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Llewelyn Prichard</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.gutsumm { margin-left: 5%;} + P.poetry {margin-left: 3%; } + .GutSmall { font-size: 0.7em; } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } +table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-weight: normal; + color: gray; + } + img { border: none; } + img.dc { float: left; width: 50px; height: 50px; } + p.gutindent { margin-left: 2em; } + div.gapspace { height: 0.8em; } + div.gapline { height: 0.8em; width: 100%; border-top: 1px solid;} + div.gapmediumline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + div.gapmediumdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 40%; margin-left:30%; + border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; + margin-left: 40%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid; } + div.gapdoubleline { height: 0.3em; width: 50%; + margin-left: 25%; border-top: 1px solid; + border-bottom: 1px solid;} + div.gapshortline { height: 0.3em; width: 20%; margin-left:40%; + border-top: 1px solid; } + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + img.floatleft { float: left; + margin-right: 1em; + margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.floatright { float: right; + margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; } + img.clearcenter {display: block; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em} + --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> + +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: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES AND VAGARIES OF TWM +SHON CATTI*** +</pre> +<p>Transcribed from the 1828 John Cox edition by David Price, +email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1><span class="GutSmall">THE</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">ADVENTURES AND VAGARIES</span><br /> +<span class="GutSmall">OF</span><br /> +TWM SHÔN CATTI,</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">DESCRIPTIVE +OF</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">LIFE IN WALES:</p> +<p style="text-align: center">Interspersed with Poems.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">BY T. J. LLEWELYN PRICHARD.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p class="poetry">Mae llevain mawr a gwaeddi<br /> +Yn Ystrad Fîn eleni<br /> +A cherrig nadd yn toddi ’n blwm<br /> +Rhag ovn Twm Shôn Catti.</p> +<p class="poetry">In Ystrad Fîn this year, appalling<br /> +The tumult loud, the weeping, wailing,<br /> + That thrills with fear and pity;<br /> +The lightning scathes the mountain’s head,<br /> +The massy stones dissolve like lead,<br /> +All nature shudders at the tread<br /> + And shout of Twm Shôn Catti.</p> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">ABERYSTWYTH:<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY JOHN +COX.</span></p> +<p style="text-align: center">1828</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<h2><a name="page1"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 1</span>CHAP. +I.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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 “<span +class="smcap">Innkeeper’s Album</span>,” and in the +drama founded thereon. The honor of his birth claimed by +different towns. A true account of his birth and +parentage.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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 <a +name="page2"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 2</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <i>second</i> title, of Twm <i>John</i> 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 <a name="page3"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +3</span>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 <i>sold</i> 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.</p> +<p>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 <i>Ellen</i> <a +name="citation3a"></a><a href="#footnote3a" +class="citation">[3a]</a> a hero’s death!</p> +<p>“This may do for London, but in Wales, where ‘<i>Y +gwir yn erbyn y byd</i>’ <a name="citation3b"></a><a +href="#footnote3b" class="citation">[3b]</a> 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 <a name="page4"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +4</span>or baptismal appellation,” <a +name="citation4"></a><a href="#footnote4" +class="citation">[4]</a> 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 <i>real</i> 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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +5</span>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.</p> +<p>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.” <a +name="citation5"></a><a href="#footnote5" +class="citation">[5]</a></p> +<p>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 <a name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +6</span>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, <a +name="citation6"></a><a href="#footnote6" +class="citation">[6]</a> 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.</p> +<p>And now, having given our hero’s birth and parentage +with the fidelity of a true historian, <a name="page7"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 7</span>who has a most virtuous scorn of the +spurious embellishments of fiction, a more excursive pen shall +flourish on our future chapters.</p> +<h2>CHAP. II.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">A glance at Twm’s grandfather. +Squire Graspacre. Sir John Wynne. The adventure that +foreran our hero’s birth.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Catti</span>, 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 <a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +9</span>recent death of her father had naturally attuned her mind +to melancholy, and cast a cloud over her usual cheerfulness.</p> +<p>The great men stopped their horses: “a fine girl, Sir +John,” cried the squire.</p> +<p>“Very!” observed the baronet; “I wonder if +she is come-at-able?”</p> +<p>“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 <i>improvement</i>.”</p> +<p>The latter part of this <i>amiable</i> suggestion, given with +a significant leer, was perfectly well understood. The +amorous baronet amply availed himself of the <i>honorable</i> +squire’s hint, and called several successive evenings at +Llidiard-y-Fynnon; but some doubts may be entertained of the +<i>improvements</i> 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.</p> +<h2><a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>CHAP. +III.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Early indications of Twm’s antiquarian +propensities. His mother becomes the very paragon of +schoolmistresses. The originality of her system. Twm +becomes her pupil.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">As</span> 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 <a name="page11"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 11</span>latter designation has grown +unpopular; but according to <i>Bardolph’s</i> hint, it +might be profitably exchanged, on the score of respectability, to +“conveyancer:”—</p> +<blockquote><p>“Steal! a fico for the phrase!<br /> +The wise call it convey.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 12</span>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.”</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>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 <a +name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>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.</p> +<p>Many of Catti’s pupils had been taken by <a +name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>“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.</p> +<p><i>Gwenny</i>.—a, b, hab.</p> +<p><i>Catti</i>.—There’s a good maaid!</p> +<p><i>Gwenny</i>.—e, b, heb.</p> +<p><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +16</span><i>Catti</i>.—There’s a good maaid!</p> +<p><i>Gwenny</i>.—o, b, hob.</p> +<p><i>Catti</i>.—There’s a good maaid!</p> +<p><i>Gwenny</i>.—i, b,—I can’t tell.</p> +<p><i>Catti</i>.—Skipe it, child, skipe it—(meaning +“skip it.”)</p> +<p><i>Gwenny</i>.—u, b, cub.</p> +<p><i>Catti</i>.—There’s a good maaid! Twm, you +little wicked dog, don’t kick the child. Go on, +Gwenny vach.</p> +<p><i>Twm</i>.—(who had been struggling for some time to +get from under his mother’s combs,) I want to go a +fishing.</p> +<p><i>Catti</i>.—Lord love the darling child! +You’ll fall into the river and be drowned.</p> +<p><i>Twm</i>.—Oh! no, mother; I always fish in the +gutters.</p> +<p><i>Dio Bengoch</i>.—I want to go home for some bread and +butter.</p> +<p>“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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. IV.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Perhaps</span> our modern governesses who +possess the vain accomplishment of reading and writing, <a +name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>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 <a name="page18"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 18</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +19</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +20</span>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.</p> +<p><a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>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.</p> +<blockquote><p>Others more comely features might wear,<br /> +But Jack was famed for his white teeth bare.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a +name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="page23"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 23</span>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 <a name="page24"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 24</span>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 <a name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>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.</p> +<p>On one auspicious market-day, Carmarthen <a +name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>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 <a +name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>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 <a +name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 28</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page29"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 29</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +30</span>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.</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">MILK AND FLUMMERY.</p> +<p>Let luxury’s imbecile train,<br /> + Of appetites fastidious,<br /> +Each sauced provocative obtain,<br /> + The draught or viand perfidious;<br /> +But oh! give me that simple food,<br /> + So dear to the sons of Cymru,<br /> +With health, with nourishment imbued,<br /> + The sweet new milk and flummery.</p> +<p>Let pudding-headed English folks<br /> + With boast of roast beef fag us;<br /> +Let Scottish Burns crack rural jokes,<br /> + And vaunt kail-brose and haggis;<br /> +But Cymru’s sons! of mount and plain,<br /> + From Brecknock to Montgomery,<br /> +Let us the honest praise maintain,<br /> + Of sweet new milk and flummery.</p> +<p>On sultry days when appetites<br /> + Wane dull, and low, and queasy,<br /> +When loathing stomachs nought delights,<br /> + To gulp thee flumm’ry! ’s easy:<br /> +Dear oaten jelly, pride of Wales!