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diff --git a/42011.txt b/42011.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6eff681..0000000 --- a/42011.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6713 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pabo, The Priest, by Sabine Baring-Gould - -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/license - - -Title: Pabo, The Priest - A Novel - -Author: Sabine Baring-Gould - -Release Date: February 4, 2013 [EBook #42011] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PABO, THE PRIEST *** - - - - -Produced by sp1nd, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - PABO, THE PRIEST - - A Novel - - BY S. BARING GOULD - - Author of "Domitia," "The Broom-Squire," "Bladys," "Mehalah," Etc. - - NEW YORK - FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY - PUBLISHERS - - Copyright, 1899, - BY FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. GERALD 1 - - II. NEST 14 - - III. THE SEVEN DEGREES 23 - - IV. A HWYL 38 - - V. THE FIRST BLOOD 48 - - VI. THE SCROLL 58 - - VII. GRIFFITH OF RHYS 66 - - VIII. PREPARING FOR THE EVIL DAY 74 - - IX. WHAT MUST BE 83 - - X. THE CELL ON MALLAEN 93 - - XI. A MIRACLE 104 - - XII. GORONWY 117 - - XIII. IT MUST BE MAINTAINED 129 - - XIV. THE FALL OF THE LOT 140 - - XV. TWO PEBBLES 152 - - XVI. A SUMMONS 162 - - XVII. BETRAYED 172 - - XVIII. CAREG CENNEN 183 - - XIX. FORGOTTEN 194 - - XX. THE BRACELET OF MAXEN 206 - - XXI. SANCTUARY 217 - - XXII. IN OGOFAU 228 - - XXIII. AURI MOLES PRAEGRANDIS 238 - - XXIV. THE PYLGAIN OF DYFED 251 - - XXV. THE WHITE SHIP 261 - - - - -PABO, THE PRIEST - - - - -CHAPTER I - -GERALD - - -King Henry sat in a great chair with a pillow under each arm, and one -behind his head resting on the lofty chair-back. He was unwell, -uncomfortable, irritable. - -In a large wicker-work cage at the further end of the room was a -porcupine. It had been sent him as a present by the King of Denmark. - -Henry Beauclerk was fond of strange animals, and the princes that -desired his favor humored him by forwarding such beasts and birds as -they considered to be rare and quaint. - -The porcupine was a recent arrival, and it interested the King as a new -toy, and drew his thoughts away from himself. - -He had occasion to be irritable. His leech had ordered him to eat salt -pork only. - -By his hand, on the table, stood a ewer and a basin, and ever and anon -Henry poured water out of the ewer into the basin, and then with a huge -wooden spoon ladled the liquid back into the receiver. The reason of the -proceeding was this-- - -He had for some time been troubled with some internal discomfort--not -serious, but annoying; one which we, nowadays, would interpret very -differently from the physicians of the twelfth century. We should say -that he was suffering from dyspepsia; but the Court leech, who diagnosed -the condition of the King, explained it in other fashion. - -He said that Henry had inadvertently drunk water that contained the -spawn of a salamander. It had taken many months for the spawn to develop -into a sort of tadpole, and the tadpole to grow into a salamander. Thus -the reptile had attained large size, and was active, hungry, and -rampageous. Beauclerk had a spotted salamander within him, which could -not be extracted by a forceps, as it was out of reach; it could not be -poisoned, as that medicament which would kill the brute might also kill -the King. It must, therefore, be cajoled to leave its prison. Unless -this end were achieved the son of the Conqueror of England would succumb -to the ravages of this internal monster. - -The recipe prescribed was simple, and commended itself to the meanest -intelligence. Henry was to eat nothing but highly salted viands, and was -to drink neither wine, water, nor ale. However severely he might suffer -from thirst he could console himself with the reflection that the -sufferings of the salamander within him were greater--a poor comfort, -yet one that afforded a measure of relief to a man of a vindictive mind. - -Not only was he to eat salt meat, but he was also to cause the splash of -water to be heard in his insides. Therefore he was to pour water -forwards and backwards between the ewer and the basin; and this was to -be done with gaping mouth, so that the sound might reach the reptile, -and the salamander would at length be induced to ascend the throat of -the monarch and make for the basin, so as to drink. Immediately on the -intruder leaving the body of the King, Henry was to snap it up with a -pair of tongs, laid ready to hand, and to cast it into the fire. - -Although the season was summer and the weather was warm, there burned -logs on the hearth, emitting a brisk blaze. - -There were in the room in the palace of Westminster others besides the -King and the imprisoned salamander. Henry had sent into South Wales for -Gerald de Windsor and his wife Nest. These two were now in the chamber -with the sick King. - -"There, Nest," said he, "look at yon beast. Study it well. It is called -a porcupine. Plinius asserts--I think it is Plinius--that when angered -he sets all his quills in array and launches one at the eyes of such as -threaten or assail him. Therefore, when I approach the cage, I carry a -bolster before me as a buckler." - -"Prithee, Sire, when thou didst go against the Welsh last year, didst -thou then as well wear a bolster?" - -"Ah," said the King, "you allude to the arrow that was aimed at me, and -which would have transfixed me but for my hauberk. That was shot by no -Welshman." - -"Then by whom?" - -"Odds life, Nest, there be many who would prefer to have the light and -lax hand of Robert over them than mine, which is heavy, and grips -tightly." - -"Then I counsel, when thou warrest against the Welsh, wear a pillow -strapped behind as well as one before." - -"Nest! Thy tongue is sharp as a spine of the porcupine. Get thee gone -into the embrasure, and converse with the parrot there. Gerald and I -have some words to say to each other, and when I have done with him, -then I will speak with thee." - -The lady withdrew into the window. She was a beautiful woman, known to -be the most beautiful in Wales. She was the daughter of Rhys, King of -Dyfed--that is, South Wales, and she had been surrendered when quite -young as a hostage to Henry. He had respected neither her youth nor her -helpless position away from her natural protectors. Then he had thrust -her on Gerald of Windsor, one of the Norman adventurers who were turned -loose on Wales to be the oppressors, the plunderers, and the butchers of -Nest's own people. - -Nest had profuse golden hair, and a wonderful complexion of lilies and -roses, that flashed, even flamed with emotion. Her eyes were large and -deep, under dark brows, and with long dark lashes that swept her cheeks -and veiled her expressive eyes when lowered. She was tall and willowy, -graceful in her every movement. In her eyes, usually tremulous and sad, -there scintillated a lurking fire--threats of a blaze, should she be -angered. When thrown into the arms of Gerald, her wishes had not been -consulted. Henry had desired to be rid of her, as an encumbrance, as -soon as he resolved on marrying Mathilda, the heiress of the Saxon -kings, daughter of Malcolm of Scotland, and niece to Edgar Etheling. At -one time he had thought of conciliating the Welsh by making Nest his -wife. Their hostility would cease when the daughter of one of their -princes sat on the English throne. But on further consideration, he -deemed it more expedient for him to attach to him the English, and so -rally about him a strong national party against the machinations of his -elder brother, Robert. This concluded, he had disposed of Nest, -hurriedly, to the Norman Gerald. - -Meanwhile, her brother, Griffith, despoiled of his kingdom, a price set -on his head, was an exile and a refugee at the Court of the King of -Gwynedd, or North Wales, at Aberfraw in Anglesey. - -"Come now, Gerald, what is thy report? How fares it with the -pacification of Wales?" - -"Pacification, Lord King! Do you call that pacifying a man when you -thrash his naked body with a thorn-bush?" - -"If you prefer the term--subjugation." - -"The word suits. Sire, it was excellent policy, as we advanced, to fill -in behind us with a colony of Flemings. The richest and fattest land has -been cleared of the Welsh and given to foreigners. Moreover, by this -means we have cut them off from access to the sea, from their great -harbors. It has made them mad. Snatch a meal from a dog, and he will -snarl and bite. Now we must break their teeth and cut their claws. They -are rolled back among their tangled forests and desolate mountains." - -"And what advance has been made?" - -"I have gone up the Towy and have established a castle at Carreg Cennen, -that shall check Dynevor if need be." - -"Why not occupy Dynevor, and build there?" - -Gerald looked askance at his wife. The expression of his face said more -than words. She was trifling with the bird, and appeared to pay no -attention to what was being said. - -"I perceive," spoke Henry, and chuckled. - -Dynevor had been the palace in which Nest's father, the King of South -Wales, had held court. It was from thence that her brother Griffith had -been driven a fugitive to North Wales. - -"In Carreg Cennen there is water--at Dynevor there is none," said -Gerald, with unperturbed face. - -"A good reason," laughed Henry, and shifted the pillow behind his head. -"Hey, there, Nest! employ thy energies in catching of flies. Methinks -were I to put a bluebottle in my mouth, the buzzing might attract the -salamander, and I would catch him as he came after it." Then to Gerald, -"Go on with thine account." - -"I have nothing further to say--than this." - -He put forth his hand and took a couple of fresh walnuts off a leaf that -was on the table. Then, unbidden, he seated himself on a stool, with his -back to the embrasure, facing the King. Next he cracked the shells in -his fist, and cast the fragments into the fire. He proceeded leisurely -to peel the kernels, then extended his palm to Henry, offering one, but -holding his little and third finger over the other. - -"I will have both," said Beauclerk. - -"Nay, Sire, I am not going to crack all the nutshells, and you eat all -the kernels." - -"What mean you?" - -"Hitherto I and other adventurers have risked our lives, and shed our -blood in cracking the castles of these Welsh fellows, and now we want -something more, some of the flesh within. Nay, more. We ask you to help -us. You have done nothing." - -"I led an army into Wales last summer," said Henry angrily. - -"And led it back again," retorted Windsor drily. "Excuse my bluntness. -That was of no advantage whatsoever to us in the south. Your forces were -not engaged. It was a promenade through Powys. As for us in the south, -we have looked for help and found none since your great father made a -pilgrimage to St. David. Twice to Dewi is as good as once to Rome, so -they say. He went once to look around him and to overawe those mountain -wolves." - -"What would you have done for you?" inquired Henry surlily. - -"Not a great thing for you; for us--everything." - -"And that?" - -"At this moment a chance offers such as may not return again in our -time. If what I propose be done, you drive a knife into the heart of the -enemy, and that will be better than cutting off his fingers and toes and -slicing away his ears. It will not cost you much, Sire--not the risk of -an arrow. Naught save the stroke of a pen." - -"Say what it is." - -"The Bishop of St. David's is dead, a Welsh prelate, and the Church -there has chosen another Welshman, Daniel, to succeed him. Give the see -to an Englishman or a Norman, it matters not which--not a saint, but a -fellow on whom you can rely to do your work and ours." - -"I see not how this will help you," said Henry, with his eye on the hard -face of Gerald, which was now becoming animated, so that the bronze -cheek darkened. - -"How this will help us!" echoed Windsor. "It will be sovereign as help. -See you, Sire! We stud the land with castles, but we cannot be -everywhere. The Welsh have a trick of gathering noiselessly in the woods -and glens and drawing a ring about one of our strongholds, and letting -no cry for assistance escape. Then they close in and put every -Englishman therein to the sword--if they catch a Fleming, him they hang -forthwith. We know not that a castle has been attacked and taken till we -see the clouds lit up with flame. When we are building, then our convoys -are intercepted, our masons are harassed, our limekilns are destroyed, -our cattle carried off, our horses houghed, and our men slaughtered." - -"But what will a bishop avail you in such straits?" - -"Attend! and you shall hear. A bishop who is one of ourselves and not a -Welshman drains the produce of the land into English pockets. He will -put an Englishman into every benefice, that in every parish we may have -a spy on their actions, maintained by themselves. There is the joke of -it. We will plant monasteries where we have no castles, and stuff them -with Norman monks. A bishop will find excuses, I warrant you, for -dispossessing the native clergy, and of putting our men into their -berths. He will do more. He will throw such a net of canon law over the -laity as to entangle them inextricably in its meshes, and so enable us, -without unnecessary bloodshed, to arrogate their lands to ourselves." - -Henry laughed. - -"Give us the right man. No saint with scruples." - -"'Sdeath!" exclaimed the King; "I know the very man for you." - -"And he is?" - -"Bernard, the Queen's steward." - -"He is not a clerk!" - -"I can make him one." - -"He is married!" - -"He can cast off his wife--a big-mouthed jade. By my mother's soul, he -will be glad to purchase a bishopric so cheap." - -"He is no saint?" - -"He has been steward to one," mocked Henry. "My Maude postures as a -saint, gives large alms to needy clerks, washes the feet of beggars, -endows monasteries, and grinds her tenants till they starve, break out -into revolt, and have to be hung as an example. She lavishes coin on -foreign flattering minstrels--and for that the poor English churl must -be put in the press. It is Bernard, and ever Bernard, who has to turn -the screw and add the weights and turn the grindstone." - -"And he scruples not?" - -"Has not a scruple in his conscience. He cheats his mistress of a third -of what he raises for her to lavish on the Church and the trumpeters of -her fame." - -"That is the man we require. Give us Bernard, and, Sire, you will do -more to pacify Wales--pacify is your word--than if you sent us an army. -Yet it must be effected speedily, before the Welsh get wind of it, or -they will have their Daniel consecrated and installed before we shall be -ready with our Bernard." - -"It shall be accomplished at once--to-morrow. Go, Gerald, make inquiry -what bishops are in the city, and send one or other hither. He shall -priest him to-morrow, and Bernard shall be consecrated bishop the same -day. Take him back with you. If you need men you shall have them. -Enthrone him before they are aware. They have been given Urban at -Llandaff, and, death of my soul! he has been belaboring his flock with -his crook, and has shorn them so rudely that they are bleeding to death. -There is Hervey, another Norman we have thrust into St. Asaph, and, if I -mistake not, his sheep have expelled their shepherd. So, to support -Bernard, force will be required. Let him be well sustained." - -"I go," said Gerald. "When opposition is broken we shall eat our walnuts -together, Sire." - -"Aye--but Bernard will take the largest share." - - - - -CHAPTER II - -NEST - - -King Henry folded his hands over his paunch, leaned back and laughed -heartily. - -"'Sdeath!" said he. "But I believe the salamander has perished: he could -not endure the mirth of it. Odds blood! But Bernard will be a veritable -salamander in the rude bowels of Wales." - -Before him stood Nest, with fire erupting from her dark eyes. - -Henry looked at her, raised his brows, settled himself more easily in -his chair, but cast aside the pillows on which his arms had rested. "Ha! -Nest, I had forgotten thy presence. Hast caught me a bluebottle? My -trouble is not so acute just now. How fares our boy, Robert?" - -She swept the question aside with an angry gesture of the hand. - -"And what sort of housekeeping do you have with Gerald?" he asked. - -Again she made a movement of impatience. - -"Odds life!" said he. "When here it was ever with thee Wales this, and -Wales that. We had no mountains like thy Welsh Mynyddau--that is the -silly word, was it not? And no trees like those in the Vale of Towy, and -no waters that brawled and foamed like thy mountain brooks, and no music -like the twanging of thy bardic harps, and no birds sang so sweet, and -no flowers bloomed so fair. Pshaw! now thou art back among them all -again. I have sent thee home--art content?" - -"You have sent me back to blast and destroy my people. You have coupled -my name with that of Gerald, that the curses of my dear people when they -fall on him may fall on me also." - -"Bah!" said the King. "Catch me a bluebottle, and do not talk in such -high terms." - -"Henry," she said, in thrilling tones, "I pray you----" - -"You were forever praying me at one time to send you back to Wales. I -have done so, and you are not content." - -"I had rather a thousand times have buried my head--my shamed, my -dishonored head"--she spoke with sternness and concentrated wrath--"in -some quiet cloister, than to be sent back with a firebrand into my own -land to lay its homesteads in ashes." - -"You do pretty well among yourselves in that way," said Henry -contemptuously. "When were you ever known to unite? You are forever -flying at each other's throats and wasting each other's lands. Those who -cannot combine must be broken." - -Nest drew a long breath. She knitted her hands together. - -"Henry," she said, "I pray you, reconsider what Gerald has advised, and -withhold consent." - -"Nay, it was excellent counsel." - -"It was the worst counsel that could be given. Think what has been done -to my poor people. You have robbed them of their corn-land and have -given it to aliens. You have taken from them their harbors, and they -cannot escape. You have driven away their princes, and they cannot -unite. You have crushed out their independence, and they cease to be -men. They have but one thing left to them as their very own--their -Church. And now you will plunder them of that--thrust yourselves in -between them and God. They have had hitherto their own pastors, as they -have had their own princes. They have followed the one in war and the -other in peace. Their pastors have been men of their own blood, of their -own speech, men who have suffered with them, have wept with them, and -have even bled with them. These have spoken to them when sick at heart, -and have comforted them when wounded in spirit. And now they are to be -jostled out of their places, to make room for others, aliens in blood, -ignorant of our language, indifferent to our woes; men who cannot advise -nor comfort, men from whom our people will receive no gift, however -holy. Deprived of everything that makes life endurable, will you now -deprive them of their religion?" - -She paused, out of breath, with flaming cheek, and sparkling -eyes--quivering, palpitating in every part of her body. - -"Nest," said the King, "you are a woman--a fool. You do not understand -policy." - -"Policy!" she cried scornfully. "What is policy? My people have their -faults and their good qualities." - -"Faults! I know them, I trow. As to their good qualities, I have them to -learn." He shrugged his shoulders contemptuously. - -"You know their faults alone," pursued Nest passionately, "because you -seek to find them that you may foster and trade on them. That is policy. -Policy is to nurture the evil and ignore the good. None know better -their own weaknesses than do we. But why not turn your policy to helping -us to overcome them and be made strong?" - -"It is through your own inbred faults that we have gained admission into -your mountains. Brothers with you cannot trust brothers----" - -"No more than you or Robert can trust each other, I presume," sneered -Nest. "An arrow was aimed at you from behind. Who shot it? Not a -Welshman, but Robert, or a henchman of Robert. On my honor, you set us a -rare example of fraternal affection and unity!" - -Henry bit his lips. - -"It is through your own rivalries that we are able to maintain our hold -upon your mountains." - -"And because we know you as fomenters of discord--doers of the devil's -work--that is why we hate you. Give up this policy, and try another -method with us." - -"Women cannot understand. Have done!" - -"Justice, they say, is figured as a woman; for Justice is pitiful -towards feebleness and infirmity. But with you is no justice at all, -only rank tyranny--tyranny that can only rule with the iron rod, and -drive with the scourge." - -"Be silent! My salamander is moving again." - -But she would not listen to him. She pursued-- - -"My people are tender-hearted, loving, loyal, frank. Show them trust, -consideration, regard, and they will meet you with open arms. We know -now that our past has been one of defeat and recoil, and we also know -why it has been so. Divided up into our little kingdoms, full of -rivalries, jealousies, ambitions, we have not had the wit to cohere. Who -would weave us into one has made a rope of sand. It was that, not the -superior courage or better arms of the Saxon, that drove us into -mountains and across the sea. It is through playing with, encouraging -this, bribing into treachery, that you are forcing your way among us -now. But if in place of calling over adventurers from France and boors -from Flanders to kill us and occupy our lands, you come to us with the -olive branch, and offer us your suzerainty and guarantee us against -internecine strife--secure to us our lands, our laws, our -liberties--then we shall become your devoted subjects, we shall look up -to you as to one who raises us, whereas now we regard you as one who -casts us down to trample on us. We have our good qualities, and these -qualities will serve you well if you will encourage them. But your -policy is to do evil, and evil only." - -Henry Beauclerk, with a small mallet, struck a wooden disk, and an -attendant appeared. - -"Call Gerald Windsor back," said he; then, to himself, "this woman is an -offense to me." - -"Because I utter that which you cannot understand. I speak of justice, -and you understand only tyranny." - -"Another word, Nest, and I shall have you forcibly removed." - -She cast herself passionately at the King's feet. - -"I beseech thee--I--I whom thou didst so cruelly wrong when a poor -helpless hostage in thy hands--I, away from father and mother--alone -among you--not knowing a word of your tongue. I have never asked for -aught before. By all the wrongs I have endured from thee--by thy hopes -for pardon at the great Day when the oppressed and fatherless will be -righted--I implore thee--withhold thy consent." - -"It is idle to ask this," said Henry coldly, "Leave me. I will hear no -more." Then taking the ewer, he began again to pour water into the -basin, and next to ladle it back into the vessel whence he had poured -it. - -"Oh, you beau clerk!" exclaimed Nest, rising to her feet. "So skilled in -books, who knowest the qualities of the porcupine through Plinius, and -how to draw forth a salamander, as instructed by Galen! A beau clerk -indeed, who does not understand the minds of men, nor read their hearts; -who cannot understand their best feelings, whose only thought is that of -the churl, to smash, and outrage, and ruin. A great people, a people -with more genius in its little finger than all thy loutish Saxons in -their entire body, thou wilt oppress, and turn their good to gall, their -sweetness to sour, and nurture undying hate where thou mightest breed -love." - -"Begone! I will strike and summon assistance, and have thee removed." - -"Then," said Nest, "I appeal unto God, that He may avenge the injured -and the oppressed. May He smite thee where thou wilt most painfully feel -the blow! May He break down all in which thou hast set thy hopes, and -level with the dust that great ambition of thine!" She gasped. "Sire, -when thou seest thy hopes wrecked and thyself standing a stripped and -blasted tree--then remember Wales!" - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE SEVEN DEGREES - - -The river Cothi, that after a lengthy course finally discharges into the -Towy, so soon as it has quitted the solitudes of moor and mountain, -traverses a broad and fertile basin that is a gathering-place of many -feeders. From this basin it issues by a narrow glen, almost a ravine. - -The sides of this great bowl are walled in by mountains, though not of -the height, desolation, and grandeur of those to the north, where the -Cothi takes its rise. The broad basin in the midst of the highlands, -once probably occupied by a lake, is traversed near its head by the Sarn -Helen, a paved Roman-British road, still in use, that connects the vales -of the Towy and the Teify, and passes the once famous gold-mines of -Ogofau. - -At the head of this oval trough or basin stand the church and village of -Cynwyl Gaio, backed by mountains that rise rapidly, and are planted on -a fork between the river Annell and a tributary, whose mingled waters -eventually swell the Cothi. - -The lower extremity of the trough is occupied by a rocky height, -Pen-y-ddinas, crowned with prehistoric fortifications, and a little tarn -of trifling extent is the sole relic of the great sheet of water which -at one time, we may conjecture, covered the entire expanse. - -At the time of this story, the district between the Towy and Teify, -comprising the basin just described, constituted the sanctuary of David, -and was the seat of an ecclesiastical tribe--that is to say, it was the -residence of a people subject to a chief in sacred orders, the priest -Pabo, and the hereditary chieftainship was in his family. - -And this pleasant bowl among the mountains was also regarded as a -sanctuary, to which might fly such as had fallen into peril of life by -manslaughter, or such strangers as were everywhere else looked on with -suspicion. A story was told, and transmitted from father to son, to -account for this. It was to this effect. When St. David--or Dewi, as the -Welsh called him--left the synod of Brefi, in the Teify Vale, he -ascended the heights of the Craig Twrch, by Queen Helen's road, and on -passing the brow, looked down for the first time on the fertile district -bedded beneath him, engirdled by heathery mountains at the time in the -flush of autumn flower. It was as though a crimson ribbon was drawn -round the emerald bowl. - -Then--so ran the tale--the spirit of prophecy came on the patriarch. His -soul was lifted up within him, and raising his hands in benediction, he -stood for a while as one entranced. - -"Peace!" said he--and again, "Peace!" and once more, "Peace!" and he -added, "May the deluge of blood never reach thee!" - -Then he fell to sobbing, and bowed his head on his knees. - -His disciples, Ismael and Aiden, said, "Father, tell us why thou -weepest." - -But David answered, "I see what will be. Till then may the peace of -David rest on this fair spot." - -Now, in memory of this, it was ordained that no blood should be spilled -throughout the region; and that such as feared for their lives could -flee to it and be safe from pursuit, so long as they remained within the -sanctuary bounds. And the bounds were indicated by crosses set up on -the roads and at the head of every pass. - -Consequently, the inhabitants of the Happy Valley knew that no Welsh -prince would harry there, that no slaughters could take place there, no -hostile forces invade the vale. There might ensue quarrels between -residents in the Happy Land, personal disputes might wax keen; but so -great was the dread of incurring the wrath of Dewi, that such quarrels -and disputes were always adjusted before reaching extremities. - -And this immunity from violence had brought upon the inhabitants great -prosperity. Such was a consequence of the benediction pronounced by old -Father David. - -It was no wonder, therefore, that the inhabitants of the region looked -to him with peculiar reverence and almost fanatical love. Just as in -Tibet the Grand Lama never dies, for when one religious chief pays the -debt of nature, his spirit undergoes a new incarnation, so--or almost -so--was each successive Bishop of St. David's regarded as the -representative of the first great father, as invested with all his -rights, authority, and sanctity, as having a just and inalienable claim -on their hearts and on their allegiance. - -But now a blow had fallen on the community that was staggering. On the -death of their Bishop Griffith, the church of St. David had chosen as -his successor Daniel, son of a former bishop, Sulien; but the Normans -had closed all avenues of egress from the peninsula, so that he might -not be consecrated, unless he would consent to swear allegiance to the -see of Canterbury and submission to the crown of England, and this was -doggedly resisted. - -Menevia--another name for the St. David's headland--had undergone many -vicissitudes. The church had been burnt by Danes, and its bishop and -clergy massacred, but it had risen from its ruins, and a new successor -in spirit, in blood, in tongue, had filled the gap. Now--suddenly, -wholly unexpectedly, arrived Bernard, a Norman, who could not speak a -word of Welsh, and mumbled but broken English, a man who had been -hurried into Orders, the priesthood and episcopal office, all in one -day, and was thrust on the Welsh by the mere will of the English King, -in opposition to Canon law, common decency, and without the consent of -the diocese. - -The ferment throughout South Wales was immense. Resentment flamed in -some hearts, others were quelled with despair. It was not the clergy -alone who were in consternation: all, of every class, felt that their -national rights had been invaded, and that in some way they could not -understand this appointment was a prelude to a great disaster. - -Although there had been dissensions among the princes, and strife -between tribes, the Church, their religion, had been the one bond of -union. There was a cessation of all discord across the sacred threshold, -and clergy and people were intimately united in feeling, in interests, -in belief. In the Celtic Church bishops and priests had always been -allowed to marry--a prelate of St. David's had frankly erected a -monument to the memory of two of his sons, which is still to be seen -there. Everywhere the parochial clergy, if parochial they can be styled, -where territorial limits were not defined had their wives. They were -consequently woven into one with the people by the ties of blood. - -Nowhere was the feeling of bitterness more poignant than in the Happy -Valley, where the intrusion of a stranger to the throne of David was -resented almost as a sacrilege. Deep in the hearts of the people lay the -resolve not to recognize the new bishop as a spiritual father, one of -the ecclesiastical lineage of Dewi. - -Such was the condition of affairs, such the temper of the people, when -it was announced that Bernard was coming to visit the sanctuary and -there to initiate the correction of abuses. - -Pabo, the Archpriest, showed less alarm than his flock. When he heard -that threats were whispered, that there was talk of resistance to the -intrusion, he went about among his people exhorting, persuading against -violence. Let Bernard be received with the courtesy due to a visitor, -and the respect which his office deserved. - -A good many protested that they would not appear at Cynwyl lest their -presence should be construed as a recognition of his claim, and they -betook themselves to their mountain pastures, or remained at home. -Nevertheless, moved by curiosity, a considerable number of men did -gather on the ridge, about the church, watching the approach of the -bishop and his party. Women also were there in numbers, children as -well, only eager to see the sight. The men were gloomy, silent, and wore -their cloaks, beneath which they carried cudgels. - -The day was bright, and the sun flashed on the weapons and on the armor -of the harnessed men who were in the retinue of Bishop Bernard, that -entered the valley by Queen Helen's road, and advanced leisurely towards -the ridge occupied by the church and the hovels that constituted the -village. - -The Welsh were never--they are not to this day--builders. Every fair -structure of stone in the country is due to the constructive genius of -the Normans. The native Celt loved to build of wood and wattle. His -churches, his domestic dwellings, his monasteries, his kingly halls, all -were of timber. - -The tribesmen of Pabo stood in silence, observing the advancing -procession. - -First came a couple of clerks, and after them two men-at-arms, then rode -Bernard, attended on one side by his interpreter, on the other by his -brother Rogier in full harness. Again clerks, and then a body of -men-at-arms. - -The bishop was a middle-sized man with sandy hair, very pale eyes with -rings about the iris deeper in color than the iris itself--eyes that -seemed without depth, impossible to sound, as those of a bird. He had -narrow, straw-colored brows, a sharp, straight peak of a nose, and thin -lips--lips that hardly showed at all--his mouth resembling a slit. The -chin and jowl were strongly marked. - -He wore on his head a cloth cap with two peaks, ending in tassels, and -with flaps to cover his ears, possibly as an imitation of a miter; but -outside a church, and engaged in no sacred function, he was of course -not vested. He had a purple-edged mantle over one shoulder, and beneath -it a dark cassock, and he was booted and spurred. One of the clerks who -preceded him carried his pastoral cross--for the see of St. David's -claimed archiepiscopal pre-eminence. In the midst of the men-at-arms -were sumpter mules carrying the ecclesiastical purtenances of the -bishop. - -Not a cheer greeted Bernard as he reached the summit of the hill and was -in the midst of the people. He looked about with his pale, inanimate -eyes, and saw sulky faces and folded arms. - -"Hey!" said he to his interpreter. "Yon fellow--he is the Archpriest, I -doubt not. Bid him come to me." - -"I am at your service," said Pabo in Norman-French, which he had -acquired. - -"That is well; hold my stirrup whilst I alight." - -Pabo hesitated a moment, then complied. - -"The guest," said he, "must be honored." - -But an angry murmur passed through the throng of bystanders. - -"You have a churlish set of parishioners," said Bernard, alighting. -"They must be taught good manners. Go, fetch me a seat." - -Pabo went to the presbytery, and returned with a stool, that he placed -where indicated by the bishop. - -The people looked at each other with undisguised dissatisfaction. They -did not approve of their chief holding the stirrup, or carrying a stool -for this foreign intruder. Their isolation in the midst of the -mountains, their immunity from war and ravage, had made them tenacious -of their liberties and proud, resistful to innovation, and resolute in -the maintenance of their dignity and that of their chief. But a certain -amount of concession was due to hospitality, and so construed these acts -could alone be tolerated. Nevertheless their tempers were chafed, and -there was no graciousness in the demeanor of the bishop to allay -suspicion, while the contemptuous looks of his Norman attendants were -calculated to exasperate. - -"It is well," said Bernard, signing imperiously to Pabo to draw near. -"It is well that you can speak French." - -"I have been in Brittany. I have visited Nantes and Rennes. I can speak -your language after a fashion." - -"'Tis well. I am among jabbering jackdaws, and cannot comprehend a word -of their jargon. I do not desire to distort my mouth in the attempt to -acquire it." - -"Then would it not have been as well had you remained in Normandy or -England?" - -"I have other work to do than to study your tongue," said Bernard with a -laugh. "I am sent here by my august master, the fine clerk, the great -scholar, the puissant prince, to bring order where is confusion." - -"The aspect of this valley bespeaks confusion," interrupted Pabo, with a -curl of the lip. - -"Do not break in on me with unmannered words," said the bishop. "I am an -apostle of morality where reigns mere license." - -"License, my Sieur? I know my people; I have lived among them from -childhood. They are not perfect. They may not be saints, but I cannot -admit that a stranger who is newly come among us, who cannot understand -a word that we speak, is justified in thus condemning us." - -"We shall see that presently," exclaimed Bernard, "when we come to -particulars. I have heard concerning you. My lord and master, the -Beauclerk Henry, has his eyes and ears open. Ye are a dissolute set, ye -do not observe the Seven Degrees." Then aside to his chaplain: "It is -seven, not four, I think?" - -"I pray you explain," said Pabo. - -"Seven degrees," pursued Bernard. "I must have all the relationships of -the married men throughout the country gone into. This district of Caio -to commence with, then go on through the South of Wales--through my -diocese. I must have all inquired into; and if any man shall have -contracted an union within the forbidden degrees, if he have taken to -him a wife related by blood--consanguine, that is the word, chaplain, -eh?