth cap, so +highly varnished with grease, as to appear water-proof. Without any +apology for a waistcoat, he wore a blue flannel shirt, striped with +white, open from the chin to the waistband, which answered the purpose of +a cupboard, to contain his enormous cargo of bread and cheese and leeks, +which, as he was continually drawing upon his store, stood a chance of +soon becoming wholly inside passengers. Added to this, his booby gait, +and stupid vacant stare was such, that his most intimate acquaintance +might have passed him by as a stranger. + +Instead of entering the horse-fair, he stood with his dainty steed of +grey at the entrance of the town, and munched his bread and cheese, +apparently careless whether a purchaser appeared or not. Many persons, +in passing by, gazed with wonder at this piece of cloddish rusticity, and +asked if the horse was for sale; but receiving such drivelling and +dolt-like answers, it became a matter of wonder who could have intrusted +their property to such an oaf. + +Just as the ground was once more cleared of gazing idlers and +unprofitable querists, a gentleman, well mounted on a chesnut-coloured +hunter, entered the town, and cast an eager eye at the grey horse. Twm +recognized him at a glance as a Breconshire magistrate, named Powell, one +of the many rejected admirers of the lady of Ystrad Fîn; riding up to our +hero, he asked if the horse was for sale. Twm answered in broken +English, imitating the dialect of the lower class, “I don’t no but it +iss, if I can get somebody that iss not wice, look you, somebody that was +fools to buy him.” “But why,” asked the gentleman, “don’t you take him +into the horse-fair?” “Why indeed to goodness,” answered Twm, “I was +shame to take him there; for look you, he hass a fault on him, and I do +not find in my heart and my conscience to take honest pipple in with a +horse that has a fault upon him, for all master did send me here to sell +him.” “Well, and what is this mighty fault!” asked the stranger, +smiling. “Why indeed to goodness and mercy,” replied Twm, “it was a +fault that do spoil him—it was a fault that—” “But what _is_ the fault?” +asked the Breconshire magistrate impatiently: “give it a name man.” “Why +indeed to goodness,” replied the scrupulous horse-dealer, “I will tell +you like an honest cristan man, without more worts about it; I will make +my sacraments and bible oaths”—“I don’t ask your oath,” cried Powell, +almost out of humour, “merely tell me in a word, what ails the horse?” +“Indeed and upon my sole and conscience to boot, I can’t say what do ail +him.” “You don’t?” cried Powell in an angry tone, and looking as +surprised and wroth as might be expected from a proud Breconshire +magistrate. “Confound me if I do,” replied Twm, “but I will tell you why +he wass no good to master; it wass this—Master iss a parson, a great +parson, a gentleman parson, not a poor curate, one mister Evans, Rector +of Tregaron, and the white hairs do come off the grey horse here, and +stick upon his best black coat and breeches; and that wass his fault.” + +It is needless to add that the rising choler of the fiery Powell +immediately subsided, and laying no particular stress on this singular +blemish, purchased the grey horse, and paid for it at once, apparently +glad to escape from the tedious fooleries of the strange horse-dealer. + +Anxious to discover his mistress, he chose another disguise, not daring +to commune with her in his own proper person. He now appeared in a sober +grey suit, shining brass buckles, stockings of the wool of a black sheep, +and a knitted Welsh wig of the same, that fitted him like a skull-cap, +and concealed every lock of his hair. Thus arrayed, he presented the +appearance of a grave puritanical mountain farmer, from the most remote +district of Cardiganshire. After gazing awhile at the motley train that +constitute a fair, in a Welsh country town, he noticed a well known old +crone, who had the reputation of being exceedingly covetous and +disagreeable. Lean, yellow, and decrepid, her ferret-eyes glanced +eagerly about for a customer, as she held beneath her arm a large roll of +stout striped flannel. Twm, unobserved, took his stand behind her, and +dexterously stitching her bale to his coat, he, with a sudden jerk, +transferred it from the old woman’s grasp to his own. Her wonder and +dismay was unutterable. Elbowed and toed by the bustling crowd who were +passing to and fro, she knew not who to vent her spleen upon; but, in +utter despair, set up a tremendous howl, as a requiem for her beloved +departed. Instead of seeking the assistance of a light pair of heels, +Twm scarcely moved a yard, but drew from his pocket a little black +lighted tobacco-pipe, and puffed a cloud with admirable coolness, while +his right arm lovingly embraced the bale of flannel. Roused by the old +beldame’s outrageous expressions of grief and fury, he moved up to her +with apparent concern, and asked in a very pathetic tone, the cause of +her sorrow, which she related with many curses, sobs, and furious +exclamations. Shocked at her impiety and want of resignation, Twm took +upon him to rebuke her, and edified her much, by an extempore discourse +on the virtue of patience; assuring her she ought to thank heaven that +she was robbed, as it was a most striking proof she was not a neglected +being. In conclusion, he remarked, that fairs and markets in these +degenerate days were so sadly infested with rogues and vagabonds, that an +honest person was completely encompassed by dangers. “Now for my part,” +continued he, “I never enter such places without previously sewing my +goods to my clothes, which you ought also to have done, in this +manner”—shewing, at the same time, the roll beneath his arm, which he +thought the old crone’s eye had glanced on, with something like a light +shadow of suspicion, that however instantly vanished, on this notable +display and explanation. + +Hawking a roll of flannel through a fair was too tame a pastime for our +hero, when unaccompanied with more animated trickery, and he began to +think of giving it up, that he might more leisurely pursue his principal +vocation of searching out the lady of Ystrad Fîn, when the genius of whim +provided more mirth for him, and arrested his attention. + +A poor half-starved looking fellow, with a merry eye, that poverty had +sunk, but could not quench, now made up to him, and strove to bargain for +a few yards of his flannel; but on reckoning his money, found he could +not come up to his price, as he said he had to buy a three-legged iron +pot, in addition to a winter petticoat for his wife: “and,” observed the +man of tatters, with a grin of miserable mirth, “it will be better for +her to go without flannel than our whole family to want a porridge pot.” +Twm liked this man, but not his logic; conceiving he made too light an +affair of what was perhaps heavy about his dame, who might be no sylph in +figure; which implied a want of courtesy and due deference to that fair +train, whose indisputable right to warm petticoats claimed precedence of +all pots, pans, and every earthly consideration. “Here, take this bale, +take it all, for I have lost my yard and scissors, and pay me when you +grow rich;—confound your thanks! away with you, bestow it safe, then +return here; perhaps I may get thee an iron pot at as cheap a rate as the +flannel.” + +This ragged man, by his alacrity and silent obedience, seemed to +understand the spirit he had to deal with. Off he ran with his enormous +present, and immediately returned; when our hero accompanied him to the +shop of an old curmudgeon of an