<br /> + Rude child of the vales of Cymru;<br /> +On thee the ruddy swain regales,<br /> + And blesses milk and flummery.</p> +<p><a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +31</span>’Tis sweet to stroll on Cambrian heights,<br /> + O’erlooking vales and rivers,<br /> +Where bird-song sweet, with breeze unites,<br /> + Each, sunshine rapture givers!<br /> +To crown their gust the light repast—<br /> + So cool—can never come awry,<br /> +Oh sweet! to break the mid-day fast<br /> + On sweet new milk and flummery.</p> +</blockquote> +<h2>CHAP. V.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">An essay on courting in bed. Our hero +removed to the curate’s school.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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,</p> +<blockquote><p>“The lovely maid on whom I doat,<br /> +Has made a spencer of my coat.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +32</span>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;</p> +<blockquote><p>“But maudlin mothers, all, have tender +hearts,<br /> +Too kind to root an early shoot of vice<br /> +By wholesome chastisement. The little darlings!<br /> +Who could punish them, whate’er their faults?”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>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 <a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +34</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 +<a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +35</span>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.</p> +<p>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, +<a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 36</span>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. “<i>You</i>, Mr. +Graspacre! <i>you</i>! 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page37"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 37</span>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 <i>honorable</i> 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! <a +name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>to which he +ought to have been inducted at the expence of government.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +39</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. VI.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Twm improves in the curate’s +school. His wit saves him from a flogging.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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 <i>his</i> rule, to submit to <i>her’s</i>, +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 <a +name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>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.”</p> +<p>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,—</p> +<blockquote><p>“Take this Holy Bible book,<br /> +God give thee grace therein to look.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>These lines were not only written by her own fair hand, but +actually of her own composition; <a name="page41"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 41</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>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 <a +name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>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.”</p> +<p>“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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. VII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">At</span> this time a warm altercation one +day took place between the squire and his lady, that terminated +in consequences little expected by <a name="page44"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 44</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>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 <i>Biddings</i> 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 <i>my part</i> 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 name="page46"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 46</span>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 <i>one</i>—which, indeed, would be equally +applicable to all Welsh girls—namely, to throw off their +flannel shifts, and wear linen ones.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page47"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 47</span>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, <i>such as your good taste +will suggest</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="page48"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 48</span>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 <a name="page49"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 49</span>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.</p> +<p>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, <i>at their own expence</i>, to +be deducted from their wages, into glaring cotton prints. +The girls were unhappy enough at this change, <a +name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>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” <i>a la John Bull</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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 +<i>important</i> 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 <a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +51</span>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.”</p> +<p>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 <i>Cwrw da</i> of +<i>Hên Gymru</i> is bred and born! and I would rather die +than be told that I can’t brew.”</p> +<p>“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 <a +name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 52</span>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”—</p> +<p>“You brewed good ale from the grown wheat the first +time,” said the squire, not deeming it necessary to notice +her observations.</p> +<p>“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 <i>cwrw da</i>! +which I could make you to-morrow, if you would give me good malt +and hops, and let it stand long enough untapped.”</p> +<p>“But let me ask you my good woman,” said the +squire, “what is the reason that your two <a +name="page53"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>last brewings +were so far inferior to the first, when you had the same +materials to work on?”</p> +<p>“’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.”</p> +<p>“You found what?” asked the squire and his lady at +the same time.</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page54"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 54</span>expect it to be equal to the best +<i>cwrw da</i> of Newcastle Emlyn—and, do you hear? we +shall dispense with either rats or cats in it for the +future.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. VII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Carmarthen</span> 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 name="page55"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 55</span>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 +<i>Bidding</i> should be immediately commenced.</p> +<p>A <i>Bidding</i> 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, <a name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +56</span>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. <a +name="citation56"></a><a href="#footnote56" +class="citation">[56]</a> Another agreeable feature in the +rural festivities on these occasions is the appointment of a +<i>Gwahoddwr</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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 <i>Gwahoddwr</i>. The following homely lines are a +literal translation of those which <a name="page57"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 57</span>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.</p> +<p class="poetry">List to the Bidder—a health to all<br /> +Who dwell in this house, both great and small;<br /> +Prosperity’s comforts ever attend<br /> +The Bride and the Bridegroom’s generous friend!</p> +<p class="poetry">His door, may it never need a latch;<br /> +His hearth a fire, his cottage a thatch;<br /> +His wife a card, or a spinning wheel;<br /> +His floor a table, nor on it a meal!</p> +<p class="poetry">On Saturday next a wedding you’ll see,<br +/> +In fair Tregaron, as gay as can be,<br /> +Between John Rees, called Jack o Sîr Gâr,<br /> +And Catherine Jones, his chosen fair.</p> +<p class="poetry">Haste to the wedding, its joy to share!<br /> +Mirth and good humor shall meet ye there;<br /> +Come one, come all! there’s a welcome true<br /> +To master and mistress and servants too!</p> +<p class="poetry">Stools shall ye find to sit upon,<br /> +And tables, and goodly food thereon,<br /> +Butter and cheese, and flesh and fish<br /> +(If we can catch them!) all to your wish.</p> +<p class="poetry">There many a lad shall a sweetheart find,<br /> +And many a lass meet a youth to her mind,<br /> +While nut-brown ale, both cheap and strong,<br /> +Shall warm the heart for the dance and song.</p> +<p class="poetry">Oft at a wedding are matches made,<br /> +When dress’d in their best come youth and maid,<br /> +And dance together, and whisper and kiss,—<br /> +Who knows what weddings may rise from this?</p> +<p class="poetry">Whoever may come to the Bidding, +note,—<br /> +There’s thanks to the friend who brings three groat;<br /> +And ne’er may they hobble on a crutch<br /> +Whoe’er give the lovers twice as much!</p> +<p class="poetry">Whatever is given, as much they’ll +restore—<br /> +One shilling, or two, or three, or four;<br /> +Whenever in similar case ’tis claim’d,<br /> +Else were defaulters ever shamed. <a name="citation57"></a><a +href="#footnote57" class="citation">[57]</a></p> +<p class="poetry"><a name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +58</span>So haste to the wedding, both great and small,<br /> +Master and mistress, and servants, and all!<br /> +Catti’s at home, Jack’s at sign of the Cat;<br /> +Now God save the king and the Bidder, Wat.</p> +<p>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 <i>Gwahoddwr</i>. Here the boy was in the height of +his happiness, and soon bedecked himself as a mock +<i>Gwahoddwr</i>; having cut and peeled a willow wand, and +attached to the end of it a bunch of rush flags and +carpenter’s shavings, <a name="page59"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 59</span>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.</p> +<blockquote><p>Who’ll come to the wedding of Catti my +mother?<br /> +Come mother, come daughter, son, father, and brother,<br /> +And bring all your cousins, and uncles, and aunts,<br /> +To revel and feast at our jolly courants,<br /> +Haste, haste to the Bidding ye stingy scrubs!<br /> +And out with your purses, and down with your dubs.</p> +<p>Come Gwenny and Griffith, and Roger and Sal,<br /> +Morgan, Meredith, and Peggy and Pal;<br /> +Come one, come all, with your best on your back,<br /> +To see mother married to spoon-making Jack;<br /> +He’s a spoon for his pains! as ye all shall see soon.<br /> +But lucky in finding a bowl to his spoon.</p> +<p>Haste, haste, to the bidding! and friends, if ye please,<br /> +For lack of white money bring good yellow cheese,<br /> +And butter, but not in your pockets alack,<br /> +Bring bacon or mutton well dried on the rack;<br /> +So endeth my story; come, haste we friend Watty,<br /> +Now God save the king, and his friend Twm Shôn Catti.