--or connected by marriage, affine--am I right, chaplain?--or having -contracted a spiritual relationship through sponsorship at the font, or -legal relation through guardianship--then such marriages must be -annulled, made void, and the issue pronounced to be illegitimate." - -"My good Lord!" gasped Pabo, turning deadly pale. - -"Understand me," went on the bishop, turning his blear, ringed, birdlike -eyes about on the circle of those present, "if it shall chance that -persons have stood at the font to a child, then they have thereby -contracted a spiritual affinity--I am right, am I not chaplain?--which -acts as a barrier to marriage; and, if they have become united, -bastardizes their issue. Cousinship by blood, relationship through -marriage, all act in the same way to seven degrees--and render unions -void." - -"Are you aware what you are about?" asked Pabo gravely. "In our land, -hemmed in by mountains, marriages are usually contracted within the same -tribe, and in the same district, so that the whole of our people are -more or less bound together into a family. A kinship of some sort -subsists between all. If you press this rule--and it is no rule with -us--you break up fully three-fourths of the families in this country." - -"And what if I do?" - -"What! Separate husband and wife!" - -"If the union has been unlawful." - -"It has not been unlawful. Cousins have always among us been allowed to -marry. No nearer blood relations; and the rule of affinity has never -extended beyond a wife's sister. As to spiritual relationship as a bar, -it is a device of man. Why! to inquire into such matters is to pry into -every family, to introduce trouble into consciences, to offer -opportunity for all kinds of license." - -"I care not. It is our Canon law." - -"But we are not, we never have been, subject to your Canon law." - -"You are so now. I, your head, have taken oath of allegiance to -Canterbury. Thereby I have bound you all." - -Pabo's cheek darkened. - -"I rely on you," proceeded the bishop. "You, as you say, have lived here -always. You can furnish me with particulars as to all the marriages that -have been contracted for the last fifty years." - -"What! does the rule act retrospectively?" - -"Ay. What is unlawful now was unlawful always." - -"I will not give up--betray my people." - -"You will be obedient to your bishop!" - -Pabo bit his lip and looked down. - -"This will entail a good deal of shifting of lands from hand to hand, -when sons discover that their fathers' wedlock was unlawful, and that -they are not qualified to inherit aught." - -"You will cause incalculable evil!" - -The bishop shrugged his shoulders. - -"Lead on to the church," said he. "My chaplain, who is interpreter as -well, shall read my decree to your people--in Latin first and then in -Welsh. By the beard of Wilgefrotis! if you are obstructive, Archpriest, -I know how to call down lightning to fall on you." - - NOTE.--The seven prohibited degrees were reduced to four at the - Fourth Lateran Council (1215). By Civil law the degrees were thus - counted,-- - - - 0 - | - +-----+-----+ - | | - 10 10 - | | - 20 20 - \----\ /----/ - 4 - - But by Canon law-- - - 0 - | - +-----+-----+ - | | - 0.....1.....0 - | | - 0.....2.....0 - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -A HWYL - - -A Welsh church at the period of the Norman Conquest was much what it had -been from the time when Christianity had been adopted by the Britons. It -was of wood, as has been already stated. - -The insular Celt could never apply himself to the quarrying and shaping -of stone. - -The church of Cynwyl was oblong, built of split logs, roofed with -thatch. The eaves projected, so as to shelter the narrow windows from -the drift of rain, as these latter were unglazed. Only in the chancel -were they protected by sheep's amnion stretched on frames. - -A gallows of timber standing at a short distance from the west end -supported the bell. This was neither circular nor cast, but was oblong -in shape, of hammered metal, and riveted. The tone emitted was shrill -and harsh, but perhaps was on this account better suited to be heard at -a distance than had it been deep in tone and musical in note. - -Rude although the exterior of the church was, the interior was by no -means deficient in beauty, but this beauty was limited to, or at least -concentrated on, the screen that divided the long hall into two -portions. There were no aisles, the only division into parts was -effected by the screen, that was pierced by a doorway in the middle. - -This screen was, indeed, constructed of wood in compartments, and each -compartment was filed with an intricate and varied tracery of plaited -willow wands. It was the glory and the delight of the Celt to expend his -artistic effort on the devising and carrying out of some original design -in interlaced work--his knots and twists and lattice were of -incomparable beauty and originality. If he took to carving on stone, it -was to reproduce on the best tractable material his delightful lacework -of osiers. - -The patterns of the compartments were not merely varied in plaits, but -color was skilfully introduced by the flexible rods having been dyed by -herbs or lichens, and a further variety was introduced by the partial -peeling of some of the wands in rings. Moreover, to heighten the -effect, in places flat pieces of wood like shuttles, but with dragons' -heads carved on them, were introduced among the plait as a means of -breaking continuity in design and allowing of a fresh departure in -pattern. - -Within the screen a couple of oil-lamps burned, rendered necessary by -the dusk there produced by the membrane that covered the windows. Here, -beneath the altar, was preserved the abbatial staff of the founder--a -staff invested by popular belief with the miraculous powers. - -On the last day of April every year, this staff was solemnly brought -forth and carried up the river Annell, to a point where rested an -enormous boulder, fallen from the mountain crag, and resting beside the -stream, where it glanced and frothed over a slide of rock, in which were -depressions scooped by the water, but superstitiously held to have been -worn by the Apostle of Caio as he knelt in the water at his prayers and -recitation of the Psalter. Here the Archpriest halted, and with the -staff stirred the water. It was held that by this means the Annell was -assured to convey health and prosperity to the basin of the Cothi, into -which it discharged its blessed waters. Hither were driven flocks and -herds to have the crystal liquid scooped from the hollows in the rock, -and sprinkled over them, as an effectual preservative against murrain. - -The bishop occupied a stool within the screen. On this occasion he had -nothing further to do than proclaim his inflexible determination to -maintain the prohibition of marriage within the seven degrees for the -future, and to annul all such unions as fell within them, whether -naturally or artificially, and to illegitimatize all children the issue -of such marriages. It was the object of the Norman invaders to sow the -seed of discord among those whose land they coveted, to produce such -confusion in the transmission of estates as to enable them to intervene -and dispossess the native owners, not always at the point of the sword, -but also with the quill of the clerk. - -The villagers had crowded into the sacred building, they stood or knelt -as densely as they could be packed, and through the open door could be -seen faces thronging to hear such words as might reach them without. -Every face wore an expression of suspicion, alarm, or resentment. Pabo -stood outside the screen upon a raised step or platform, whence he was -wont to read to or address his congregation. It sustained a desk, on -which reposed the Scriptures. - -The bishop's chaplain occupied the center of the doorway through the -screen. He held a parchment in his hand, and he hastily read its -contents in Latin first, and then translated it into Welsh. Pabo was a -tall man, with dark hair and large deep eyes, soft as those of an ox, -yet capable of flashing fire. He was not over thirty-five years of age, -yet looked older, as there was gravity and intensity in his face beyond -his years. He was habited in a long woolen garment dyed almost but not -wholly black. He was hearkening to every word that fell, his eyes fixed -on the ground, his hands clenched, his lips closed, lines forming in his -face. - -It escaped Bernard, behind the lattice-work, and incapable of observing -such phenomena, how integrally one, as a single body, the tribesmen -present were with their ecclesiastical and political chieftain. Their -eyes were riveted, not on the reader, but on the face of Pabo. The least -change in his expression, a contraction of the brow, a quiver of the -lip, a flush on the cheek, repeated itself in every face. - -Whilst the lection in Latin proceeded, the people could understand no -more of it than what might be discerned from its effect on their -Archpriest; but it was other when the chaplain rendered it into -every-day vernacular. Yet even then, they did not look to his lips. They -heard his words, but read the commentary on them in the face of Pabo. - -They understood now with what they were menaced. It was shown to them, -not obscurely. They knew as the allocution proceeded what it involved if -carried out: there were wives present whose sentence of expulsion from -their homes was pronounced, children who were bastardized and -disinherited, husbands whose dearest ties were to be torn and snapped. - -Not a sound was to be heard save the drone of the reader's voice; till -suddenly there came a gasp of pain--then a sob. - -Again an awful hush. Men set their teeth and their brows contracted; the -muscles of their faces became knotted. Women held their palms to their -mouths. Appealing hands were stretched to Pabo, but he did not stir. - -Then, when the translation was ended, the chaplain looked round in -silence to Bernard, who made a sign with his hand and nodded. - -In a loud and strident voice the chaplain proceeded: "By order of -Bernard, by the grace of God, and the favor of his Majesty the King, -Bishop of St. David's and Primate of all Wales--all such as have -contracted these unlawful unions shall be required within ten days from -this present to separate from the women with whom they have lived as -husbands, and shall not occupy the same house with them, nor eat at the -same board, under pain of excommunication. And it is further decreed -that in the event of contumacy, of delay in fulfilling what is hereby -required, or refusal to fulfil these lawful commands, after warning, -such contumacious person shall forfeit all his possessions, whether in -lands or in movable goods, or cattle--his wearing apparel alone -excepted; and such possessions shall be divided into three equal -portions, whereof one-third shall be confiscated to the Crown, one-third -shall fall to the Church Metropolitan, and, again, one-third----" He -raised his head. Then Bernard moved forward in his seat that he might -fix his eyes upon Pabo; there was a lifting of his upper lip on one -side, as he signed to the chaplain to proceed: "And, again, one-third -shall be adjudged as a grace to the Informer." A moan swept through the -congregation like that which precedes the breaking of a storm, "To the -Informer," repeated the chaplain; "who shall denounce to the Lord Bishop -such unions as have been effected in this district of Caio within the -forbidden degrees." - -This last shaft pierced deepest of all. It invited, it encouraged, -treachery. It cast everywhere, into every family, the sparks that would -cause conflagration. It was calculated to dissolve all friendships, to -breed mistrust in every heart. - -Then Pabo lifted his head. - -His face was wet as though he had been weeping, but the drops that ran -over his cheeks fell, not from his glowing eyes, but from his -sweat-beaded brow. - -He turned back the book that was on the desk and opened it. He said no -words of his own, but proceeded to read from the volume in a voice deep, -vibrating with emotion; and those who heard him thrilled at his tones. - -"Thus saith the Lord God. Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat -cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and -with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye -have scattered them abroad; therefore will I save my flock, and they -shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle----" - -"What doth he say? What readeth he?" asked the bishop of his chaplain, -whom he had beckoned to him. - -Pabo heard his words, turned about and said--"I am reading the oracle of -God. Is that forbidden?" A woman in the congregation cried out; another -burst into sobs. - -Pabo resumed the lection, and his voice unconsciously rose and fell in a -musical wail: "I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed -them." At once--like a rising song, a mounting wave of sound--came the -voice of the people, as they caught the words that rang in their hearts; -they caught and repeated the words of the reader after him--"One -shepherd, and he shall feed them." And as they recited in swelling and -falling tones, they moved rhythmically, with swaying bodies and raised -and balanced arms. It was an electric, a marvelous quiver of a common -emotion that passed through the entire congregation. It went further--it -touched and vibrated through those outside, near the door--it went -further, it affected those beyond, who knew not what was said. - -Pabo continued--and his voice rolled as if in a chant--"I will set up -one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them--even my servant DAVID." - -"David! He shall feed us--even he, our father--our father David!" - -Those kneeling started to their feet, stretched their arms to heaven. -Their tears poured forth like rain, their voices, though broken by sobs, -swelled into a mighty volume of sound, thrilling with the intensity of -their distress, their hope, their fervor of faith--"Even he shall -come--God's servant David!" At the name, the loved name, they broke into -an ecstatic cry, "And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David -a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it."[1] The chaplain -translated. "He is uttering treason!" shouted Bernard, starting up. -"David a prince among them! We have no King but Henry." - -Then from without came cries, shouts, a rushing of feet, an angry roar, -and the clash of weapons. - -[Footnote 1: "A minnau yr Arglwydd a fyddaf yn Dduw iddynt, a'm gwas -Dafydd yn dywysog yn eu mysg; myfi yr Arglwydd a leferais hyn."--Ez. -xxxiv. 24.] - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE FIRST BLOOD - - -"What is this uproar? What is being done?" asked Bernard in agitation. -"Look, Cadell! Is there no second door to this trap? Should violence be -attempted I can obtain no egress by the way I came in; this church is -stuffed with people. Shut the screen gates if they show the least -indication of attacking us. 'Sdeath! if it should occur to them to fire -this place----" - -"They will not do so, on account of their own people that are in it." - -"But--but what is the occasion of this noise? How is it I am here -without anyone to protect me? This should have been looked to. I am not -safe among these savages. It is an accursed bit of negligence that shall -be inquired into. What avails me having men-at-arms if they do not -protect me? Body of my life! Am not I the King's emissary? Am not I a -bishop? Am I to be held so cheap even by my own men that I am allowed -to run the risk of being torn to pieces, or smoked out of a hole like -this?" - -"Do not fear, my Lord Bishop," said Cadell, his chaplain and -interpreter, who was himself quaking, "there is a door behind, in the -chancel wall. But methinks the danger is without; there is the -disturbance, and the congregation are pressing to get forth." - -"Body of my life! I want to know what is happening. Here, quick, you -clumsy ass, you beggarly Welshman; Cadell, undo the clasp, the brooch; I -will have off this cope--and remove my miter. I will leave them here. I -shall be less conspicuous, if weapons are being flourished and stones -are flying." - -The bishop speedily divested himself of his ecclesiastical attire, all -the while scolding, cursing his attendant, who was a Welshman by birth, -but who had passed into the service of the conquerors, and knew very -well that this would advance him in wealth, and ensure for himself a fat -benefice. - -When the bishop had been freed of his vestments, the chaplain unbolted a -small side door, and both emerged from the church. - -Outside all was in commotion. The populace was surging to and fro, -uttering cries and shouts. An attack had been made on the military guard -of the bishop--and these, for their mutual protection, had retreated to -the sumpter horses and mules, surrounded them, and faced their -assailants with swords brandished. About them, dense and menacing, were -the Welshmen of Caio, flourishing cudgels and poles, and the women -urging them on with cries. - -Bernard found himself separated from his party by the dense ring of -armed peasants, infuriated by the wrongs they had endured and by the -appeals of the women. He could not see his men, save that now and then -the sun flashed on their swords as they were whirled above the heads of -the crowd. No blood seemed to have been shed as yet--the Normans stood -at bay. The Welsh peasants were reluctant to approach too nearly to the -terrible blades that whirled and gleamed like lightning. - -At the same instant that Bernard issued from the church, the bell -suspended between two beams was violently swung, and its clangor rang -out above the noise of the crowd. As if in answer to its summons, from -every side poured natives, who had apparently been holding themselves -in reserve; they were armed with scythes, axes, and ox-goads. Some were -in leather jerkins that would resist a sword-cut or a pike-thrust, but -the majority were in thick wadmel. The congregation were also issuing -from the west door of the church, thick on each other's heels, and were -vainly asking the occasion of the disturbance. - -It was some minutes before Pabo emerged into the open, and then it was -through the side door. He found the bishop there, livid, every muscle of -his face jerking with terror, vainly endeavoring to force his chaplain -to stand in front of and screen him. - -"I hold you answerable for my safety," said Bernard, putting forth a -trembling hand and plucking at the Archpriest. - -"And I for mine," cried the chaplain. - -"Have no fear--none shall touch you," answered Pabo, addressing the -prelate. He disdained even to look at the interpreter. - -"If any harm come to my men, you shall be held accountable. They are -King Henry's men; he lent them to me. He sent them to guard my sacred -person." - -"And mine," said Cadell. "Our father in God cannot make himself -understood without me." - -"You are in no danger," said Pabo. - -Then the Archpriest stepped forward, went to the belfry, and disengaged -the rope from the hand of him who was jangling the bell. With a loud, -deep, sonorous voice, he called in their native tongue to his tribesmen -to be silent, to cease from aggression, and to explain the cause of the -tumult. - -He was obeyed immediately. All noise ceased, save that caused by the -Normans, who continued to thunder menaces. - -"Silence them also," said Pabo to the bishop. - -"I--I have lost my voice," said the frightened prelate. - -At the same moment the crowd parted, and a band of sturdy peasants, -carrying clubs, and one armed with a coulter, came forward, drawing with -them Rogier, the bishop's brother, and a young and beautiful woman with -disheveled hair and torn garments. Her wrists had been bound behind her -back, but one of the men who drew her along with a great knife cut the -thongs, and she shook the fragments from her and extended her freed arms -to the priest. - -"Pabo!" - -"Morwen!" he exclaimed, recoiling in dismay. - -"What is the meaning of this?" demanded the bishop. "Unhand my brother, -ye saucy curs!" But, though his meaning might be guessed by those who -gripped Rogier, they could not understand his words. - -"What is the cause of this?" asked Bernard, addressing the Norman. -"Rogier, how comes this about?" - -The Norman was spluttering with rage, and writhing in vain endeavor to -extricate himself from the men who held him. It was apparent to Bernard -that the right arm of the man had received some injury, as he was -powerless to employ it against his captors. The rest of the soldiery -were hemmed in and unable to go to his assistance. - -"Curse the hounds!" he yelled. "They have struck me over the shoulder -with their bludgeons, or by the soul of Rollo I would have sent some of -them to hell! What are my men about that they do not attempt to release -me?" he shouted. But through the ring of stout weapons--a quadruple -living hedge--his followers were unable to pass; moreover, all -considered their own safety to consist in keeping together. - -"What has caused this uproar?" asked the bishop. "Did they attack you -without provocation?" - -"By the soul of the conqueror!" roared Rogier. "Can not a man look at -and kiss a pretty woman without these swine resenting it? Have not I a -right to carry her off if it please me to grace her with my favor? Must -these hogs interfere?" - -"Brother, you have been indiscreet!" - -"Not before your face, Bernard. I know better than that. I know what is -due to your sanctity of a few weeks. I waited like a decent Christian -till your back was turned. You need have known nothing about it. And if, -as we rode away, there was a woman behind my knave on his horse, you -would have shut one eye. But these mongrels--these swine--resent it. -Body of my life! Resent it!--an honor conferred on one of their girls if -a Norman condescend to look with favor on her. Did not our gracious King -Henry set us the example with a Welsh prince's wench? And shall not we -follow suit?" - -"You are a fool, Rogier--at such a time, and so as to compromise me." - -"Who is to take you to task, brother?" - -"I mean not that, but to risk my safety. To leave me unprotected in the -church, and to provoke a brawl without, that might have produced -serious consequences to me. Odd's life! Where is that Cadell? Slinking -away?" - -"My lord, I have greater cause to fear than yourself. They bear me -bitterest hate." - -"I care not. Speak for me to these curs. Bid them unhand my brother. -They have maimed him--maybe broken his arm. My brother, a Norman, held -as a common felon by these despicable serfs!" - -"Bishop," said Pabo, stepping before Bernard. - -"What have you to say?" asked the prelate suddenly. - -The face of the Archpriest was stern and set, as though chiseled out of -alabaster. - -"Are you aware what has been attempted while you were in God's house? -What the outrage is has been offered?" - -"I know that my brother has been so light as to cast his eye on one of -your Welsh wenches." - -"Lord bishop," said Pabo in hard tones, and the sound of his voice was -metallic as the bell, "he has insulted this noble woman. He bound her -hands behind her back and has endeavored to force her onto a horse in -spite of her resistance, her struggles--look at her bruised and -bleeding arms!--and to carry her away." - -"Well, well, soldiers are not clerks and milk-sops." - -"Do you know who she is?" - -"I know not. Some saucy lass who ogled him, and he took her winks as an -invitation." - -"Sieur!" thundered Pabo, and the veins in his brow turned black. "She is -the noblest, purest of women." - -"Among broken sherds, a cracked pitcher is precious." - -"Bishop, she is my wife!" - -"Your wife!" jeered Bernard, leaned back, placed his hands to his side, -and laughed. "Priests have no wives; you mean your harlot." - -In a moment the bishop was staggering back, and would have fallen unless -he had had the timber wall of the church to sustain him. In a moment, -maddened beyond endurance by the outrage, by the words, by the demeanor -of the prelate, in forgetfulness of the sacred office of the man who -insulted him, in forgetfulness of his own sacred office, forgetful of -everything save the slur cast on the one dearest to him in the whole -world, the one to whom he looked with a reverence which from her -extended to all womanhood, the incandescent Welsh blood in his veins -burst into sudden flame, and he struck Bernard in the face, on the mouth -that had slandered her and insulted him. And the bishop reeled back and -stood speechless, with blear eyes fixed, his hands extended against the -split logs, and from his lips, cut with his teeth, blood was flowing. - -Then, in the dead silence that ensued, an old hermit, clothed in -sackcloth, bareheaded, with long matted white hair, walking bent by the -aid of a staff--a man who for thirty years had occupied a cell on the -mountain-side without leaving it--stood forward before all, an unwonted -apparition; and slowly, painfully raising his distorted form, he lifted -hand and staff to heaven, and cried: "Wo, wo, wo to the Blessed Valley! -The peace of David, our father, is broken. Blood has flowed in strife. -That cometh which he foresaw, and over which he wept. Wo! wo! wo!" - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE SCROLL - - -The young, the thoughtless, were full of exultation over the rebuff that -the Normans, with their bishop, had encountered, but the older and wiser -men were grave and concerned. The Normans had indeed withdrawn in sullen -resentment, outnumbered, and incapable of revenging on the spot and at -once the disabled arm of their leader and the broken tooth of their -prelate. The old men knew very well that matters would not rest thus; -and they feared lest the events of that day when the party of foreigners -penetrated to the Blessed Valley might prove the most fruitful in -disastrous consequences it had ever seen. - -Native princes had respected the sanctuary of David, but an English King -and foreign adventurers were not likely to regard its privileges, nor -fear the wrath of the saint who had hitherto rendered it inviolable. -Bishop Bernard had at his back not only the whole spiritual force of -the Latin Church, the most highly concentrated and practically organized -in Christendom, but he was specially the emissary of the English King, -with all the physical power of the realm to support him; and what was -the prospect of a little green basin in the mountains, isolated from the -world, occupied by three thousand people, belonging to the most loosely -compacted Church that existed, with no political force to maintain its -right and champion its independence--what chance had the sanctuary of -David in Caio against the resentment of the English King and the Roman -Church? Neither, as experience showed, was likely to pass over an -affront. One would sustain the other in exacting a severe chastisement. - -The hermit, who after over thirty years of retirement in one cell, far -up the Mount Mallaen, had suddenly, and unsolicited, left his retreat to -appear once more among his fellow-men, and then to pronounce a sentence -of wo, had sunk exhausted after this supreme effort of expiring powers, -and had been removed into the Archpriest's house, where he was -ministered to by Morwen, Pabo's wife. - -The old man lay as one in a trance, and speechless. His eyes were open, -but he saw nothing on earth, and no efforts could induce him to take -nourishment. With folded hands, muttering lips, and glazed eyes he -continued for several days. Pabo and his wife looked on with reverence, -not knowing whether he were talking with invisible beings which he saw. -He answered no questions put to him; he seemed not to hear them, and he -hardly stirred from the position which he assumed when laid on a bed in -the house. - -The hermit of Mallaen had been regarded with unbounded reverence -throughout the country. He had been visited for counsel, his words had -been esteemed oracular, and he was even credited with having performed -miraculous cures. - -That he was dying in their midst would have created greater attention -and much excitement among the people of Caio at any other time, but now -they were in a fever over the events of the bishop's visit, their alarm -over the enforcing of the decree on marriages, and their expectation of -punishment for the rough handling of their unwelcome visitors; and when -one night the old hermit passed away, it was hardly noticed, and Morwen -was left almost unassisted to pay the last duties to the dead, to place -the plate of salt on his breast when laid out, and to light the candles -at the head. - -It was no holiday-time, and yet little work was done throughout the once -happy valley. A cloud seemed to hang over it, and oppress all therein. -Shepherds on the mountain drove their flocks together, that for awhile, -sitting under a rock or leaning on their crooks, they might discuss what -was past and form conjectures as to the future. Women, over their -spinning, drew near each other, and in low voices and with anxious faces -conversed as to the unions that were like to be dissolved. Men met in -groups and passed opinions as to what steps should be taken to maintain -their rights, their independence, and to ward off reprisals. Even -children caught up the words that were whispered, and jeered each other -as born out of legitimate wedlock, or asked one another who were their -sponsors, and shouted that such could never intermarry. - -So days passed. Spirits became no lighter; the gloom deepened. It was -mooted who would tell of the relationships borne by those who were now -contented couples?--so as to enable the bishop to separate them? Who -would see selfish profit by betrayal of their own kin? - -The delay was not due to pitiful forbearance, to Christian forgiveness; -it boded preparation for dealing an overwhelming blow. The Welsh Prince -or King was a fugitive. From him no help could be expected. His castle -of Dynevor was in the hands of the enemy. To the south, the Normans -blocked the exit of the Cothy from its contracted mouth; to east, the -Towy valley was in the hands of the oppressor, planted in impregnable -fortresses; to the west, Teify valley was in like manner occupied. Only -to the north among the wild, tumbled, barren mountains, was there no -contracting, strangling, steel hand. - -The autumn was closing in. The cattle that had summered in the _hafod_ -(the mountain byre) were returning to the _hendre_ (the winter home). -Usually the descent from the uplands was attended with song and laugh -and dancing. It was not so now. And the very cattle seemed to perceive -that they did not receive their wonted welcome. - -Pabo went about as usual, but graver, paler than formerly--for his mind -was ill at ease. It was he who had shed the first blood. A trifling -spill, indeed, but one likely to entail serious results. The situation -had been aggravated by his act. He who should have done his utmost to -ward off evil from his flock had perpetrated an act certain to provoke -deadly resentment against them. He bitterly regretted his passionate -outbreak; he who should have set an example of self-control had failed. -Yet when he looked on his wife, her gentle, patient face, the tenderness -with which she watched and cared for the dying hermit, again his cheek -flushed, the veins in his brow swelled, and the blood surged in his -heart. To hear her insulted, he could never bear; should such an outrage -be repeated, he would strike again. - -Pabo sat by his fire. In Welsh houses even so late as the twelfth -century there were no structural chimneys--these were first introduced -by the Flemish settlers--consequently the smoke from the wood fire -curled and hung in the roof and stole out, when tired of circling there, -through a hole in the thatch. - -On a bier lay the dead man, with candles at his head--his white face -illumined by the light that descended from the gap in the roof. At the -feet crouched a woman, a professional wailer, singing and swaying -herself, as she improvised verses in honor of the dead, promised him -the glories of Paradise, and a place at the right hand of David, and -then fell to musical moans. - -Morwen sat by the side, looking at the deceased--she was awaiting her -turn to kneel, sing, and lament--and beside her was a rude bench on -which were placed cakes and ale wherewith to regale such as came in to -wake the dead. - -And as Pabo looked at his wife he thought of the peaceful useful life -they had led together. - -She had been the daughter of a widow, a harsh and exacting woman, who -had long been bedridden, and with whose querulousness she had borne -meekly. He had not been always destined to the Archpriesthood. His uncle -had been the ecclesiastical as well as political head of the tribe; but -on his death his son, Goronwy, had been passed over, as deformed, and -therefore incapable of taking his father's place, and the chiefship had -been conferred on Pabo, who had already been for some years ordained in -anticipation of this selection. - -Pabo continued to look at his wife, and he questioned whether he could -have understood the hearts of his people had he not himself known what -love was. - -"Husband," said Morwen, "there is a little roll under his hand." - -Pabo started to consciousness of the present. - -"I have not ventured to remove it; yet what think you? Is it to be -buried with him? It almost seems as though it were his testament." - -The Archpriest rose and went to where the dead man lay; his long white -beard flowed to his waist, and the hands were crossed over it. - -"It is in the palm," said Morwen. - -Pabo passed his fingers through the thick white hair and drew forth a -scroll, hardly two fingers' breadth in width; it was short also, as he -saw when he uncurled it. - -He opened and read. - -"Yes, it is his will. 