ironmonger, whose face, hardly +distinguishable behind his habitual screen of snuff and spectacles, +seemed of the same material as his own hard ware. The man of rags was +quite in luck, and, as instructed, followed his benefactor into the shop +in silence. Twm examined the culinary ware, with all the caution of an +old farm wife, asking the prices of various articles, and turned up the +whites of his eyes in the most approved puritanic fashion, expressive of +astonishment at such excessive charges. Old Hammerhead indignantly +repelled the insinuation, and swore that cheaper or better pots were +never seen in the kitchen of a king. “Then you must mean the king of the +beggars,” quoth Twm, “for you have nothing here but damaged ware.” +“Damaged devil! what do you mean?” roared the enraged ironmonger. “I +mean,” replied Twm Shôn Catti, with provoking equanimity, “that there is +scarcely a pot here without a hole in it; now this which I hold in my +hand, for instance, has one.” “Where! where!” asks the fiery old +shopkeeper, holding it up between his eyes and the light; “if there is a +hole in this pot I’ll eat it: where is the hole that you speak of?” +“Here!” bawls the inexorable hoaxer, pulling it over his ears, and +holding it there, while the necessitous man, who did not seem much unlike +a thief, took the wink from his patron, and was walking off with a choice +article, which he had selected from the whole lot, when Twm whispered in +his ear, “Take better care of it than you did of the two sheep and white +ox.” “Thou art either the devil or Twm Shôn Catti,” replied the other, +in an under tone. “Mum! and be off,” said Twm, and off went shrewd +Roger, for he it was, who now deemed himself more than paid for his coat +lost at Cardigan some years ago, by a freak of Twm’s. + +Loudly roared the hardwareman, but his voice was drowned in the fatal +cavity. Having tied his hands behind his back, Twm left him howling and +sweating beneath the huge extinguisher, and made, as he took his +departure, this consolatory and effective exit speech—“Had there not been +a hole in it, how could that large stupid nob of yours have entered such +a helmet?” + +As he reached the street, and mixed with the crowd, he noticed a general +and very rapid movement towards the town-hall. As the assemblage +increased, its course, like a choked mill-dam, became more and more +impeded, until the whole restless mass became consolidated, and stood +still perforce. Our hero had forced his way till near the entrance of +the hall, when he ventured to ask what cause had drawn together such a +crowd; but he got no immediate answer, as many came there, like himself, +drawn by the powerful influence of curiosity. At length he heard his own +name buzzed about, by many voices; one said that Twm Shôn Catti, whose +humorous tricks were the themes of every tongue, was discovered to be a +great thief: and that he who had fought against highwaymen, was at last +become one himself, and committed all the robberies which had taken place +in that country for years past. One said that he could never be taken; +and a third contradicted that assertion, declaring that he was then +fettered in the hall, and waiting to be conveyed to Carmarthen gaol. One +assigned him the gallows as his due, while another tenderly replied that +hanging was too good for him. Opposing the sentiments and opinions of +all these, more than one declared that the hemp was neither spun nor +grown, that would hang Twm; and pity it should, as he was the friend of +the poor, and an enemy to none but the stupid, the cruel, and the +oppressive. + +The town crier now came out of the court, and, obtaining silence, he +informed the assembled multitude that the magistrates who were now +sitting, required that any “_person or persons_” who might have been +defrauded in the fair, should now come forward, so as to form a clue +towards the identity of the robber, which it was generally believed was +no other than the notorious Twm Shôn Catti. The crier retired, and in a +few minutes made his appearance again, and read the court’s proclamation, +offering a reward of twenty pounds to any person who would apprehend the +said Twm Shôn Catti; which was answered with loud hisses by the majority +of the crowd, that effectually drowned the applause of the rest. + +Pleased with this evidence of his popularity, the pride of desperate +daring seemed to have blinded his better judgment, as he immediately +formed the singular and hazardous resolution of entering the hall, to +learn the cause of the present discussion, for he was utterly ignorant of +the precise act of his that now engaged the polite attention of their +worships. + +That any person in the perilous predicament of our hero should venture on +such an expedient, will doubtless astonish the common-place man of weak +nerves and prudent views; but when enthusiasm, and the pride of +achievement, even in a worthless cause, actuates the passion-fraught +breast, supplanting the place of reasoning calculation, the wonder +vanishes. The desperate outlaw, whose temerity is applauded, feels the +gust of heroism in as warm a degree as the generous patriot whose claim +to renown is better founded, and graced with national approbation. Twm +soon found himself in the hall; for his own native energies stood him in +better stead than the fabled cap of Fortunatus: he wished, and obtained; +hated, and was revenged; desired to tread a difficulty under foot, and +obtained his purpose, while the generality of men would be analysing +every shadow of obstruction that impeded their aim. He took his stand in +a conspicuous place near the bench, the “awful judgment seat,” which was +at this time filled by his laughter-loving friend Prothero, whose ruddy +happy round face had deprived law itself of all its terrors. Before him, +among others, he found his old _friend_, Evans of Tregaron, who had been +sputtering a confused account of our hero’s gracelessness, from his +childhood, to the last trick which he had played him, by stealing his +grey horse at Machynlleth.—How he had cheated a purchaser of the stolen +horse at Welshpool; and how the said horse was traced into the possession +of a simple fellow in straw boots and cow-hide breeches, who that very +day had sold it to his friend Mr. Powell; which sale, he contended, could +not stand good, as the stolen horse was his property to all intents and +purposes, which he could prove by creditable witnesses. This +recapitulation of Twm’s tricks tickled the gravity of Prothero amazingly; +and at every close which Evans made in his narration, he was answered by +the loud “ho, ho, ho!” of the sitting magistrate. Mr. Powell then told +his story, and, in conclusion, said he was in the commission of the peace +in the town of Brecon. “Ho, ho, ho!” roared Prothero, “here we are, +three magistrates, ho, ho, ho! three magistrates, and all fooled by Twm +Shôn Catti.—Clever fellow, ho, ho, ho! wild dog, ho, ho, ho! means no +great harm—never keeps what he steals—gives all to the poor fellows that +want—did me out of two sheep and a white ox, ho, ho, ho!—I wish him joy +of them, ho, ho, ho! Never mind, gentlemen, the fun of the thing repays +the loss, which can be shared between you. Let Mr. Evans take the horse, +on paying Mr. Powell what he gave young cow-breeches, ho, ho, ho! better +that than lose all.” Mr. Powell immediately acceded to this arrangement, +but the unaccommodating Evans insisted on having the horse without any +payment, and made some tart remarks on conniving at a rascal’s tricks and +villanies. “For my part I’d shoot him dead like a dog!” cried the +reverend preacher of peace and concord; drawing, at the same time, a pair +of pistols from his coat pocket, and replacing them, in a fiery fit of +passion. “Ho, ho, ho!” roared Prothero, “but you’d catch him first, +brother, ho, ho, ho!