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Twm’s delivery of these lines excited much mirth and +laughter, and, added to those of the real <i>Gwahoddwr</i>, 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. <a name="page60"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 60</span>As Jack’s friends were in +Carmarthenshire, another <i>Gwahoddwr</i> 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.</p> +<p>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 <i>Ystavell</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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 +<a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 61</span>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 <i>her</i> partizans, which were not a +few. This custom in Welsh is called <i>Pwrs a Gwregys</i>, +or purse and girdle; and is, doubtless, of very remote +origin.</p> +<p>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 +<i>lucky day</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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 +<i>Pwython</i>; 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 <i>Pwython</i> +of the others, who had an aversion to travel such a very distant +journey.</p> +<p>After depositing their offerings, and partaking of a little +refreshment, twelve of the bridegroom’s friends, headed by +Ianto Gwyn the harper, <a name="page62"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 62</span>mounted their ponies and called at +Catti’s house, to demand the bride; and Wat the +mole-catcher and <i>Gwahoddwr</i>, 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.</p> +<blockquote><p>Open windows, open doors,<br /> +And with flowers strew the floors.<br /> +Heap the hearth with blazing wood,<br /> +Load the spit with festal food.<br /> +The <i>chrochon</i> <a name="citation62"></a><a +href="#footnote62" class="citation">[62]</a> on its hook be +placed,<br /> +And tap a barrel of the best!<br /> +For this is Catti’s wedding day;<br /> +Now bring the fair one forth I pray.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>On which Wat, with the door still closed, made this reply +without appearing.</p> +<blockquote><p>Who are ye all? ye noisy train!<br /> +Be ye thieves, or honest men?<br /> +Tell us quick what brings ye here,<br /> +Or this intrusion costs you dear.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Ianto Gwyn then rejoins,</p> +<blockquote><p>Honest men are we, who seek<br /> +A dainty dame both fair and meek,<br /> +Very good, and very pretty,<br /> +And known to all by name of Catti;<br /> +We come to claim her for a bride;<br /> +Come father! let the fair be tied<br /> +To him who loves her ever well:—</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Wat, still within, answers,</p> +<blockquote><p>So ye say, but time will tell;<br /> +My daughter’s very well at home,<br /> +So ye may pack and backward roam.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Ianto Gwyn resolutely exclaims,</p> +<blockquote><p>Your home no more she’s doom’d to +share,<br /> +Like every marriageable fair<br /> +Her father’s roof she quits, for one<br /> +Where she is mistress: woo’d and won.</p> +<p><a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>It now +remains to see her wedded,<br /> +And homeward brought and safely bedded;<br /> +Unless you give her up we swear<br /> +The roof from off your house to tear,<br /> +Burst in the doors, and batter walls,<br /> +To rescue her whom wedlock calls.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>Another of the bridegroom’s party then called aloud in a +tone of authority,</p> +<blockquote><p>Peace, in the king’s name here! peace!<br /> +Let vaunts and taunting language cease;<br /> +We, the bridesmen, come to sue<br /> +The favor to all bridesmen due,<br /> +The daughter from the father’s hand,<br /> +And entertainment kindly bland.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 +<i>cwrw</i> 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 +<a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 64</span>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.</p> +<blockquote><p>Lost, stray’d, or ran away<br /> +This moment from the king’s highway,<br /> +A tall and sightly strapping woman,<br /> +A circumstance not very common;<br /> +<a name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>’Tis +said a murderer of vermin<br /> +On her abduction did determine;<br /> +Whoe’er will bear to gaol th’ offender,<br /> +The lost one to her owner render,<br /> +Shall be as handsomely rewarded<br /> +As can be readily afforded.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <i>Morwynion Glân Meirionydd</i>, or +the Fair Maidens of Merionethshire; while many <a +name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 66</span>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 <a name="page67"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 67</span>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 <a name="page68"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 68</span>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 +<i>Pwython</i>; “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.</p> +<h2><a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>CHAP. +VIII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Determined</span> 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 +<i>Neithior</i>, being come, the happy pair stayed at home, +receiving their friends who called with their good will, which +was manifested by the payment of <i>Pwython</i>. 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 <a name="page70"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 70</span>of money has been so much decreased, +the amount of the <i>Pwython</i> 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="page71"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 71</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page72"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 72</span>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 <i>bards</i>, 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” <a +name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>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 <a +name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 75</span>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 <i>confidential +friend</i>.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +76</span>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 <i>generously</i> decided to send him as a +parish apprentice to a farmer, whose grounds were situate in the +neighbouring mountains.</p> +<h2>CHAP. IX.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Twm’s new master and mistress, with +their daughters. His pranks and buffetings at Cwm du. +This humorous-beginning chapter ends tragically.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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 <a name="page77"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 77</span>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 <i>Cwm du</i>, +<a name="citation77"></a><a href="#footnote77" +class="citation">[77]</a> 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.</p> +<p><a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>At the +upper end of <i>Cwm du</i> 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 <i>Cwm du</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>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 <i>Cwm du</i> +should ever tempt our foreign enemies to invade it.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 80</span>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 <i>saws</i>.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>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, +“<i>that</i> is the <i>cow</i> 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 <a name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +82</span>convinced him that he meant to keep his word.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 83</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page84"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 84</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 85</span>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!”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2><a name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>CHAP. +X.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">After</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>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 <i>had +seen the man</i>, <i>and loved him not</i>. 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.</p> +<p>The catastrophe at Morris Grump’s, of course, <a +name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 88</span>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 <i>a true and particular</i> 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 89</span>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 <i>Cwm du</i>, 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, <a +name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XI.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> squire and his man Twm +returning one evening from grousing on the hills, on their +descent towards the valleys had to pass by <a +name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>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.</p> +<p>The squire having finished his hasty lunch, <a +name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>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?</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page94"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 94</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page95"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 95</span>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 +<i>ass</i>.” Twm, whose thoughts ran entirely on the +farmer’s fair daughter, mistaking what she said, rejoined +“Cadwgan’s <i>lass</i>, 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 <i>ass</i>, and not his <i>lass</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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 +<i>ass</i> 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 <a +name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>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 +<i>lass</i>,” 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 <i>ass</i> instead of <i>lass</i>, 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, <i>his</i> roof, hearth, and table should be at his +service.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page97"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 97</span>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 <a +name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <i>if he had brought +her</i>, and where he had been so long; to which Twm replied +“Yes sir, <a name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +99</span>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 <i>lass</i>, 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 <a +name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 100</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.” <a +name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 101</span>Here +Twm’s risible faculties were again oppressed to bursting, +but a look from his master checked him.