'To Pabo, the Archpriest, my cell--as a refuge; -and----'" He ceased, rolled up the little coil once more, and placed it -in his bosom. - -A stroke at the door, and one of the elders of the community, named -Howel the Tall, entered. - -"It seems fit, Father Pabo, to us to meet in council. What say you? All -are gathered." - -"It is well; I attend." - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -GRIFFITH AP RHYS - - -The council-house of the Caio tribe was a large circular wooden -structure, with a conical thatched roof. There was a gable on one side -in which was a circular opening to serve as window, and it was unglazed. - -As Pabo entered with Howel the Tall, he was saluted with respect, and he -returned the salutation with grave courtesy. - -He took the seat reserved for him, and looked about him, mustering who -were present. They were all representative men, either because weighty -through wealth, force of character, or intellect. - -Among them were two officers, the one Meredith ap David, the Bard, who, -in his retentive memory preserved the traditions of the tribe and the -genealogies of all the families of the district from Noah. The other was -Morgan ap Seissyl, the hereditary custodian of the staff of Cynwyl, and -sacristan of the church, enjoying certain lands which went with the -_baculus_, or staff, as well as certain dignities. - -Howel stepped into the center of the building and addressed those -present, and their president. - -"Father Pabo, we who are gathered together have done so with one -consent, drawn hither by a common need, to take counsel in our -difficulties. Seeing how grave is the situation in which we stand, how -uncertain is the future, how ignorant we are of the devices of our -enemies, how doubtful what a day may bring forth--we have considered it -expedient to meet and devise such methods as may enable us to stand -shoulder to shoulder, and to frustrate the machinations of our common -foe. By twos and threes we have talked of these things, and now we -desire to speak in assembly concerning them. - -"And, first of all, we have considered the threats of Bernard, whom the -King of the English has thrust upon us by his mere will, to be bishop -over us; a man of whom we hear no good, who cannot speak our tongue, who -despises our nation and its customs, and mocks at our laws. A man is he -who has not entered the sheepfold by the door, but has climbed in -another way." - -His words were received with a murmur of assent. - -"And the first time that this intruder has opened his mouth, it has been -to provoke unto strife, and to fill all hearts with dismay. He erects -barriers where was open common. He prohibits unions which the Word of -God does not disallow. He creates spiritual relationships as occasions -and excuses for dissolving marriages, where no blood ties exist. He -proclaims his mission to be one of breaking up of families and making -houses desolate. Now we are sheep without a shepherd, a flock in the -midst of wolves. We are neither numerous enough nor strong enough to -resist the over-might that is brought against us. By the blessing of -David, we have been ever men of peace. Our hands are unaccustomed to -handle the bow and wield the sword. We have no prince over us to lead -us. We have no bishop over us to advise us. The throne of our father -David is usurped by an intruder whom we will not acknowledge." - -He paused. Again his words roused applause. - -"And now, it seems to me, that as we are incapable of opposing force to -force, we must take refuge in subtlety. It has pleased God, who -confounded the speech of men at Babel, that we should preserve that -original tongue spoken by Adam in Paradise, in his unfallen state, and -that the rest of mankind, by reason of the blindness of their hearts, -and the dulness of their understandings, are hardly able to acquire it. -Now it has further pleased Providence, which has a special care over our -elect nation, that our relationships should present a perplexity to all -save unto ourselves. I am creditably informed that the English people -are beginning to call themselves after their trades, and to hand down -their trade names to their children, so that John the Smith's sons and -daughters be also entitled Smiths, although the one be a butcher, and -another a weaver--which is but one token out of many that this is an -insensate people. Moreover, some call themselves after the place where -they were born, and although their children and children's children be -born elsewhere, yet are they called after the township whence came their -father--an evident proof of sheer imbecility. Again, it is said that if -a John Redhead, so designated by reason of a fiery poll, have a -dark-haired son, though the head of this latter be as a raven's wing, -yet is he a Redhead. One really marvels that Providence should suffer -such senseless creatures to beget children. But there is worse still -behind. A Tom has a son George, and he is called Tomson. But if this -George have a son Philip, then Philip is not Georgeson, but Tomson. -Stupidity could go no farther. Now we are wiser. I am Howel ap John, and -John was ap Roderick, and he ap Thomas. There were assuredly a score of -Johns in Caio when my father lived, and say that each had five children. -Then there be now in the tribe a hundred persons who bear the name of ap -John or merch John. Who is to say which John begat this lad or that -lass, and therefore to decide who are consanguineous, and who are not? -There is one man only whose duty and calling it is to unravel the -tangle, and this is Meredith, the genealogist. Should the bishop come -here again, or send his commissioner, we have the means of raising such -a cloud of confusion with our Johns and Morgans, or Thomases and -Merediths, with the _aps_ and our _merchs_, as will utterly bewilder his -brains. I defy any pig-headed Englishman or Norman either to discover -our relationships unless he gets hold of the genealogist." - -This was so obviously true and so eminently consolatory that all nodded -approvingly. - -"This being the case," pursued Howel, "as there is but a single man to -unravel this tangle, Meredith ap David, and as he would consider it his -sacred duty conscientiously to give every pedigree if asked--therefore I -advise that he go into hiding. Then, when the bishop comes we take it -upon ourselves to confound his head with our relationships--consanguine, -affine, and spiritual--so that he will be able to do nothing in the -matter of dissolving our marriages. A child who is ill-treated lies. In -that way it seeks protection. An ill-treated people takes refuge in -subterfuge. It is permissible." - -This long speech was vastly approved, and all present, even the bard -himself, voted with uplifted right hand that it should be carried into -effect. - -Then Jorwerth the smith stood up and said-- - -"It is well spoken; but all is not done. The chief danger menaces us -through our head. It is at the head that the deadly blow is aimed. -Griffith ap Rhys, our prince, is not among us. A true bishop is not over -us. We have none but our Father Pabo; and him we must do our utmost to -preserve. It is he who stands in greater peril than we. It is true that -I struck a fellow on the arm because he molested the wife of our chief; -but that was naught. Blows are exchanged among men and thought lightly -of. But our Father Pabo smote the bishop in the mouth and broke his -teeth. That will never be forgiven him--never; and the intruder Bernard -will compass sea and land to revenge on him that blow. If our head be -taken, what will become of us, the members? If it be thought expedient -that Meredith the Bard should go into hiding, then I give my voice that -our chief should also seek out a refuge where he may not be found." - -This opinion was met with murmurs of approval. Then the tall Howel rose -and said, "You marked what I said before, that although we approve not -deception, yet must the weak take resort unto trickery when matched -against the strong. So be it--our Archpriest Pabo shall disappear, and -disappear so that the enemy shall not know that he be alive. Leave this -to me. An opportunity offers--that Heaven has given to us. Ask me not to -explain." - -"It is well. We trust thee, Howel." - -Then they heard a distant murmur, a hum as of a rising wind, the rustle -of trees, the beating of waves. It drew nearer, it waxed louder, it -broke out into cries of joy and shouts of exultation as at the bringing -in of harvest, and the crowned sheaf--the _tori pen y wrach_. - -The elders of Caio listened and wondered. - -Then through the door sprang a young man, and stood where a falling -sunbeam from the one round window rested on him. - -He had flowing golden hair that reached his shoulders in curls. He was -tall, lithe, graceful, and beautiful. - -In a moment they all knew him, as those had recognized him on the way -and had accompanied him to the churchtown. - -The old, the gray-headed, strong iron men, and those who were feeble at -once encircled him. They threw themselves at his feet, they clasped his -knees, those who could kissed his hands, others the hem of his garment. - -"Griffith, our Prince! Our heart and soul, our King!" - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -PREPARING FOR THE EVIL DAY - - -As Nest was the most beautiful woman in Wales, so her brother Griffith -was the handsomest of the men there. His face was open and engaging. The -blue eyes were honest, the jaw resolute. His address had a fascination -few could resist. Moreover, the story of his young life was such as -enlisted sympathy and fired the hearts of the Cymri. - -His gallant father, a true hero, the King of Dyfed, South Wales, had -fallen in battle, fighting against the Normans under Robert Fitzhamon -and some turbulent Welsh who had invited the invader into the land. The -fall of the great chief had left his country open, defenseless to the -spoiler. His eldest son and his daughter had been carried away as -hostages, the Prince to die in his captivity--whether wasting with grief -or by the hand of the assassin none knew--and the Princess, dishonored, -had been married to the worst oppressor of her people. - -Griffith, the second son, had effected his escape, and had committed -himself to his namesake the King of Gwynedd, or North Wales, and had -married his daughter. - -The crafty Beauclerk was ill-pleased so long as the Prince remained at -large to head insurrection in the South, perhaps, in combination with -his father-in-law, to unite all Cambria in one mighty effort to hurl the -invader from the rocks of that mountain world. He accordingly entered -into negotiations with the King and invited him to visit him in London. -Griffith ap Cynan, the old King of North Wales, flattered by the terms -in which he was addressed, pleased with the prospect of seeing more of -the world than was possible from his castle-walls in Anglesea, -incautiously accepted. - -Arrived at Westminster, he was treated with effusive courtesy: King -Henry addressed him as a brother, seated him at his side, lavished on -him splendid gifts, and still more splendid promises. Not till he had -made the Welshman drunk with vanity and ambition did Henry unfold his -purpose. Griffith ap Cynan was offered the sovereignty over North and -South Wales united with Cardigan, the Prince of which had fled to -Ireland, to be held under the suzerainty of the English Crown, and the -sole price asked for this was the surrender of the young Prince, his own -son-in-law and guest, a man whose only guilt consisted in having the -blood of Rhys in his veins, and who confided in the honor and loyalty of -his wife's father. - -The King of Gwynedd consented, and hasted home to conclude his part of -the contract. - -Happily, but not a moment too soon, did Griffith the younger get wind of -the treachery that was intended, and he fled before the arrival of the -old King. - -When the latter discovered that his son-in-law had escaped, he sent a -body of horsemen in pursuit. The fugitive, nearly overtaken, took -sanctuary in the church of Aberdaron, and the baffled pursuers, not -venturing to infringe the rights of the Church, returned unsuccessful to -their master. The King, angry, blind to every consideration save his -ambition, bade his men return on their traces, and, if need be, force -the sanctuary and tear the Prince from the foot of the altar, should he -make that his last refuge. - -The executioners of the mandate were not, however, free from the -superstitious awe which surrounded a sanctuary. The clergy of the church -and of the neighborhood rose with one consent in protection of the -pursued, and of the menaced rights, and again the Ministers of the King -were baffled. By this means, time was gained, and the clergy of -Aberdaron succeeded by night in securing the escape of the Prince, with -a few faithful followers, into the Vale of the Towy. - -There he had no alternative open to him but to prepare to take up arms. -He at once entered into communication with his sister, on whose fidelity -to the cause of the royal family of Dyfed, and of her country, he knew -he could calculate. He found the people impatient to fly to arms. Their -condition had become intolerable. Wherever they went the barons had -introduced the system of feudal tenure, which was foreign to the laws -and feelings of the people, and they vigorously resisted its -application. Moreover, foreign ecclesiastics, the kinsmen or clients of -the secular tyrant, seized upon the livings. Where a fortress could not -be established, there a monastery was planted and filled with -foreigners, to maintain whom the tithes and glebes were confiscated, -and the benefices converted into vicarages, which were served by English -or continental monks. - -Added to this, the King had created the Bishop of London Lord of the -Marches and President of Shropshire, and this astute and unprincipled -man devoted his energies to the setting at rivalry of all the native -princes, and the goading them to war with one another. Such was his -policy--let the Welsh cut each other's throats and make way for the -Norman and the Fleming. - -The wretched people, betrayed by their natural leaders, the princes, -deprived of their clergy, subjected to strange laws, with foreign -masters, military and ecclesiastic, intruding themselves everywhere, and -dispossessing them of all their possessions, felt that it would be -better to die among their burnt farmsteads than live on dishonored. - -At this juncture, when they looked for, prayed for a leader, Griffith, -son of their King, suddenly appeared in their midst, with a fresh story -of insult and treachery to tell--and make their blood flame. - -"I am come," said the Prince, still standing in the falling ray of sun. -"I have hasted to come to you with a word from my sister, the Princess -Nest. Evil is devised against you--evil you are powerless now to resist. -It comes swift, and you must bow your heads as bulrushes. The enemy is -at hand--will be here on the morrow; and what the Princess says to Pabo, -your chief, is, Fly for your life!" - -"That is what has been determined among us," said Howel. - -"It is well--let not a moment be lost!" Then, looking around, "I--my -friends, my brothers, am as a squirrel in the forest, flying from branch -to branch, pursued even by the hand that should have sheltered me. There -is no trust to be laid in princes. I lean on none; I commend my cause to -none. I place it in the hearts of the people. I would lay my head to -sleep on the knee of any shepherd, fearless. I could not close my eyes -under the roof of any prince, and be sure he would not sell me whilst I -slept." - -None answered. It was true--they knew it--too true. - -"My brother," said Griffith--and he stepped to each and touched each -hand--"I commit myself and the cause of my country to these hands that -have held the plow and wielded the hammer, and I fear not. They are -true." - -A shout of assurances, thrilled from every heart, and the eyes filled -with tears. - -"My brothers, the moment has not yet arrived. When it comes, I will call -and ye will answer." - -"We will!" - -"My life--it is for you." - -"And our lives are at your disposal." - -"We knew each other," said the prince, and one of his engaging smiles -lighted his face. "But now to the matter in hand. The Bishop Bernard -claims the entire region of Caio, from the mountains to where the Cothi -enters the ravine, as his own, because it is the patrimony of David, -which he has usurped. And forthwith he sends a mandate for the -deposition of your Archpriest Pabo, and his arrest and conveyance under -a guard to his castle of Llawhaden." - -"He shall not have him." - -"Therefore must he escape at once." - -"He shall fly to a place of security." - -"And that without a moment's delay." - -"It shall be so." - -"Furthermore, the bishop sends his chaplain, Cadell, to fill his room, -to minister to you in holy things." - -"He shall not so minister to us." - -"And to occupy the presbytery." - -"My house!" exclaimed Pabo. - -"He shall not set foot therein," said Howel; "leave that to me." - -"I go," said Pabo sadly; "but I shall take my wife with me." - -"Nay," answered Howel hastily, "that must not be." - -"But wherefore not? She must be placed where safe from pursuit as well -as I." - -"She shall be under my protection," said Howel the Tall. "Have -confidence in me. All Caio will rise again were she to be molested. Have -no fear; she shall be safe. But with you she must not go. Ask me not my -reasons now. You shall learn them later." - -"Then I go. But I will bid her farewell first." - -"Not that even," said Howel, "lest she learn whither you betake -yourself. That none of us must know." - -Then Meredith the Bard rose. - -"There is need for haste," he said. "I go." - -"And I go, too," said Pabo. He looked at the elders with swelling breast -and filling eye. "I entrust to you, dear friends and spiritual sons, one -more precious to me than life itself." He turned to Griffith: "Prince, -God grant it be not for long that you are condemned to fly as the -squirrel. God grant that ere long we may hear the cry of the ravens of -Dynevor; and when we hear that----" - -All present raised their hands-- - -"We will find the ravens their food." - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -WHAT MUST BE - - -Howel the Tall walked slowly to the presbytery, the house of Pabo, that -was soon to be his no longer. The tidings that an armed body of men was -on its way into the peaceful valley--whose peace was to be forever -broken up, so it seemed--had produced a profound agitation. Every one -was occupied: some removing their goods, and themselves preparing to -retire to the hovel on the summer pastures; those who had no _hafod_ to -receive them were concealing their little treasures. - -A poor peasant was entreating a well-to-do farmer to take with him his -daughter, a young and lovely girl, for whom he feared when the lawless -servants of the bishop entered Caio. - -But all could not take refuge in the mountains, even if they had places -there to which to retire. There were their cattle to be attended to in -the valley; the grass on the heights was burnt, and would not shoot -again till spring. The equinoctial gales were due, and rarely failed to -keep their appointments. There were mothers expecting additions to their -families, and little children who could not be exposed to the privations -and cold of the uplands. There were no stores on the mountains; hay and -corn were stacked by the homes in the valley. - -Some said, "What more can these strangers do than they have done? Do -they come, indeed, to thrust on us a new pastor? They will not drive us -with their pikes into church to hear what he has to say! They are not -bringing with them a batch of Flemings to occupy our farms and take from -us our corn-land and pasture! The Norman is no peaceful agriculturist, -and he must live; therefore he will let the native work on, that he may -eat out of his hands." And, again, others said: "There will be time -enough to escape when they flourish their swords in our faces." But even -such as resolved to remain concealed their valuables. - -The basin of the sanctuary was extensive; it was some seven miles long -and five at its widest, but along the slopes of the hills that broke the -evenness of its bottom and on the side of the continuous mountains were -scattered numerous habitations. And it would be an easy matter for those -on high ground commanding the roads to take to flight when the -men-at-arms were observed to be coming their way. - -Howel entered the presbytery. - -Like every other house in Wales, excepting those of the great princes, -it comprised but two chambers--that which served as hall and kitchen, -into which the door opened, and the bed-chamber on one side. There was -no upper story; its consequence as the residence of the chief was -indicated by a detached structure, like a barn, that served as -banqueting-hall on festive occasions, and where, indeed, all such as -came on Sundays from distances tarried and ate after divine service, and -awaited the vespers which were performed early in the afternoon. There -were stables, also, to accommodate the horses of those who came to -church, or to pay their respects, and to feast with their chief. - -With the exception of these disconnected buildings, the house presented -the character of a Welsh cottage of the day in which we live. It was -deficient in attempt at ornament, and, unlike a medieval edifice of the -rest of Europe, lacked picturesqueness. At the present, a Welsh cottage -or farmhouse is, indeed, of stone, and is ugly. - -Although the presbytery was lacking in beauty, of outline and detail, it -was convenient as a dwelling. As Howel entered, he saw that the body of -the hermit still lay exposed, preparatory to burial, with the candles -burning at its head. But Morwen was the sole person in attendance on it, -as the professional wailer had decamped to secrete the few coins she -possessed, and, above all, to convey to and place under the protection -of the Church a side of bacon, the half of a pig, on which she -calculated to subsist during the winter. - -By the side of the fire sat a lean, sharp-featured boy, with high -cheek-bones; a lad uncouth in appearance, for one shoulder was higher -than the other. - -He stirred the logs with his foot, and when he found one that was burnt -through, stooped, separated the ends, and reversed them in the fire. - -This was Goronwy Cam, kinsman of Pabo, the son of the late Archpriest, -who had been passed over for the chieftainship, partly on account of his -youth, mainly because of his deformity, which disqualified him for the -ecclesiastical state. - -He lived in the presbytery with his cousin, was kindly, affectionately -treated by him, and was not a little humored by Morwen, who pitied his -condition, forgave his perversity of temper, and was too familiar with -ill-humors, experienced during her mother's life, to resent his -outbreaks of petulance. - -"Go forth, Goronwy," said Howel. "Bid Morgan see that the grave for our -dead saint be made ready. They are like to forget their duties to the -dead in their care for themselves. Bid him expedite the work of the -sexton." - -"Why should I go? I am engaged here." - -"Engaged in doing nothing. Go at once and speak with Morgan. Time -presses too hard for empty civilities." - -"You have no right to order me, none to send me from this house." - -"I have a right in an emergency to see that all be done that is -requisite for the good of the living, and for the repose of the dead. Do -you not know, boy, that the enemy are on their way hither, and that when -they arrive you will no further have this as your home?" - -"Goronwy, be kind and do as desired," said Morwen. - -The young man left, muttering. He looked but a boy; he was in fact a -man. - -When he had passed beyond earshot, Morwen said, "Do not be short with -the lad; he has much to bear, his infirmities of body are ever present -to his mind, and he can ill endure the thought that but for them he -would have been chief in Caio." - -"I have not come hither to discuss Goronwy and his sour humors," said -Howel; "but to announce to you that Pabo is gone." - -"Whither?" - -"That I do not know." - -"For how long?" - -"That also I cannot say." - -"Is he in danger?" Morwen's color fled, and she put her hand to her -bosom. - -"At present he is in none; for how long he will be free I cannot say, -and something depends on you." - -"On me! I will do anything, everything for him." - -"To-morrow the sleuth-hounds will be after him: his safety lies in -remaining hid." - -"But why has he not come to me and told me so?" - -"Because it is best that you know nothing, not even the direction he -has taken in his flight. Be not afraid--he is safe so long as he remains -concealed. As for you and that boy, ye shall both come to my house, for -to-morrow he will be here who will claim this as his own. The bishop who -has stepped into David's seat has sent him to dispossess our Archpriest -of all his rights, and to transfer them to Cadell, his chaplain." - -"But it is not possible. He does not belong to the tribe." - -"What care these aliens about our rights and our liberties? With the -mailed fists they beat down all law." - -"And he will take from us our house?" - -"If you suffer him." - -"How can I, a poor woman, resist?" - -"I do not ask you to resist." - -"Then what do you require of me?" - -"Leave him no house into which to step and which he may call his own." - -"I understand you not." - -"Morwen, say farewell you must to these walls--this roof. It will -dishonor them to become the shelter of the renegade, after it has been -the home of such as you and Pabo, and the Archpriests of our race and -tribe for generations--aye, and after it has been consecrated by the -body of this saint." He indicated the dead hermit. - -"But again I say, I do not understand. What would you have me do?" - -"Do this, Morwen." Howel dropped his voice and drew nearer to her. He -laid hold of her wrist. "Set fire to the presbytery. The wind is from -the east; it will cause the hall to blaze also." - -She looked at him in dismay and doubt. - -"To me, and away from this, thou must come, and that boy with thee. Thou -wouldest not have Pabo taken from thee and given to some Saxon woman. -So, suffer not this house that thou art deprived of to become the -habitation of another--one false to his blood and to his duties." - -"I cannot," she said, and looked about her at the walls, at every object -against them, at the hearth, endeared to her by many ties. "I cannot--I -cannot," and then: "Indeed I cannot with him here,"--and she indicated -the corpse. - -"It is with him here that the house must burn," said Howel. - -"Burn the hermit--the man of God!" - -"It would be his will, could he speak," said Howel. "He, throughout his -life, gave his body to harsh treatment and treated it as the enemy of -his soul. Now out of Heaven he looks down and bids you--he as a saint in -light--do this thing. He withholds not his cast-off tabernacle, if -thereby he may profit some." - -"Nay, let him be honorably buried, and then, if thou desirest it, let -the house blaze." - -"It must be, Morwen, as I say. Hearken to me. When they come to-morrow -they will find the presbytery destroyed by fire, and we will say that -the Archpriest has perished in it." - -"But they will know it is not so. See his snowy beard!" - -"Will the flames spare those white hairs?" - -"Yet all know--all in Caio." - -"And I can trust them all. When the oppressor is strong the weak must be -subtle. Aye, and they will be as one man to deceive him, for they hate -him, and they love their true priest." - -"I cannot do it." - -"It may be that the truth will come out in a week, a month--I cannot -say; but time will be gained for Pabo to escape, and every day is of -importance." - -"If it must be--but, O Howel, it is hard, and it seemeth to me -unrighteous." - -"It is no unrighteousness to do that which must be." - -"And it must?" - -"Morwen, you shall not lay the fire. I will do it--but done it must -be." - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE CELL ON MALLAEN - - -At the back of Caio church and village stretches a vast mountain region -that extends in tossed and rearing waves of moorland and crag for miles -to the north; and indeed, Mynedd Mallaen is but the southern extremity -of that chain which extends from Montgomeryshire and Merioneth, and of -which Plinlimmon is one of the finest heads. - -The elevated and barren waste is traversed here and there by -streams--the Cothy, the Camdwr, the Doeth--but these are through -restricted and uninhabited ravines, Mynedd Mallaen, the southernmost -projection of this range, is a huge bulk united to the main mountain -system by a slight connecting ridge, between the gorge of the Cothy and -a tributary of the Towy. - -North of this extends far the territory of Caio, over barren wilderness, -once belonging to the tribe now delimited as a parish some sixteen miles -in length. - -On leaving the Council Hall, Pabo tarried but for a few minutes in -converse with Howel, and then ascended the glen down which brawled the -Annell. The flanks of mountain on each side were clothed with heath and -heather now fast losing their bells, and were gorgeous with bracken, -turned to copper and gold by the touch of the finger of Death. - -He pursued his way without pause along the track trodden by those who -visited the rock of Cynwyl, where annually the waters were stirred with -his staff. - -But on reaching this spot, Pabo halted and looked into the sliding water -that swirled in the reputed kneeholes worn by the saint in the rocky -bed. A pebble was in one, being eddied about, and, notwithstanding the -distress of mind in which was Pabo, he did not fail to notice this as an -explanation of the origin of the depressions. Dreamy, imaginative though -he might be, he had also a fund of common sense. - -The spot was lonely and beautiful, away from the strife of men and the -noise of tongues. The stillness was broken only by the ripple of the -water and the hum of the wind in the dried fern. The evening sun lit up -the mountain heights, already glorious with dying fern, with an oriole -of incomparable splendor. - -The great stone slept where it had lodged beside the stream, and was -mantled with soft velvet mosses and dappled with many-colored lichen. It -was upon its summit, doubtless, that the old Apostle had knelt--not in -the bed of the torrent, although the folk insisted on the latter, misled -by the hollows worn in the rock. - -Pabo, moved by an inward impulse, mounted the block, wrenched, like -himself, from its proper place and cast far away, never to return to it. -Never to return. That thought filled his mind; he need not attempt to -delude himself with hopes. The past was gone forever, with its peace and -love and happiness. Peace--broken by the sound of the Norman's steel, -happiness departed with it. Love, indeed, might, must remain, but under -a new form--no more sweet, but painful, full of apprehensions, full of -torture. - -Discouragement came over him like the cold dews that were settling in -the valley now that the sun was withdrawn. Where the Norman had -penetrated thence he would have to depart. The sanctuary had been broken -into--and the Angel of Peace, bearing the palm, had spread her wings. -He looked aloft: a swan was sailing through the sky, the evening glory -turning her silver feathers to gold. Even thus--even thus--leaving the -land; but not, like that swan, to return at another season. - -Pabo knelt on that stone. He put his hand to his brow; it was wet with -cold drops, just as the herbage, as the moss, were being also studded -with crystal condensations. - -He prayed, turning his eyes to the sunlight that touched the heights of -the west; prayed till the ray was withdrawn, and the mountain-head was -silvery and no longer golden. - -Then, strengthened in spirit, he left the block and resumed his course. - -Without telling Howel whither he would betake himself, Pabo had agreed -with him on a means of intercommunication in case of emergency. Upon the -stone of Cynwyl, Howel was to place one rounded water-worn pebble as a -token to flee farther into the depths of the mountains, whereas two -stones were to indicate a recall to Caio. In like manner was Pabo to -express his wants, should any arise. - -The refugee now ascended the steep mountain flank, penetrating farther -into the wilderness, till at last he reached some fangs of rock, under -which was a rude habitation constructed of stones put together without -mortar, the interstices stopped with clay and moss. - -It leaned against the rock, which constituted one wall of the -habitation, and against which rested the rafters of the roof. A furrow -had been cut in the rock, horizontally, so as to intercept the rain that -ran down the face and divert it on to the incline of the roof. - -The door was unfastened and was swaying on its hinges in the wind with -creak and groan. Pabo entered, and was in the cell of the deceased -hermit, in which the old man had expended nearly half his life. - -A small but unfailing spring oozed from the foot of the rocks, as Pabo -was aware, a few paces below the hermitage. - -The habitation was certain not to be deficient in supplies of food, and -on searching Pabo found a store of grain, a heap of roots, and a quern. -There was a hearth on which he might bake cakes, and he found the -anchorite's tinder, flint and steel. - -The day had by this time closed in, and Pabo at once endeavored to light -a fire. He had been heated with the steep ascent, but this warmth was -passing away, and he felt chilled. At this height the air was colder and -the wind keener. There were sticks and dry heather and fern near the -hearth, but Pabo failed in all his efforts to kindle a blaze. Sparks -flew from the flint, but would not ignite the spongy fungus that served -as tinder. It had lain too many days on a stone, and had become damp. -After fruitless attempts, Pabo placed the amadou in his bosom, in hopes -of drying it by the heat of his body, and drew the hermit's blanket over -his shoulders as he seated himself on the bed, which was but a board. - -All was now dark within. The window was but a slit in the wall, and was -unglazed. The cabin was drafty, for there was not merely the window by -which the wind could enter, but the door as well was but imperfectly -closed, and in the roof was the smoke-hole. - -What a life the hermit must have led in this remote spot! Pabo might -have considered that now, feeling this experience, but, indeed, his mind -was too fully occupied with his own troubles to give a thought to those -of another. - -Shivering under the blanket, that seemed to have no warmth in it, he -leaned his brow in his hand, and mused on the dangers, distresses, that -menaced his tribe, his race, his wife, and which he was powerless to -avert. - -Prince Griffith might raise the standard and rouse to arms, but it was -in vain for Pabo to hug himself in the hope of success and freedom for -his people by this means. The north of Wales was controlled by a king -who had violated the rights of hospitality and betrayed his own kindred. -Thus, all Cambria would not rise as one man, and what could one half of -the nation do against the enormous power of all England? Do? The hope of -the young and the sanguine, and the despair of the old and experienced, -could lead them to nothing else but either to retreat among the -mountains and there die of hunger and cold, or perish gloriously sword -in hand on the battlefield. - -Pabo lifted his head, and looked through the gap in the thatch. A cold -star was twinkling aloft. A twig of heather, got free from its bands, -was blown by the night wind to and fro over the smoke-hole, across the -star now brushing it out, then revealing it again. - -The cell was not drafty only, it was also damp. Pabo felt the hearth. It -was quite cold. Several days had elapsed since the last sparks on it had -expired. - -The wind moaned among the rocks, sighed at the window, and piped through -the crevices about the door. A snoring owl began its monotonous call. -Where it was Pabo could not detect. The sound came now from this side -then from that, and next was behind him. It was precisely as though a -man--he could not say whether without or within--were in deep stertorous -sleep. - -Again he endeavored to strike a light and kindle a fire. Sparks he could -elicit, that was all. The fungus refused to ignite. - -The cold, the damp, ate into the marrow of his bones. He collected a -handful of barley-grains and chewed them, but they proved little -satisfying to hunger. - -Then he went forth. He must exercise his limbs to prevent them from -becoming stiff, must circulate his blood and prevent it from coagulating -with frost. He would walk along the mountain crest to where, over the -southern edge, he could look down on Caio, on his lost home, on where -was his wife--not sleeping, he knew she was not that, but thinking of -him. - -Wondrous, past expression, is that link of love that binds the man and -his wife. Never was a truer word spoken than that which pronounced them -to be no more twain, but one flesh. The mother parted from her nursling -knows, feels in her breast, in every fiber of her being, when her child -is weeping and will not be comforted, though parted from it by miles; an -unendurable yearning comes over her to hurry to the wailing infant, to -clasp it to her heart and kiss away its tears. And something akin to -this is that mysterious tie that holds together the man and his wife. -They cannot live an individual life. He carries the wife with him -wherever he be, thinks, feels with her, is conscious of a double -existence fused into a unity; and what is true of the husband is true -also of the wife. - -It was now with Pabo as though he were irresistibly drawn in the -direction of Caio, where he knew that Morwen was with tears on her -cheeks, her gentle, suffering heart full of him and his desolation and -banishment. - -The night was clear, there was actually not much wind; but autumn -rawness was in the air. - -To the west still hung a dying halo, very faint, and the ground, covered -with short grass, was dimly white where pearled with dew, each pearl -catching something of the starlight from above. - -But away, to the south, was a lurid glow, against which the rounded -head of Mallaen stood out as ink. - -Pabo thrust on his way, running when he could, and anon stumbling over -plots of gorse or among stones. - -At length he came out upon the brow, Bronffin, and looked down into the -broad basin of Caio. Below him was a fire. It had burned itself out, and -lay a bed of glowing cinders, with smoke curling above it, lighted and -turned red by the reflection of the fire below. Now and then a lambent -flame sprang up, and then died away again. - -The sound of voices came up from beneath: it was pleasant to Pabo to -hear voices, but in his heart was unutterable pain. He looked down on -the glowing ruins of his presbytery--where he had lived and been so -happy. - -Hour after hour he sat on the mountain-edge, watching the slowly -contracting and fading glow, hearing the sounds of life gradually die -away. - -Then above the range to the left rose the moon, and silvered the white -ribbon of the Sarn Helen, the paved road of the old Queen of British -race who had married the Roman Emperor Maxentius, and illumined the haze -that hung over the river-beds, and far away behind Pen-y-ddinas formed -a cloud over the two tarns occupying the bottom of the valley. - -But all the while Pabo looked only at one and then at another -point--this, the fiery reek of his home, that a spot whence shone a -small and feeble light--the house of Howel the Tall, beneath whose roof -watched and wept his dearest treasure, Morwen. When midnight was -overpassed, and none stirred, then did Pabo descend from the heights and -approach the ashes of his home. At the glowing embers he dried the -tinder. Then he caught up a smoldering brand, turned and reascended the -mountain, with the fire from his ruined hearth wherewith to kindle that -in his hovel of refuge. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -A MIRACLE - - -Had one been on Bronffin, the mountain-brow overhanging Caio, on the -following morning, strange would have been the scene witnessed. - -Those of the inhabitants who had not fled were engaged in the obsequies -of the hermit who had been burned when the presbytery took fire, and -whose charred remains had been extricated from the ruins. - -The corpse was borne on a bier covered with a white sheet; and men and -women accompanied, chanting an undulating wail-like dirge, while the -priest from Llansawel--a daughter church--preceded the body. - -Simultaneously arrived a number of armed men, retainers of the bishop, -under the command of his brother, with the chaplain Cadell in their -midst, accompanied by the Dean of Llandeilo and his deacon. Rogier had -recovered the use of his arm, which was, however, still somewhat stiff -in the joint from the blow he had received. - -Their arrival disturbed the procession, for the newcomers rode through -the train of wailers manifesting supreme indifference with regard to the -proceedings. - -"Put down yon bier!" ordered Rogier; and then, because none comprehended -his words, he made imperious gestures that could not be mistaken. He was -obeyed by the bearers, and the mourners parted and stood back, while the -armed men filled in about the chaplain and their leader. - -Cadell rose in his stirrups and called in Welsh for silence, that he -might be heard. - -Then, addressing the inhabitants in loud tones, he said: "It is well -that ye are present, assembled, without my having to call you together. -Ye shall hear what has been decreed. Proceed with the interment of the -dead after that. Draw around and give ear." - -All obeyed, though slowly, reluctantly. - -When Cadell saw that all those of Caio who were gathered to the funeral -were within earshot and attention, he said, speaking articulately, in -sharp, distinct sentences, raising himself in his stirrups: "His -fatherliness, the Bishop of St. David's, by the grace of God and the -favor of Henry King of England and Lord Paramount over Wales, in -consideration of the disloyal and irreligious conduct of the people -inhabiting the so-called Sanctuary of David in Caio, but forming an -integral portion of the patrimony of the see when he, their father and -their lord, visited the place but recently, and above all, because the -Archpriest did resist him, and further, did not shun to lift up his -sacrilegious hand against him, his father in God, and inasmuch as in the -divine law communicated to man from Sinai, it is commanded that he who -smiteth his father shall surely be put to death, therefore he, their -Lord and Bishop, in exercise of his just and legal rights, doth require -_imprimis_: That the said Archpriest, Pabo by name, shall surrender his -person to be tried and sentenced by the Court ecclesiastical, then to be -handed over to the secular court for execution; and, further, that he be -esteemed _ipso facto_ and from this present inhibited from the discharge -of any sacred office, and shall be destituted of all and singular -benefices that he may hold in the Menevian diocese, and that he be -formally degraded from his sacerdotal character, by virtue of the -authority hereby committed to me." - -Then Howel the Tall stood forth, and approaching the chaplain, said, -"Good master Cadell, this matter hath already been decided and taken out -of the province of thy master. Pabo, Archpriest and hereditary chieftain -of the tribe of Caio, hath, as saith the Scripture, escaped out of the -snare of the fowler. We are even now engaged in the celebration of his -obsequies. You have interrupted us as we were about to commit his ashes -to the ground." - -"How so!" exclaimed the chaplain, taken aback. "Pabo is not dead?" - -"Look around thee," answered Howel. "Behold how that fire hath destroyed -the presbytery and at the same time hath consumed him who lay therein." - -"It was the judgment of God!" cried Cadell. "The manifest judgment of -God against the man who lifted his hand against his spiritual father. -Did the lightning flash from heaven to slay him?" - -"That I cannot affirm," said Howel. - -"Heaven has manifestly and miraculously interposed," said the chaplain, -dismounting. In a few words he informed his attendants of what had -taken place. - -"It is to be regretted," said Rogier. "I had hoped to carry a fagot, -wherewith to roast him." - -"It soundeth passing strange," said another. - -"It is a miracle," persisted Cadell. "God is with us and against those -who resist the bishop. This shall be everywhere proclaimed." - -"I do not see that as a miracle it was necessary," said Rogier. "For we -would have burnt him all the same." - -"But," said the chaplain, "it was the will of Heaven to reveal that it -is wroth with this people, and is on our side." - -Rogier shrugged one shoulder. - -"I will have a look at him and satisfy myself," said he, strode to the -bier, and plucked aside the sheet. - -All recoiled at the object revealed--a human being burnt to a cinder. - -"By the soul of the Conqueror," said the bishop's brother, "methought he -had been a man of more inches." - -"He is shrunken with the fire," explained the chaplain. - -"I would I could be certain it is he," said Rogier. - -"We will subject them to an oath," said Cadell. "If it be he, then, -assuredly, his wife--that woman whom he called his wife--will not be far -away." - -"She is the chief mourner," said Howel. - -Then he took Morwen by the hand and led her forward. "She is here." - -"Ah, ha! my pretty wench!" said Rogier, "praise Heaven that thou art -released from thy leman. We may find thee a better man, and not one that -wears the cassock." - -"Come hither," said the chaplain; "I desire thee to take the strictest -and most solemn oath that he who there lieth charred as a burned log is -none other than Pabo the Archpriest, whom thou didst call thy husband. -What be the chiefest relics here?" he asked, looking round. - -"We have but the staff of Cynwyl; but that is mighty and greatly -resorted to," said Howel. - -"Where is it? Bring it hither." - -"I am the custodian of the relic," said Morgan ap David. "But it is not -customary to produce it unless it be attended and treated with all -reverence." - -"Take with you whom you will," said the chaplain impatiently. "Faugh! -cast again the pall over it." - -Morgan chose Howel and another, and they departed towards the church. - -After a few moments' delay they returned, Morgan in the center, bearing -the staff. - -"Lay it on the corpse," said Cadell. - -"Have a care," said Howel, with a curve in the lip. "That staff has been -known to have raised the dead to life again." - -"It were well it did so now," laughed Rogier, when Cadell, somewhat -dashed, interpreted what had been said. "I' faith, I would be glad to -have a hand in the second burning of him." - -"Hath it really done so?" asked the chaplain. - -"There was Ewan, the son of Morgan ap Rees, who fell from a tree," said -Howel, "and he lay stone dead. Then, full of faith, his mother cried out -for the staff of Cynwyl, and lo! when it was laid on the lad he opened -his eyes and spoke." - -"Hold it above the body," said the chaplain, "one at each end, so as not -to touch, and in such wise let the woman take oath." - -Again was the linen sheet removed, and now Morgan and an attendant -sacristan held the relic--one at the head, the other at the foot--that -it was above the body, yet not touching it; only the shadow fell upon -it. - -"Go thrice round it," enjoined Morgan, signing with his head to Morwen; -"thrice from left to right, with the sun, then lay thine hand on the -staff and take the required oath." - -Morwen shuddered, but she obeyed, though pale as death. When she had -made the third circuit she was forced, shrinking and with averted head, -to approach the dead man. Then Cadell said in a loud voice, "Lay thy -hand thereon and say these words: 'I take oath before God and Cynwyl, -before the saints and angels in heaven, in the face of sun and moon and -all men here present, that this is the dead body of Pabo, late -Archpriest--whom thou didst esteem as thy husband.'" - -Then Morwen repeated, mechanically, the first words of adjuration, but -added, in place of what Cadell had recited: "I take oath that if this be -not Pabo, the Archpriest, and my husband, I know not where he is." - -"That sufficeth," said Cadell. "And now," he spoke aloud, turning to the -assistants, "seeing that this man hath manifestly died by the just -judgment of God, and to the notable confirmation of the authority of -Bernard, the bishop, I declare that he be treated as one excommunicate, -and be not buried within consecrated ground." - -The people of Caio murmured and looked at one another disconcerted. - -Then Howel went among them and whispered a few words. Cadell did not -observe him; he was intent on speaking once more. That he might be the -better heard, he remounted his horse. - -"Inhabitants of the sanctuary and of the tribe of Caio," said he, in the -same distinct and sharp tones as before. "I have something further to -add. _Secundo_: Inasmuch as the Archpriest Pabo hath manifestly perished -by the interposition of Heaven, thus obviating his deposition as -purposed, now his fatherliness, Bernard, Bishop of Menevia, is -graciously pleased to nominate and present me, unworthy, to fill his -room; in token whereof, the Dean of Llandeilo accompanies, so as -straightway to induct me into all the offices, benefices, spirituals -that were possessed by Pabo, the late Archpriest. _Tertio_: And inasmuch -as the people of the territory and tribe of Caio did resist and -mutinously assail the servants of the bishop, he imposes on them a fine -of a mark in silver per house, great and small, to be collected and paid -within one month from this day, until which time his attendants now -accompanying me shall have free quarters and entertainment for -themselves and their beasts among you." - -His words filled all with dismay. None answered. - -Then said Rogier laughingly: "I' faith, while Providence punished the -late Archpriest, it did not mightily favor the incomer, for it hath -consumed his presbytery." - -"The hall still standeth," said Cadell sternly. "Are we to question the -ways of Heaven!" - -"'Ods life," pursued Rogier mockingly, "who would ever have considered -my brother a saint, and one to be sustained by miracles; and he, but the -other day, as great a Jew in grinding the peasants, and wringing the -blood from their noses, as any son of Abraham. By the paunch of the -Conqueror--and taking tithe and toll therefrom to his own benefit! Well! -If Heaven be not nice in whom it proclaims as saints. There is good hope -for such as me." - -Somewhat later, the new Archpriest indited the following letter to his -ecclesiastical superior-- - -"Cadell, Archpriest of Caio, to Bernard, Lord Bishop of St. David's, -sendeth humbly greeting, with much filial affection. - -"This is to inform your fatherliness that it has pleasured Heaven--which -is wondrous in the saints, to vindicate thy sanctity in a very special -and marvelous manner. It is now many hundred years ago since David, the -holy, founded the bishopric of Menevia, and primacy over all Cambria; -and it is said he was thereto ordained and appointed by the Patriarch of -Jerusalem. Now it is a notable fact that there was a certain Boia, a -chief of the land, who mightily opposed him. Then fell fire from Heaven -in the night, and consumed Boia and his wife and all that he had, in -witness thereto remaineth the Cleggyr Voia, his ruined and burnt castle, -unto this day. Since then many have been the bishops who have sat in the -seat of David, and many also have been those who have opposed them. The -Northmen have slain some, and have expelled others, yet did not Heaven -interfere in their behalf. Nevertheless, no sooner art thou, Bernard, -appointed and consecrated to this see, than have thy right and thy -holiness been vindicated miraculously in the sight of all. For the -Archpriest and chief Pabo did oppose thee even as did Boia oppose -David. And each was smitten in the same way. Manifestly in the sight of -all men, fire fell from Heaven and consumed him who sacrilegiously -lifted his hand against thee, him and all his house, whereof we are -witnesses--to wit, thy brother Rogier, the Dean of Llandeilo, and all -thy servants and the people of Caio, as well as my unworthy self, thy -servant, who beheld him--the transgressor--burned as a charred log, -blasted by Heaven. And forasmuch as he perished by the judgment of God, -I have bidden give to him but the burial of an ass. - -"Be this known unto all men, and it will mightily extend the fear of -thee, and dissuade men from temerariously resisting thy just authority, -whether in the diocese or throughout Wales." - -When the chaplain had written this, as he sealed it, he said to Rogier, -"It is so wonderful, he will hardly credit it." - -"My good Cadell," replied the Norman adventurer, "I know my brother -better even than do you. He is so inordinately vain that he would -believe if you told him that the sun and moon had bowed down to worship -him. But I--whether I believe this, that is another matter." - -"But I believe it--that I solemnly affirm," said Cadell. - -"And, further, do you not recollect that his fatherliness, the Bishop, -did threaten as much, when he was here, and the Archpriest resisted him? -Did he not say, can I not send lightning to consume thee?--and lo! it -has fallen, even as he said." - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -GORONWY - - -The Blessed Valley, which for nearly five hundred years had enjoyed the -"Peace of Dewi," which had remained untroubled in the midst of the most -violent commotions, was now a prey to the spoiler. - -Throughout the whole basin all was trouble. The armed men, servants of -the bishop, for the most part Normans or Englishmen, but some Welshmen -who had taken service under the oppressors of their countrymen, were -dispersed through the district. - -Ostensibly they were engaged in numbering the hearths, for the exaction -of the fine, but with this they did not content themselves. They entered -every house, and conducted themselves therein as masters, aware that -they were not likely to be called to order for the grossest outrages by -either Rogier or by the bishop. - -They demanded food and drink, they ransacked the habitations and -plundered them. They wasted what they could not consume, and destroyed -what they did not take. The men they treated with contumely and the -women with insult. - -A farmer who had a _hafod_, a summer byre, as well as a _hendre_, a -winter residence, must pay for both. The poorest squatter would be -forced to contribute as well as the wealthiest proprietor. "A mark of -silver for a house," said Rogier; "settle it among you how the money is -to be extracted. The rich will pay for the poor. In a fortnight we shall -have every hearth registered." - -One wretched man, whose hovel had been broken into, set fire to it. -"This," said he, "shall not be counted. I have no house now, no roof, no -hearth. Therefore it shall not be reckoned in." - -"It was recorded before you set it in flames," was the answer. "It pays -all the same." - -A father attempting to defend his daughter against one of the dissolute -soldiers received a blow on his head which cut it open and cast him -senseless on the ground. He lay in a precarious condition; and the girl -had been carried off. - -A lone woman, aged, and a widow dependent on the charity of the -neighbors, through their dispersion, or through forgetfulness, had died -in solitude, by starvation. - -Several well to-do men, landowners, in attempting to resist the -plunderers had been unmercifully beaten. - -It was an open secret that Rogier was seeking in all directions for the -beautiful Morwen; but Tall Howel had the cunning to evade his search, by -moving her about from house to house. - -On Sunday, with the exception of some of the soldiers, hardly any -natives appeared in the church. The few who did show were some old -women. It transpired that the inhabitants of the Caio district had gone -for their religious duties to some of the chapels, of which there were -at least six, scattered over the territory of the tribe, where they had -been ministered to by the assistant clergy. - -When this came to Cadell's ears, he had his horse saddled, and attended -by some of the men-at-arms, rode to the residences of these vicars, -dismissed them from their offices, and had them removed by the bishop's -retainers and thrust over the borders, with a threat of imprisonment -should they return. - -On the following Sunday the church of Cynwyl was as deserted as before. -"He has deprived us of our pastors," said the people. "He cannot rob us -of our God." - -Then as Cadell learned that they had assembled in the chapels, and had -united in prayer under the conduct of one of the elders, he rode round -again, and had the roofs of these chapels removed. - -"This is better," said the people. "There is naught now betwixt us and -God. He will hear us the readier." - -The day arrived for the benediction of the waters of the Annell. Then it -transpired that the rod of Cynwyl had been abstracted from the church. -In a rage, Cadell sent for the hereditary custodian. - -Morgan appeared with imperturbable face. "Ah!" said he, "this comes of -having here such godless rascals as you have, foreigners who respect -nothing human and divine. You brought forth the staff to lay it on the -body--and this before all eyes. These rapacious men saw that there was -gold on the case, and that stones of price were encrusted therein. Had -they stolen the case and left the wooden staff, it would not have -mattered greatly. But what to them are the merits of one of our great -saints? They regard them not." - -Rogier now considered that it were well to hasten matters to a -conclusion. He accordingly sent round messengers to every principal -farmhouse to summon a meeting of the elders in the council-house, that -he might know whether they were ready with the fine, and what measures -they had taken to raise it. - -Cadell was dissatisfied and uneasy. He sat ruminating over the fire. The -hall that had escaped being burnt had been accommodated for his -occupation without much difficulty, as such articles as were needed to -furnish it were requisitioned without scruple from the householders of -Caio. - -But Cadell was discontented. In a few days the bishop's servants, who -had brought him to the place and had seen him there installed, would be -withdrawn. Then he would be left alone in the midst of a hostile and -incensed population. Although they might not overtly resist him, they -would be able in a thousand ways to make his residence among them -unendurable. He might wring from them their ecclesiastical dues, but -would be unable to compel those many services, small in themselves, -which go to make life tolerable. He had already encountered reluctance -to furnish him with fuel, to supply him with meal and with milk, to -fetch and to carry, to cook and to scour. To get nothing done save by -the exercise of threats was unpleasant when he was able to call to his -aid the military force placed at his disposal; when, however, that force -was withdrawn, the situation would be unendurable. - -If there had been a party, however small, in the place that favored the -English, he would have been content; but to be the sole representative -of the foreign tyranny, political as well as ecclesiastical, under which -the people writhed, was beyond his strength. And the situation was -aggravated by the fact that he was himself a Welshman, and was therefore -regarded with double measure of animosity as a renegade. - -He was uneasy, as well, on another head. Rogier had let drop a hint that -his brother intended to reduce the Archpriesthood of Caio to a mere -vicariate on small tithe, and to appropriate to himself the great tithe -with the object of eventually endowing therewith a monastery in the -basin of the Cothi, probably by the tarns at the southern end. "We shall -never crush the spirit out of this people," said Rogier, "unless we -plant a castle on Pen-y-ddinas, or squat an abbey by those natural -fishponds at Talley." - -If this were done, then he, Cadell, would have been inadequately repaid -for the vexations and discomforts he would be forced to endure. - -The troop sent with him, Cadell could not but see, had done their utmost -to roughen his path. They had exasperated the people beyond endurance. - -As he sat thus musing a young man entered cautiously, looked around, and -sidled towards him. He was deformed. - -The chaplain looked up and asked what he required. - -"I have come for a talk," said the visitor. "May I sit? I know this hall -well; it belonged to my father. I am Goronwy, son of the former -Archpriest Ewan or John, as you please to call him." - -Cadell signed to a seat. He was not ill-pleased at a distraction from -his unpleasant thoughts, and he was not a little gratified to find a man -of the place ready to approach him without apparent animosity or -suspicion. - -"You do not appear to me to have a pleasant place," pursued Goronwy. "I -saw a beetle once enter a hive. The bees fell on him, and in spite of -his hardness, stung him to death, and after that built a cairn of wax -over him. There he lay all the summer, and every bee that entered or -left the hive trampled on the mound of wax that covered their enemy." - -"Their stings shall be plucked out," said Cadell. - -"Aye, but you cannot force them to furnish you with honey, nor prevent -them from entombing you in wax. They will do it--imperceptibly, and -tread you underfoot at the last." - -Cadell said nothing to this; he muttered angrily and contemptuously, and -drew back from the fire to look at his visitor. - -A lad with a long face, keen, beady eyes, restless and cunning, long -arms, and large white hands. His body was misshapen and short, but his -limbs disproportionately long. - -"I should have been Archpriest here," pursued he; "but because I am not -straight as a wand, they rejected me. In your Latin Church, are they as -particular on this point?" - -"We can dispense with most rules--if there be good reason for it." - -"Do you think, in the event of your getting tired of being here, among -those who do not love you, that you could make room for me?" - -"For you!" Cadell stared. - -"Aye! I ought to have been chief here, only they passed me over for -Pabo. I have a hereditary right to be both chief and priest in Caio." - -Then Cadell laughed. - -"You are a misshapen fool," he said; "dost think that Bishop Bernard -would give thee such a place as this--to foment rebellion against him?" - -"He might give it to me, if I undertook to do him a great service, and -to bring the place under his feet." - -"What service could such as you render?" - -"Would not that be a service to bring all Caio into subjection. See! I -doubt not that a good fat prebend would be more to your liking than this -lost valley among the mountains, traversed by the Sarn Helen alone, -which was a road frequented once when the Romans were here, and the -gold-mines were worked, and Loventum was a city. But now--it is naught. -Few use it." - -Cadell mused on this astonishing proposal. - -It was quite true. He would rather far be a canon at St. David's, with -nothing to do, than be stationed here in this lonely nook surrounded by -enemies. Caio, however, with Llansawel and Pumpsaint, its daughter -benefices, was a rich holding, and not to be sacrificed except for -something better. Yet he feared the intentions of Bernard with regard -to it. - -"You see," continued Goronwy, "that the people are so maddened at what -has been done and so bitterly opposed to you that were I appointed in -your room----" - -"But you are not a priest." - -"Was not Bernard pitchforked into the priesthood and episcopate in one -day? Could not something of the sort be done with me?" - -Again Cadell was silent. - -Goronwy suffered him to brood over the proposal. - -"If you were to leave for something better they would hail me as one of -themselves, and their rightful chief. And I would repay the bishop and -you for doing it." - -Still Cadell did not speak. - -Then Goronwy drew nearer to him. His small eyes contracted and his thin -lips became pointed as he said, "Pabo is not dead." - -Cadell started. - -"Dead! I know he is dead! I saw his body!" - -Goronwy broke into a mocking laugh. - -"I saw him--charred; and I had him buried under a dungheap outside the -church garth, as befitted one struck down by the judgment of Heaven." - -"Pabo is not dead," repeated Goronwy jeeringly. - -"He is dead. It was a manifest miracle. I have told the bishop of it. It -would spoil everything if, after I had announced it, he were found not -to be dead." - -"Yes," said the young man, rubbing his large hands together, "it would -spoil everything." - -Then, seized by a sudden terror, Cadell exclaimed, "It was -threatened--the staff of Cynwyl would raise the dead. It has done it -before." - -"Oh! the staff of Cynwyl had naught to do with it." - -"Merciful heavens, angels and saints protect me! If that burned lump is -raised, and walks, and were to come here, and--come to me when in -bed----!" In the horror of the thought, Cadell was unable to conclude -the sentence. But he broke forth: "It is not so. If he be alive, he is -no longer under the dungheap where he was laid. I will go see." - -"Go, by all means," said Goronwy, and laughed immoderately. - -"Tell me more. You know more." - -"Nay, go and see. I will tell nothing further till I have a written and -sealed promise from the bishop that he will appoint me Archpriest of -Caio." - -Cadell ran from the hall. Filled with terror, he got together some of -the men of the bishop, and they searched where the burnt body had been -laid. It was not there. - -Back to the hall came the chaplain. Goronwy still sat over the fire -warming and then folding and unfolding his hands. - -"He is gone. He is not where we buried him," gasped Cadell. - -"Oh, he is gone! I told you Pabo was alive. He is walking to and -fro--when the moon shines you may see him. When it is dark he will come -on you unawares, from behind, and seize you." - -Cadell cowered in alarm. "I would to Heaven I were out of this place!" -he gasped. - -"Now, mark you," said Goronwy. "Get the promise of this Archpriesthood -for me, and I will deliver Pabo, risen from the dead, into your hands, -and, if he desire it also, Morwen into the arms of Rogier." - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -IT MUST BE MAINTAINED - - -Rogier broke into a roar of laughter, when Cadell, with white face and -in agitated voice, told him that Pabo was not dead. - -"'Sdeath!" he exclaimed. "I never quite believed that he was." - -"Not that he was dead?" cried the chaplain. "Did you ever see a man -burnt as black as a coal and live after it?" - -"That was not he. I doubted it then." - -"It must have been he. He was buried as a dog in a dungheap, -and"--Cadell lowered his voice--"he is no longer there." - -"Because these fellows here have removed the body and laid it in -consecrated ground. It was a trick played on us, clever in its way, -though I was not wholly convinced. Now I shall let them understand what -it is to play jokes with me. I can joke as well." - -"But what do you mean, Rogier?" - -"That these Welsh rogues have endeavored to make us believe that the old -Archpriest is dead, so that our vengeance might be disarmed and he -allowed to escape. He is in hiding somewhere. Where is that fellow who -informed you?" - -"Nothing further is to be got out of him." - -"We shall see." - -"I pray you desist. He may be useful to us; but it must not be suspected -that he is in treaty with us." - -"There is some reason in this. I shall find out without his aid." - -"Do nothing till I have seen the bishop. He will be very -distressed--angry. For I assured him that a miracle had been wrought. It -was such an important miracle. It showed to all that Heaven was on our -side." - -Rogier laughed. - -"We can cut and carve for ourselves without the help of miracles," said -he. - -"I shall go at once," said Cadell; "the bishop must be communicated with -immediately--and his pleasure known." - -Bernard of St. David's was at his castle of Llawhaden, near Narberth. He -was there near his Norman friends and supporters. He had no relish for -banishment to the bare and remote corner of Pembrokeshire stretching as -a hand into the sea, as though an appeal from Wales to Ireland for -assistance. Moreover, Bernard was by no means assured that his presence -where was the throne would be acceptable, and that it might not provoke -some second popular commotion which would cost him a further loss of -teeth. Llawhaden lay in a district well occupied by Norman soldiers and -Flemish settlers. The residence there was commodious in a well-wooded -and fertile district. The castle was strong, secure against surprises, -built by architect and masons imported from Normandy, as were all those -constructed by the conquerors throughout the South of Wales. - -In Llawhaden Bernard lived like a temporal baron, surrounded by fighting -men, and never going abroad without his military retinue. It was said -that he ever wore a fine steel-chain coat of mail under his woolen -ecclesiastical habit. In his kitchen, as about his person, no native was -suffered to serve, so suspicious was he lest an attempt should be made -on his life, by poison or by dagger. - -Happily, he was not required to perform any ecclesiastical functions, -for he was profoundly ignorant of these; but the situation was such that -he was not required to ordain clergy or consecrate churches. Clergy were -not lacking. The ne'er-do-weels of England, men who were for their -immorality or crimes forced to leave their cures, hasted to Wales, where -they readily found preferment, as the great object in view with the -invaders was to dispossess the natives of their land and of their -churches. - -"So you are here," said the bishop. He spoke with inconvenience, as one -front tooth had been knocked out and another broken. Unless he drew down -his upper lip, his words issued from his mouth indistinctly, accompanied -by a disagreeable hiss. "Hah!--have the bumpkins paid up so readily that -you are here with the money? How many marks have they had to disgorge?" - -"Your fatherliness," said the chaplain, "I have brought nothing with me -save unsatisfactory tidings." - -"What! They will not pay?" - -"They can be made to find the silver," said Cadell; "that I do not -doubt. For centuries those men of Caio have prospered and have hoarded. -Other lands have been wasted, not theirs; other stores pillaged, theirs -have been untouched." - -"It is well. They will bear further squeezing. But what ails thee? Thou -lookest as though thou hadst bitten into a crab-apple." - -"I have come touching the miracle." - -"Ah! to be sure--the miracle. I have sent despatches containing complete -accounts thereof to his Majesty King Henry, and to my late gracious -mistress, the Queen. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who consecrated me at -Westminster, looked as sour as do you. He would fain have had the -consent of the Pope, as father of Christendom, but the King would brook -no delay, and the Archbishop was not so stubborn as to hold out--glad in -this, to get a bishop of St. David's to swear submission to the stool of -Augustine. I have sent him as well a narrative of the miracle; it will -salve his conscience to see that Heaven is manifestly with me. Moreover, -I have had my crow over Urban of Llandaff. _He_ has not a miracle to -boast of to bolster up his authority." - -"My gracious master and lord, I grieve to have to assure you that there -has been some mistake in the matter for which I am in no way -blameworthy." - -"How a mistake?" asked Bernard testily. - -"There has been no miracle." - -"No miracle! But there has. I have it in your own handwriting." - -"I wrote under a misapprehension." - -"Misapprehension, you Welsh hound! You misapprehend your man, if you -think I will allow you to retract in this matter." - -"I really do not know what to say, for I do not know what to think about -the circumstance. It is, I fear, certain that Pabo lives." - -"Pabo lives! Why you saw him burnt to a coal! I have your written -testimony. You invoked the witness of the Dean of Llandeilo, and he has -formally corroborated it. I have it under his hand. You declared that -there were hundreds who could bear testimony to the same." - -"Lord Bishop, I cannot now say what is the truth. It is certain that -your brother and we all were shown the charred relics of a man, whom the -inhabitants of Caio were proceeding to inter with the rites of religion, -as their late Archpriest. When I learned that he had died by fire, by -the judgment of God, then I stayed the ceremony, and bade that his body -should be laid under a dungheap." - -"You did well. It is there still." - -"It is not, my Lord Bishop." - -"Do you mean to declare that he is risen from his grave?" - -"Your brother is of opinion that we have been deceived by the tribesmen -of Caio, so as to make us suppose that this their Archpriest and chief -was dead, and that he is now in concealment somewhere. He further saith -that the people have secretly removed the dead man from the place where -cast, and have laid him in the churchyard." - -"But--who can he have been?" - -"I know not." - -"And I care not," said the bishop. "Pabo was struck by fire from heaven, -because he opposed me. Why when Ahaziah sent captains of fifty with -their fifties against the prophet Elijah, did not lightning fall and -consume them and their fifties twice? Is a ragged old prophet under the -law of Moses to be served better than me, a high prelate under the -Gospel? I see but too plainly, Cadell, you, being a Welshman, would rob -me of the glory that appertains to me. What grounds have you for this -preposterous assertion?" - -"There is a young man, the son of a former Archpriest, who has been -slighted and overpassed, and has harbored resentment against Pabo. He -came to me secretly and told me that we had been deceived--they used -subtlety so as to be able the more effectually to conceal their chief -from your just resentment." - -"I do not believe a word of it. I have written and sent certified -testimonies that Pabo was burned by fire from Heaven. Where is this -alleged Pabo?" - -"I know not. The young man I speak of is ready to assist us to secure -him." - -"I do not want him. I want and will have my miracle. Did you not hear -me? When I visited Caio, I said to Pabo that I would call down fire from -Heaven upon his head. I take you to witness that you heard me." - -"But what, my dear master and lord, if he were to appear, and all men -were to discover that there had been no miracle?" - -"I _will_ have my miracle," persisted Bernard in petulant tones. "I have -gone too far with it to retract. Odds' life! I should become a -laughing-stock all through Wales; and I know well the humor of his -Majesty. Over his cups he would tell the tale and burst his sides with -laughing; and he would cast it in the teeth of my gracious mistress, the -Queen. I have gone too far--I will have my miracle. If there be a man -who is going about calling himself Pabo the Archpriest, let him be -arrested as an impostor." - -"There will be talk concerning it." - -"There must be no noise. By the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, we must hush -it up! As a minister of the Truth, a prelate of the Church, it is my -sovereign duty to put down all imposition. Go now! I will even send a -letter to Gerald of Windsor, who is at his castle of Carreg Cennen, in a -retired vale away from every road, and from most habitations. I will bid -him receive this false Pabo, and take such measures that the wretched -impostor trouble us no more. As to my brother, bid him, if he lay hand -on this dissembler and deceiver of men, this lying rogue, to get him -away unnoticed, and with no noise, out of Caio, where he may be -observed, and to send him under escort and by night to Gerald at Carreg -Cennen." - -"It shall be so. And--with regard to the young man of whom I spake?" - -"That young man is a pest. Why should he have disturbed us with his -suggestions?" - -"I venture to remind your fatherliness that he has but allowed us to see -what is at work behind our backs. He tells us what is known to all men -in Caio. Pabo might come forward at any time and show that he is alive." - -"That is true. What further about this young man?" - -"He offers to be the means of putting Pabo in our power." - -"And his price?" - -"In the event of your fatherliness transferring me to some other place -of usefulness, such as a canonry at St. Davids, he protests that were he -named to the Archpriesthood, he would in all ways subserve your -interests. As he belongs to the chieftain's family, he would be well -received by the people, and their suspicions disarmed." - -"Well, well, promise him anything--everything. I shall not be bound to -performance. But hark you, Master Cadell! If this miracle be a little -breathed upon, then you must contrive me another that cannot be upset by -scoffers. Find me a paralytic or a blind person whom I may recover. That -would go mightily to confirm the miracle of the burning of Pabo. And -bid my brother act warily and proceed secretly, require him to treat -this dissembler as what he is--a personator of a man who is on sure -warrant dead, slain by the judgment of God." - -"I would fain have it under your hand and seal," said Cadell. "Your -brother Rogier acts after his own will, and is not amenable to my -advice." - -"You shall have it--also a letter to Gerald of Windsor. Get you away -now. The epistles shall be ready by night, and you shall ride at -cockcrow. And, mind you this, Master Cadell, if you lust after a -canonry, provide me a new miracle. As to that already wrought, at all -hazards it must be maintained. Not on my account. I am a poor worm, a -nothing! But for policy, for the good of the Cause; lest these Welsh -should come to crow over us." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE FALL OF THE LOT - - -The elders of the Caio tribe assembled as enjoined. Some few were not -present, risking the anger of Rogier rather than appear before him. But -the majority conceived it advisable to attend; and, in fact, a gathering -of the notables was necessary for the apportionment of the fine that had -to be raised. Although a mark in silver was what had to be exacted from -each house, yet, as the majority of the inhabitants were too poor to pay -such a sum, the richer would have to supplement the deficiency. The fine -was imposed on the district as a whole. The amount was calculated by the -hearths, but each householder was not expected to pay the same fixed -sum. - -This was well understood, and the adjustment of the burden had to be -considered in common. There was, so it was generally supposed, no -exceptional cause for further uneasiness. The tax must be raised, and -when the silver had been paid, then the valley would be rid of its -intruders--with the exception of the renegade Cadell, forced on the -tribe as its ecclesiastical chief. That Rogier had any fresh cause of -complaint against the inhabitants was not suspected. - -They assembled accordingly, and entered the council-hall. - -It was not till all were within that the young men and women without -were filled with alarm and suspicion by seeing the men-at-arms slowly, -and in orderly fashion, close in and completely surround the edifice, -and a strong detachment occupy the door. - -Rogier had remained outside, and gave directions. Presently he stepped -within, attended by two men, one of whom served as his interpreter. - -The sun was shining, and it had painted a circle on the floor through -the opening in the gable. - -Then the Norman took his sword, and drew a line in the dust with it from -the president's seat to the doorway. - -"I give ye," said he, "till the sun hath crossed this line, wherein to -discuss and arrange as to the payment of the fine. Till then--no one -leaves the hall. After that--I have a further communication to make." - -The men looked in one another's faces and wondered what this meant. A -fresh impost? They were not aware that occasion had been given for this; -but who could be sure with one so rapacious as Rogier! It was the case -of the Wolf and the Lamb in the fable. - -The Norman now left the court-house and sauntered about outside, -speaking to his men, looking pryingly among those of the natives who, in -an anxious, timorous crowd, remained in every avenue between the houses, -ready at a threat to escape. - -After the lapse of approximately an hour the Norman reentered the hall -and walked directly to the principal seat to take it. - -Then up started an aged man, and with vehement gesticulations and in -words of excitement addressed him: "That seat is taken by none--save of -the race of Cunedda. It belongs to our chief, who is of the blood royal. -None other may occupy it." - -"I take it by the right of the sword," answered Rogier. "And let me see -the man who will turn me out of it. I take it as deputy to my brother, -the bishop." - -He laughed contemptuously, and let himself down on the chair. - -"Well," said he, looking round, "have you settled among yourselves as to -the contribution? The round gold patch touches my line. I give you till -it has passed across it to conclude that matter." - -Then Howel ap John stood up. - -"We have considered and apportioned the charges," he said, and his -cunning eyes contracted. "Amongst ourselves we have arranged what each -is to pay. But, inasmuch as we are nothing save tribesmen of our chief, -and as the right over the land was at one time wholly his, but has since -suffered curtailment, so that portions have become hereditary holdings -of the chief men, yet as still the common lands, as well as the glebe -and the domain, belong to the chief, it has seemed reasonable and just -that he should bear one-third of the fine, and that this shall be levied -on his land and homesteads, and two-thirds upon us." - -When this was translated to Rogier, he laughed aloud. - -"I see," said he, "the holder of the benefice is to bear a third. What -will Cadell say to that?" - -"It is a decision according to equity," said Howel. - -"I care not. Cadell is not here to protect himself. So long as I have -the silver to hand to the bishop, it is indifferent to me whether you -bleed your own veins or fleece your pastor. He has been put in a fat -pasture by my brother; it is right that he pay for it." - -"In two days the silver shall be brought here and weighed out." - -"It is well." Rogier looked at the sun-patch. "That is concluded; now -tarry till the sun traverses the line. Then we will broach other -business." - -All sat now in silence, their eyes on the soil, watching the patch of -light as it traveled. - -The men of Caio were aware that the doorway was guarded. But what was -threatened they could not conjecture. They had endured intolerable -provocations without resistance. They were anxious at heart; their -breasts contracted at the dread of fresh exactions. Some looked at -Rogier to endeavor to read his purpose in his face; but his, as well as -the countenances of his attendants, was expressionless. - -The sun-round passed on. Then a cloud obscured the light, a fine and -fleecy cloud that would be gone shortly. - -All tarried in silence, breathless, fearing they knew not what--but -expecting no good. - -Then the sun burst forth again, and the circle of fire appeared beyond -the line. - -At once Rogier stood up. - -"You men of Caio, you have thought to deal with a fool, and to deceive -me by your craft. But I know what has been done, and will make you to -understand on whom ye have practised your devices. Pabo, the chief and -Archpriest, is not dead. It was not he who was consumed in the -presbytery. Ye played a stage mystery before our eyes to make us believe -that he was dead, and that you were burying him. Pabo is alive and is -among you, and you know where he is concealed." - -The interpreter was interrupted by outcries of, "We know not. If that -were not he, we cannot say where he be. We found a man burned to a -cinder. Were we in error in supposing him to be our chief? Show us that -it was so!" - -Rogier remained unmoved by the clamor. - -"Ye are like a parcel of lying, quibbling women," he said. "Pabo is in -hiding. Ye are all leagued together to save him. But have him from his -lurking-den I will." - -"We cannot say where he is. There is not one of us who knows." - -"You will admit that he whom ye pretended to be Pabo was some other?" - -They looked doubtfully at each other. - -"We could not tell. The dead man was found in the ruins of the burnt -house. We thought it was Pabo." - -"Ye did not. Ye contrived the device between you." - -"We will swear that we know not where he is. Bring forth the staff of -Cynwyl." - -"The staff has been stolen. But I will not trust your oaths. Did not the -wife of Pabo swear thereon?" Then Rogier laughed. "She was crafty as the -rest of you, and deceived us in her oath. Nay, I will trust no oaths. I -will place my reliance on something more secure. Hey! bring forward my -bassinet!" - -At his order, one of the attendants went to the door and received a -steel cap from a soldier without. - -"In this bassinet," said Rogier, "there are short willow twigs. There -are more twigs than there are householders and notables here assembled. -Of these twigs all but six are blank; but on half a dozen a death's head -has been scored with a dagger point, rubbed in with black. He who draws -such a figured twig shall be hung on the gallows, where is suspended -your church bell--one to-day, a second to-morrow. On Sunday, being a -sacred day, none; on Monday a third, on Tuesday a fourth, on Wednesday a -fifth, on Thursday the sixth. And on Friday ye shall all assemble here -once more, and again draw the lots. I shall hang one of you every day -till Pabo be delivered up to me, alive." - -Then there broke forth cries, protests, entreaties; there were hands -stretched towards the window through which the sun entered, in oath that -the whereabouts of Pabo was not known; there were arms extended to -Rogier in assurance that Pabo was actually dead. Some cried out that -they had had no cognizance of any plot to deceive. Many folded their -arms in sullen wrath or despair. - -Then Rogier lifted his sword and commanded silence. "No word spoken," -said he, "will move me from my purpose. One thing can alone rob the -gallows of its rich burden--the delivery of your late chief, Pabo." - -"We cannot do it. We know not where he is." - -"Then let justice take its course. This I will suffer. When each has -drawn his lot from the cap, he shall bring it in his closed fist to me, -and open it where I stand in the ray of sunlight. If he have an unmarked -stick, he shall go forth by the door unmolested. But he who shall have -the death's head in his hand shall tarry here. And when all six are -selected, then will I suffer each in turn to be conducted to his home, -there to bid farewell to his family, and so to dispose of his worldly -affairs as pleaseth him. I will allow each one hour to effect this; then -he will return hither. The first man who draws the bad lot shall be -strung to the gallows to-day. If ye be wise men, he will be the only one -who will go to make a chime of bells. If Pabo be delivered to me before -noon to-morrow, then no second man shall hang. If he be given up on -Monday before mid-day no third man shall swing. But--if you remain -obstinate, I will go on hanging ye to the last man. Come, in your order, -as ye sit; draw to the bassinet and take out your lot. I lay the steel -cap on what ye call the seat of your chief." - -Then the old man advanced, he who had protested against the occupation -of the chair, and said--"I am ready to die, whether in my bed or on the -gibbet matters little to me. God grant that I be the man taken. My time -at best is but short. Another year to me matters not a hair." - -He walked to the bassinet, without hesitation drew his lot, carried it -to the Norman--who stood in the sun-ray--and unclosed his withered hand. -In it was an unmarked stick. - -"Pass forth," said Rogier. - -"Nay," said the old man. "My son comes after me--let him draw." - -A tall, well-built man walked boldly to the cap, drew, and approached -the sunbeam. - -"Open!" ordered Rogier. - -He held a marked stick. - -"On one side--food for the crows," said the Norman. - -Then the old man fell on his knees. "I beseech you take me and spare -him. He has a young wife and a child. He has life before him, mine is -all behind." - -"Away," ordered Rogier. "The lot decides--the judgment is with heaven, -not with me." - -"Father," said the young man, "I am willing to die for my chief." - -Then followed several who went free, and escaped into the open air, -where they drew long breaths, as though their lungs had been cramped -within. - -The next who drew the death's head was a mean little man with pointed, -foxy face and red hair. He fell into convulsions of terror, clung to -Rogier, implored for life, promised to betray whatever he knew--only, -unhappily, he did not know where Pabo was concealed, but undertook, if -pardoned, to find out. The bishop's brother spurned him from him with -disgust. Then came three with blanks and were sent outside. - -The third taken was Howel. - -"One can but die once," said he, and shrugged his shoulders. "My old -woman will have to look out for a second husband. May he be better than -the first." - -He stepped aside without the exhibition of much feeling, but avoided the -whimpering wretch who had drawn the death's head before him. - -"Hah!" said Iorwerth the Smith, as he opened his palm and disclosed the -marked twig, "I thought something would fall to me for striking that -blow which disabled the captain's arm. Would to heaven I had aimed -better and broken his skull! He did not know me, or I should have been -hung before this." Singularly enough, the very next to draw was also one -who drew an unlucky stick, and this was Morgan the Sacristan. - -"Since the Sanctuary of David has been invaded, and the wild beast of -the field tramples on the vineyard, I care not; and now the secret of -where is hid the rod of Cynwyl will perish with me." - -Next came a whole batch who drew blanks, and gladly escaped with their -necks. - -The last to draw the death's head looked steadily at it, and said: "She -is always right. I thought so; now I'm sure of it. My wife said to me, -'Do not go to the meeting?' I said, 'Why not?' Like a woman, she -couldn't give a reason; but repeated, 'Do not go.' I have come, and now -shall swing with the rest. It's a rough way of learning a lesson. And -having learnt it--can no more practise it." - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -TWO PEBBLES - - -Tidings of the blow to be struck, reaching the hearts of many -families--six only at first, but with prospect of more afterwards--had -spread through the tribal region. Those who had drawn the unmarked -sticks hurried to their homes, not tarrying to learn who were all the -unfortunates; and, although relieved for the present were in fear lest -they should be unfortunate at a subsequent drawing. - -All knew that Pabo was in concealment, and that his place of concealment -was known to none, not even to his wife or to Howel. They had not a clue -as to where he was. Some supposed that he had fled to the mountains of -Brecknock, others to Cardigan; some, again, that he had attached himself -to Griffith ap Rhys, who was traversing South Wales, stirring up -disaffection and preparing for a general rising of the Welsh against -their oppressors. - -Yet hardly half a dozen men desired that he should be taken, and thus -free themselves from death. The great and heroic virtue of the Celt lies -in his devotion to his chief, for whom he is ready at once to lay down -his life. - -The hideous prospect that lay before the unfortunate people of Caio was -one of illimited decimation. Would Rogier weary of his barbarous work? -Would it avail to send a deputation to the bishop? It was doubtful -whether the latter was not as hard of heart as his lay brother. - -Gwen, the wife of Howel, was as one stunned. She leaned with both hands -against the wall of her house, her head drooping between them, with dry, -glazed eyes, and for long speechless. - -Morwen was now in Howel's house. She had returned to it. - -She was pale, and quivering with emotion under the weight of great -horror, unable to speak. - -Her eyes were fixed on the despairing woman, from whose lips issued a -low moan, and whose bosom heaved with long-drawn, laborious breaths. -Morwen was well aware what sacrifices the tribe was making and would -have to make for her husband's safety, and this gave inexpressible pain -to her. - -The moans of the poor woman cut her to the heart. At length, unable to -endure it longer, she went to her, put her arms round her, and drew her -to herself. Then, all at once, with a cry, the wife of Howel shook -herself free, and found words-- - -"Monday! It is on Monday that he must die, and that is our thirtieth -wedding-day? For all these years we have been together, as one soul, and -it will tear the heart out of my body--and to be hung on the -gallows--the shame, the loss--and Howel so clever, so shrewd! Where has -been his wit that he could not get free? He always had a cunning above -other men. And on our wedding-day!" She ran to a coffer and opened it, -and drew forth a knitted garment, such as we should nowadays call a -jersey. - -"See, see!" cried the wretched woman. "I have been fashioning this; a -thought of him is knitted into every loop I have made, and I have kissed -it--kissed it a thousand times because it was for him. He feels the cold -in the long winters, and I made this for him that he might be warm, and -wherever he was remember me, and bear my kisses and my finger-work about -him. And he must die, and shiver, and be cold in the grave! Nay, shiver -and be cold hanging on the gallows, and the cold winds sway him. He -shall wear my knitted garment. They will let me pass to him, and I will -draw it over him." - -Then in at the door came the old man, who had been left when his son was -taken. He was supporting that son's wife, and at the same time was -carrying her child, which she was incapable of sustaining. She was -frantic with grief. - -"I have brought one sorrowful woman to another," said the old man. "This -is Sheena. She must not see it. They are taking my son now to ----. Keep -her here, she is mad. She will run there, and if she sees, she will die. -For the child's sake, pity her, make her live--calm her." - -She had been allowed an hour with her husband in their house, and then -the soldiers had led him away, bound his hands behind his back, and had -conducted him towards the church. - -She had followed with the child, crying, plucking at her hair with the -one free hand, thrusting from her the old man who would hold her back, -striving to reach, to retain her husband, her eyes blinded with terror -and tears, her limbs giving way under her. - -The five men confined within the court-house heard her piercing cries, -her entreaties to be allowed once more to kiss her husband, her screams -as she was repulsed by the guards. They shuddered and put their hands to -their ears; but one, the foxfaced man, whose name was Madoc, burst into -a torrent of curses and of blasphemy till Morgan the Sacristan went to -him in reproof, and then the wretched man turned on him with -imprecations. - -"Come now, man," said the smith, "why shouldst thou take on so -frantically? We leave wives that we love and that love us; but thy old -cat, good faith! I should esteem it a welcome release to be freed from -her tongue and nails." - -On nearing the gallows, where stood Rogier, that captain ordered the -removal of Sheena; and when she saw a ladder set up against the -crosspiece that sustained the bell, her cries ceased, she reeled, and -would have let the child drop had not her father-in-law caught it from -her. - -"One kiss--one last kiss! I have forgot something to say--let him bless -his child!" she entreated. - -Rogier hesitated and consented, on the condition that she should then be -at once removed. Thereupon the desolate woman staggered to the foot of -the gallows, threw her arms round her husband's neck; and the man who -acted as executioner relaxed the rope that bound his wrists, that he -might bring his hands before him and lay them on his infant's head. Then -the death-doomed man raised his eyes to heaven and said, "The -benediction and the strength of God and the help of our fathers David -and Cynwyl be with thee, my son, and when thou art a man revenge thy -father and thy wronged country." - -At once the cord was drawn again, and his hands rebound. The old man -took his daughter-in-law in one arm whilst bearing the babe in the -other, and seeing that consciousness was deserting Sheena, hurried her -to the house of Howel. There, after a moment of dazed looking about her, -she sank senseless on the floor. - -Morwen flew to her assistance, and Howel's wife somewhat rallied from -her stupefaction. - -At that same moment in burst Angarad, the wife of foxfaced Madoc. - -"Where is she?" she shouted, her eyes glaring, her hair bristling with -rage. "She is here--she--the wife of our chief. Are we all to be dragged -to the gallows because of him? Is every woman to become a widow? He call -himself a priest! Why, his Master gave His life for His sheep, and -he--ours--fleeth and hideth his head, whilst those whom he should guard -are being torn by the wolves." - -"Silence, woman!" exclaimed the old man wrathfully. "I joy that my son -has given up his life to save his chief." - -"But I am not content to surrender my Madoc," yelled the beldame. "Let -us have the hated Saxon or the worst Norman to rule over us, rather than -one who skulks and dares not show his face. My Madoc will be hung -to-morrow, as they have hung Sheena's man now. I have seen it. They -pulled him up." - -"Be silent," shouted the old man, and tried to shut her mouth. - -"I will not be silent. I saw it all. They drew him up, and then a man -sprang from the ladder upon his shoulders and stamped." - -A cry of agony from the wife of Howel, who flung out her hands, as -before, against the wall, and stayed herself there. Sheena heard -nothing--she was but returning to consciousness. - -"Why do you not bring him back?" asked the hag, facing Morwen with fists -clenched, fangs exposed, and eyes glaring. "Why do you keep him hidden, -that we all may be widows--and you be happy with your man? What shall I -do without my Madoc? Who will support me? Am I young enough to maintain -myself? Is the whole tribe to be dragged down, that you and your husband -may live at ease and be merry?" - -"Woman," said Morwen, trembling, "I do not know where he is concealed." - -"Then find him, and let him come forward to save us all. Shame, I say, -shame on him!--the false shepherd--the hireling--who fleeth and careth -not for the sheep!" - -The rattle of arms was heard, and at the sound Morwen slipped out of the -room into the inner apartment that she might not be seen. - -Immediately two men-at-arms entered, leading Howel between them. - -"He is granted one hour," said the man who could speak a few words of -Welsh. "On Monday he dies." - -"Clear the room!" said the old man; and to the soldier: "Remove this -frantic woman." He indicated Angarad; and he himself, with their -assistance, drew her--swearing, struggling, spluttering with rage--from -the house. Sheena remained where she had been laid--as yet barely -conscious. Howel's wife dropped into her husband's arms, moaning, still -powerless to weep. - -In the inner chamber, dimly lighted by a small window covered with -bladder in place of glass, on a bed sat Morwen, with her hands clasped -between her knees, looking despairingly before her. Every word of the -cruel woman had cut her heart as the stab of an envenomed poignard. - -Did Pabo know what was being done at Caio? No--assuredly not. She who -had read his thoughts and knew his heart was well aware that he would -readily die himself rather than that any of his people should suffer. He -knew nothing. They, with a rare exception only, would meet their fate, -the men give their necks to the halter, the women submit to be made -widows rather than that their master and chief should fall into the -hands of his enemies. Brave, true, faithful hearts! But was it right -that they should be called on to endure such sacrifices? She shuddered. -What, would she have him taken and die an ignominious death? Him whom -she loved better than any one--with a one, soul-filling love? Could she -endure such a sacrifice as that? Then she heard the step of Howel coming -to the door. - -He entered and was with her alone. - -"Morwen," said he, in a low voice, "I shall be able shortly to do no -more for my dear chief. Should you ever see him again, tell him from us -all--all but perhaps one who is beside himself with fear--that we die -willingly. But with him I can no more communicate. That must be done by -you. It is expedient that he should fly farther; search will be made -everywhere for him. Where he is, that I know not, though I may have my -suspicion. Do this--at nightfall mount the valley of the Annell till you -come to the stone of Cynwyl." - -"The stone of Cynwyl," repeated Morwen mechanically. - -"Take a pebble out of the brook and place it upon the rock. That will be -a sign that he is not safe, and must fly to other quarters." - -"What other tokens be there?" - -"Two pebbles was to be the sign that all was safe and he was to return. -That is not the case at this present time. Remember, then--One pebble." - -"And two calls him hither?" - -"Two pebbles. But remember, One only." - -"Two pebbles," said Morwen, but so that none heard it: it was said to -her own heart. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -A SUMMONS - - -The days spent on the mountain had not been as cheerless as that first -night. The fire burned now continually on the hearth, the light peat -smoke was dissipated at once by the wind, which was never still at the -fall of the year at the altitude where was planted the hovel of the -hermit. - -The supply of food was better than at first. One night Pabo had found a -she-goat attached to a bush near the stone of Cynwyl; and he had taken -her to his habitation, where she supplied him with milk. On another -night he had found on a rock a rolled-up blanket, and had experienced -the comfort at night of this additional covering. - -But no tidings whatever had reached him of what went on in Caio. This -was satisfactory, and his anxiety for his flock abated. But he knew that -the enemy was quartered in the valley, because no call had come to him -to return to it. At nights he would steal along the mountain-top that he -might, from Bronffin, look down on the sleeping valley, with its -scattered farms and hamlets; and on Sunday morning he even ventured -within hearing of the church bell, that he might in spirit unite with -his flock in prayer. He concluded that one of the assistant priests from -a chapelry under the great Church was ministering there in his stead. He -knew that his people would be thinking of him, as he was of them. - -During the day he made long excursions to the north, among the wild -wastes that stretched interminably away before his eyes, and offered him -a region where he might lie hid should his present hiding-place be -discovered. - -None could approach the hut unobserved, a long stretch of moor was -commanded by it, and the rocks in the rear afforded means, should he -observe an enemy approach, of getting away beyond their reach into the -intricacies of the wilderness. - -At first Pabo was oppressed by the sense of loneliness. No human face -was seen, no human voice heard. But this passed, and he became conscious -of a calm coming over his troubled heart, and with it a sense of -freedom from care and childlike happiness. - -The elevation at which he lived, the elasticity of the air, the -brilliance of the light, unobstructed, as below, by mountains, tended -towards this. Moreover, he was alone with Nature, that has an -inspiriting effect on the heart, whilst at the same time tranquilizing -the nerves--tranquilizing all the cares and worries bred of life among -men. It was a delight to Pabo to wander through the heather to some brow -that overhung the Ystrad Towy or the valley of the Cothi, and look down -from his treeless altitude on the rolling masses of wood, now undergoing -glorious change of color under the touch of autumn. Or else to venture -into the higher, unoccupied mountain glens, where the rowan and the -rose-bramble were scarlet with their berries, and there he seemed to be -moving in the land of coral. - -It was a delight to observe the last flowers of the year, the few stray -harebells that still hung and swayed in the air, the little ivy-leafed -campanula by the water, the sturdy red robin, the gorse persistent in -bloom. He gathered a few blossoms to adorn his wretched hovel, and in it -they were as a smile. - -The birds were passing overhead, migrating south, yet the ring-ouzel was -still there; the eagle and hawk spired aloft on their lookout for prey; -the plover and curlew piped mournfully, and the owl hooted. - -The insects were retiring underground for the winter. Pabo had not -hitherto noticed the phases of life around him, below that of man, now -it broke on him as a wonder, and filled him with interest, to see a -world on which hitherto he had not thought to direct his observation. -There is no season in the year in which the lights are more varied and -more beautiful than in autumn, the slant rays painting the rocks -vermilion, glorifying the dying foliage, enhancing the color of every -surviving flower. - -But the fall of the year is one in which Nature weeps and sighs over the -prospect of death; and there came on Pabo days of blinding fog and -streaming rain. Then he was condemned to remain within, occasionally -looking forth into the whirls of drifting vapor, charged with a strange -dank scent, or at the lines of descending water. He milked his goat, -collected food for it, and heaped up his fire. - -Then it was that sad thoughts came over him, forebodings of ill; and he -mused by his hearth, looking into the glow, listening to the moan of the -wind or the drizzle of the rain, and the eternal drip, drip from the -eaves. - -He had thus sat for hours one day, interrupting his meditations only by -an occasional pace to the door to look out for a break in the weather, -when there came upon him with a shock of surprise the recollection that -there was more in the hermit's scroll than he had considered at first. -Not much. He unfurled it, and beside the bequest of the hut, only these -words were added: "For a commission look below my bed." - -What was the meaning of this? It was strange that till now Pabo had -given no thought to these concluding words. - -Now he thrust the fire together, cast on some dry bunches of gorse that -lit the interior with a golden light, and he drew the bed from the place -it had occupied in the corner of the chamber. - -Beneath it was nothing but the beaten earth that had never been -disturbed. - -The bed itself was but a plank resting on two short rollers, to sustain -it six inches above the soil. Nothing had been concealed beneath the -plank, between it and the ground--no box, no roll of parchment. Nothing -even was written in the dust. - -Pabo took a flaming branch and examined the place minutely, but in vain. - -Then he threw off the blanket and skins that covered the pallet. He -shook them, and naught dropped out. He took the pillow and explored it. -The contents were but moss; yet he picked the moss to small pieces, -searching for the commission and finding none. Then he drew away the -logs on which the plank had rested. They might be hollow and contain -something. Also in vain. Thoroughly perplexed to know what could have -been the hermit's meaning, Pabo now replaced the rollers in their former -position and raised the plank to lean it upon them once more. - -At this something caught his eye--some scratches on the lower surface of -the board. He at once turned it over, and to his amazement saw that this -under side of the pallet was scored over with lines and with words, -drawn on the wood with a heated skewer, so that they were burnt in. - -The fire had sunk to a glow--he threw on more gorse. As it blazed he saw -that the lines were continuous and had some meaning, though winding -about. Apparently a plan had been sketched on the board. Beneath were -these words, burnt in-- - - Thesaurus, a Romanis antiquis absconditus in antro Ogofau. - -Then followed in Welsh some verses-- - - In the hour of Cambria's need, - When thou seest Dyfed bleed, - Raise the prize and break her chains; - Use it not for selfish gains. - -The lines that twisted, then ran straight, then bent were, apparently, a -plan. - -Pabo studied it. At one point, whence the line started, he read, -"_Ingressio_"; then a long stroke, and _Perge_; further a turn, and here -was written _vertitur in sinistram_. There was a fork there, in fact the -line forked in several places, and the plan seemed to be intricate. Then -a black spot was burnt deeply into the wood, and here was written: -_Cave, puteum profundum_. And just beyond this several dots with the -burning skewer, and the inscription, _Auri moles praegrandis_. - -Pabo was hardly able at first to realize the revelation made. He knew -the Ogofau well. It was hard by Pumpsaint--a height, hardly a mountain, -that had been scooped out like a volcanic crater by the Romans during -their occupation of Britain. From the crater thus formed, they had -driven adits into the bowels of the mountain. Thence it was reported -they had extracted much gold. But the mine had been unworked since their -time. The Welsh had not sufficient energy or genius in mining to carry -on the search after the most precious of ores. And superstition had -invested the deserted works with terrors. Thither it was said that the -Five Saints, the sons of Cynyr of the family of Cunedda, had retired in -a thunder-storm for shelter. They had penetrated into the mine and had -lost their way, and taking a stone for a bolster, had laid their heads -on it and fallen asleep. And there they would remain in peaceful slumber -till the return of King Arthur, or till a truly apostolic prelate should -occupy the throne of St. David. An inquisitive woman, named Gwen, led by -the devil, sought to spy on the saintly brothers in their long sleep, -but was punished by also losing her way in the passages of the mine; and -there she also remained in an undying condition, but was suffered to -emerge in storm and rain, when her vaporous form--so it was -reported--might be seen sailing about the old gold-mine, and her sobs -and moans were borne far off on the wind. - -In consequence, few dared in broad daylight to visit the Ogofau, none -ever ventured to penetrate the still open mouth of the mine. - -Pabo was not devoid of superstition, yet not abjectly credulous. If what -he now saw was the result of research by the hermit, then it was clear -that where one man had gone another might also go, and with the -assistance of the plan discover the hidden treasure which the Romans had -stored, but never removed. - -And yet, as Pabo gazed at the plan and writing, he asked, was it not -more likely that the old hermit had been a prey to hallucinations, and -that there was no substance behind this parade of a secret? Was it not -probable that in the thirty years' dreaming in this solitude his fancies -had become to him realities; that musing in the long winter nights on -the woes of his country he had come on the thought, what an assistance -it would be to it had the Romans not extricated all the ore from the -rich veins of the Ogofau. Then, going a little further, had imagined -that in their hasty withdrawal from Britain, they might not have removed -all the gold found. Advancing mentally, he might have supposed that the -store still remaining underground might be recovered, and then the -entire fabric of plan, with its directions, would have been the final -stage in this fantastic progress. - -How could the recluse have penetrated the passages of the mine? - -It was true enough that the Ogofau were accessible from Mallaen without -going near any habitation of man. It was conceivable that by night the -old man had prosecuted his researches, which had finally been crowned -with success. - -Pabo felt a strong desire to consult Howel. He started up, and after -having replaced the plank and covered it with the bedding, left the hut -and made his way down into the valley of the Annell, to the Stone of -Cynwyl. - -Notwithstanding the drizzle and the gathering night, he pushed on down -the steep declivity, and on reaching the brawling stream passed out of -the envelope of vapor. - -The night was not pitch dark, there was a moon above the clouds, and a -wan, gray haze pervaded the valley. - -As he reached the great erratic block he saw what at first he thought -was a dark bush, or perhaps a black sheep against it. - -All at once, at the sound of his step on the rocks, the figure moved, -rose, and he saw before him a woman with extended arms. - -"Pabo!" she said in thrilling tones. "Here they are--the two pebbles!" - -"Morwen!" - -He sprang towards her, with a rush of blood from his heart. - -She made no movement to meet his embrace. - -"Oh, Pabo! hear all first, and then decide if I am to lose you forever." - -In tremulous tones, but with a firm heart, she narrated to him all that -had taken place. This was now Sunday. Two men had been hung. On the -morrow Howel would be suspended beside them. These executions would -continue till the place of retreat of the Archpriest was revealed, and -he had been taken. - -She did not repeat to him the words of Angarad, Madoc's wife--now widow. - -"Pabo!" she said, and tears were oozing between every word she uttered, -"It is I--I who bring you this tidings! I--I who offer you these two -pebbles! I--I who send you to your death!" - -"Aye, my Morwen," he said, and clasped her to his heart, "it is because -you love me that you do this. It is right. I return to Caio with you." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -BETRAYED - - -A congregation exceptionally large under existing circumstances -assembled on Sunday morning before the church of Caio. Fear lest the -Normans and English quartered in the place should find fresh occasion -against the unhappy people, were they to absent themselves as on -previous Sundays, led a good many to swallow their dislike of the man -forced upon them as pastor, and to put in an appearance in the house of -God. - -They stood about, waiting for the bell to sound, and looked shrinkingly -at the hideous spectacle of the two men suspended by the bell, and at -the vacant spaces soon to be occupied by others. At the foot of the -gallows sat Sheena moaning, and swaying herself to her musical and -rhythmic keening. - -Around the Court or Council-House stood guards. All those standing -about knew that within it were Howel and three others, destined to -execution during the week. - -They spoke to each other in low tones, and looks of discouragement -clouded every face. What could these inhabitants of a lone green basin -in the heart of the mountains do to rid themselves of their oppressors -and lighten their miserable condition? Griffith ap Rhys, the Prince, had -appeared among them for a moment, flashed on their sight, and had then -disappeared. Of him they had heard no more. - -Some went into the church, prayed there awhile, and came out again. The -new Archpriest had not put in an appearance. - -It was then whispered that he had left Caio during the week, and was not -returned. - -Sarcastic comments passed: such was the pastor thrust on them who -neglected his duties. - -But Cadell was not to blame. - -He had left Llawhaden, and had made a diversion to Careg Cennen by the -bishop's orders. The road had been bad and his horse had fallen lame, so -that he had been unable to reach his charge on Saturday afternoon. To -travel by night in such troubled times was out of the question, and he -did not reach Caio till the evening closed in on the Sunday. - -It was not, however, too dark for him to see that the frame supporting -the bell presented an unusual appearance. He walked towards it, and then -observed a woman leaning against one of the beams of support. - -"Who are you? What has been done here?" he asked. - -"There is my man--I am Sheena. They have hung him, and I am afraid of -the night ravens. They will come and pluck out his eyes. I went to see -my babe, and when I returned there was one perched on his shoulder. I -drove it away with stones. There will be a moon, and I shall see them -when they come." - -"Who are you?" - -"I am Sheena--that is my man." - -"Go home; this is no place for you." - -"I have no home. I had a home, but the Norman chief drove us out, me and -my man, that he might have it for himself; and we have been in a cowshed -since--but I will not go there. I want no home. What is a home to me -without him?" - -"Who has done this? Why has this been done?" asked Cadell. - -"Oh, they, the Saxons, have done it because we will not give up our -priest, our chief. And my man was proud to die for him. So are the -rest--all but Madoc." - -"The rest--what do you mean?" - -"They will hang them all, down to the last man, for none will betray the -chief. They will go singing to the gallows. There was but Madoc, and him -the devils will carry away; I have seen one, little and black, slinking -around. I will sit here and drive devils away, lest coming for Madoc -they take my man in mistake." - -Cadell was shocked and incensed. - -He hasted at once to the house in which Rogier was quartered. He knew -that he had turned out the owners that he might have it to himself. - -Rogier and two men were within. They had on the table horns and a jug of -mead, and had been drinking. - -Said one man to his fellow, "The Captain shall give me Sheena, when she -has done whimpering over her Welshman." - -"Nay," quoth the other, "she is a morsel for my mouth, that has been -watering for her. He cannot refuse her to me." - -"You, Luke! You have not served him so long as have I." - -"That may be, but I have served him better." - -"Prove me that." - -"I can interpret for him, I know sufficient Welsh for that." - -"Bah! I would not dirty my mouth with that gibberish." - -"You have not the tongue wherewith to woo her." - -"But I have a hand wherewith to grip her." - -"The captain shall decide between us." - -"Be it so. Now, captain, which of us is to comfort Sheena in her -widowhood?" - -"It is all cursed perversity of Luke to fancy this woman. Before long -there will be a score of other widows for him to pick among. There is -even now that wild cat, Angarad." - -"I thank you. Let the captain judge." - -Then said Rogier. "Ye be both good and useful men. And in such a matter -as this, let Fortune decide between ye. There is a draught-board; settle -it between you by the chance of a game." - -"It is well. We will." - -The men seated themselves at the board. The draught-men employed were -knucklebones of sheep, some blackened. - -While thus engaged, Cadell came in. - -"Rogier!" he exclaimed, "what is the meaning of this? There be men hung -to my belfry." - -"Aye! And ere long there shall be such a peal of bells there as will -sound throughout Wales, and this shall be their chime: 'Pabo, priest, -come again!' By the Conqueror's paunch, I will make it ring in every -ear, so that he who knows where he is hidden will come and declare it." - -"Consider! You make the place intolerable for me to perform my duty in." - -"Thy duty! That sits light on thy shoulders, I wot. Here have the poor -sheep been waiting for their shepherd all the morn, and he was away." - -"I have been with the bishop." - -"I care not. I shall find Pabo ere long." - -"But his fatherliness holds that Pabo the Archpriest was burnt." - -"And we know that he was not." - -"If there be found one calling himself Pabo--and he is in no mighty -desire that such should be discovered--then let him be esteemed an -impostor--a false Pabo." - -"How so?" - -The chaplain looked at the men and did not answer. - -"But none has as yet been discovered," said Rogier. - -"Do not press to find one--not in this manner." - -"I shall not desist till he is given up. I have said so, and will be as -good as my word." - -As he spoke, a face looked in at the door, then, after an inspection, a -body followed, and Goronwy approached stealthily. - -He stood before Cadell with his eyes twinkling with malevolence, and his -sharp white face twitching with excitement, nodding his head, he said-- - -"He is here--he, Pabo, and she also whom the great Baron, the bishop's -brother, desires; they are both here. Know well that it is I who have -told you this, and it is I who claim the reward." - -"The reward!" - -"Aye, the Archpriesthood, which thou wilt resign for a rich benefice. -Let me tell thee--here thou canst not live. They will hate thee, they -will not receive the Sacraments from thy hand, they will baptize their -children themselves rather than commit them to thee. The word of God, -coming from thy lips, will have lost all savor. They will die and be -buried on the mountains under cairns, as in the old pagan times, rather -than have thee bless their graves. No--this is no place for thee. What -the captain has done has driven barbed iron into their souls; they will -have none of thee. But I am of the stock of Cunedda--me they will -welcome, and I will be the bishop's henchman." - -"Pabo here!" exclaimed Cadell, and looked round at Rogier, who had -understood nothing that had passed in this brief colloquy, as it had -been spoken in Welsh. The man who did understand the tongue was too -deeply engrossed in his game to hearken. - -"Aye, aye, Pabo is here--he and Morwen. I have just seen them; they came -together down the glen, and are in the house of Howel ap John. Be speedy -and have them secured, or they may again escape. Pabo is for you--and -for him," he pointed to the Norman captain, "for him the comely Morwen, -whom he has been looking for. Say, didst thou obtain for me the promise -from the bishop?" - -"What says this misshapen imp?" asked Rogier. - -Then the young man sidled up to him, and, plucking at his sleeve and -pointing through the door, said: "La--Pabo! Morwen, la!" - -"By the soul of the Conqueror," exclaimed the Norman, "if that be so, -Pabo shall be strung up at the door of his church at daybreak!" - -Turning to his men, with his hand he brushed the knucklebones off the -board. "Ye shall conclude the game later--we have higher sport in view -now." - -The men started to their feet with oaths, angry at the interruption, -especially he who considered that he had won an advantage over his -fellow. - -"I would have cornered him in three moves!" he shouted. - -"Nay, not thou; I should have taken thy men in leaps!" - -"Another time," said Rogier. "The man we seek has run into our hands." -Then to the boy: "Where is he hiding?" - -Goronwy understood the question by the action of his hands, and replied -in the few words he had picked up of French, "La--maison, Howel." - -"He shall be swung at once," said Rogier; "and then the first object on -which the eyes of all will rest when they come out of their houses with -the morrow's sun will be this Archpriest they have been hiding from me." - -"Nay," said Cadell, "that may not be. I have orders to the contrary -under the hand and seal of the bishop." He unfolded the instructions. - -Rogier cursed. "Well," said he, "Pabo to me matters but little--so long -as I lay my hand on Morwen." - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -CAREG CENNEN - - -Before dawn Pabo was on his way, bound to Careg Cennen, riding between -four soldiers. He had been taken in the house of Howel. It had been his -intention to deliver himself up early on the morrow; but he was -forestalled. - -He regretted this, for more reasons than one. He had been unable to make -final arrangements for the protection of Morwen, and he had been unable -to communicate with Howel as he desired, relative to the secret of the -treasure in the Roman gold-mines. - -The owls were hooting and night-jars screaming as the cavalcade -proceeded along the Sarn Helen towards the broad valley of the Towy by -that of its tributary the _Dulais_. As they reached the main river, the -dawn was lightening behind the Brecknock Mountains, and the water -sliding down toward the sea shone cold as steel. - -With daylight men were met upon the road, and occasionally a woman; the -latter invariably, the former for the most part fled at the sight of the -armed men. But some, less timorous remained, and recognizing the -Archpriest, saluted him with respect and with exclamations of -lamentation at seeing him in the hands of the common enemy. At Llandeilo -the river was crossed, and Pabo was conveyed up a steep ascent into the -tributary valley of the Cennen. But this stream makes a great loop, and -the troopers thrust their horses over the spur of hill about which the -torrent sweeps. - -Presently the castle came in view, very new and white, constructed of -limestone, on a crag of the same substance, that rises precipitously for -five hundred feet sheer out the ravine and the brawling stream that -laves the foot of the crag. - -After a slight dip the track led up a bold stony rise to the castle -gate. - -The situation is of incomparable wildness and majesty. Beyond the ravine -towers up the Mynydd Ddu, the Black Mountain, clothed in short heather, -to cairn-topped ridges, two thousand feet above the sea, the flanks -seamed with descending threads of water; while further south over its -shoulder are seen purple hills in the distance. A solitary sycamore here -and there alone stands against the wind on the ridge about which the -Cennen whispers far below. - -The bishop had already arrived at the castle. He had followed up his -emissary pretty quickly, anxious that his own view of the case should be -maintained in the event of the capture of Pabo. - -He and Gerald of Windsor were on excellent terms. Between them they were -to divide the land, so much to the crook and so much to the sword; and -whom the latter did not consume were to be delivered over to feel the -weight of the crozier. In the subjugation of Wales, in the breaking of -the spirit of the people, church and castle must combine and play each -other's game. - -The staff of the bishop has a crook above and a spike below, to signify -the double power that resides in his hands, that of drawing and that of -goading. The time for the exercise of the curved head might come in the -future, that for the driving of the sharp end was the present, thought -Bernard. - -No sooner did he learn of the arrival of Pabo than he bade that he -should be brought into his presence, in the room given to him by his -host on whom he had intruded himself--a room facing south, overhanging -the precipice. - -The weather was mild, and the sun shone in at the window. There was no -fire. - -"So!" said the prelate, fixing his gray dark-rimmed irises on the -prisoner, "you are he who give yourself out to be the Archpriest of -Caio?" - -"I am he," answered Pabo. - -The bishop assured himself that the strongly built upright man before -him was bound and could not hurt him; and he said to the attendants, "Go -forth outside the door and leave this dissembler with me. Yet remain -within call, and one bid Gerald, the Master, come to me speedily." - -The men withdrew. - -"I wonder," said Bernard, and his words hissed through the gap in his -teeth, "I wonder now at thy audacity. If indeed I held thee to be Pabo, -the late Archpriest of Caio, who smote me, his bishop, on the mouth and -drew my blood, there would be no other course for me but to deliver thee -over to the secular arm, and for such an act of treason against thy -superior in God--the stake would be thy due." - -"I am he, Lord Bishop, who struck thee on the mouth. The insult was -intolerable. The old law provided--an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a -tooth. If thou goest by the law of Moses deal with me as seems right. -What the Gospel law is, maybe thou art too recent in Holy Orders and too -new to the study of the Sacred Scriptures to be aware." - -"Thou art insolent. But as I do not for a moment take thee to be the -deceased Pabo----" - -"Lord Bishop, none doubt that I am he." - -Bernard looked at him from head to foot. - -"Methinks a taller man by three fingers' breadth, and leaner in face -certainly, as also browner in complexion, and with cheek-bones standing -out more forcibly." - -Pabo hardly knew what to think of the bishop's words. It occurred to him -that the prelate was beating about for some excuse for pardoning him -whilst saving his dignity. - -He smiled and said, "If it be a matter of doubt with thee, whether I be -indeed Pabo----" - -"Oh! by no means," interrupted Bernard, "I have no manner of doubt. On -the surest testimony I know that the Archpriest Pabo was consumed by -fire from heaven. This is known far and wide. His Majesty the King is -aware of it; it is a matter of common talk." - -"Yet is it not true." - -"It is most assuredly true. I have the testimony of credible -eye-witnesses." - -"Yet," said Pabo, "my own wife knows me." - -"Of her I can believe anything," said Bernard, thrusting his seat a -little back, to give more space between himself and the prisoner. - -"Hearken unto me," said the bishop; "I have heard say of these Welsh -that they keep their King Arthur somewhere, ready to produce him in the -hour of need, to fight against their rightful lord and sovereign the -King of England. And I warrant ye--they will turn out some scullion -knave, and put a tinsel crown about his head, and shout 'God save King -Arthur!' and make believe it is he come from his long sleep to fight -against us. But we are prepared against such make-believes and mumming -kings. And so, in like manner, when Pabo, Archpriest of Caio, is dead, -burned to a cinder, as it has been most surely reported to us, then up -starts such as you and assume to be what you are not, so as to fan the -flame of discontent among the people, and inspire them with hopes that -can never be fulfilled; and so persuade them to resist rightful -authority. Have I not appointed my late chaplain to be Archpriest in the -room of that unhappy man who, for temerity in lifting his hand against -his ecclesiastical father, was evidently, before the eyes of all men, -smitten by Heaven? I, of all men, I, who was struck in the face, and -thereby lost my teeth, have a right to recognize the impious man who -smote me. But I tell thee I do not identify thee. Further, I am ready to -declare, and if need be, to swear, that thou art not the man. Thou art -but a sorry makeshift. Who should know him, if not I?" - -"My dear people of Caio, whose pastor I have been, among whom I have -gone in and out, will know me well enough. Confront me with them and the -matter will be settled at once." - -"Nay--the word of a Welshman is not to be trusted. They will combine to -bolster up a lie. Thou art an impostor, a false Pabo. That is certain." -Then he turned his hands one over the other: "If thou wert the real -Pabo, then be very sure of this: I would deliver thee over to the -secular arm to be burned in verity--and only Norman and English soldiers -should surround the fire, and they would see that thou wast in truth -this time burned to a coal. But as I do not and will not hold this, I -ask thee, for thine own sake, to acknowledge that there has been a plot -to thrust thee forward--that thy people are in a league to accept thee -as their priest and chief, knowing very well that their true priest and -chief was burned in his house. Confess this, and I will use my endeavor -to get thee thrust away into some distant part, where no harm shall come -to thee. Nay, further," the bishop brightened up, "I will even keep thee -about myself and advance thee to honor, and I will put thee into a fat -benefice at the other extremity of the diocese, if thou wilt constantly -affirm that thou art not Pabo, and never wast Pabo, neither ever knew -him--but hast been mistaken for him through some chance resemblance." - -"Although a Welshman," said the Archpriest, with a curl of the lip, -"and, as thou sayest, ready with lies, I will not say that." - -"Then take the consequences," exclaimed the bishop. "I give one minute -in which to resolve thee. Admit that thou art an impostor, and I will do -what I can for thee; refuse--and--and----" - -"Do your worst," exclaimed Pabo indignantly. "What your object is I -cannot devise; but, be it what it may, I will not help with a -falsehood. I am Pabo, still Archpriest and head of the tribe of the land -of Caio." - -"Then," said the bishop, with harshness in his tone but with no -alteration in his mask-like face, "be content, as simulating the Pabo -who struck his ecclesiastical father in the face, and knocked out one -tooth and broke another, to receive such punishment as is due to so -treasonable an action." - -"If we two met as plain Christian people, living under the Gospel," said -Pabo, "I would say the act was done under provocation; but it was an -unworthy act, and I, who committed it, express my regret and ask for -pardon of my brother Christian." - -"And I," said the bishop, "as a Christian man and a prelate of the Holy -Roman Church, do cheerfully give forgiveness. Yet inasmuch as it is -unwise that----" - -"I see," said Pabo; "a forgiveness that is no forgiveness at all. The -transgression must be wiped out in blood." - -"The Church never sheds blood," said Bernard. "She hands over stubborn -offenders to the secular arm. Here it comes--in at the door." - -The hand of Gerald of Windsor was thrust in, followed by the man -himself. - -"See here," said Bernard, addressing the Baron and pointing to Pabo, -"this is a man who sets himself up to be a leader among the rebellious -Welsh, and is stirring up of hot blood and fomenting of intrigue." - -"Aye," said Gerald, "I have tidings come this day that the beggars are -rising everywhere. They have among them their Prince Griffith ap Rhys." - -"And here," said the prelate, "is one of his agents. This man gives -himself out to be a certain person whom he is not, and he has come among -the people of Caio to bid them take up arms. But happily my brother -Rogier is there." - -"What shall we do with him?" asked Gerald. - -"Beau Sieur," said the prelate, "with that I have nought to do. -Sufficient that I place him--a dangerous fellow--in your hands. And mark -you, a priest as well as an agitator, one to arouse the religious -fanaticism of the people against the Church as well as against the -Crown." - -"What shall be done with him? Cut off his head?" - -"Nay, I pray shed no blood." - -"Shall we hang him?" - -"I think," said the bishop, after musing a moment, "that it would be -well were he simply to disappear. Let him not be hung so that, -perchance, he might be recognized, but rather suffer him to be cast into -one of the dungeons where none may ever cast eye on him till he be but -bones and there be forgot." - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -FORGOTTEN? - - -Pabo was hurried away, along a corridor, down a flight of steps, through -the courtyard, and was thrust into a dungeon at the base of a tower on -the east side of the castle. He had to descend into it by steps, and -then the heavy oak door was shut and locked. - -The floor was of the limestone rock, with some earth on it; the walls -new, and smelling of mortar. One slit, far up, admitted a ray of light, -and beneath the door was a space of as much as two finger-breadths -between it and the stone sill. No preparations had been made for his -reception. No straw or fern was littered for a bed, nor was a pitcher of -water set for him, that he might quench his thirst. Pabo was hungry; he -had partaken of nothing since he left Caio save a crust that had been -given him at Llanwrda on his way. At Llandeilo the soldiers had -purposely avoided the town, and they had halted nowhere on the way -except at the place Llanwrda, where they had given him a portion of -their breakfast. - -Pabo supposed that he was to remain in confinement as long as suited the -convenience of the bishop. He was far from fathoming the purpose of the -prelate in endeavoring to cajole or frighten him into a denial of his -own identity. Had he known the figure Bernard was endeavoring to cut at -his expense, he would have laughed aloud and made his dungeon walls -ring. - -He cast himself in a corner against the wall and waited, in the -expectation of his jailer coming in before long with a truss of straw, -some bread and water, and possibly chains for his hands or feet. But -hours passed, and no one came. - -From where he sat he could see feet go by his door, and it seemed to him -that towards evening these were the feet of women. - -No sentinel paced the court outside his doorway. He heard human voices, -occasionally, but could distinguish no words. - -The evening closed in, and still none attended to him. Feeling in his -pouch he found some dried corn from the hermit's store. When wandering -on the mountains he had been wont to thus provide himself, and happily -there remained still some unconsumed. With this he filled his mouth. - -He waited on as darkness settled in, so that he could but just -distinguish his window and the gap below the door, and at length fell -into a troubled sleep. - -During the night he woke with the cold, and groped for the blankets he -had been accustomed to draw over him in the cell on Mallaen, but here in -the prison of Careg Cennen none were provided. He felt stiff and chilled -in his bones with lying on the bare rock. He turned from side to side, -but could find no relief. - -Surely it was not the intention of Gerald of Windsor to detain him there -without the modicum of comforts supplied to the worst of criminals. He -had not offended the Norman baron. If he were not Pabo, as the bishop -insisted, why was he dealt with so harshly? He had not done anything to -show that he was a fanner of rebellion. Against him not a particle of -evidence could be adduced. - -The thought that he carried with him the great secret of the hermit also -troubled him. It is said that no witch can die till she has -communicated her hidden knowledge to some sister. - -It was to Pabo a thought insupportable that he was unable to impart the -secret deposited with him to some one who could use the knowledge for -the good of his oppressed countrymen. - -Hitherto the attempts made by the Welsh to shake off their yoke had been -doomed to failure, largely because of their inability to purchase -weapons and stores that might furnish their levies and maintain them in -the field. It was not that in the Cambrian Mountains there had been -deficiency in resolution and lack of heroism; but it was the poverty of -Wales that had stood no chance against the wealth of England. - -For himself Pabo cared little, but he was deeply concerned that he had -no means of conveying the secret that had been entrusted to him to those -who could make good use of it. - -He dozed off again in cold and hunger, and fell to dreaming that he had -lit on an ingot of pure gold, so large and so weighty that he could not -himself lift it, and opened his eyes to see a golden bar indeed before -him, but it was one of sunlight, painted on the wall by the rising orb -as it shone through the slit that served as window. He waited now with -impatience, trusting that some one would come to him. Yet time passed -and none arrived. - -He moved to one of the steps, seated himself thereon, and looked at the -light between the bottom of the door and the sill. Again he saw what he -conjectured to be women's feet pass by, and presently, but after a long -interval, return; and this time he knew that the feet belonged to a -woman, for she stopped where he could see, set down an earthenware -pitcher, and exchanged some words with a soldier, one of the garrison. -He could see the pitcher nearly to the handle, but not the hand that set -it down and raised it. Yet he distinguished the skirts of the dress and -the tones of voice as those of a woman. - -Presently he again heard a voice, that belonged to a female, and by the -intonation was sure that what she spoke was in Welsh. She was calling -and strewing crumbs, for some fell near his door. Immediately numerous -pigeons arrived and pecked up what was cast for them. He could see their -red legs and bobbing heads, and wished that some of the fragments might -have been for him. - -He had hardly formed the wish before a crust, larger than any given to -the birds, fell against his door, and there was a rush of pigeons -towards it. Pabo put forth two fingers through the opening, and drew the -piece of bread within. He had hardly secured this, before another piece -fell in the same place, and once more, in the same manner, he endeavored -to capture it. But unhappily it had rebounded just beyond his reach, and -after vain efforts he would have had to relinquish it wholly to the -pigeons had not feet rapidly approached and a hand been lowered that -touched the crust and thrust it hastily under the door, and then pushed -in another even larger. - -After this the feet went away. But still the pigeons fluttered and -pecked till they had consumed the last particle cast to them. - -Pabo ate the pieces of bread ravenously. - -He was not thirsty. The coolness and moisture of the prison prevented -him from becoming parched. What he had received was not, indeed, much, -but it was sufficient to take off the gnawing pain that had consumed his -vitals. - -Now for the first time he realized the force of the prelate's words when -he had bidden Gerald of Windsor to cast him--Pabo--into a dungeon, -there to be _forgotten_. Forgotten he was to be, ignored as a human -being immured in this subterranean den. He was to be left there, totally -unattended and unprovided for. Of this he was now convinced, both -because of the neglect he had undergone, and also because of the attempt -made by some Welshwoman, unknown to him, surreptitiously to supply him -with food. This she would not have done had she not been aware of the -fate intended for him. He was to be left to die of cold and hunger and -thirst, and was not to leave the prison save as a dwindled, emaciated -wreck, with the life driven out of him by privation of all that is -necessary for the support of life. He was now well assured of what was -purposed, and also, and equally assured, that he had in the castle some -friend who would employ all her feminine craft to deliver him from such -a fate. - -Slowly, tediously the day passed. Still, occasionally voices were -audible, but no feet approached the dungeon doorway. Overhead there were -chambers, but the prison was vaulted with stone, and even were any -persons occupying an upper story, they were not likely to be heard by -one below. - -It was, perhaps, fortunate that for some time on the mountain Pabo had -led a very frugal life and had contented himself with parched grain, or -girdle-cakes of his own grinding and making. Yet to these had been added -the milk of a goat, and for this he now craved. He thought of his poor -Nanny bleating, distressed with her milk; he thought of how she had -welcomed him when he returned to the cell. Poor Nanny! What would he not -now give for a draught of her sweet sustaining milk! - -Another night passed, and again in the morning there ensued the feeding -of the pigeons, and therewith a fall of crusts within his reach by the -door. - -During the day he heard a clatter of hoofs in the courtyard, and by -seating himself on the lowest step in his vault, leaning one elbow on -another, and bringing first eye and then ear near to the gap below the -door, he saw and heard sufficient to lead him to suppose that the bishop -was leaving Careg Cennen, to return to his own castle of Llawhaden. - -He could even distinguish his strident voice, and catch a few words -uttered by him, as he turned his face towards the dungeon-door, and -said: "My good friend Gerald--is, humph! the impostor forgotten?" - -"Forgotten, as though he had never been," was the response, in the rough -tones of the Norman Baron. - -Then both laughed. - -Pabo clenched his hands and teeth. - -Presently, a clatter; and through the gateway passed the cavalcade. -There was no drawbridge at Careg Cennen for there was no moat, no water; -but there was a portcullis, and there were stout oak-barred doors. - -After the departure of the prelate, the castle fell back again into -listlessness. No sounds reached the ear of Pabo, save the occasional -footfall of one passing across the court with the leisurely pace of a -person to whom time was of no value. - -On this day the prisoner began to be distressed for water. The walls of -his cell, being of pervious limestone, absorbed all moisture from the -air, so that none condensed on it. In the morning he had swallowed the -dry crusts with difficulty. He now felt that his lips were burning, and -his tongue becoming dry. If food were brought him on the morrow, he -doubted whether he would then be able to swallow it. - -But relief came to him in a manner he had not expected. During the night -rain fell, and he found that by crouching on the steps and putting his -fingers beneath the door, he could catch the raindrops as they trickled -down the oak plank, and convey the scanty supply by this means to his -mouth. But with the first glimpse of dawn he saw a means of furnishing -water that was more satisfactory. With his fingers he scraped a channel -beneath the door to receive the falling drops, and then, by heaping the -soil beyond this, forced the water as it ran down the door and dripped, -to decant itself in a small stream over the sill. By this means he was -able to catch sufficient to assuage the great agony of thirst. - -He was thus engaged when suddenly a foot destroyed his contrivance, and -next moment he heard a key turned in the lock. - -He started from the steps on which he was lying, the door was thrown -open, and before him stood a muffled female figure, against the gray -early morning light, diffused through thick rain that filled the castle -yard. - -Without a word the woman signed to Pabo to follow. She made the gesture -with impatience, and he obeyed without hesitation. - -"Follow me!" she whispered in Welsh, and strode rapidly before him, and -passed through a small doorway, a very few steps from the tower, yet in -the south face of the castle. She beckoned imperiously to him to enter, -then closed the door on him, went back and relocked that of the dungeon. -Next moment she was back through the small door. Pabo found himself in a -narrow passage that, as far as he could judge, descended by steps. - -The woman bolted the door behind. - -The place was dark, but she led on. - -The way descended by steps, then led along a narrow passage, with rock -on one side and wall on the other, till she reached a great natural -vault--a cave opening into the heart of the crag on which the castle was -built. And here the passage terminated in a wooden stair that descended -into darkness, only illumined by one point of red light. - -Still she descended, and Pabo followed. - -Presently she was at the bottom, and now he saw in a hollow of the rock -on one side a little lamp burning with a lurid flame. - -She struck off the glowing snuff, and it sent up a bright spire of -light. - -"Forgotten," said she, turning to Pabo, and throwing back her hood. -"Forgotten! Nay, Nest will never forget one of her own people--never." - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -THE BRACELET