—too cunning for you, for me, and all of us—might be +here this moment, laughing in his sleeve at us, for what we know, ho, ho, +ho!” + +Our hero, in his primitive attire, now attracted the attention of the +justices, by the utterance of a deep groan, while he appeared wrapt in +the perusal of a small book. Prothero, alive to every thing allied to +comicality, burst out into a loud ho, ho, ho! Evans arrayed his +naturally gloomy brows in a magisterial frown, and Powell smiled, with an +expression of wonder. “What are you reading, friend?” asked Prothero, +chuckling as he surveyed the black Welsh wig. “The wisdom of Solomon,” +quoth the man of solemnity, drawing the muscles of his face most +ludicrously long; “but mark you, worshipful gentlemen, I mean not the +Solomon of scriptures, but our own Cambrian Solomon—that is to say, Catwg +the Wise, the excellent and erudite abbot of Llancarvan, and teacher of +the bard Taliesin.” + +“A fine fellow, no doubt, but can’t you read him at home? why do you +bring him here?” asked Prothero, good-humoredly. “Wherever I go, I have +resolved to make his wisdom known, and to reprove all deviators from it, +in the sage’s own words,” quoth Twm. “Poor man, poor man, he’s crazy, +his brain turned, perhaps, by too much study,” observed Prothero. “An +impudent fellow!” cried Evans; “but you are strangely lenient here in +Carmarthenshire; were I the king, I would have all such fellows put in +Bedlam.” Twm looked at the clerical magistrate, then read from the book, +“If a crown were worn by every fool, we should all of us be kings.” +“Gentlemen, he calls us all fools!” cried Evans. Twm, without raising +his eyes from the book, read on, “Were there horns on the head of every +fool, a good sum might be gained by shewing a bald man.” “Gentlemen, he +makes us all cuckolds!” cried Evans, in his usual passionate sputter; +“however it may fit you, gentlemen, I can safely say, that no such +disgrace as a horn belongs to my brow.” Twm read on;—“If the shame of +every one were written on his forehead, the materials for masks would be +surprisingly dear.” “Ho, ho, ho!” roared Prothero, till the hall echoed +with his loud laughter, which the Cardiganshire magistrate seemed to take +as a personal affront, and sulkily observed, that this was no place for +foolery, but for gravity, wisdom, and truth. Twm read on, “If no tongue +were to speak other than truth and wisdom, the number of mutes would be +astonishingly great.” The consequential Evans, mumbled something about +his own mode of doing business at Cardigan, and declared that he would +commit such a fellow to gaol for three months, at least, for disturbing a +court of justice. Twm cut him short with another passage from Catwg; +“Were the talkative to perceive the folly of his chattering, he would +save his breath to cool his broth.” Here Powell of Brecon entered a +little into the spirit of the scene, by quoting also from the well-known +aphorisms of Catwg, applying the passage to Twm himself;—“If the buffoon +were to see the vanity of his feat, he would leave it off for shame.” +This feeble hit excited the applause of the good-humoured Prothero, who +clapped the speaker heartily on the back, and, amid his eternal ho, ho, +ho! exclaimed, “Well said, brother, well said; better silence him with +wit than by authority; well done, well done!” + +Our hero now very pointedly directed his quotation against the +Breconshire magistrate; “If the lover were to see his weakness, terror +would drive him to a premature end.” A general laugh at the expense of +Powell, instantly followed. To him that passage was considered +peculiarly applicable, as the known unsuccessful woer of the gay widow of +Ystrad Fîn. It was a tender string to touch so roughly; losing his ease +and temper at the same instant, he cast a most ungracious frown at the +utterer of proverbs, and said in an under tone of threatening energy, +“Whoever you may be, it were not wise of you to repeat such conduct +towards me again.” “Again?” said Twm, pretending to misunderstand him, +“Oh, certainly, I’ll give you the passage again, or any other, to please +you, ‘If the lover—’” (here Powell’s face blazed with anger, as he +clenched his fist, and cried, “You had better not.”) Twm began +again,—“If the lover—of war, were to see his cruelty, he would fear that +every atom in the sunbeam might stab him as a sword.” This dexterous +evasion, with the point given to the words “of war,” had its full effect +in restoring the good humour so suddenly disturbed; but that beautiful +passage from the aphorisms of the old Welsh abbot failed to elicit the +applause which its moral merits deserved: nor could we expect to find +decriers of war among farmers and country squires. + +Here the general attention was called to the entrance of the +ex-proprietor of the roll of flannel, who almost deafened them by the +vehemence of her complaints, which, however, were too incoherently +expressed to be immediately understood. “Oh! my roll of flannel, my +fine, excellent flannel! all of my own spinning too,—eight and twenty +good yards, and a yard and a half wide—my wooden shoe too that I lost in +the crowd—and my poor corns trod off by the villains—my dear sweet +flannel, all of my own carding and spinning—nobody but the devil himself, +or his first cousin Twm Shôn Catti, could have taken it in such a +manner—it was whisked from me as if a whirlwind had swept it away.” At +length she paused for want of breath, and Twm approached her with the air +of a comforter, and read from his book, “Were a woman as quick with her +feet as with her tongue, she would catch the lightning to kindle her fire +in the morning.” It is probable that she did not perfectly hear this +passage, as, on perceiving Twm, she gave a shout of joy, and then, as +incoherently as before, appealed to the magistrate; “This honest man, +your worship, knows it all. I told him, the moment I lost my +flannel—this worthy man, your worship,—a good man, a wise man, a man who +reads books, your worship, he can witness.” + +A fresh hubbub at the entrance of the hall, now diverted all the +attention from the old woman’s complaint, and loud were the shouts of +laughter on beholding the object that now presented itself. Supported by +two constables, who rather dragged forward, than led him, came Twm’s +friend the hardwareman, crowned with the identical iron pot before-named, +which the officers, as a matter of official formality, or to indulge +their own facetiousness, refused to remove, till in the presence of a +magistrate. When his laughter had a little subsided, Prothero ordered +the pot to be removed, and his hands untied. The hardwareman then told +his lamentable tale in a few words; in conclusion, he declared, that +having overheard certain words between the robber and his accomplice, he +had learned that the thief was no other than Twm Shôn Catti. His eye now +caught the figure of our hero, and with a yell as astounding as if the +eternal enemy of man stood before him, he cried, “There he is! there he +is! As heaven shall save me, there stands the man, or devil, who crowned +me with the iron pot, while his accomplice ran off with another.” “And +who robbed me of my flannel!” roared the old woman, who now changed her +opinion, as her earliest suspicions became thus suddenly confirmed. “And +who stole my grey horse!” bawled Evans of Tregaron. “And who sold it to +me, when disguised in straw-boots and cow-hide breeches,” cried Powell of +Brecon, who had now closely examined his features. + +A violent rush upon our hero, by the whole party, now ensued; but Twm +eluded their eager attempts to grasp him, sprung upon the table before +the bench, and, drawing a couple of pistols from his coat pockets, held +one in each hand, and kept them all at bay, protesting that he would +shoot the first who would advance an inch towards him. Loud was his +laughter, as they all started back: but the great laugher, Prothero, now +sat silently on the bench, alarmed for his safety, which he had thought +to secure by giving him warning of his danger, in the feint of the +proclaimed reward for his apprehension. As he stood in this manner, with +extended arms, watchful eyes, and grasping the pointed pistols with a +finger to each trigger, Powell of Brecon exclaimed, “Thou art a clever +fellow, by Jove, Twm! very clever for a Cardy; but wert thou with us, the +quick-witted sons of Brecon, thou wouldest soon find thyself overmatched +and outwitted too. I dare thee to enter Brecon, to trust thy wit—come +there, and welcome, and thou shalt stand harmless for me, in the affair +of the grey horse.” Twm smiled, and nodded, in token of having accepted +his challenge. + +By this time Evans of Tregaron, with some of his followers, got behind +him, and clung to his right arm, but with one violent effort Twm shook +them away, as the mighty bull throws off the yelping curs that dare +attack him. Then, with a single leap, he sprung from the table into the +crowded court, where a lane was formed for him, and rushed out at the +door unimpeded, and pursued by his accusers. They soon lost sight of him +among the moving multitude, some of whom dispersed from fear of +accidents, while others followed him as spectators. To the great +astonishment of his pursuers, they next caught a view of him mounted on +that grand subject of contention, the grey horse. He took the route to +Ystrad Fîn, followed by them all, including several constables in the +employ of Evans of Tregaron, and many disinterested people from the fair. +Loud were the shouts of the numerous riders; loud the tramp of galloping +horses; and wild the disorder and terror created, as Twm at different +intervals turned on his pursuers, and fired his pistols. This caused a +powerful retrograde movement among them, by which the foremost horses +fell back on those behind them, unhorsing some, who lay groaning and +crying on the ground, and frightening others altogether from further +pursuit. It was on this occasion that a bard of that day wrote the +stanza which appears in the title page, thus translated by the late Iolo +Morganwg: + + “In Ystrad Fîn a doleful sound + Pervades the hollow hills around; + The very stones with terror melt, + Such fear of Twm Shôn Catti’s felt.” + +Twm at length, although closely followed, reached the foot of Dinas, +where he dismounted, sprung from stone to stone, that formed the ford of +the Towey, and climbed the steep side of that majestic mount, with the +utmost agility and ease. Like a prudent sea-captain chaced in his small +boat by a fleet of rovers, till he reaches his own war-ship, and springs +up her fort-like side, in the extacy of surmounted peril, conscious +strength, and superiority, Twm now attained the summit of a prominent +gnoll, and waved his hand triumphantly, in defiance of his foes below. +Evans of Tregaron, with his crew of catch poles, made an attempt to climb +also; Twm permitted them to advance about twenty yards above the river, +when he commenced, and at the same time ended his warfare, by rolling +down several huge stones, that swept them in a mass into the very bed of +the Towey, sadly bruised, and some with their bones broken, from whence +they were extricated by the amazed and terrified spectators. + +The Tregaron magistrate met a woful disaster on this occasion; starting +aside, to avoid the dreadful leaping crags that threatened to crush him, +his pistols went off in his pockets, and carried away, besides his +coat-skirts and no small portion of his black breeches, a large portion +of postern flesh, that deprived him forever after of an easy seat, on the +agreeable cushion which nature had provided. Amusing to the population +of Tregaron was the singular sight of their crest-fallen magistrate and +his hated gang, brought home in a woful plight, as inside passengers of a +dung-cart, which had been hired for the purpose; and more than all, that +their discomfiture should have been caused by their long-lost countryman, +Twm Shôn Catti. + +Our hero, in the mean time, like a princely chieftain of the days of old, +enthroned upon his native tower of strength, marking in his soul’s high +pride the awkward predicament of his baffled foes, perceived them all +depart; leaving him the undisputed lord of his alpine territory, the +glorious height of Dinas. After witnessing, with his limbs stretched +upon his mountain couch, the glorious beauty of the setting sun, he +entered the cave, tore from its top a sufficiency of fern and heather to +form his bed, threw on it his fatigued, over-exerted frame, and soundly +slept till morning. + + + + +CHAP. XXVII. + + +Twm’s exploits at Brecon. The adventure of the ducks, the crow’s nest, +and the crockery ware. His successes at the Eisteddvod, the Races, and +the Ball. His singular marriage with the lady of Ystrad Fîn, and various +other matters. Conclusion. + +OUR hero awoke by sun-rise, after a refreshing sleep; but his mind was +far from being cheered by the bright beams of morning. Unable to account +fairly for his second disappointment of seeing his mistress, according to +promise, he gave way to despondency, and conjectured the worst—that she +was no longer true to her vows, but had yielded to the persuasions of her +haughty relatives, and become a renegade both to love and honor. He was +now, however, so near her residence, he could at least ascertain how +matters stood; and, after many efforts of resolution, he descended the +hill for that purpose. On crossing the Towey, he was surprised to find +that the “gallant grey” was still left for him; he was busily feeding in +an adjoining field, and the saddle and bridle hung dangling from a +storm-stricken old thorn. He felt this, directly, as a handsome piece of +attention to him, on the part of Powell of Brecon, who, doubtless, had +left it there for his convenience. On examining further, he found a +note, tied to the bridle, from that generous individual, inviting him to +be present at the Eisteddvod, the Races, and the Ball, which were to take +place successively in the gay town of Brecon. + +At Ystrad Fîn he found nobody but the servants, who informed him that +their lady, Miss Meredith, and the late visitors, were all gone to +Brecon, and would not return for some days. This intelligence determined +him to go there also; and, recollecting a trunk of clothes of his, which +had been left ever since his former sojourning here, he called for it; +and having dressed himself, and placed, with other things, in his +saddle-bags, an elegant suit which he had brought from London, he mounted +his horse, and rode off for Brecon. About a couple of miles beyond +Trecastle, he overtook a poor fellow driving an ass, laden with coarse +crockery ware, who turned out to be no other than “shrewd Roger.” He had +been enabled to commence this humble merchandize by the success he met +with in the sale of the greater portion of the roll of flannel, received +from our hero the day before, with the produce of which he purchased the +stock of an old Neath