</p> +<p>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 <i>half and half</i>, +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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 102</span>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, <i>silence gives consent</i>, and +proceeded to bend his face down to kiss the fair one, when a +severe bounce inflicted by a toss of his <i>incognita’s</i> +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 <a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +103</span>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.</p> +<p>The servants, having but concealed the lights, expecting some +<i>denouement</i> 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 +<i>ass</i>, or Cadwgan’s <i>lass</i>, 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 <a +name="page104"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 104</span>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.</p> +<p class="poetry">If from <i>lass</i> you take the letter L,<br +/> +Then lass is ass if I have learnt to spell;<br /> +Yet ass and lass methinks are coupled ill,<br /> +Though human asses follow lasses still;<br /> +An ass were I too—one yclept a ninny—<br /> +If now I stay’d to claim my promised guinea.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Twm</span> 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 <a name="page105"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 105</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 106</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page108"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +108</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page109"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 109</span>the occasion, but in her nieces, +nothing but smothered laughter.</p> +<p>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 <i>kindness</i>, 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.</p> +<blockquote><p>“Apple pie is very rich,<br /> + And so is venison pasty,<br /> +Our cook has got the itch,<br /> + And that is very nasty.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a name="page110"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +110</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 111</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page112"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +112</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 113</span>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 +(<i>Black hill</i>) which being rugged of ascent and marshy, +seldom invited the steps of the sons of pleasure in the character +of sportsmen.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page114"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 114</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +115</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XIII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">No</span> 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 +<a name="page116"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +116</span>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 <a +name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 117</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="page118"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 118</span>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, <a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +119</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +120</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XIV.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> 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;</p> +<blockquote><p>Dear to all their natal spot,<br /> +Although twere Nature’s foulest blot.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>He stopped, and looked wistfully towards Tregaron; the lights +were glistening in their various <a name="page121"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 121</span>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 <a +name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>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.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +123</span>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.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page124"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 124</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page125"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 125</span>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 <a +name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 127</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XV.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Twm</span> 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 <a name="page128"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 128</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page129"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 129</span>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!” <a name="citation129"></a><a +href="#footnote129" class="citation">[129]</a> or take his death +at once.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page130"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 130</span>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.</p> +<p>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, +<a name="page131"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 131</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Our hero having selected the songs that pleased him, waited +impatiently for the return of the damsels. <a +name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 132</span>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 +<i>how</i> 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 <a name="page133"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +133</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XVI.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Twm, disguised as a woman, sings ballads at +Cardigan fair. Is alarmed on seeing an unexpected +person. Takes a sudden departure from thence.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Twm</span> 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 <a name="page134"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 134</span>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">THE SLIGHTED +MAID’S LAMENT <a name="citation134"></a><a +href="#footnote134" class="citation">[134]</a></p> +<p style="text-align: center">1</p> +<p>In comfort and in credit<br /> + By the side of Pen-y-vole<br /> +I liv’d;—all knew and said it,<br /> + None could my will controul;<br /> +<a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 135</span>Until a +worthless lover<br /> + Did try my heart to move,<br /> +Ah soon my joys were over,<br /> + I listened to his love.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">2</p> +<p>From far he travell’d to me,<br /> + Full many and many a night,<br /> +I thought he came to woo me,<br /> + My heart was all delight:<br /> +My cash he thought of gaining,<br /> + It was not me he sought,<br /> +E’er moaning and complaining<br /> + For clothes—and clothes I bought.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">3</p> +<p>A pair of shoes I placed him<br /> + Between his soles and ground,<br /> +With stockings then I graced him,<br /> + With hat his head I crown’d;<br /> +Red garters then I bought him,<br /> + At fair the best I saw,<br /> +To bind his hose, od rot him!<br /> + Instead of bands of straw.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">4</p> +<p>I bought him leather breeches<br /> + Strong as a barley sack,<br /> +And laid out half my riches<br /> + To clothe the beggar’s back:<br /> +I gave him money willing,<br /> + (Vexation now ubraids!)<br /> +With which the thankless villain<br /> + Soon treated other maids.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">5</p> +<p>When thus he had bereft me<br /> + Of cash, and ah! my heart,<br /> +The cruel rover left me<br /> + It grieved me then to part:<br /> +Those clothes will rend in tatters,<br /> + They cannot last him long,<br /> +A curse attend such matters,<br /> + False lover’s curse is strong!</p> +<p style="text-align: center">6</p> +<p>His coat will rend in creases,<br /> + His stockings break in holes,<br /> +His breeches go to pieces,<br /> + His shoes part from their soles:<br /> +His hair, like garden carrot,<br /> + Full soon will want a hat,<br /> +How soon, indeed I care not,<br /> + The devil care for that.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 136</span>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.”</p> +<blockquote><p>When a wild rural Welsh boy I ran o’er the +hills,<br /> +And sprang o’er the hedges, the gates, brooks, and +rills.<br /> +The high oak I climb’d for the nest of the kite,<br /> +And plung’d in the river with lively delight!<br /> +Ah who then so cheerful, so happy as me,<br /> +At I skipp’d through the woodlands and meads of +Brindee.</p> +<p>How oft have I wander’d through swamp, hedge, or +brake,<br /> +Fearful of nought but the never-seen snake,<br /> +And gather’d brown nuts from the copses around,<br /> +While ev’ry bush echoed with harmony’s sound;<br /> +Oh gladness then thrill’d me! I bounded as free<br /> +As a hart o’er the lawn through the meads of Brindee.</p> +<p>Whenever I wander’d to some neighb’ring farm,<br +/> +How kindly was tender’d the new milk so warm,<br /> +O’er her best loaf as butter or honey she’d +spread,<br /> +The farm wife so friendly would stroke my white head,<br /> +And sue that she shortly again should see me<br /> +Whenever my rambles led forth from Brindee.</p> +<p>How of I have I run with my Strawberry wreath <a +name="citation136a"></a><a href="#footnote136a" +class="citation">[136a]</a><br /> +To rosy young Gwenny of fair Llwyn-y-neath,<br /> +And help’d her to drive the white sheep to the pen, <a +name="citation136b"></a><a href="#footnote136b" +class="citation">[136b]</a><br /> +Oh! I still think how joyously sung little Gwen<br /> +The old folks oft chuckling, vow’d sweet-hearts were we,<br +/> +The Llwyn-y-neath maiden and boy of Brindee.</p> +<p>At the fair of Dyvonnock, o’ertaken by night,<br /> +Returning, I’ve dreaded the corpse-candle light,<br /> +The wandering spirit, the hobgobling fell,<br /> +Of which cottage hen-wives so fearfully tell:<br /> +I’ve ran, with my eyes shut, ghosts dreading to see<br /> +Prayed, whistled, or sang as I flew to Brindee.</p> +<p><a name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +137</span>Pleasure and innocence hand in hand went,<br /> +My deeds ever blameless, my heart e’er content,<br /> +Unknown to ambition, and free from all care,<br /> +A stranger to sorrow, remorse, or despair;<br /> +Oh bless’d were those days! long departed from me,<br /> +Far far’s my loved Cambria! far far is Brindee.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>This was not so successful as the former, but Twm, nothing +daunted, sung the following which he called a sequel to the +last.</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">ROSY GWEN.</p> +<p>Rosy Gwen, rosy Gwen,<br /> +Beloved of maids, beloved of men!<br /> +Aye, dearly loved of grave and gay,<br /> +Of sire, sage, and matron grey!<br /> +In youth’s early day—ah what cheer’d me +then!