OF MAXEN - - -"Look at me," said Nest; "I am the daughter of Rhys and sister of your -Prince Griffith. How I have been treated God knows, but not worse than -my dear country. I have been cast into the arms of one of its -oppressors, and I welcome it, because I can do something thereby for -those of my people who suffer. Griffith is about. He will do great -things. I sent him with warning to you. And now I will even yet save -you. Know you where you are? Whither I have brought you? Come further." -She led him down among the smooth shoulders of rock, and showed him pans -scooped in the limestone ledges that brimmed with water. - -There was no well in Careg Cennen. It would not have availed to have -sunk one. In the dry limestone there were no springs. Gerald the Norman -would not have reared his castle on this barren head of rock had he not -known that water was accessible in this natural cave. - -But this cavern had been known and utilized long before the Norman -adventurers burst into Wales. At some remote age, we know not how many -centuries or tens of centuries before, some warfaring people had -surrounded the top of the hill with a wall of stones, not set in mortar, -but sustained in place by their own weight. And to supply themselves -with water, they had cut a path like a thread in the face of the -precipice to the mouth of a gaping cavern that could be seen only from -the slopes of the Black Mountains, on the further side of the Cennen -River. - -In this vault water incessantly dripped, not in rapid showers, but -slowly; in wet weather more rapidly than at times of dryness, yet even -in the most burning, rainless seasons, there never was an absolute -cessation of falling drops. To receive these, bowls had been scooped out -in ledges of rock; and hither came the maidens daily with their -pitchers, to supply the wants of all in the castle. What the Norman -builders had done was to broaden the path by cutting deeper into the -face of the cliff, and to build up the face towards the precipice, -leaving loopholes at intervals, to prevent accidents such as might -happen through vertigo, or a turn of an ankle, or a slip on the polished -lime-rock. The whole mouth of the cavern had also been walled up, so -that no one unacquainted with the arrangements within the castle would -have suspected its existence. - -To fill the pitchers the water-carriers were furnished with wooden -spoons and shallow ladles, with which they scooped up the liquid from -the rock-basins into their vessels. - -Hither Nest, the wife of Gerald of Windsor, had brought Pabo. She had -learned what was the doom of the Archpriest so soon as the interview was -over between him, the bishop, and her husband. Nest was a subtle woman. -Lovely beyond any other woman in Britain, and with that exquisite -winsomeness of manner which only a Celtic woman possesses, which a Saxon -can ape but not acquire, she was able when she exerted her powers to -cajole Gerald, and obtain from him much that his judgment warned him he -should not yield. For a long time she had induced him even to harbor her -brother Griffith, but he did so only so long as the young man was not in -open revolt against King Henry. - -She had not on this occasion attempted to induce Gerald to mitigate the -sentence on Pabo. She reserved her cajolery for another occasion. Now, -she had recourse to other means. With a little cleverness, she had -succeeded in securing the key of the dungeon; but for her own good -reasons she did not desire that her husband should learn, or even -suspect, that she had contrived the escape of the prisoner. - -Now Pabo stood by her in the great natural domed vault in the bowels of -the mountain, crowned by Careg Cennen Castle; and by the flicker of the -lamp he saw her face, and wondered at its beauty. - -"Pabo, priest of God!" she said, and her face worked with emotion. -"Heaven alone knows what a life I lead--a double life, a life behind a -mask. I have a poor, weak, trembling woman's heart, that bleeds and -suffers for my people. I have but one love--one only love, that fills -and flames in all my veins: it is the love of Wales, of my country, my -beautiful, my sovereign country. And, O God! my people. Touch them, and -I quiver and am tortured, and durst not cry out. Yet am I linked to one -who is my husband, and I belong to him in body. Yet hath he not my -immortal soul, he hath not this passionate heart. Nay! Not one single -drop of the burning Welsh blood that dances and boils in every artery." -She clasped her hands to her heart. "Oh, Pabo, my lot is in sad -quarters! My life is one continuous martyrdom for my country, for my -people, for their laws, their freedom, their Church! What can I do? Look -at these women's fingers! What gifts have I? Only this fair face and -this golden hair, and a little mother wit. I give all to the good cause. -And now," she became more calm in tone, and she put forth her hand and -clasped the priest by the wrist, and spake in measured tones, though her -finger-ends worked nervously. "And now--learn this. For reasons that I -cannot speak plainly, I would not have my husband know that I have -contrived thy escape. And I cannot contrive to pass thee out through the -gates. There is but one way that thou canst be freed. See--the women -come hither to draw water, and the door creaks on its hinges whensoever -opened. When thou hearest the door cry out, then hide thee under the -stair, or yonder in the depth of the cave. None of the wenches penetrate -further than these basins. But after they have left--and they come but -in the morning and at eve--then thou hast this place to thyself. Know -that there is no escape downwards from the eyelet-holes. It is a sheer -fall--and if that were adventured, thou wouldst be dashed to pieces, as -was one of the Normandy masons who was engaged on the wall. He lost his -foothold and fell--and was but a mangled heap at the bottom. No--that -way there is no escape. I have considered well, and this is what I have -devised." She paused and drew a long breath. "There stands a stout and -well-rooted thorn-tree on the crag above. I will tarry till supper-time, -when my lord and his men will be merry over their cups, and then will I -swing a bracelet--this." She took off a twisted serpent of gold, -quaintly wrought, from her wrist. "This I will attach to a string, and I -will fasten the other end to the thorn-tree. Then shall the bracelet be -swung to and fro, and do thou remain at one of the loopholes, and put -forth thine hand and catch the string as it swings. Hold it fast and -draw it in. Then I will attach a knotted rope to the string, and do thou -draw on until thou hast hold of the rope. Thereupon I will make the -other end fast to the thorn-tree, and as thou canst not descend, mount, -and thou art free." - -Pabo hesitated--then said, "It seems to me that these eyelet-holes are -too narrow for a man's body to pass through." - -"It is well said," answered Nest, "and of that I have thought. Here is a -stout dagger. Whilst thou canst, work out the mortar from between the -joints of the masonry about the window-slit yonder. It is very fresh and -not set hard. But remove not the stone till need be." - -"I will do so." - -"And as to the bracelet," continued Nest, "it is precious to me, and -must not be left here to betray what I have done. Bring it away with -thee." - -"And when I reach the thorn-tree then I will restore it thee." - -"Nay," rejoined Nest, "take it with thee, and go find my brother -Griffith, wherever he be, and give it to him. Know this: it was taken -from the cairn of Maxen Wlledig, the Emperor of Britain, whose wife was -a Welsh princess, and whose sons ruled in Britain, and of whose blood -are we. Tell him to return me my bracelet within the walls of Dynevor. -Tell him"--her breath came fast and like flame from her lips--"tell him -that I will not wear it till he restore it to me in the castle of our -father--in the royal halls of our ancestors, the Kings of Dyfed, and -has fed the ravens of Dynevor with English flesh." - -Again she calmed down. - -A strange passionate woman. At one moment flaming into consuming heat, -then lulling down to calm and coolness. It was due to the double life -she lived; the false face she was constrained to assume, and the -undying, inextinguishable patriotic ardor that ate out her heart, that -was so closely and for so long time smothered, but which must at times -force itself into manifestation. Pabo, looking into that wondrous face, -by the flicker of the little lamp, saw in it a whole story of sorrow, -shame, rage, love, and tenderness mapped out. - -A strange and terrible life-story had hers been--even in young days. - -She had been taken from her home while quite a child, and committed as a -hostage to the charge of Henry Beauclerk; he had done her the worst -outrage that could have been offered--when she was helpless, an alien -from her home and people in his power. Then, without caring whether she -liked the man or not, he had married her to Gerald of Windsor, the -spoliator, the ravager of South Wales. Once, Owen ap Cadogan, son of -the Prince of Cadogan, had seen her at a banquet and eisteddfod given by -her father at Aberteiri, to which the kings, princes, and lords of Wales -had been invited. Among all the fair ladies there assembled none -approached in beauty the young Princess Nest, daughter of King Rhys, and -wife of Gerald of Windsor. Owen went mad with love. On the plea of -kinship he visited her in Pembroke Castle, set it on fire, and while it -was blazing carried her away into Powys. - -Nor was she an unwilling victim: she accompanied him, but only because -she trusted that he would rouse all Wales and unite North and South in -one great revolt against the power of England. And, indeed, at his -summons, like a wild-fire, revolt had spread through Dyfed, Cardigan, -and southern Powys. Only North Wales remained unmoved. The struggle was -brief--the Cymri were poor and deficient in weapons of war, and were -unable to withstand the compact masses hurled against them, in perfect -military discipline, and securing every stride by the erection of a -stronghold. Owen, carrying with him plenty of spoil, fled to Ireland, -where he was hospitably received, and Gerald recovered his wife. She was -disillusioned. Owen sought no nobler end than the amassing of plunder -and the execution of vindictive revenge on such as had offended him. His -ferocity had alienated from him the hearts of his people, for his sword -had been turned rather against such of his own kin who had incurred his -resentment than against the common foe. - -Into Cardigan, the realm of Owen's father, Strongbow had penetrated, and -had planted castles. - -Presently, harboring treachery in his heart, Owen returned from Ireland -and threw himself into the arms of Henry Beauclerk, who flattered him -with promises and took him in his company to Normandy, where he bestowed -on Owen the honor of knighthood, and had converted him into a creature -ready to do his pleasure without scruple. - -Pembroke Castle had been rebuilt, Carmarthen was girt with iron-bound -towers; in rear, Strongbow was piling up fortresses at Aberystwyth and -Dingeraint. - -"See!" said Nest; "poorly hast thou fared hitherto. I have laid in a -store of food for thee under the stair. Be ready just before nightfall. -Lay hold of the golden bracelet, and retain it till thou encounterest -Griffith, then give it him with my message. Let him return it me in our -father's ruined hall of Dynevor, when it is his own once more." - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -SANCTUARY - - -Rogier was pacing up and down in the house of which he had taken -possession. On the table lay, heaped in bags of woven grass, the fine -that had been imposed on the tribe. All had been paid. The elders had -endeavored hard to induce him to accept two-thirds from them and to levy -the remainder on Cadell; but he bade them squeeze their Archpriest--he -was not going to trouble himself to do that--and the rest of the silver -was produced. The men hoped to be able to recoup themselves later by -deducting this third from their payments to the pastor thrust upon them. - -As Pabo had been secured, Rogier had released those who were detained in -the court-house; they had returned to their homes. - -It was anticipated that now the Norman would withdraw along with his -men; he had no further excuse for remaining. But he gave not the -smallest token of an intention to remove. - -Cadell had entered. He also wished to know how long the foreigners would -tarry in the place. So long as they were there it would be impossible -for him to come to friendly terms with his flock. Yet, though he desired -that the bulk of the men-at-arms, along with their captain, should -withdraw, he did not by any means desire to be left completely alone in -the midst of a population that regarded him with a malevolent eye, were -unwilling to receive his ministrations, acknowledge his authority, and -even show him ordinary civility. - -He had accordingly entered the house in the hopes of arranging with the -bishop's brother terms whereby he might have two or four men left in -Caio to support him in emergencies without being ostensibly his -servants. - -A plea might easily be found in the refractory humor of the people for a -small guard to be left till they proved more complaisant. - -Near the door, against the wall, Morwen was seated, pale but resolved, -with her hands folded. - -"You seem to be in a vast impatience to see my back," said Rogier, "but -let me tell you, Master Chaplain, I like this place. It lyeth well to -the sun, the soil is fertile and amply watered. It is suitably timbered, -and methinks there is building-stone here that might serve to construct -a stronghold. I have looked about me and fancied Pen-y-ddinas. It crieth -out for a castle to stand upon it--dominating, as it doth, the whole -valley." - -"A castle for the bishop?" - -"Oh! save your presence and clergy. It is well for one to feather one's -own nest first. As to the Church, hers is downy enough without needing -to pluck more geese to make her easier." - -"Then for whom?" - -"For myself, of course. This is a fair district; it is girded about with -mountains; it has been occupied for centuries by a thrifty people who -have hoarded their silver. Methinks I could soon contrive to make of it -a barony of Caio for myself." - -"But," said Cadell, aghast, "these be Church lands. You would not rob -the Church?" - -"By no means are they Church lands. This is tribal land, and it so -chances that the head of the tribe has been for some time--how long I -know not--an ecclesiastic. But that is an accident." - -"It is the sanctuary of David." - -"But not the property of the see of David. It is the sanctuary of -Cynwyl, I take it; and it has so fallen out that the inheritor of the -chieftainship has been for some years--it may be centuries--in priestly -orders. But as to belonging to the see, that it never did. Now I take -it, there shall be a separation of powers, and I will assume the secular -rule, and constitute myself Baron of Caio--and thou, if it please thee, -shalt be Archpriest, and exercise ecclesiastical authority. It will be -best so--then I and my bull-dogs will be ever hard by to help thee in -thy difficulties." - -"The bishop will never agree to this." - -"He must. Am I going to fight his battles and not be paid for it, and -fix my price?" - -"Does he know of thy purpose?" - -"I care not whether he do or not. I shall take my course, and he cannot -oppose me, because he dare not. By the soul of the Conqueror, Sir -Chaplain, these fat farmers ooze with money. I have but given them a -little squeeze, and they have run out silver--it is yonder, dost mark -it? Hast thou seen cider made? They make it in my country. The apples -are chopped up and cast into a broad, stone-grooved trough, and a lever -is brought to bear, laden with immense weights, to crush them. You -should see, man, how the juice runs out, and you would say that there -was never another drop of liquor in them. Then the lever is raised, and -the weight shifted; next with a knife the apple-cheese is pared all -round and the parings are cast up in the middle. Again the lever is -worked, and out flows as much as at first, till again it appears that -all is drained away. And this process is renewed to five times, and -every time out pours the generous and sweet must. It is not with apples -as with grapes. These latter once well pressed yield all--apples must be -pressed to six and even seven times. My Cadell--these peasants are juicy -apples. If I send this first squeeze to my brother, I reserve the after -outgushes for mine own drinking." - -Cadell looked down disconcerted. He knew very well that Rogier's scheme -would mean the shrinkage to but little of his power and profits. - -"You do not understand this people," said he, after some consideration. -"You will drive them to desperation with your rough treatment. They are -a kindly and a gentle folk that are easily led, but ill driven." - -"Well, now," said Rogier, and laughed. He halted, leaned against the -table, and folded his arms; "it is so; but I have a scheme such as will -reconcile the tribe of Cynwyl to my rule. And thou art come here -suitably at this moment to assist me in carrying it out." - -"What wouldest thou?" asked Cadell sulkily. - -"It is even this," answered Rogier, and again he laughed. "Dost see? I -have been courting a pretty wench. But it is bad wooing when I cannot -speak a word of Welsh and she as little of French. Now, Sir Priest, be -my go-between, and say sweet and tender words to her from me, and bring -me back her replies of the same savor." - -"I cannot! I will not!" exclaimed the chaplain indignantly. - -"I ask of thee nothing dishonest," said Rogier; "far otherwise. I have a -fancy to make the pretty Morwen my wife--and Baroness Caio. Tell her -that--all in good sooth and my purpose honorable, the Church shall be -called to bless us." - -"She is another man's wife!" - -"Nay, nay, a priest's leman--that is all. And if that stick in thy -throat, be conscience-smoothed. By this time Pabo is no more. I know my -brother's temper. He is a man who never forgives; and the loss of a pair -of teeth is not that he will pass over." - -"But he does not hold that this man you have sent him is Pabo." - -"Pshaw! he knows better. Whether he be Pabo, or whether he be not, -Bernard will never suffer him to live a week after he has him between -his two palms. Therefore, seeing Morwen is a widow, and free, now, all -is plain, my intent is good. If I marry her--who has been the wife of -the chieftain of the tribe, I enter upon all his rights so far as they -are secular; those that be ecclesiastical I leave to thee." - -"Not so," said Cadell sharply. "She is no heiress. She is not of the -blood." - -"Oh! she shall be so esteemed. Scripture is with me--man and wife be no -more twain but one flesh, so that she enters into all his rights, and I -take them over along with her. It will smooth the transfer. The people -will like it, or will gulp down what is forced on them, and pretend to -be content." - -"This is preposterous--the heir to the tribal rights is Goronwy, the -cousin of Pabo." - -"That cripple? The people would not have him before to rule over them. -They will not now. Let them look on him and then on me; there can be but -one decision. If there be a doubt, I shall contrive to get the weasel -out of the way. And, moreover," said Rogier, who chuckled over his -scheme, "all here are akin--that is why there was such a to-do about the -seven degrees. It hit them all. I warrant ye, when gone into, it will be -found that she has in her the blood of----. What is the name?" - -"Cunedda." - -"Aye, of that outlandish old forefather. If not, I can make it so. There -is a man here--Meredith they call him--a bard and genealogist. I have a -pair of thumb-screws, and I can spoil his harping forever unless he -discover that the pretty wench whom I design for myself, to be my -Baroness Caio, be lineally descended from--I cannot mind the name--and -be, after Goronwy, the legitimate heir to all the tribal rights. Cadell, -you can make a man say and swear to anything with the persuasion of -thumb-screws. A rare institution." - -The chaplain said nothing to this. It was a proposition that did not -admit of dispute. - -A good many of the Norman barons had taken the Welsh heiresses to them -as a means of disarming the opposition they encountered, perhaps feeling -a twinge of compunction at their methods of appropriation of lands by -the sword. Gerald of Windsor, as we have seen, was married to a -princess of the royal race of Dyfed, though not, indeed, an heiress. A -knight occupying a subordinate position, if he chanced to secure as wife -the heiress of some Welsh chief, at once claimed all her lands and -rights, and sprang at once into the position of a great baron. - -"Come, sweetheart!" exclaimed Rogier boisterously, and went up to Morwen -and caught her by the chin. "Look me in the face and say 'Aye!' and I -will put a coronet of pearls on thy black hair." - -She shrank from him--not indeed, understanding his words, but -comprehending that she was treated with disrespect. - -"Speak to her, you fool!" said Rogier angrily. "She must be told what I -purpose. If not by you then by Pont l'Espec, whom I will call in. But by -the Conqueror's paunch, I do not care to do my wooing through the mouth -of a common serving-man." - -Cadell stood up from the seat into which he had lowered himself and -approached Morwen. - -"Hark y'!" said the Norman; "no advice of thine own. I can see thou -likest not my design. Say my words, give my message, and bear me back -her reply--and thrust in naught of thy mind, and thy suasion." - -"What, then, shall I say?" - -"Tell her that I am not one to act with violence unless thwarted, and in -this particular thwarted I will not be. Tell her that I desire that she -shall be my wife; and say that I will make myself baron over this -district of Caio--King Henry will deny me nothing I wot--and she shall -rule and reign the rest of her days by a soldier's side, instead of by -that of a cassocked clerk." - -Cadell translated the offer. - -Morwen's large deep eyes were fixed on him intently as he spoke, and her -lips trembled. - -"I must give an answer," said the priest. - -Then Morwen rose and replied: "He will surely give me time to consider." - -"Aye, aye, till to-morrow," said Rogier when her words were translated -to him. - -Thereupon Morwen bowed and left the house. - -Rogier took a step towards the door, but Cadell stayed him. "Give her -till to-morrow to be alone." - -"Well," said he, "to-morrow shall settle it." - -Cadell left, and instead of seeking his lodging he went into the church. - -There, to his surprise, he saw a woman--it was Morwen, clinging to the -wicker-work screen. - -"It is sanctuary! It is sanctuary!" she cried, as she saw him. "They -shall not tear me hence." - -"Nay," said Cadell; "that they dare not. I will maintain thy right to -sanctuary. It is well. To Cynwyl thou hast appealed. Cynwyl shall -protect thee." - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -IN OGOFAU - - -In the darkness, Goronwy was lurking about the church. He was the first -to communicate to Rogier that Morwen had taken sanctuary. The Norman, -angry, bade him watch and not suffer her to leave without informing him -whither she had betaken herself. She could not remain there -indefinitely. It was a custom that sanctuary held for seven days and -nights, and that if the clergy could not send away a refugee during that -time, the right of protection afforded by the sacredness of the -precincts ceased in that particular case. - -Rogier was wounded in his vanity, but not greatly concerned. He was -certain that she could not escape him eventually. - -A hand was laid on Goronwy's shoulder; he started with terror, and his -alarm was not lessened when Pabo addressed him, "What are you doing -here, Goronwy?" - -"Oh, Pabo! we have feared you were lost." - -"As you see--I am returned. What are you doing here?" - -"Alas! I have no proper home--no more than you. Do you ask then why I am -about at night?" - -"Poor boy! poor boy! Well, I would have you do me a commission now. I -must not be seen here; yet would communicate with my wife. Where is -Morwen?" - -Goronwy hesitated but for a moment, and then answered, "I do not know." - -"She is not now with Howel?" - -"No, sent elsewhere. Perhaps to Llansawel." - -"You must find her, and bid her come to me." - -"Whither shall I bid her go?" - -"Bid her come to me in Ogofau." - -"In Ogofau?" echoed Goronwy, shrinking back. - -"There is one thing more I desire," pursued Pabo. "Go into the church -and bring me thence one of those coils of taper that hang in front of -the screen." - -"Taper!" in all but speechless astonishment. - -"Yes; I am going to enter the old mine. I do not hesitate to tell you, -as one in blood, in hopes, in sufferings with me. I am going to enter -the mine, and would fain have a consecrated light." - -"I will get it at once," said Goronwy, and went within. What could this -mean? What was Pabo's object? Within the church two lamps burnt in the -sanctuary, but without all was dark, yet in the darkness he could see -Morwen crouched against the screen. A Celtic church had buildings -connected with it--a guest hall in which the congregation could assemble -and take a meal after divine service, stables for horses, and even -sleeping apartments. All were surrounded by the privilege of sanctuary; -yet Morwen remained in the church, fearing lest these adjuncts should -not meet with the same respect as the main building, the house of God. - -Against the screen were hung a number of twisted wax tapers, forming -coils. These were employed on vigils and at the Pylgain, or Christmas -Eve service at night. One of these Goronwy took down. He said no word to -Morwen, but went out as silently as he had entered. - -"I thank you," said Pabo. "I would not enter myself lest Cadell should -be there, and he recognize me." - -"You need not have feared that," laughed Goronwy. "He is not one to -spend hours in prayer. He is not there." - -"Then will I enter and pray." - -"Nay," Goronwy interposed. "There are others there who it were well -should not see you." - -"Be it so," said Pabo. "And now--find Morwen, aye--and speak with Howel -also. Tell him naught of Ogofau. I shall have something to say shortly -that will make the hearts of all Welshmen dance." - -"And will you not tell me?" - -"All in good time, lad. As yet I cannot say, for in sooth it is an -expectation and not a certainty." - -Then he departed. - -Goronwy leaned against the church wall, looking in the direction he had -taken, perplexed and not knowing what he should do. - -Pabo took his course over the brawling Annell, below the church, and -mounted a spur of hill, among woods, till he came to a hollow, an -incipient glen that ran west, and opposite rose a rounded height crowned -by a camp, the Caer of ancient Cynyr, the father of the Five Saints. It -was thence these holy brothers had descended to place themselves under -the tuition of Cynwyl. It was when these five had disappeared into the -gold-mine that the father had surrendered his principality to the -missionary who had come among them from the North, and thus had -constituted the Archpriesthood, holding a chieftaindom over the Caio -district. - -And now Pabo descended among stumps of trees and broken masses of stone, -and all at once stood on the edge of a great crater, into which the -silvery light of the moon from behind a haze flowed, and which it -filled. Out of this circular basin shot up a spire of rock, called the -Belfry of Gwen--of her who dared to enter the mine to spy on the Saints -in their magic sleep. - -Cautiously Pabo descended the steep side, where the rubble, sifted for -gold, sloped to the floor. - -On reaching the bottom he looked around him. - -He was in an amphitheater of rock, here abrupt, there buried under -slopes of detritus. - -The moon came out and sent the shadow of Gwen's Belfry across the level -white floor of the mine. - -What the Romans had done was to scoop out the interior of a nodule of -hill, much as we now dig out the inside of a Stilton cheese, and leave -the walls intact. But there existed this difference: that the walls were -not like a cheese-rind, that could be pierced through. They were but -portions of the mountain, into which, by adits from the crater, the -miners had burrowed. Most of these old tunnels were choked, some hidden -under slides of rubble, but one gaped black, and it was into this that -the Five Saints had entered according to legend, and Gwen also. And now -Pabo was about to penetrate as well. Doubt of the reality of the -discovery made by the hermit had departed. He was fully convinced that -he would light on the hoard. His sole fear left was he should forget the -directions he had seen traced on the plank. - -There was little wind now, below in this bowl. He struck flint and steel -together and obtained a light. Then he kindled his wax taper, signed -himself with the cross, and entered the cave. - -For some way in, the floor was covered with stones that had been thrown -in. The roof was higher than his head and was arched. - -This was no natural cavern like that under Careg Cennen. This was cut by -man's hand, out of rock very different in character, color, and texture -from the limestone. - -The light from his taper glittered in the water that trickled over the -sides, and in the pools that here and there lay in the footway. There -were no stalagmites. Pabo could distinguish the marks of the picks used -to excavate the adit. All at once he was startled by a rushing and -whistling. - -He drew back, and past him swept legions of bats that had hitherto lived -undisturbed in this cave. They came back, flickered near his face, -threatened his light, and he shouted and threw stones. Then--he saw, -heard them no more. They had issued from the portal and had gone to hunt -under the open sky. - -Now the ground rose; there had been an accumulation of soil, and he was -forced to bend low to pass on. But presently the floor sank and the -vault was loftier, and he pursued his course erect. - -The ground now was hard rock, not earth, and it rang under his steps. It -was also dry. The air was intensely still. - -The candle cast but a feeble light, and that but imperfectly illumined -the way before him. He could best see by holding it above his head, yet -was able to do this only where the arched roof was high, and he ever -feared lest it should strike on a rock and become extinguished. - -The passage bulged and became a hall, and here it seemed to him that he -saw some blue object before him. He stood, uncertain what it was, and -whether to venture towards it. Presently he discovered that it was a -patch of light, a reflection of some of the moonlit vapor in the sky -falling through a small orifice far, far above in a dome, the height of -which he could not measure. In contrast with the yellow flame of his -candle, this feeble spot had looked blue as a turquoise. He tried to -recollect the plan sketched on the board, and he did remember that this -hall was there indicated, with _Ibi lumen_ scrawled beside it. He -traversed this hall and entered another passage, or a continuance of the -same, beyond. Then he put his hand to his brow, and endeavored to recall -the sketch of the mine--and felt that it was gone from him. - -While lying in prison at Careg Cennen he had recalled it distinctly--he -now, indeed, remembered that there was a direction _in sinistram_ or _ad -dextram_, he could not now say which, and where the turn was to be made. -However, there surely could be no mistake--as he had the way open -before him. - -Hitherto he had felt no fear. Possibly his incarceration in partial -darkness had accustomed him to some such places; he pushed on, moreover, -animated with hope. And he placed some confidence in his blessed taper -from the church of the patron of his family and tribe. - -But suddenly he sprang back, and only just in time. In front of him, -occupying the whole width of the passage, was a hole. How deep it was he -had some means of judging by hearing the bound and rebound of a stone -dislodged by his foot. - -"_Cave puteum_;" now he recalled the warning. - -He crept forward cautiously, and extended his light over the gulf. It -illumined the sides but a little way down. Judging by the time a stone -took in falling before it plashed into water, it must have been about -fifty feet in depth. - -The well was not large at the mouth. And now Pabo distinctly remembered -that the _Thesaurus_ was not far beyond it. - -It did not occur to him to return. He was so near the goal that reach it -he must. - -He examined attentively the sides. Not a thread of a track existed -whereby the abyss might be skirted. There were no pieces of wood about -by means of which it could be bridged. - -The well's mouth was but four feet in diameter. Surely he could leap -that! - -He stepped back two, three strides, and bounded. He reached the ground -beyond, but in the spring his light was extinguished. - -The snuff was glowing, and he blew on it, but it would not flame. - -"It matters not," said he. "I have my tinder and steel; I can relight -it. Now on, on to the gold!" - -He stepped forward in the dark, but holding the taper with the -smoldering snuff. Then his steps sounded as though he were in a wide -chamber. He held out his hands; the walls had fallen away. A few steps -further, and he stumbled, and stumbling, dropped on his knees, and saw -by the expiring light of the snuff--the glint of ingots of gold. - -The last spark went out, and he was in complete darkness. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -AURI MOLES PRAEGRANDIS - - -Pabo rose to his feet at once. He had seen, he had touched the gold. The -wax taper had dropped from his hand as he fell. He groped for it and -soon found it. Then he put his hand to his pouch for flint and steel. -They were not there. He searched the breast of his tunic. They were not -there either. Then he passed his hand over the floor, thinking that he -might have dropped them from his pouch when he fell. As yet he was not -alarmed, rather concerned, as he was impatient to see the treasure. -Kneeling, he groped on all sides of him, but could not find what he -sought. His hand touched ingots; that he knew by their shape, and that -they were of gold he was assured by the yellow glint when his wax light -fell. - -Still bending on one knee, and with a hand on the ground, he began to -consider what could have become of flint and steel. Was it possible -that he had left them outside the "Ogof" when he lighted the taper? He -racked his brain. He distinctly recalled the kindling of the wick. He -could not remember having replaced the flint, steel, and tinder in his -pouch. It might have occurred that flint or steel had fallen out when he -stumbled, or even when he leaped the chasm, but not that tinder as well -should have gone. He knew that whilst engaged in kindling the taper he -had placed the now missing articles on a stone just within the entrance. -There they might be still. He must have forgotten to replace them in his -purse. Forgotten those things most necessary to him in the mine! Only -conceivable through the occupation of his thoughts over the treasure, in -quest of which he was venturing. He had found the treasure, but now was -without the means of mustering it, even of seeing it. - -Again he groped about the floor, in desperation, hoping against -conviction that the flint, steel, and tinder might be lying there. His -hands passed over the cold damp rock; it was in vain; and weariness at -length compelled him to desist. Now only did the whole horror of his -situation lighten on him. The chasm lay between him and his way back. He -might, possibly enough, by feeling, find the passage by which he had -entered; but how could he traverse that awful abyss? He was buried -alive. - -He sat in the darkness listening. - -He heard no sound whatever, save at long intervals a drip of water. - -He stared into the blackness of night that surrounded him, but could see -not the faintest trace of light. And yet--not at any great distance was -the hall into which a pearly ray fell from an orifice above; but between -him and the spot of light lay the well. - -Were it not better to essay to return, and risk the headlong fall into -that gulf, than to sit there in darkness, in solitude, till death by -starvation came on him, and hear the slow ticking of the falling drops? - -What chance of rescue had he? - -True that he had sent word to his wife to meet him at the Ogofau--the -caves, in the plural, not to seek for him in the one Ogof, in the -singular, that was specially dreaded as the haunt of Gwen, and the place -where slept the Five Saints. - -Would his wife think of seeking him therein? Could she possibly venture -so far from the light? It was not credible. - -He tried to rise, but his limbs were stiff, and he shivered as with -cold. - -Cautiously, with extended hands, he groped for the wall, and finally -reached it. Then, passing them along, he felt his way towards the -opening to the passage. But as to his direction, of that he knew -nothing, could form no conjecture. While searching for his kindling -tools, he had turned himself about and lost every inkling as to the -course by which he had entered. - -After a while his right hand no longer encountered rock, and stepping -sideways, he held with his left hand to the wall and stretched forth the -right, but felt nothing. Letting go, but with reluctance, he moved -another step sideways and now touched rock again. - -He had found the passage, and he took a few steps down it, drawing his -hand along the side. He put forth the right foot, feeling the floor lest -he should come unawares on the chasm. So he crept on, but whether he -were going forward in a straight line or was describing a curve, he did -not know. His brain was in a whirl. Then he struck his head against a -prong of rock that descended from above, and reeled back and fell. - -For a while, without being completely stunned, he lay in half -consciousness. His desperate condition filled him with horror. - -What if he did find his way to the ledge of the well? Could he leap it? -If he made the attempt, he did not know in which direction to spring; he -might bound, dash himself against the rock, and go reeling down into the -gulf. But even to make such a leap he must take a few strides to acquire -sufficient impetus. How measure his strides in the pitch darkness? How -be sure that he did not leap too precipitately and not land at all, but -go down whirling into the depths? And there was something inexpressibly -hideous in the thought of lying dead below, sopping in water at the -bottom of that abyss--sopping till his flesh parted from the bones, away -from the light, his fate unknown to his wife, his carcass there to lie -till Doomsday. - -Partly due to the blow he had received, partly to desperation, his mind -became confused. Strange thoughts came over him. He seemed to acquire -vision, and to behold the Five Saints lying in a niche before him, with -their heads on a long stone. They were very old, and their faces covered -with mildew. Their silver beards had grown and covered them like -blankets. One had his hand laid on the ground, and the fingers were -like stag's-horn lichen. - -Then the one saint raised this white hand, passed it over his face, -opened his eyes, and sat up. - -"Brothers," said he, in a faint small voice, "let us turn our pillow." - -Thereat the other four sat up, and the one who had roused his brethren -said: "See--we have worn holes in the stone with our heads. We will turn -our pillow." - -And in verity there were five cup-like depressions in the stone. Then -the old Saint reversed the stone, and at once all four laid their heads -on it again and went again to sleep. The fifth also relaid his head on -the stone, and immediately his eyes closed. - -Then it was to Pabo as though he saw a white face peeping round a corner -of rock; and this was followed by a form--thin, vaporous, clad in -flowing white robes. - -"Gwen! Gwen!" he cried, starting up. "You--you know a way forth! You -leave in thunder and storm. Let me hold to your skirts, and draw me from -this pit of darkness!" - -But with his cries the phantasm had vanished. His eyes were staring -into pitch darkness, in which not even a spectral form moved. - -And still--he heard at long-drawn intervals the drip, drip of water. - -Again he sank back into half-consciousness, and once more his troubled -brain conjured up fantastic visions. - -He thought himself once again in the cave at Careg Cennen, and that the -beautiful Nest came to him. Somehow, he confused her with Gwen. She -seemed also to be vaporous--all but her face and her radiant golden -hair. What eyes she had, and how they flashed and glowed as she spoke of -the wrongs done to her country and to her people! - -He thought she spoke to him, and said: "Oh, Pabo, Pabo, I have trusted -in thee! My brother, he is raising all Cymraig peoples. Take to him the -treasure of the old Romans. With that he will buy harness, and swords, -and spears, and will call over and enroll levies from Ireland. With gold -he will bribe, and get admission to castles he cannot break up. With -gold he will get fleets to sail up the Severn Sea and harass the enemy -as they venture along the levels of Morganwg. See, see, I have given -thee the bracelet of Maxen the Emperor! It is a solemn trust. Bear it -to him; let it not be lost here in the bowels of the earth!" - -And again he started with a cry and said: "Help, help, Princess Nest! Me -thou didst draw out of the dungeon. Me thou didst bring up out of the -cave. Deliver me now!" - -And again all was blackness, and there was no answer. Still continued -the monotonous drip. Then Pabo bit his tongue, and resolved by no means -to suffer himself to fall away into these trances again. With strong -resolution he fought with phantom figures as they rose before his eyes, -with drowsiness as it crept over his brain, with whispers and mutterings -that sounded in his ears. - -How long the time was that passed he knew not. He might have counted the -drips of water, yet knew not the length of each interval between the -falling of the drops. - -He forcibly turned his mind to Morwen, and wondered what would become of -her. Howel he trusted to do his uttermost, but Howel would have been -hung but for his opportune return. - -Then his mind turned to the prospects of down-trampled Wales; to the -chances of Griffith--to the defection and treachery of the King of -North Wales; to the discouragement that had followed the abortive -attempt of Owen ap Cadogan. But Owen had been a man false of heart, -seeking only his selfish ends; without one spark of loyalty to his -nation. Far other was Griffith. His beauty, his open manner, his winning -address, were matched with a character true, brave, and sympathetic. In -him the people had a leader in whom they could trust. And yet what would -be his chances against the overwhelming power of England and Normandy? - -Before Pabo's eyes, as they closed unconsciously, clouds seemed to -descend, overspread and darken his beautiful land. He saw again and -again devastation sweep it. He saw alien nobles and alien prelates -fasten on it and suck its resources like leeches. There passed before -him, as it were, wave on wave of darkness, fire, and blood. And -then--suddenly a spark, a flame, a blaze, and in it a Welsh prince -mounting the English throne, one of the blood of Cunedda--the ancestor -of the Saint of Caio, their loved Cynwyl. The lions! the black lions of -Cambria waving over the throne of England! - -Pabo started with a thrill of triumph, but it was to hear a shriek, -piercing, harsh, horrible, ring through the vault, followed by crash, -crash, again a dull thud--and a splash. - -Thereon all was silent. - -Dazed in mind, unaware whether he were dreaming still, or whether what -he had heard were real, with every nerve quivering, with his blood -fluttering in his temples, at his heart, he shut his eyes, clutched the -ground, and held his breath. - -And then--next moment a flash--and a cry--"Pabo!" - -He opened his eyes--but saw nothing, only light. But he felt arms about -him, felt his head drawn to a soft and throbbing bosom, felt warm tears -dropping on his face. - -"Pabo! oh, my Pabo! it was not you!" - -By degrees his faculties returned. - -Then he saw before him Howel bearing a horn lantern; but he felt he -could not see her who had folded him in her arms and was sobbing over -him. - -"We have found you," said Howel. "But for her I would not have dared to -enter. Yet she would have gone alone. She saw thy flint and steel on a -stone at the entrance. She was full of fear, and left me no rest till I -agreed to accompany her. Tell me, what was that fearful cry?" - -"I know not. The place is full of phantoms." - -"Was there none with thee?" - -"None. Were ye alone?" - -"We were alone." - -"Then it was the cry of Gwen, or of some evil spirit. And oh! Howel. -_Auri moles praegrandis._" - -"I understand not." - -"Come and see." - -Pabo started to his feet now, disengaging himself gently from the arms -of his wife; but not relaxing the hold of her hand which he clasped. - -A few steps were retraced to the hall, and there lay the fallen wax -taper, and there, piled up, were ingots of gold. - -"See!" exclaimed Pabo. "For Griffith ap Rhys. With this--at last -something may be done." - -Howel passed his lantern over it meditatively. - -"Yes," he said, "it is just what has been the one thing that has failed -us hitherto." - -"Not the only thing; the other--a true man." - -"Right. We have here the means of success, and in Griffith--the true -leader." - -"Come!" said Pabo. "I must to the light. I am weary of darkness." - -He rekindled his wax taper at Howel's light, and all proceeded on their -way; and before many minutes had elapsed were in the domed chamber, -traversed from above by a tiny ray of moonlight. - -Pabo stood still. His head spun. - -"But the well! the well!" - -His wife and Howel looked at him with surprise. - -"How came you to me? How did you pass the chasm?" - -"There was no chasm. We have returned as we went." - -Pabo clasped his head. - -"There is a well. I leaped it. I feared to fall into it." - -Then all at once, clear before him stood the plan as drawn by the -hermit. From the chamber where light was there were two passages leading -to the treasure--one had it in the well--that was the turn to the right, -and the direction had been to go to the left. He who had seen the map -had gone wrong. They who had never seen it went right. But, we may ask, -what was that cry? From whom did it issue? - -All that can be said is this: Goronwy, after having given the message, -watched curiously, and saw Morwen go to the house of Howel. Had he not -been inquisitive to know the meaning of the meeting in Ogofau, he would -have betrayed her at once to Rogier. As it was, he resolved to follow -and observe, unseen. - -He had done so, and at a distance, after Howel and Morwen, he had -entered the mine. - -More cannot be said. - -Goronwy was never seen again. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -THE PYLGAIN OF DYFED - - -Like an explosion of fire-damp in a coal-mine--sudden, far-reaching, -deadly--so was the convulsion in South Wales. - -All was quiet to-day. On the morrow the whole land from the Bay of -Cardigan to Morganwg, was in flames. The rising had been prepared for -with the utmost caution. - -The last to anticipate it were the soldiery under Rogier, who were -quartered in Caio. Notwithstanding imperative orders from the bishop at -Llawhaden to return to him, they had remained where they were, and had -continued to conduct themselves in the same lawless manner as before. -They scoffed at the tameness with which their insolence was endured. - -"They are Cynwyl conies--des lapins!" they said. "Say 'Whist!' and -nothing more is seen of them than their white tails as they scuttle to -their burrows." - -For centuries this had been an oasis of peace, unlapped by the waves of -war. The very faculty of resistance was taken out of these men, who -could handle a plow or brandish a shepherd's crook, but were frightened -at the chime of a bowstring and the flash of a pike. - -Yet, secretly, arms were being brought into the valley, and were -distributed from farm to farm and from cot to cot; and the men whose -wives and daughters had been dishonored, whose savings had been carried -off, who had themselves been beaten and insulted, whose relatives had -been hung as felons, were gripping the swords and handling the -lances--eager for the signal that should set them free to fall on their -tormentors. And that signal came at last. - -On Christmas Eve, from the top of Pen-y-ddinas shot up a tongue of -flame. At once from every mountain-side answered flashes of fire. There -was light before every house, however small. The great basin of Caio was -like a reversed dome of heaven studded with stars. - -"What is the meaning of this?" asked Rogier, issuing from the habitation -he had appropriated to himself, and looking round in amazement. - -"It is the pylgain," replied his man, Pont d'Arche, who knew something -of Welsh. - -"Pylgain! What is that?" - -"The coming in of Christmas. They salute it with lights and carols and -prayers and dances." - -"Methinks I can hear sounds." - -"Aye! they are coming to church." - -"With torches--there are many." - -"They all come." - -Then a man came rushing up the hill; he was breathless. On reaching -where stood Rogier, he gasped: "They come--a thousand men and all -armed." - -"It is a river of fire." - -Along the road could be seen a waving line of light, and from all sides, -down the mountains ran cascades of light as well. - -"There is not a man is not armed, and the women each bear a torch; they -come with them--to see revenge done on us." - -Then up came Cadell. He was trembling. - -"Rogier," he said, "this is no pylgain for us--the whole country is -stirring. The whole people is under arms, and swearing to have our -blood." - -"We will show these conies of Cynwyl that we are not afraid of them." - -"They are no conies now, but lions. Can you stand against a thousand -men? And--this is not all, I warrant. The whole of the Towy Valley, and -that of the Teify, all Dyfed, maybe all Wales, is up to-night. Can you -make your way through?" - -Rogier uttered a curse. - -"By the paunch of the Bastard. I relish not running before those -conies." - -"Then tarry--and they will hang you beside Cynwyl's bell, where you -slung their kinsmen." - -Rogier's face became mottled with mingled rage and fear. - -Meanwhile his men had rallied around them, running from the several -houses they were lodging in; a panic had seized them. Some, without -awaiting orders, were saddling their horses. - -"Hark!" shouted Rogier. "What is that?" - -The river of light had become a river of song. The thunder of the voices -of men and the clear tones of the women combined. And from every rill of -light that descended from the heights to swell the advancing current, -came the strain as well. - -"They have come caroling," said Rogier disdainfully. - -"Carol, call you this?" exclaimed Cadell. "It is the war-song of the -sons of David. 'Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: let -them also that hate Him, flee before Him. Like as the smoke vanisheth, -so shalt Thou drive them away: and like as wax melteth at the fire, so -let the ungodly perish----'" - -"I will hear no more," said Rogier. "Mount! And Heaven grant us a day -when we may revenge this." - -"I will go too," said Cadell. "Here I dare not remain." - -Before the advancing river of men arrived at the crossing of the Annell, -the entire band of the Normans had fled--not one was left. - -Then up the ascent came the procession. - -First went the staff of Cynwyl, not now in its gold and gem-encrusted -shrine, but removed from it--a plain, rough, ashen stick, borne aloft by -Morgan ap Seyssult, its hereditary guardian, and behind him came -Meredith, with his two attendant bards, all with their harps, striking -them as the multitude intoned the battle-song that for five hundred -years had not sounded within the sanctuary of David. The women bore -torches aloft, the men marched four in breast, all armed and with stern -faces, and Pabo was there--and led them. - -The Archpriest, on reaching the church, mounted a block of stone, and -dismissed the women. Let them return to their homes. A panic had fallen -on those who had molested them, and they had fled. The work was but -begun, and the men alone could carry it on to the end. - -Rogier and his men did not draw rein till they had reached the Ystrad -Towy, the broad valley through which flowed the drainage of the -Brecknock Mountains. And there they saw that on all sides beacons were -kindled; in every hamlet resounded the noise of arms. At Llandeilo they -threw themselves into Dynevor, which had but a slender garrison. But -there they would not stay; and, avoiding such places as were centers of -gathering to the roused natives, they made for Carmarthen. - -The castle there was deemed impregnable. It was held mainly by Welsh -mercenaries in the service of Gerald of Windsor. Rogier mistrusted them; -he would not remain there, for he heard that Griffith ap Rhys, at the -head of large bodies of insurgents, was marching upon Carmarthen. - -Next day the brother of the bishop was again on the move with his men by -daybreak, and passed into the Cleddau Valley, making for Llawhaden. - -In the meantime the men of Caio were on the march. None were left behind -save the very old and the very young and the women. - -They marched four abreast, with the staff of Cynwyl borne before them. -Now the vanguard thundered the battle-song of David, "Cyfoded Duw, -gwasgarer ei elynion: affoeed ei gaseion o'i flaen ef." - -They sang, then ceased, and the rear-guard took up the chant: "When thou -wentest forth before the people; when thou wentest through the -wilderness, the earth shook and the heavens dropped." They sang on and -ceased. Thereupon again the vanguard took up the strain, "Kings with -their armies did flee, and were discomfited; and they of the household -divided the spoil." - -Thus chanting alternately, they marched through the passage among the -mountains threaded by the Sarn Helen, and before the people went Pabo, -wearing the bracelet of Maximus, the Roman Emperor, who took to wife -that Helen who had made the road, and who was of the royal British race -of Cunedda. - -So they marched on--following the same course as that by which the -Norman cavalcade had preceded them. And this was the Pylgain in Dyfed -in the year 1115. - -The host came out between the portals of the hills at Llanwrda, and -turned about and descended the Ystrad Towy, by the right bank of the -river; and the daybreak of Christmas saw them opposite Llangadock. The -gray light spread from behind the mighty ridge of Trichrug, and revealed -the great fortified, lonely camp of Carn Goch towering up, with its -mighty walls of stone and the huge cairn that occupied the highest point -within the enclosure. - -They halted for a while, but for a while only, and then thrust along in -the same order, and with the same resolution, intoning the same chant on -their way to Llandeilo. There they tarried for the night, and every -house was opened to them, and on every hearth there was a girdle-cake -for them. - -On the morrow the whole body was again on the march. Meanwhile, the -garrison had fled from Dynevor to Careg Cennen, and the men of Ystrad -Towy were camped against that fortress, from which, on the news of the -revolt, Gerald had escaped to Carmarthen. - -By the time the men of Caio were within sight of this latter place, it -was in flames. - -And tidings came from Cardigan. The people there had with one acclaim -declared that they would have Griffith as their prince, and were -besieging Strongbow's castle of Blaen-Porth. - -But the men of Caio did not tarry at Carmarthen to assist in the taking -of the castle. Only there did Pabo surrender the bracelet of Maxen to -the Prince, with the message from his sister. - -They pushed on their way. - -Whither were they bound? Slowly, steadily, resolvedly on the track of -those men who had outraced them to their place of retreat and defense, -the bishop's Castle of Llawhaden. - -Now when Bernard heard that all Caio was on the march, and came on -unswervingly towards where he was behind strong walls and defended by -mighty towers, then his heart failed him. He bade Rogier hold out, but -for himself he mounted his mule, rode to Tenby Castle; nor rested there, -but took ship and crossed the mouth of the Severn estuary to Bristol, -whence he hasted to London, to lay the tidings before the King. And with -him went Cadell, the Chaplain. - -It was evening when the host of Caio reached Llawhaden, and Rogier from -the walls heard the chant of the war-psalm. "God shall wound the head -of his enemies: and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in -his wickedness ... that thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine -enemies: and that the tongue of thy dogs may be red through the same." - -He shuddered--a premonition of evil. - -Pabo would have dissuaded his men from an immediate assault; but they -were not weary, they were eager for the fray. They had cut down and were -bearing fagots of wood, and carried huge bundles of fern. Some fagots -went into the moat, others were heaped against the gates. The episcopal -barns were broken into, and all the straw brought forth. - -Then flame was applied, and the draught carried the fire with a roar -within. - -By break of day Llawhaden Castle was in the hands of the men of Caio. -They chased its garrison from every wall of defense; they were asked -for, they gave no quarter. Those who had so long tyrannized over them -lay in the galleries, slain with the sword, or thrust through with -spears. Only Rogier, hung by the neck, dangled from a beam thrust -through an upper window. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -THE WHITE SHIP - - -The rebellion extended, castle after castle fell; those of the Normans -who remained maintained themselves within fortresses, like Pembroke and -Aberystwyth, that could receive provisions from the sea. Powys was -seething--a thrill of excitement had run through Gwynedd, and the aged -King there quaked lest his people should rise, dethrone him, and call on -Griffith to reign over them, and combine north and south in one against -the invader. - -It was in the favor of the Welsh that King Henry was out of the country. -He was warring against the French King in Normandy, and the malcontents -in the duchy. - -In order to punish the Welsh, he had sent Owen ap Cadogan at the head of -a body of men into the country. Owen was furious because the people of -Cardigan had greeted Griffith as their prince. Cardigan was the kingdom -to which Owen laid claim, but he had done nothing to maintain this claim -against Strongbow. Yet no sooner did he hear that a cousin, Griffith ap -Rhys, had been welcomed there as its deliverer and prince, than in -uncontrolled rage he gathered a troop of ruffians, and aided by the men -afforded him by King Henry, he invaded Dyfed, and took an oath that he -would massacre every man, woman, and child he came across till he had -cut his way, and left a track of blood from the Usk to the Atlantic. - -Thus a Welsh prince, with a mixed host of Welshmen and English, had come -among the mountains that had cradled him to exterminate those of his own -blood and tongue. - -The horrors he committed, his remorseless savagery, sent men and women -flying before him to the wastes and heaths of the Brecknock mountains, -and they carried with them the infirm and feeble, knowing well that Owen -would spare neither the gray head nor the infant. - -Enraged at not finding more food for his sword, he marked his onward -course with flame, destroying farms and homesteads. - -An appointment was made for the host of Owen, another led by Robert -Consul, and the disciplined foreigners under Gerald of Windsor, who had -been reinforced from the sea--to converge and unite in one great army -for the chastisement of South Wales. - -It so happened, while thus marching, that Owen, with about a hundred -men, detached himself from the main body to fall on and butcher a party -of fugitives on their way to the fastnesses of the mountains. Returning -with their plunder and their blades dripping with blood, Owen and his -ruffians came near to where Gerald of Windsor was on his way. - -Then up flamed the rage of the baron, and he resolved on using the -opportunity to discharge a personal debt of honor. It was this Owen who -had penetrated as a friend into Pembroke, and had carried off Gerald's -wife, Nest. - -At once he turned and fell on Owen and his murderous band, cut them to -pieces, and slew the man against whom he bore so bitter a grudge. - -Henry had returned from Normandy; he was triumphant. Peace had been -declared, and his son William had been invested with the duchy. The King -hastened to Westminster as soon as he had landed, expecting his sons, -William and Richard, and his daughter, Matilda, to follow him in a day -or two. As he was about to embark at Barfleur, there had come to him one -Thomas Fitz-Stephen, the son of the man who had conveyed the Conqueror -to England. At his petition, Henry accorded him the favor of convoying -the princes and the princess across the Channel in his splendid new -vessel, the _White Ship_. - -The crew, greatly elated at this honor, after having received their -passengers on board, begged Prince William that he would order drink to -be supplied them, and this he imprudently granted. A revel ensued, which -was kept up even after the King and his fleet had put to sea. Owing to -this, Henry arrived in England without the _White Ship_ remaining in -sight and forming a portion of the fleet. He was not, however, in any -concern, as the sea was calm and there was little wind, and he made his -way at once to Windsor. - -Almost immediately on his arrival, Nest appeared before him. - -The King was in a bad humor. He was vexed at his children not having -arrived. He was very angry because his porcupine was dead. The servant -whose duty it was to attend to the natural rarities Henry collected, -assured him that this death was due to the porcupine's licking himself -like a cat, to keep himself clean, and he had accidentally swallowed one -of his own quills, which had transfixed his heart. - -"And, Sire," said the man; "when I saw him licking himself, I blessed -Heaven, as I thought it to be a token of fair weather while your Majesty -was crossing the sea." - -"You should not have suffered him to lick himself," said the King -angrily. - -"Sire, I believed he was cleaning his spines, that he might present his -best appearance to your Majesty." - -"Take him away!" ordered Henry, addressing a man-at-arms, "and say he is -to receive fifty stripes at the pillory for his negligence. Well, what -are you here for, Nest? This is a cursed bad augury on my return to find -my porcupine dead and you here with a complaint." - -"Sire," said the Princess, "at one time my presence was not of -ill-augury to you." - -"Times have changed. I am driven mad with rebellion. First in Normandy, -then in Wales. One has no peace. But I have beaten down all opposition -in the duchy, and now I shall turn my attention to your country. What -do you want? To threaten and scold, as once before?" - -"No--only to entreat." - -"Oh, you women! you plead, and if you do not get what you ask, then you -menace. What one of all your threats and denunciations has come true? -What single one?" - -"Oh, my Sovereign," said Nest, "hearken to me but this once. Now there -is an occasion such as may not present itself again of pacifying Wales -and making my dear people honor you and submit to your scepter." - -"What is that?" - -"Owen ap Cadogan is dead. He entered his native land slaying and laying -waste, so that every Cymric heart trembled before him--some with fear, -others with resentment. And now--he is dead, Gerald my husband, who had -some wrong to redress----" - -Henry burst into derisive laughter. - -"Gerald killed him; and now the Welsh people hail him as having -delivered them from their worst foe." - -"Then let them submit." - -"But, Sire and King, their wrongs are intolerable. Oh, let there be some -holding of the hand. Lay not on them more burdens; meddle not further -with their concerns. I speak to you now, not for the princes, but for -the people." - -"It is well that you speak not for the princes. The worst of all, a -rebellious dragon, is your brother Griffith. Him I shall not spare." - -"I speak for the people. Sire, there is one truth they have taken to -heart now by the fall of Owen. It is that given in Scripture: Put not -your trust in princes! Those we have known have failed; and fail they -all will, because they seek their own glory, and not the welfare of the -people. Our Cymri know this now. Griffith of Gwynedd and Owen of -Cardigan have taught them that. Therefore, they are ready to bow under -the scepter of England, if that scepter, in place of being used to stir -up one prince against another, be laid on all to keep them in -tranquillity. What my people seek is peace, protection, justice. Sire, -you are mistaken if you believe that the Welsh people rise against the -overlordship of your Crown. They rise because they can obtain no peace, -no justice from the Norman adventurers sent among them, and no -protection against their best lands being taken from them and given to -Flemings. Sire, trust the people. Be just and generous to them. Protect -them from those who would eat them up. All they rise for, fight for--are -the eternal principles of justice as between man and man. Your men -snatch from them their lands; their homes they are expelled from; even -their churches are taken from them." - -"Ah, ha, Nest! I have the sanction of Heaven there. Did not your British -Church resist Augustine? Does it not now oppose our See of Canterbury? -And as Heaven blesses the right and punishes the wrong, so has it -marvelously interposed to silence evil tongues. When my Bernard was -resisted, fire fell from heaven and consumed those who opposed him, in -the sight of all men. I believe a hundred men were suddenly and -instantaneously burnt." - -"You heard that from Bernard." - -"It has been published throughout England. I have spoken of it myself to -the successor of the Apostles, to Pope Callixtus, at Rheims, and he was -mightily gratified, for, said he, I ever held that British Church to be -tainted with heresy. And he reminded me that when the British bishops -opposed Augustine, they were massacred at Bangor. Which was very -satisfactory. So now with my Bernard----" - -"Bernard!" exclaimed Nest, boldly interrupting the King, "Bernard is an -arch liar! Sire! a priest named Pabo struck the bishop in the mouth, and -knocked out one or two of his teeth." - -"I noticed this and rallied him on his whistling talk. But he said -nought of the blow." - -"It was so. And he pretends that Pabo was smitten by lightning for -having thus struck him. But, Sire, I have seen this priest since the -alleged miracle; his hair is unsinged. He has a hearty appetite, and -good teeth--not one struck out by lightning--wherewith to consume his -food. The smell of fire has not passed upon him." - -The King broke into a roar of laughter. - -"That is Bernard! Bernard to the life! A rogue in business. He cheated -my Queen, and now tries to cheat me with a lie, and sets up as the -favored of Heaven. You are sure of it?" - -"Quite sure; Bernard endeavored to huddle the man out of the way lest -the lie should be found out." - -"Famous!" The King had recovered his good-humor. "And to see the -solemnity and conviction of the Holy Father when he heard the story." -Again he exploded into laughter. "I must go tell the Queen. It is fun, -it will put her in a passion." - -"And, Sire! about my people--my poor Welsh people?" - -"I will see to it. I will consider--what did I hear? You have brought -your young child with you?" - -"Yes, Sire, he is without." - -"Let me see him--has he your beauty or Gerald's ugliness?" - -"Your Majesty shall judge." - -Nest went towards the door, but turned. "Oh, Sire, forget not my -entreaty for my people." - -"Away--fetch the boy. I will think on it." - -Nest left the room. - -In the ante-chamber all present were in obvious consternation, pale, and -dejected. - -She had left her little son with a servant, and she crossed the chamber. - -Then the Chancellor, who was present, came to her, drew her into the -embrasure of a window, and spoke to her in awestruck tones. At his words -her cheek blanched. - -"None dare inform him," said the Chancellor. "We have instructed the -child. Suffer him to enter alone and tell the tale." - -For a moment Nest could not speak; something rose in her throat. She -signed to the boy to come to her. "Do you know what to say?" - -"Yes, mother; that the _White Ship_----" - -"Cast yourself at the King's feet, tell him all; and when you have said -the last words, 'The princes, thy sons, be dead; thy daughter also, she -likewise is dead'--then pause and say in a loud voice, 'Remember -Wales!'" - -The child was dismissed. He passed behind a curtain, then through the -door into the royal presence. - -All without stood hushed, trembling with emotion, hardly breathing, none -looking on another. - -Then, in the stillness, came a loud and piercing cry; a cry that cut to -the hearts of such as heard it like a stiletto. - -In another moment Henry staggered forth, blanched, and as one drunk, -with hands extended and lifted before his face, and in a harsh voice, -like a madman's shriek, he cried: "It has come. The judgment of God! I -am a dry and a branchless tree, blasted in the midst of life--blasted in -the hour of victory." Then he reeled to a table, threw himself on his -knees, laid his head on his hands, and burst into tears. - -None moved. None ventured near him. The Bishop of London was there--but -he felt that no words of his were of avail now. - -So they stood hardly breathing, watching the stricken man, who quivered -in the agony of his bereavement. - -Presently he lifted his face--so altered as to be hardly recognizable, -livid as that of a corpse, and running down with tears. He turned -towards Nest and said--"Go, woman, go--it shall be as thou hast desired. -I am judged." - -What had occurred needs but a few words of explanation. - -When the _White Ship_ started the captain assured Prince William that -such was her speed that she would overtake the King's ship, and even -pass it and leave behind the royal squadron. The signal was given, and -the _White Ship_ left the harbor, impelled to her utmost speed by fifty -excited rowers; but she had not proceeded far before she was driven -violently against a reef, which stove in two planks of her starboard -bow. Prince William was put into the boat, and was already on his way -towards the land when, hearing the cries of his sister from the sinking -vessel, he ordered his rowers to put back and save her. He was obeyed; -but on reaching the wreck such a rush was made by the frantic passengers -to enter their boat that she was swamped, and the whole crowd was -swallowed in the scarcely troubled sea. William and Richard, the two -sons of Henry, and their sister Matilda, and three hundred others, -chiefly persons of exalted rank, perished on this occasion. - -Nest returned to Wales. - -She had gained all that she desired. She went at once to Dynevor. There -was her brother, Griffith, who had done much to restore the ruinous -castle of his fathers, the kings of Dyfed. - -"Griffith," said she, "I have done what I could. For thee, free pardon -and reinstatement in thy principality--yet is it not to be a kingdom, -only as a great chiefdom. The King undertakes to suffer no more English -or Normans to enter our country and carve out for themselves baronies -therein. Nor will he send into it any more Flemings. But such as are -here shall remain, and Norman, Fleming, and Welshman alike shall be -under his scepter, and be justly ruled, the English by their own laws, -the Welsh by those of Rhodric Dda." She looked round and saw Pabo, "and -for thee--return thou to Caio and thy Archpriesthood--and to thy wife. -Let Bernard look to it. The King will not forget the story of thy being -consumed with fire from Heaven for having knocked out one of the -bishop's teeth. And now, Griffith, give me the armlet of Maxen Wledig. -We have both deserved well of our country." - - -THE END. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pabo, The Priest, by Sabine Baring-Gould - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PABO, THE PRIEST *** - -***** This file should be named 42011.txt or 42011.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/0/1/42011/ - -Produced by sp1nd, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - -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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