hawker, whom illness had detained at Llandovery. +Having long been married to a Cardiganshire lass, they both, pretending +to be single, entered Squire Prothero’s service at the same time, but the +circumstance being at length discovered, they were both discharged, and +had since lived in great poverty; and therefore our hero’s bounty was a +great lift in life to the lowly pair. After some jests on the feats of +the fair day, Twm spurred on, but not before he had purchased the whole +of Roger’s stock, which, however, that worthy was to take to Brecon, for +a purpose to be hereafter described. At Brecon he took lodgings at the +Three Cocks’ inn, to which he gave the preference, on account of the sign +being the armorial bearings of the celebrated David Gam, the hero of +Agincourt. + +The town, although continually filling, seemed now as full as on a fair. +While our hero looked out at the window to observe Roger, who arranged +his crockery in front of the inn, his attention was suddenly caught by +the sound of a harp, which proceeded from the kitchen. To his great +surprise, he found the performer to be his old friend, the venerable +Ianto Gwyn of Tregaron. The old man was very glad to see him, and after +learning the particulars of the fortunes he had met since he left his +native town, proceeded to inform him of the Tregaron news. His mother +was well, and had received the various small sums which he had sent her +at different times, and was in daily hopes of burying her churl of a +husband. Wat the mole-catcher was arrested in London by young Graspacre, +who sent him down to Cardigan, where he was hanged two months before. +Rachel Ketch was dead; having broke her heart for the loss of her money, +which had been stolen by Wat. In conclusion, the old man said that he +had come to the Eisteddvod rather as a spectator than a candidate for the +prize, having accidentally hurt his right hand, which had nearly disabled +him altogether from playing. “That circumstance is now the more +provoking,” said the old man, “as I am convinced that were my hand well, +I should certainly win the noble silver harp, which is to be the meed of +the best player.” Twm took his musical friend up stairs, and, after +dining together, began coquetting with the harp, which, with the hand of +a ready player, he tickled into alternate fits of grief and laughter, as +he ran over many of our most popular airs. The old man jumped up from +his seat, and embraced him with raptures, protesting that he could not +fail to win the harp, if he chose to be a candidate. Our hero, having +practiced but little on the harp since he left London, felt considerable +diffidence in becoming a competitor among proficients in music, but +resolved, at any rate, to avail himself of the instructions of his friend +Ianto Gwyn. Intensely anxious to meet his mistress once more, he sought +an early opportunity of a walk through the streets; but instead of the +desired one, it was his lot to meet Powell the magistrate, who gave him a +jocular and right hearty welcome. They were soon joined by two other +high bloods of the town, one a wealthy attorney, named Phillips, and the +other a reverend and right portly son of the church, who shone more at +the punch-board than in the pulpit. They all adjourned to the parlour of +the Three Cocks, where the best of wine was soon in request, and a gay +scene of conviviality and good fellowship ensued. + +Each of the Breconians was well acquainted with Twm’s celebrity, and +found unusual satisfaction in this meeting. Being all high lads of the +turf, the practice of betting was familiar to them; and the lawyer +offered at once to oppose Twm in a match of angling for five pounds; and +the bet should be, that whoever fished the largest weight, no matter of +what kind, in half an hour, should be declared the winner. Our hero, +although a poor angler, accepted the wager, and Powell, as the umpire, +wrote down the terms of it, which was signed by each. Possessing himself +of the angler’s paraphernalia, he repaired with them to the bridge; and +had the upper side of it assigned to him, while Phillips took the lower. +The latter displayed a grand morocco pocket-book, filled in the neatest +order with the most choice artificial flies, of every description, and +soon had his handsome rod in order; while the former had nothing better +than what could be procured at a shop. The lawyer landed fish after +fish, with great rapidity, and when half the given time was expired, Twm +found himself much in arrears, and the continued good fortune of his +antagonist left him, apparently, no chance of ultimate success. +“Confound these good-for-nothing flies, fetch me a beef steak!” cried he +at last, and gave money for that purpose to a bye-stander, who +immediately brought the article wanted. “There’s a Cardy angler, fishing +for trout with a beef steak!” cried the Breconians, with an exulting +laugh; Twm said nothing in reply, but fastened several hooks in different +parts of a strong line, to each of which he attached a small piece of +beef, and, watching the movement of a flock of ducks that floated in +luxurious ease down the Usk, he threw the whole among them. Loud was the +clamour of the aquatic crew, as they hustled each other, in their +eagerness to partake of the showered feast, which they soon gobbled, and +were drawn up to the top of the bridge by the singular angler above, amid +the shouts and laughter of the numerous spectators. + +Powell now held up his watch, and declared that the stipulated half hour +was just up. Phillips, as the conscious winner, produced a goodly shew +of trout, and, as Twm had caught but four small fish, said it would be +idle to weigh them. “Not so,” replied our wag, “let the written terms of +the bet be read, and you will find that my ducks have a right to be +weighed against your boasted trout, aye! and shall make them kick the +beam.” Phillips stared at such an assertion made in earnest, and Powell +read, “Whoever fished the largest weight, no matter of what kind, would +be declared the winner,” and, as umpire, awarded the five pounds to our +hero. Some merriment at the expense of Powell was caused by his +declaring himself the unlucky proprietor of the said flock of ducks; but +with his usual good-humour, he proposed that the ducks and trout should +be cooked at his house for their supper, in which Phillips acquiesed. + +They were promenading, soon after this, in the agreeable walks of the +Priory Grove, where there was a large rookery, almost every third tree +being crowned with the nest of one of these sable and clamorous children +of the air. “Let us try,” said Hughes, who was also much addicted to +betting, addressing our hero, “which can the most completely take one of +those nests, you or I.” “Done, be the bet what it may,” cried the +Tregaron wag. It was agreed that this boyish feat was to be for a wager +of five pounds, and Phillips to be the umpire. Hughes observed to his +opponent, “I propose that we accompany each other up our respective +trees, to be satisfied that nothing but fair play is used,” to which Twm +assented, and gave him the first chance and choice of his nest. The pair +were soon at the top of a lofty oak, and the merry parson took out the +eggs, one at a time, placing them in his coat pocket, and afterwards +removed the nest, and brought it down with him. Twm then went to a +distant tree, and climbed to the top with the utmost caution, before his +opponent had reached the lower branches, and, with good management, that +proved him an adept in this idle business, placed his hat on the top, and +thus secured the