<br /> + ’Twas her voice so sweet,<br +/> + Her person neat,<br /> + Her form so sleek,<br /> + Her spirit meek,<br /> +And the cherry-merry cheek of Rosy Gwen.</p> +<p>Gentle girl, gentle girl,<br /> +Coral lipp’d, with teeth of pearl,<br /> +On either cheek a vivid rose.<br /> +And raven tresses graced thy brows!<br /> +Ah thou wert my love and my playmate then:<br /> + Happy lass of smiles,<br /> + Unversed in wiles<br /> + Of guileless breast—<br /> + Of minds the best,<br /> +Oh my cherry-merry cheek’d young Rosy Gwen!</p> +<p>Years have flown, years have flown,<br /> +And Gwenny thou’rt a woman grown.<br /> +While Time, that bears for most a sting,<br /> +Has fann’d thy beauties with his wing;<br /> +Yet brighter, thou canst not be, than when<br /> + O’er the mountain steep<br +/> + Thou drov’st thy sheep<br /> + And sang in glee<br /> + A child with me.<br /> +Oh my cherry-merry cheek’d young Rosy Gwen.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>He gave them next a love canzonet, of two verses; the first +slow and mournful, and the last with contrasting animation and +cheerfulness.</p> +<blockquote><p><a name="page138"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +138</span>Her cheek was a rose lowly crush’d by the dew,<br +/> +Now bleach’d by despair to the lily’s pale hue<br /> + For the death of young Morgan the +brave;<br /> +Fame widely reported sea-mews scream’d his knell.<br /> +As in a dread sea-fight with glory he fell,<br /> + And was buried beneath thy salt wave.</p> +<p>But false was the tale, for a victor was he,<br /> +Triumphant return’d from the wild roaring sea,<br /> + Now to seek with his dear maid repose;<br /> +He flew to his Sina with extacy’s zest,<br /> +Enraptured he press’d the lorn maid to his breast.<br /> + And then kiss’d off the dew from the rose.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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.</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">HOB Y DERI DANDO <a +name="citation138"></a><a href="#footnote138" +class="citation">[138]</a></p> +<p><i>Ivor</i>. The summer storm is on the mountain,<br /> + + +Hob y deri dando, my sweet maid!</p> +<p><i>Gweno</i>. And foul the stream, though bright the +fountain,<br /> + + +Hob y deri dando, for the shade.</p> +<p><i>Ivor</i>. Let my mantle love protect thee,<br /> + + +Gentle Gweno dear;</p> +<p><i>Gweno</i>. Ivor kind will ne’er neglect me,<br +/> + + +Faithful far and near:</p> +<p><i>Both</i>. Through life the hue of first love true,<br +/> + + +Will never never fade.</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p><i>Ivor</i>. The rain is past, the clouds are gone +too,<br /> + + +Hob o’r deri dando, far they spread;</p> +<p><i>Gweno</i>. The lark is up, and bright the sun too,<br +/> + + +Hob o’r deri dando, on the mead;</p> +<p><i>Ivor</i>. Thus may the frowns of life pass over,<br +/> + + +Happy then our lot,</p> +<p><i>Gweno</i>. And the smile of peace be bright as +ever<br /> + + +In our humble cot.</p> +<p><i>Both</i>. Through life the hue of first love true<br +/> + + +Will never never fade.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +139</span>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 <i>Nôs Galan</i>, or New Year’s Eve, +when, to his great surprise, the malignant visage of Parson Evans +presented itself before him.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page140"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 140</span>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>The knot of swains now separated, and ran in different +directions to avoid being recognized as <a +name="page141"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 141</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<h2>CHAP. XVII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Twm escapes from Cardigan. Meets Parson +Rhys at Lampeter. The tragical tale of the heiress of +Maes-y-velin and the flower of Llandovery.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Having</span> 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 <a name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +142</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page143"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 143</span>on finding himself so contiguous to +his own native place.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +144</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="smcap">Maes-y-velin</span>, +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.</p> +<p>“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 <a +name="page145"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 145</span>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.</p> +<p style="text-align: center">THE HEIRESS OF MAES-Y-FELIN,<br /> +<span class="GutSmall">AND</span><br /> +The flower of Llandovery.</p> +<blockquote><p>What is amiss with the maiden fair,<br /> + What is the sweet one ailing?—<br /> +Why pale her cheek, and her spirits low,<br /> +And why up the hill doth she daily go,<br /> + The heiress of Maes-y-velin?—</p> +<p>Why are the brows of her brothers dark?<br /> + Nor mother nor sire hath Ellen;—<br /> +Her brothers whisper—her steps they watch—<br /> +The heart of her mystery eager to catch,<br /> + The maiden of Maes-y-velin.</p> +<p>The parents of Ellen her merits knew,<br /> + And frown’d on her brothers’ vices;<br +/> +Her brothers are disinherited,<br /> +And Ellen is heiress in either’s stead;<br /> + Thereat all the land rejoices.</p> +<p>Her brothers one day went out to hunt,<br /> + And alone at home left Ellen;<br /> +She watched them away, then flew to her bower,<br /> +And cried “oh now for Llandovery’s Flower!<br /> + Right welcome to Maes-y-velin.”</p> +<p>She hoisted her silken kerchief red<br /> + To the highest branch of her bower,<br /> +<a name="page146"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 146</span>To +Pen-garreg hill then strain’d her eyes,<br /> +And the flag of her hope was seen to rise,<br /> + ’Twas thine, oh Llandovery’s Flower!</p> +<p>Long had he watch’d—the faithful youth!<br /> + His wish each day unavailing,<br /> +At length, he sees with a wild delight,<br /> +His true love’s signal, the lady bright,<br /> + The heiress of Maes-y-velin.</p> +<p>That signal was chosen between the twain,<br /> + When absent her stern proud kindred;<br /> +And then would they rush from either hill,<br /> +The lover’s true with a right good will,<br /> + Till the waters of Teivy sunder’d.</p> +<p>Now as erst they rush’d, and as erst they paused,<br /> + When arrived on the banks of Teivy,<br /> +They gazed on each other across the stream,<br /> +And gestured affection’s high glow supreme,<br /> + And gayer their hearts, long heavy.</p> +<p>In plung’d the youth with most anxious speed,<br /> + The Flower of fair Llandovery,<br /> +The maiden is trembling with wild alarms—<br /> +She brightens—she sinks in her true-love’s arms,<br +/> + Deem’d lost to her past recovery.</p> +<p>Oh Nature hath many warm generous glows—<br /> + But they say love’s joys are fleeting;<br /> +Most dear to the mother her new-born son,<br /> +And sweet is the fame that’s fairly won,<br /> +To the blind restor’d oh the summer’s sun’s<br +/> + Less sweet than the lover’s meeting.</p> +<p>Sweet to the donor the generous deed,<br /> + That serves merit’s child, unweeting;<br /> +Healing is sweet to the gash’d by the sword;<br /> +To the wounded heart, the benevolent word;<br /> +Oh sweet is the breeze to the sick restored!<br /> + But sweeter true lovers’ greeting.</p> +<p>Each flower that flaunts in vanity’s cap,<br /> + And sets youthful hearts a gadding,<br /> +Has its charms, its zest,—but the whole above,<br /> +Is the magical thrill of sweet woman’s love,<br /> + That drives heart and brain a madding.</p> +<p>And fondly they loved, this youthful pair,<br /> + The heiress of Maes-y-velin,<br /> +And he whom they called Llandovery’s Flower;<br /> +Oh frequent their meeting and parting hour,<br /> + Their moments of joy and wailing.</p> +<p>Once when they met on the Teivy’s banks,<br /> + Canopied o’er by the wild wood,<br /> +<a name="page147"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 147</span>Mid +fragrance of flowers that graced the shade,<br /> +The youth sung this song, of true lovers betrayed,<br /> +An ominous song—that drew tears from the maid,<br /> + For her heart was as simple as childhood.</p> +<p>“‘Oh come to the banks of the Teivy with me,<br /> +To the deep woodland glade, ’neath the shady green tree,<br +/> +Fearless of foemen, of guile, or of might,<br /> +In the face of the day and the bright eye of light,<br /> +That God and his angels may witness our troth,<br /> +That God and his angels may favor us both.’</p> +<p>“‘I’ll go to the green-wood,’ the lady +replied,<br /> +‘Fore God and his angels be fairly affied,<br /> +Fearless of foemen, of guile, or of might,<br /> +In the face of the day and the bright eye of light;<br /> +That God and his angels may witness our troth,<br /> +That God and his angels may favor us both.’</p> +<p>“So sung a young chief to his dear lady love,<br /> +At the base of her tower—she answered above—<br /> +Vile vassals espied them, and flew to their lord,<br /> +The lady’s true lover soon fell ’neath his sword:<br +/> +She threw herself headlong, fulfilling her troth,<br /> +And Death was the priest that united them both.”</p> +<p style="text-align: center">PART II.</p> +<p>Over the hill of Pen-garreg, the road<br /> + Is seen that leads from Llandovery,<br /> +Maes-y-velin’s green hill is opposite,<br /> +The mansion below—oft on either height<br /> + The lovers are making discovery.—</p> +<p>But envious eyes were on the watch,<br /> + And the genius of evil hover’d;<br /> +The brothers, who wish’d their sister unmatch’d,<br +/> +For any approach of a lover watch’d,<br /> + At length their two flags discover’d.</p> +<p>They have hatch’d a scheme to enmesh the youth,<br /> + And see him at length on the mountain;<br /> +His flag they answer—he runs down the hill—<br /> +Now forth rush the wretches resolved to kill,<br /> + And waste his young heart’s warm fountain.</p> +<p>Like prey-beasts they hide on the Teivy’s banks<br /> + In the covert of thick-leaved bushes;<br /> +The youth, he dashes across the river,<br /> +And ardent to meet his fond receiver<br /> + He seeks her fair form in the rushes.—</p> +<p>He deems she plays him at hide and seek,<br /> + Her heart he knew was gayful—<br /> +“Oh come from thy covert my Ellen dear!<br /> +<a name="page148"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 148</span>Oh come +forth and meet thy lover here!”<br /> + He cries in soft accents playful.</p> +<p>No Ellen appears—rustling steps he hears—<br /> + Perhaps some perfidious stranger;—<br /> +He stops in the rushes, and steals to a copse,<br /> +But there not an instant for breathing stops<br /> +Peril’s presentiment suddenly drops,<br /> + And he flies for his life from danger.</p> +<p>He knew not his foes, up the hill he goes,<br /> + With the speed of a hart that’s hunted;<br /> +The brothers pursue, till fatigued they grew,<br /> +To Maes-y-velin his course they knew,<br /> + And eager revenge is blunted.—</p> +<p>They saw him enter—“the foe is snared!”<br +/> + Exclaim’d then the elder brother;<br /> +“To kill him surely be firmly prepared<br /> +Accurst be the arm by which he is spared!<br /> + Let’s stab him, or drown, or +smother.”</p> +<p>“Let’s do him dead and no matter how,<br /> + And our sister’s fortune is ours;<br /> +No brats of her’s shall supplant our hope:<br /> +Prepare we a dagger, a sack, and rope,<br /> + For brief are the stripling’s +hours.”</p> +<p>Now rush’d the youth through the mansion door.<br /> + And fell at the feet of Ellen;<br /> +Ere he could speak the brothers appear,<br /> +The maiden shrieks with terrific fear,<br /> + The heiress of Maes-y-velin.—</p> +<p>She fell in a swoon, the brothers soon<br /> + Gag his mouth and proceed to bind him,<br /> +His hands they fasten’d behind his back,<br /> +And over his head they drew a sack,<br /> +They jump on his body—his rib bones crack,<br /> + Till a corse on the ground they find him.</p> +<p>Oh God! ’twas a barbarous bloody deed;<br /> + ’Twas piteous to hear his groaning:<br /> +A demon’s heart might relent to hear<br /> +The sobs of death and convulsions drear—<br /> +Oh Christ! is no merciful angel near,<br /> + Call’d down by this woeful moaning?—</p> +<p>Oh murderous fiends! the eye of God<br /> + Hath flamed on this heartless murther!<br /> +They grasp at his throat to check his breath—<br /> +With knees on his breast—oh merciful death!<br /> + Thou sav’st him from anguish further.</p> +<p>And dead in the sack his body they bore,<br /> + And sunk in a pool of Teivy;<br /> +<a name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 149</span>After +many days when the body was found,<br /> +No tongue could tell was he smother’d or drown’d,<br +/> + Or crush’d by men’s buffets heavy.</p> +<p>Thus fell in his bloom the blameless youth;—<br /> + Insanity seized on poor Ellen,<br /> +The lovely maniac! with bosom bare,<br /> +And eyes of wildness, and streaming hair,<br /> + Roved frantic o’er Maes-y-velin.</p> +<p>She said he was thrown in the Teivy’s stream,<br /> + The Flower of fair Llandovery;<br /> +She cross’d o’er the hills to his father’s +town,<br /> +And he bless’d the maid like a child of his own;<br /> + But Ellen was past recovery.</p> +<p>Rhys Prichard wept long o’er his murder’d son,<br +/> + And buried the hapless Ellen;<br /> +He cursed her brothers—the land of their birth<br /> +He cursed their mansion, its hall and hearth,<br /> + And the curse is on Maes-y-velin.</p> +<p>Strong was the curse on the savage race,<br /> + The murderers and their kindred;<br /> +Their bosoms possess’d by the furies of hell,<br /> +Oft vented the scream, the curse, and the yell:—<br /> + All men stood aloof and wonder’d.</p> +<p>They quarrell’d and stood forth in mortal strife,<br /> + Each one opposed to the other;<br /> +They never, oh never! are doom’d to agree,<br /> +While dividing poor Ellen’s property—<br /> + Two murder their elder brother.</p> +<p>And yet the murderers still are foes,<br /> + Furious and unrelenting;<br /> +Each coveting all his sister’s share:<br /> +At length one falls in the other’s snare,<br /> + Ere yet of his crimes repenting.</p> +<p>Now lived the survivor, a man forbid,<br /> + For murder his brow had branded—<br /> +Shunn’d by all men, none bade him God speed,<br /> +But solitude work’d wild remorse for his deed,<br /> +In madness he seized on a poisonous weed,<br /> + And a suicide’s grave was commanded.</p> +<p>Maes-y-velin became a deserted spot,<br /> + The roof of the mansion tumbled;<br /> +The lawns and the gardens o’er-ran with weeds,<br /> +And reptiles, vile emblems of hellish deeds,<br /> + Bred there—and the strong walls +crumbled.—</p> +<p>They crumbled to dust, and fell to the earth,<br /> + And strangers bought Maes-y-velin;<br /> +Vain, it is said, their attempts to rebuild,<br /> +<a name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 150</span>Vain was +their labour in garden or field,<br /> +Snakes, toads, baneful weeds alone they yield,<br /> + Not a stone to another adhering.</p> +<p>The possessors fled, and oft others came,<br /> + But all their aims unavailing;<br /> +The peasants protest that at midnight hour<br /> +The spirit of Ellen is seen in her bower,<br /> +While on Pen-garreg hill stands Llandovery’s Flower,<br /> + And shrieks burst from Maes-y-velin.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a +name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 151</span>published +in the Welsh language. With this explanation they both rose +from their stony seats, and pursued their way to Llandovery.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XIX.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Having</span> 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—<i>the gwair rhos cwtta</i>, 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 <a name="page152"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +152</span>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 <a name="citation152a"></a><a +href="#footnote152a" class="citation">[152a]</a></p> +<blockquote><p>“How gay seems the valley with rich waving +wheat,<br /> +Fair lands and fair houses, with shelters so neat;<br /> +While the whole feather’d choir to delight us conspires,<br +/> +There’s nought on the mountain but turf and turf +fires.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>“And let me add,” cried Twm, with vivacity, +“as indicative of my own taste on the subject, a Triban <a +name="citation152b"></a><a href="#footnote152b" +class="citation">[152b]</a> of my own composition.—</p> +<blockquote><p>Three things—to my mind each with loveliness +teems:<br /> +A vale between mountains that’s threaded by streams;<br /> +<a name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>A neat +white-wall’d cottage mid gardens and trees;<br /> +And a young married pair that appreciate these.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>“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 <i>Mountain Land</i>, 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.</p> + +<blockquote><p> “Freedom, +amid a cloudy clime,<br /> + Erects her mountain throne +sublime,<br /> + While natives of the vales and +plains<br /> + Are gall’d with yokes and +slavish chains;—<br /> + Then shrink we ne’er, +unnerved as bann’d,<br /> +In the cloudy clime of the Mountain Land.</p> +<p> Turban’d in her +folds of mist<br /> + Our Mountain Land the sky hath +kiss’d<br /> + While on her brow the native +wreath<br /> + Of yellow furze and purple +heath;<br /> + The rural reign her vales +command,<br /> +And the freemen’s swords of the Mountain Land.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +154</span>Twm in the route he was to take, he rode off and left +him to pursue his way at leisure.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Observing a <i>bwlch</i>, 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.”</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 155</span>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 <i>Welshman’s Candle</i>, 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.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page156"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +156</span>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.</p> +<p>All this the old man very indignantly repelled, and vowed that +his courage was equal to that of any man breathing.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page157"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 157</span>he could find no weapon, but a blunt +old hatchet, and a rusty reaping-hook.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page158"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +158</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page159"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 159</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 +<a name="page160"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 160</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XX.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Twm</span> 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 <a name="page161"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 161</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>The house of the vicar of Llandovery was <a +name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 162</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 +<a name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 163</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 164</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page165"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 165</span>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 <i>now</i> +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 <a +name="page166"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 166</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XXI.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Rhys</span> 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 <a name="page167"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 167</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="page168"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 168</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page169"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +169</span>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 <i>is</i> 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 <a +name="page170"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 170</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page171"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +171</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page172"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +172</span>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 <a name="citation172"></a><a +href="#footnote172" class="citation">[172]</a>.—</p> +<blockquote><p>“No cheat it is to cheat the cheater;<br /> +No treason to betray the traitor;<br /> +Nor is it theft, but just deceiving,<br /> +To thieve from him who lives by thieving.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page173"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 173</span>and applause to the young Welshman, +who so cleverly outwitted the English highwayman.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XXI.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Twm overtakes an old acquaintance. Sad +news from Tregaron. Outwits another highwayman, and rides +off with his horse.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Twm</span>, 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.</p> +<p><a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +174</span>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.</p> +<p>After practising to his utmost to astonish Wat with the riches +and vast consideration of his “friend” Sir George, +Twm very conceitedly observed, <a name="page175"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 175</span>“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 <a +name="page176"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 176</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page177"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +177</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page178"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 178</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XXII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Twm</span> 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 <a name="page179"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 179</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <i>funny fellow</i> 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 <a name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 180</span>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 <i>funny man</i> 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 +name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 181</span>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 <a name="page182"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 182</span>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 <a name="page183"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 183</span>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. <a name="page184"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 184</span>To relate all my rogueries since I +became a grave man would take too much of your time, so here ends +my story.”