old bird. Fastening the hat and nest together, he +descended with them both. Hughes was the first to declare his antagonist +the winner; but the umpire requiring him to produce the amount of his +adventure, his surprise was great, on finding that he had nothing more to +shew than the empty nest; our hero having slipped his pen-knife through +the bottom of his pocket, and received the eggs in the palm of his hand, +in the same order that they were taken from the nest. On this discovery, +Hughes declared that Twm Shôn Catti would never meet his match, till +Satan himself became his opponent. + +While sitting with the aforesaid trio, some time after, paying their +devotions to the bottle, at the Three Cocks, our hero contrived to bring +Powell, who had hitherto fought shy, into a bet with him. He declared +that a stranger as he was, at Brecon, he firmly believed he could +command, and be obeyed there, with greater promptitude than himself, +although a justice of the peace and quorum. “I’ll lay you twenty pounds +to the contrary,” cried the magistrate. “Done!” replied Twm, “and we can +prove it without quitting this room, by opening the window, and +practising on one of those people opposite.” “Let it be on yonder +crockery-ware man, who is the most conspicuous,” said Powell, and Twm, of +course, could have no possible objection. The magistrate opened the +window, and called in a tone of authority, “Come here, you fellow; go +directly to the Black Lion, and tell the landlord to let you have Justice +Powell’s black mare, and bring her here to me.” “I can’t quit my goods, +sir,” said Roger, “or I would willingly oblige you.” “I tell you, +fellow, do as I order you, or I shall kick you and your ware out of the +town,” said Powell in a blustering tone, and with a look the most +terrifying that he could assume. Roger repeated his former answer; and +when the magistrate increased his threats, he burst out into a rude +laugh, and, without further deference, said, he really believed that his +worship was drunk: this was enough, and the worthy magistrate felt +himself completely put down. Our wag now took his turn, and commenced +with him: “I say, fellow, did’st thou ever see, or hear of Twm Shôn +Catti?” “Yes,” replied Roger, “often at Llandovery, once at Cardigan, +and now I see him before me at Brecon.” “Well then,” continued Twm, “I +order thee to give us a dance, in the middle of thy crockery.” “With all +my heart, if _you_ order it, for I should dread to disobey Twm Shôn Catti +more than twenty times my loss.” On which he jumped, capered, and +danced, in the midst of his brittle commodities, kicking and treading the +dishes, pans, basins, and other articles, to powder beneath his feet. +“By the Lord, thou art a strange fellow;” said Powell, as he paid him +down the amount of his forfeit; “and I foresee that there’s much more +luck for thee than thou dreamest of: and I confidently anticipate what +will surely come to pass in thy favour, my Cardiganian hero.” + +These words, uttered in a very pointed manner, and with a significant +expression of countenance, could not but excite surprise in him, to whom +they were addressed; but on parting with the other gentlemen, after the +jovial supper at the magistrate’s, he found, to his utter amazement, that +Powell was in the whole secret of his affairs with the lady of Ystrad +Fîn. “She once,” said he, “played me a jade’s trick, but no matter, we +are now friends, and she has even assisted me in my suit with her amiable +friend, Miss Meredith. In heart and soul, she is attached to you, Jones, +but she is a weak yielding woman beneath the terrors of her father’s +frown, and in some evil hour might again sacrifice herself, if you are +too long out of her sight. She is proud of you, and of your wild +achievements, and even finds excuses for your most blameable courses. +Now, my advice is, that you will endeavour to distinguish yourself during +the races, and start for the gold plate: the grey horse, I suspect, has +blood in him, and will beat the best that is to run.” “But why,” asked +Twm, “did she not keep her promise to meet me at Llandovery fair?” +Powell replied that she was prevented by her father’s sudden illness; and +great is her sorrow for the disappointment she must have caused. + +The next morning was ushered in with the ringing of bells, firing of +guns, and every demonstration of the gaiety that prevails on a gala day; +and this was an especial one, to be honored successively by the +Eisteddvod, the Races, and a grand Ball. Between eleven and twelve +o’clock, our hero, with many other musical and literary competitors, +entered the town hall, in bardic trim, with the harp of his friend Ianto +Gwyn, slung by a blue ribbon, and attached to his shoulder. + +The hall, which was handsomely decorated, now shone with the presence of +a vast number of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen; in fact, it was a +bright assemblage of the beauty and fashion of the town, and surrounding +country, sitting in anxious expectation of the commencement. At length +the business of the meeting was begun by a speech from the president, who +occupied a central seat on the raised platform. He dwelt emphatically on +the laudable object of the Eisteddvod; “to preserve from annihilation one +of the most ancient languages spoken by mankind, remarkable for its +copiousness, energy, and expression; that, like a perpetual living +miracle, kept its firm stand in this solitary nook of country, the +principal vestige of our national characteristics;—to revive and preserve +the beautiful melodies which had been the delight of our gallant and +patriotic forefathers;—and lastly, by emulation, to keep alive the +brilliant blaze of the native Awen, the darling poesy of the land, which +yielded their fragrant and refreshing blossoms, lovely sacrifices on the +altar of Taste; that with their incense appeased the rugged Genius of the +cold and stern realities of life.” Penillion singing succeeded; in which +the minstrels of Merionethshire excelled. The rest went on in rotation, +minutely according with the description given by the ever-faithful +Michael Drayton. {245a} + + —“Some there were bards, that in their sacred rage + Recorded the descents, and acts of every age; + Some with nimble joints that struck the warbling string; + In fing’ring some unskill’d, but used right well to sing + To other’s harp; of which you both might find + Great plenty, and of each excelling in their kind, + That at the Stethva {245b} oft obtain’d a victor’s praise, + Had won the silver harp, and worn Apollo’s bays; + Whose verses they deduced from those first golden times, + In sundry forms of feet, and sundry suits of rhymes. + In Englyns {245c} some there were that in their subject strain; + Some makers that again affect a loftier vein, + Rehearse their high conceits in Cowyths; {245d} other some + In Owdels {245e} theirs express, as matter haps to come. + + So varying still their moods, observing yet in all, + Their quantities, their rests, their measures metrical; + For to that sacred art they most themselves apply, + Addicted from their birth to so much poesy, + That in the mountains those who scarce have seen a book, + Most skilfully will make, as though from art they took.” + +Among the given subjects for a Cowydd, or Poem, was “Govid,” or +Affliction, for which it turned out that there was but one who had +written on it, and, to Twm’s unutterable surprise, he heard his own poem +of that title recited, and more than all, a prize awarded to it by the +umpires. Lady Devereux, who had attached her name to this effusion, was +called upon to receive the meed of her talents. That lady, who sat by +her father, as one of the audience, now rose with dignity, and said with +some emotion, that the poem so highly honored; was not of her +composition, but had been sent to her by its author, a person of taste +and ingenuity, whom she was bound ever to esteem; as to his valour and +courtesy she had once been indebted for the preservation of her life. +Then naming Mr. Thomas Jones, as the author, she pointed him out; and, +amid loud and long applause, a handsome silver medal was placed round his +neck. + +But why should we prolong, by intermediate detail, the ultimatum so +easily inticipated by the reader? Our hero won also the miniature silver +harp, and the gold cup at the races; the admiration of the ladies at the +ball, and withal, the wonder and esteem of the Breconians. But alas! the +buoyancy of spirits, and exultation of heart, which owed their evanescent +existence to these distinctions, was soon doomed to give way to feelings +of contrasting severity. Now, while in the zenith of his glory, +confidently anticipating, as the final crown of his happiness, the +willing hand of his mistress, a note for him arrived at the inn, from the +fair widow, that threw him into absolute despair—she told him in plain +terms, that unless he could outwit her, all his hopes of her hand would +be utterly in vain. This intimation he could understand only as a formal +_permit_ to wear the willow as soon as he pleased; that she was otherwise +engaged, and had altogether done with him. + +Meeting Miss Meredith in the walks soon afterwards, he sought an +explanation with much earnestness, but she only burst out into laughter +at his “serious sad face,” as she called it, and made her escape from his +importunities. This confirmed the worst construction which he had put on +her conduct, and the “vile caprice and inconsistency of woman,” became +the subjects of his bitterest railing. Hearing that her company had +preceded her in the way home, next evening, and that she was about to +follow them alone, he resolved to way-lay, and put her under +contribution, at any rate; which he conceived would be one way, at least, +of outwitting her, and perhaps the right one. + +Disguising himself in a heavy great coat, and a rough hairy travelling +cap, which had always been his treasury, in preference to a pocket, in +case of being at any time overpowered by numbers on the road, as no +suspicion would attach of money being there concealed; he took his stand +by the gate, that in those days led from the town into the mountains, +through which the road ran to Llanspyddyd, Trecastle, and Llandovery. At +length the gay widow arrived, and Twm immediately caught a firm hold of +her bridle, and, in an assumed snuffling tone of voice, demanded her +money. She begged hard for mercy on her pocket, but in vain; and gave at +last a considerable sum, which, she said, was the whole contents of her +pocket. Our hero, while placing the booty in the crown of his cap, +declared himself quite satisfied: “And so am I!” cried the spirited +widow, and, at the same moment, grasped his cap and its whole contents, +laughing aloud as she galloped away from him, she cried, “thus the widow +outwits and triumphs over Twm.” + +Here was our hero, at length, in a deplorable dilemma;—shorn of his +laurels, and at once a bankrupt in love and fortune; as the cap contained +the whole of the money brought with him to Brecon, as well as what he had +gained there. This inauspicious adventure, although it damped his +spirits for the time, had the ultimate effect of rousing his latent +energies to the highest pitch. He was not long in hatching a scheme to +forward his purposes, that, however, required the aid (which was offered +to him) of Powell and his two friends. Twelve o’clock the next morning +saw him dismounting at the door of Ystrad Fîn, accoutred in a military +costume, intended as a disguise, to gain immediate admittance as a +stranger. To his great dismay, instead of finding the door fly open to +his knock, as he expected, it appeared to have been barricaded against +him. The lady of the mansion, with pompous formality, appeared at the +window, like the warder of a fortress holding a parley at an outpost. In +a gay spirit of bantering, she declared, that the military uniform became +him exceedingly, and begged to know what rank he held in the army. Our +hero parried these home thrusts with but an ordinary degree of grace, +and, in a bowed spirit, intreated admission to the inner walls. The lady +Joan was quite peremptory in her refusal, declaring, that having lately +heard so much to his disadvantage, she had decided to break off all +future acquaintance with him as a lover; “especially,” added she, “as, +instead of the witty person I thought you, I find you quite a dull +animal, that any school-girl might outwit.” Here she indulged in a +provoking laugh, and bade him “good-bye,” as she turned to close the +window. “Nay then,” said Twm in a desponding key, “if we are indeed to +be henceforth strangers, as we _have been_ friends, true and warm +friends, you will give me your hand, at least, in parting.” She slowly +stretched out her hand at the window, and our hero, with the eager spring +of a hungry tiger, darted forward, grasped her wrist with his left hand, +and drawing his sword with the right, exclaimed in a tone of fury, +“Revenge at least is left me—by yon blessed sky above us, I’ll be trifled +with no longer—off goes your hand, unless you consent to our union this +instant, and on this very spot.” “Lord! don’t squeeze so hard and look +so fierce,” cried the lady of Ystrad Fîn. Twm, with increased +boisterousness, resumed, “On your answer will depend whether, for the +remainder of your life, you will have a single, or a pair of hands—for on +the pronouncing of a negative, this hand, this soft white hand, beautiful +as it is, will instantly fly, severed from the wrist.” “I would not so +much care,” cried the lady of Ystrad Fîn, “but for your horrid name; I +could not endure to be called Mrs. Twm Shôn Catti.” “I have protested +bitterly, and will not be forsworn,” cried Twm, “that here, even here, +with your hand thus stretched through the window, the marriage ceremony +shall be performed; and so your answer at once without evasion.” “The +parson of our parish is gone to a christening,” said the lady of Ystrad +Fîn. “Yes or no!” roared the terrific Twm, menacing the threatened blow. +“Well then, as I could not handle a knife and fork, or play my spinnet, +or give you a box on the ear when I want pastime, I may as well say—yes!” +“Bless thee for that,” cried Twm in extacy, and eagerly kissed the +captured hand. With his left hand he drew forth a small bugle, and blew +a loud blast that was re-echoed by the surrounding mountains. +Immediately a party of ten persons, wearing masks appeared, one of which +was arrayed in a clerical habit, who without further ado commenced the +marriage ceremony, Twm the while holding her hand through the window. + +The wedding service had been more than half gone through, when four +windows of the first floor were suddenly opened, and several persons put +their heads out, while, with the most sideshaking peals of laughter, they +looked down on this singular wedding. The “ho, ho, ho!” of the merry +Prothero, was heard with surpassing loudness; and, “Well done Twm,” were +the first words that the spirit of titillation permitted him to utter. +Notwithstanding this interruption, the ceremony was finished, and parson +Hughes pronounced them man and wife. Unwilling to loosen the hand which +he now considered his own, our hero held it fast till he entered the +house through the window. Once within the mansion that now called him +master, an amazing change of circumstances took place.