</p> +<p>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—<i>War not with the weak</i>. 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 +<i>rich</i> 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.”</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page186"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 186</span>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 <a +name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 187</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page188"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 188</span>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.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page189"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 189</span>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.</p> +<p>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!</p> +<h2>CHAP. XXIII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">It</span> 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 <a +name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 190</span>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.</p> +<p>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, <a +name="page191"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 191</span>“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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>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, <a +name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 192</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page193"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 193</span>delight to last long. As the +<i>good-natured and most virtuous world</i> 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 <i>dear friends and +relatives</i> to dismiss their tender fears for her reputation, +and keep to their own domains for the future, or at least not +trouble hers.</p> +<p>Notwithstanding this rough reception of her <a +name="page194"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 194</span>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 <a name="page195"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 195</span>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 <a +name="page196"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 196</span>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.</p> +<h2><a name="page197"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +197</span>CHAP. XXIV.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> 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; <i>days</i>! 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, <a name="page198"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 198</span>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 <a name="page199"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 199</span>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.</p> +<p>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</p> +<blockquote><p>“Great protestations do make that +doubted,<br /> +Which we would else right willingly believe.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="page200"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 200</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page201"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 201</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page202"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +202</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page203"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 203</span>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 <a name="page204"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +204</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page205"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 205</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page206"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 206</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page207"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +207</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XXV.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">Twm composes and sends to his mistress his +<span class="smcap">Cywydd y Govid</span>. 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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">While</span> our hero was thus pursuing +his vagaries, the unhappy lady of Ystrad Fîn, who had not +<a name="page208"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 208</span>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.</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: center">CYWYDD Y GOVID. <a +name="citation208"></a><a href="#footnote208" +class="citation">[208]</a></p> +<p>The outcast’s forced ally is mine,<br /> + Affliction is his name;<br /> +It is a ruthless savage mate,<br /> +And like a foe that’s pale with hate,<br /> + To crush me is his aim:<br /> +His cruel shafts are fiercely hurl’d,<br /> +He forced me friendless on the world.</p> +<p>If forward, seeking good, I wend,<br /> +My eager steps out-strips the fiend;<br /> +If backward, I retreat from ill,<br /> +My cruel foe arrests me still;<br /> +<a name="page209"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 209</span>I seek +the flood, to end despair.<br /> +Relentless Govid meets me there,<br /> +And tells of endless pangs for pride,<br /> +The wages of the suicide.</p> +<p>Fell Govid’s mighty in the land,<br /> +His children are a horrid band,<br /> +Who joy in hapless man’s distress,<br /> +Lo, one is Debt—one Nakedness;—<br /> +And Need against me doth combine,<br /> +(Fierce Govid’s loveless concubine);<br /> +And Care, that knows not how to yearn,<br /> +Is Govid’s consort, keen and stern:<br /> +And thus this family of ill,<br /> +E’er bruise my heart and bruise my will.</p> +<p>Though lost to me the tranquil day,<br /> +My vanquisher I hope to slay,<br /> +The fierce enormous giant fiend<br /> +No more the heart of Twm shall rend,<br /> +If thou, my lady-love! but smile,<br /> +Thou gentle fair, devoid of guile—<br /> +Thou darling object of my choice,<br /> +Oh bless me with assentive voice,<br /> +And soon shall Govid lay his length,<br /> +A corse! struck down by Rapture’s strength.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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, <a +name="page210"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 210</span>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,</p> +<blockquote><p>“To heal your torn bosom, and ease every +smart,<br /> +Oh take—he’s before you—the youth of your +heart.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a +name="page211"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 211</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Twm, as he had predetermined, used the present +<i>tete-a-tete</i> 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.</p> +<p>Noon was now verging into evening, and at the earnest request +of his mistress, Twm consented, to save appearances, immediately +to quit <a name="page212"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +212</span>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.</p> +<p>Twm, at one time, when assisting his mistress to climb the +steep sides of Dinas, in his wild way <a name="page213"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 213</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <i>sidling</i> +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 <i>room</i> 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 <a name="page214"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +214</span>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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="citation214"></a><a +href="#footnote214" class="citation">[214]</a> enlivened the +gloom caused by the deep gulfs which separated Dinas from the +parent mountain.</p> +<p>However interesting these objects might formerly have been to +Twm, he looked now only in <a name="page215"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 215</span>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 <i>one</i> 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.</p> +<h2><a name="page216"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +216</span>CHAP. XXVI.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page217"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 217</span>knee to the ankle. A raw hairy +cow-hide formed the material of his <i>inexpressibles</i>, 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Just as the ground was once more cleared of <a +name="page218"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 218</span>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 <i>is</i> 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 <a +name="page219"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 219</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page220"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 220</span>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 <a name="page221"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 221</span>shadow of suspicion, that however +instantly vanished, on this notable display and explanation.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p><a name="page222"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 222</span>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 <a +name="page223"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 223</span>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.</p> +<p>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?”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page224"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +224</span>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.</p> +<p>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 “<i>person or +persons</i>” 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.</p> +<p>Pleased with this evidence of his popularity, the pride of +desperate daring seemed to have <a name="page225"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 225</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <i>friend</i>, Evans of Tregaron, who +had been sputtering a confused account of our hero’s +gracelessness, from his childhood, to the last trick <a +name="page226"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 226</span>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 name="page227"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 227</span>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!”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<p>“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 <a +name="page228"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 228</span>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 <a name="page229"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 229</span>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!”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page230"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 230</span>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.</p> +<p>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 +name="page231"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 231</span>a man who +reads books, your worship, he can witness.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><a name="page232"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 232</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page233"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 233</span>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:</p> +<blockquote><p>“In Ystrad Fîn a doleful sound<br /> +Pervades the hollow hills around;<br /> +The very stones with terror melt,<br /> +Such fear of Twm Shôn Catti’s felt.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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 <a +name="page234"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 234</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page235"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +235</span>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.</p> +<h2>CHAP. XXVII.</h2> +<p class="gutsumm">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.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Our</span> 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 <a +name="page236"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 236</span>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.</p> +<p>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, <a name="page237"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +237</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page238"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 238</span>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.</p> +<p><a name="page239"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 239</span>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 <a +name="page240"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 240</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>They were promenading, soon after this, in the agreeable walks +of the Priory Grove, where there was a large rookery, almost +every third <a name="page241"></a><span class="pagenum">p. +241</span>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 <a name="page242"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 242</span>nest. On this discovery, +Hughes declared that Twm Shôn Catti would never meet his +match, till Satan himself became his opponent.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page243"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 243</span>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 +<i>you</i> 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.”</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page244"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 244</span>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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. <a name="page245"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 245</span>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. <a name="citation245a"></a><a +href="#footnote245a" class="citation">[245a]</a></p> +<blockquote><p>—“Some there were bards, that in their +sacred rage<br /> +Recorded the descents, and acts of every age;<br /> +Some with nimble joints that struck the warbling string;<br /> +In fing’ring some unskill’d, but used right well to +sing<br /> +To other’s harp; of which you both might find<br /> +Great plenty, and of each excelling in their kind,<br /> +That at the Stethva <a name="citation245b"></a><a +href="#footnote245b" class="citation">[245b]</a> oft +obtain’d a victor’s praise, <br /> +Had won the silver harp, and worn Apollo’s bays;<br /> +Whose verses they deduced from those first golden times,<br /> +In sundry forms of feet, and sundry suits of rhymes.<br /> +In Englyns <a name="citation245c"></a><a href="#footnote245c" +class="citation">[245c]</a> some there were that in their subject +strain;<br /> +Some makers that again affect a loftier vein,<br /> +Rehearse their high conceits in Cowyths; <a +name="citation245d"></a><a href="#footnote245d" +class="citation">[245d]</a> other some<br /> +In Owdels <a name="citation245e"></a><a href="#footnote245e" +class="citation">[245e]</a> theirs express, as matter haps to +come.</p> +<p><a name="page246"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 246</span>So +varying still their moods, observing yet in all,<br /> +Their quantities, their rests, their measures metrical;<br /> +For to that sacred art they most themselves apply,<br /> +Addicted from their birth to so much poesy,<br /> +That in the mountains those who scarce have seen a book,<br /> +Most skilfully will make, as though from art they +took.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page247"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 247</span>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 <i>permit</i> to wear the willow as soon as he pleased; +that she was otherwise engaged, and had altogether done with +him.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 <a name="page248"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 248</span>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.”</p> +<p>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 <a name="page249"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 249</span>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 <i>have been</i> 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, <a name="page250"></a><span +class="pagenum">p. 250</span>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.</p> +<p>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 <a +name="page251"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 251</span>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 <a +name="page252"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 252</span>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.”</p> +<p>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.”</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center">THE END.</p> +<div class="gapspace"> </div> +<div class="gapshortline"> </div> +<p style="text-align: center"><span class="GutSmall">PRINTED BY +J. COX, ABERYSTWYTH.</span></p> +<h2>Footnotes</h2> +<p><a name="footnote3a"></a><a href="#citation3a" +class="footnote">[3a]</a> His wife’s name was +Joan.</p> +<p><a name="footnote3b"></a><a href="#citation3b" +class="footnote">[3b]</a> The truth against the world.</p> +<p><a name="footnote4"></a><a href="#citation4" +class="footnote">[4]</a> The English pronunciation of Twm +Shôn Catti, is Toom Shone Katty; instead of which the +Londoners called it <i>Twim John Katty</i>, which seemed doubly +ludicrous as the name of a tragedy hero.</p> +<p><a name="footnote5"></a><a href="#citation5" +class="footnote">[5]</a> Another cause assigned for the +adoption of this name is, that a cat’s eye formed part of +his armorial bearings.</p> +<p><a name="footnote6"></a><a href="#citation6" +class="footnote">[6]</a> A small cup, so called from its +contents being able merely to damp the clay of a genuine +toper.</p> +<p><a name="footnote56"></a><a href="#citation56" +class="footnote">[56]</a> 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. <i>the land of the Cymru</i>, since corrupted +to “<i>Cumberland</i>.” 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.</p> +<p><a name="footnote57"></a><a href="#citation57" +class="footnote">[57]</a> In addition to the +<i>Gwahoddwr’s</i> 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 <i>oulden tyme</i>. The following is a specimen of a +Bidding circular.</p> +<blockquote><p style="text-align: right"><i>October</i> +5<i>th</i>, 182—</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p style="text-align: right">Your obedient Servants,</p> +<p style="text-align: right">A. B.<br /> +C. D.</p> +<p><sup>*</sup><sub>*</sub><sup>*</sup> 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.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="footnote62"></a><a href="#citation62" +class="footnote">[62]</a> The large three-legged iron pot +used for cooking.</p> +<p><a name="footnote77"></a><a href="#citation77" +class="footnote">[77]</a> Pronounced Coom dee.</p> +<p><a name="footnote129"></a><a href="#citation129" +class="footnote">[129]</a> Dio is in Wales, the diminutive +or familiar of David.</p> +<p><a name="footnote134"></a><a href="#citation134" +class="footnote">[134]</a> 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?”</p> +<p><a name="footnote136a"></a><a href="#citation136a" +class="footnote">[136a]</a> Strawberries strung or beaded +on long grass.</p> +<p><a name="footnote136b"></a><a href="#citation136b" +class="footnote">[136b]</a> 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.</p> +<p><a name="footnote138"></a><a href="#citation138" +class="footnote">[138]</a> 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.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote152a"></a><a href="#citation152a" +class="footnote">[152a]</a> Pennill signifies stanza. +The original, of which the above is a translation, runs +thus—</p> +<blockquote><p>Gwych yw y dyffryn, y gwenith, a’r yd,<br /> +Mwyn dir a maenol, ac aml le clyd,<br /> +Llinos ac eos, ac adar a gân;<br /> +Ni cheir yn y mynydd ond mawnen a thân.</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="footnote152b"></a><a href="#citation152b" +class="footnote">[152b]</a> A Triban may be defined a lyric +epigram; it is common in Welsh literature.</p> +<p><a name="footnote172"></a><a href="#citation172" +class="footnote">[172]</a> In the original—</p> +<blockquote><p>“Nid twyll twyllo twyllwr;<br /> +Nid brâd bradychu bradwr;<br /> +Nid lladrad mi wn yn dda,<br /> +Lladratta ar ladratwr.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p><a name="footnote208"></a><a href="#citation208" +class="footnote">[208]</a> Signifying “<i>The Poem of +Affliction</i>.” 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.”</p> +<p><a name="footnote214"></a><a href="#citation214" +class="footnote">[214]</a> 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.</p> +<p><a name="footnote245a"></a><a href="#citation245a" +class="footnote">[245a]</a> 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.</p> +<p><a name="footnote245b"></a><a href="#citation245b" +class="footnote">[245b]</a> Eisteddvod.</p> +<p><a name="footnote245c"></a><a href="#citation245c" +class="footnote">[245c]</a> The Welsh epigramic stanza.</p> +<p><a name="footnote245d"></a><a href="#citation245d" +class="footnote">[245d]</a> Cowydd, or Poem.</p> +<p><a name="footnote245e"></a><a href="#citation245e" +class="footnote">[245e]</a> Awdl, or Ode.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES AND VAGARIES OF TWM +SHON CATTI***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 40419-h.htm or 40419-h.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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