—The lady +endearingly asked forgiveness for her latter conduct, while Twm intreated +the same for himself. Squire Prothero had been the author of many good +offices to our hero; having conciliated Sir John Price, who, although a +proud man, was also something of a humorist, as he proved himself in this +instance. A plan was concerted to throw every impediment in the way of +Twm’s union, for him to surmount them as he could, to afford sport for +the old baronet and his merry friend Prothero, in which trickery the lady +herself was by promise compelled to join, which accounts for her latter +conduct. Being ushered by his bride into the drawing-room, our hero was +introduced to, and well received by more than one stranger—namely, Sir +John Price, and his own father! On the following day their public +wedding took place in Brecon, when our hero’s friend Powell was also +united to the amiable Miss Meredith. These parties being made happy, +little remains to be added. Evans of Tregaron, had soon after, to add to +his other losses, that of his clerical gown, on account of a fine +chopping boy affiliated on him by the luckless Bessy Gwevel hîr; and his +magisterial functions were also numbered with “things which were, but are +not.” + +The annals of those times evince that our hero filled various civil +offices of the first rank in the good town of Brecon, with great ability; +and “Thomas Jones, Esq.” shines conspicuously on the list of its mayors +and sheriffs; but no where more honourably than in the pages of his early +friend Rhys—the Doctor Rhys—whose undoubted testimony crowns him with the +fame of an accomplished herald and antiquary. A single anecdote, +illustrative of his good humour in late life, shall close this book. +“Bless me!” cried the lady mayoress one day to her husband, as they +passed arm in arm through the street from church, “the people are always +laughing to think of my having married you.” “I don’t wonder,” replied +the hero of these adventures, “for I always laugh when I think of it +myself.” + + * * * * * + + THE END. + + * * * * * + + * * * * * + + PRINTED BY J. COX, ABERYSTWYTH. + + + + +Footnotes + + +{3a} His wife’s name was Joan. + +{3b} The truth against the world. + +{4} The English pronunciation of Twm Shôn Catti, is Toom Shone Katty; +instead of which the Londoners called it _Twim John Katty_, which seemed +doubly ludicrous as the name of a tragedy hero. + +{5} Another cause assigned for the adoption of this name is, that a +cat’s eye formed part of his armorial bearings. + +{6} A small cup, so called from its contents being able merely to damp +the clay of a genuine toper. + +{56} It is a singular circumstance, that in the county of Cumberland is +kept up among the peasantry a custom resembling this of the +Welsh—voluntary contributions at weddings—which doubtless had its origin +from the same source, and may be thus accounted for. When the Britons +were driven by the Saxons from the valleys of England to the mountains of +Wales, a considerable number of them separating from their countrymen, +remained and settled in the North of England, among the Saxons, in a +district thence called “Gwlad y Cymru,” i.e. _the land of the Cymru_, +since corrupted to “_Cumberland_.” Adopting the language and manners of +their conquerors, their own name as a people became entirely lost to +their posterity, while this sole vestige (the contributions at weddings) +alone remains, of their ancient customs. + +{57} In addition to the _Gwahoddwr’s_ address, there is another mode +prevalent in the present day, of inviting to the Bidding, by a printed +circular, which in some parts of the principality supersedes that merry +personage altogether, a thing to be regretted, as it deprives the rural +Welsh Wedding of one of its most pleasant features, and cuts off its +alliance with romance, and the manners of _oulden tyme_. The following +is a specimen of a Bidding circular. + + _October_ 5_th_, 182— + + As we intend to enter the matrimonial state, on Saturday, the 10th of + November next, we are encouraged by our friends to make a Bidding on + the occasion, the same day, at the young woman’s father’s house, + called Tynant, at which place, the favor of your agreeable company is + most respectfully solicited; and whatever donation you may be pleased + to bestow on us then, will be thankfully received, and cheerfully + repaid whenever called for on the like occasion. + + Your obedient Servants, + + A. B. + C. D. + + *** The parents of the young man, and his brothers and sisters, + desire that all gifts of the above nature due to them, be returned to + the young man on the above day, and will be thankful for all favors + granted.—Also, the young woman’s parents and her brothers and + sisters, desire that all gifts of the above nature due to them, be + returned to the young woman on the above day, and will be thankful + for all favors granted. + +{62} The large three-legged iron pot used for cooking. + +{77} Pronounced Coom dee. + +{129} Dio is in Wales, the diminutive or familiar of David. + +{134} This simple rustic song is a translation from a popular ballad by +John Jones of Glangors, generally sung to the tune of “Will you come to +the bower?” + +{136a} Strawberries strung or beaded on long grass. + +{136b} Ewes are milked in Wales, for which purpose they are driven from +the hills and mountain in sheep-pens: their butter is also used for many +purposes. + +{138} Hob y deri dando signifies “away my herd to the oaken grove.” Mr. +Parry, for whose Welsh Melodies the modern words were written, remarks, +“There is something very quaint and characteristic in this ancient air, +and it is popular in Wales.” + +{152a} Pennill signifies stanza. The original, of which the above is a +translation, runs thus— + + Gwych yw y dyffryn, y gwenith, a’r yd, + Mwyn dir a maenol, ac aml le clyd, + Llinos ac eos, ac adar a gân; + Ni cheir yn y mynydd ond mawnen a thân. + +{152b} A Triban may be defined a lyric epigram; it is common in Welsh +literature. + +{172} In the original— + + “Nid twyll twyllo twyllwr; + Nid brâd bradychu bradwr; + Nid lladrad mi wn yn dda, + Lladratta ar ladratwr.” + +{208} Signifying “_The Poem of Affliction_.” The original Welsh poem, +in recitative measure, of which the above is rather a condensed +paraphrase than a translation, is in no ancient MS in the possession of +the late Mr. Jenkins of Llwyn-y-groes, Cardiganshire; and published in +both Meyrick’s “Cardigan,” and “Hynafion Cymreig.” + +{214} Between these two rivers, before they unite, is an angular slip of +lowland, being the last of Cardiganshire; Dinas, and all the interesting +heights here described, are in Carmarthenshire; while the boundary of +Breconshire is about half a mile off. The reader who is a Welshman, will +hence recognize the etymology of Ystrad Fîn, which signifies, The vale of +the boundary. + +{245a} Drayton’s poetry is so constructed, that to read it with any +harmony, there should be a pause in the middle of every line, when the +sense will permit. + +{245b} Eisteddvod. + +{245c} The Welsh epigramic stanza. + +{245d} Cowydd, or Poem. + +{245e} Awdl, or Ode. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES AND VAGARIES OF TWM +SHON CATTI*** + + +******* This file should be named 40419-0.txt or 40419-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/0/4/1/40419 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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