the doom of the griffiths-第4章

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reminded　Owen　of　his　promise；　and　added　…



〃Perhaps；　sir；　you　do　not　know　me。　　My　name　is　Ellis　Pritchard；　and　I

live　at　Ty　Glas；　on　this　side　of　Moel　Gest；　anyone　can　point　it　out

to　you。〃



When　the　father　and　daughter　had　left；　Owen　slowly　prepared　for　his

ride　home；　but　encountering　the　hostess；　he　could　not　resist　asking　a

few　questions　relative　to　Ellis　Pritchard　and　his　pretty　daughter。

She　answered　shortly　but　respectfully；　and　then　said；　rather

hesitatingly　…



〃Master　Griffiths；　you　know　the　triad；　'Tri　pheth　tebyg　y　naill　i'r

llall；　ysgnbwr　heb　yd；　mail　deg　heb　ddiawd；　a　merch　deg　heb　ei

geirda'　（Three　things　are　alike：　　a　fine　barn　without　corn；　a　fine

cup　without　drink；　a　fine　woman　without　her　reputation）。〃　　She

hastily　quitted　him；　and　Owen　rode　slowly　to　his　unhappy　home。



Ellis　Pritchard；　half　farmer　and　half　fisherman；　was　shrewd；　and

keen；　and　worldly；　yet　he　was　good…natured；　and　sufficiently　generous

to　have　become　rather　a　popular　man　among　his　equals。　　He　had　been

struck　with　the　young　Squire's　attention　to　his　pretty　daughter；　and

was　not　insensible　to　the　advantages　to　be　derived　from　it。　　Nest

would　not　be　the　first　peasant　girl；　by　any　means；　who　had　been

transplanted　to　a　Welsh　manor…house　as　its　mistress；　and；

accordingly；　her　father　had　shrewdly　given　the　admiring　young　man

some　pretext　for　further　opportunities　of　seeing　her。



As　for　Nest　herself；　she　had　somewhat　of　her　father's　worldliness；

and　was　fully　alive　to　the　superior　station　of　her　new　admirer；　and

quite　prepared　to　slight　all　her　old　sweethearts　on　his　account。　　But

then　she　had　something　more　of　feeling　in　her　reckoning；　she　had　not

been　insensible　to　the　earnest　yet　comparatively　refined　homage　which

Owen　paid　her；　she　had　noticed　his　expressive　and　occasionally

handsome　countenance　with　admiration；　and　was　flattered　by　his　so

immediately　singling　her　out　from　her　companions。　　As　to　the　hint

which　Martha　Thomas　had　thrown　out；　it　is　enough　to　say　that　Nest　was

very　giddy；　and　that　she　was　motherless。　　She　had　high　spirits　and　a

great　love　of　admiration；　or；　to　use　a　softer　term；　she　loved　to

please；　men；　women；　and　children；　all；　she　delighted　to　gladden　with

her　smile　and　voice。　　She　coquetted；　and　flirted；　and　went　to　the

extreme　lengths　of　Welsh　courtship；　till　the　seniors　of　the　village

shook　their　heads；　and　cautioned　their　daughters　against　her

acquaintance。　　If　not　absolutely　guilty；　she　had　too　frequently　been

on　the　verge　of　guilt。



Even　at　the　time；　Martha　Thomas's　hint　made　but　little　impression　on

Owen；　for　his　senses　were　otherwise　occupied；　but　in　a　few　days　the

recollection　thereof　had　wholly　died　away；　and　one　warm　glorious

summer's　day；　he　bent　his　steps　toward　Ellis　Pritchard's　with　a

beating　heart；　for；　except　some　very　slight　flirtations　at　Oxford；

Owen　had　never　been　touched；　his　thoughts；　his　fancy；　had　been

otherwise　engaged。



Ty　Glas　was　built　against　one　of　the　lower　rocks　of　Moel　Gest；　which；

indeed；　formed　a　side　to　the　low；　lengthy　house。　　The　materials　of

the　cottage　were　the　shingly　stones　which　had　fallen　from　above；

plastered　rudely　together；　with　deep　recesses　for　the　small　oblong

windows。　　Altogether；　the　exterior　was　much　ruder　than　Owen　had

expected；　but　inside　there　seemed　no　lack　of　comforts。　　The　house　was

divided　into　two　apartments；　one　large；　roomy；　and　dark；　into　which

Owen　entered　immediately；　and　before　the　blushing　Nest　came　from　the

inner　chamber　（for　she　had　seen　the　young　Squire　coming；　and　hastily

gone　to　make　some　alteration　in　her　dress）；　he　had　had　time　to　look

around　him；　and　note　the　various　little　particulars　of　the　room。

Beneath　the　window　（which　commanded　a　magnificent　view）　was　an　oaken

dresser；　replete　with　drawers　and　cupboards；　and　brightly　polished　to

a　rich　dark　colour。　　In　the　farther　part　of　the　room　Owen　could　at

first　distinguish　little；　entering　as　he　did　from　the　glaring

sunlight；　but　he　soon　saw　that　there　were　two　oaken　beds；　closed　up

after　the　manner　of　the　Welsh：　　in　fact；　the　domitories　of　Ellis

Pritchard　and　the　man　who　served　under　him；　both　on　sea　and　on　land。

There　was　the　large　wheel　used　for　spinning　wool；　left　standing　on

the　middle　of　the　floor；　as　if　in　use　only　a　few　minutes　before；　and

around　the　ample　chimney　hung　flitches　of　bacon；　dried　kids'…flesh；

and　fish；　that　was　in　process　of　smoking　for　winter's　store。



Before　Nest　had　shyly　dared　to　enter；　her　father；　who　had　been

mending　his　nets　down　below；　and　seen　Owen　winding　up　to　the　house；

came　in　and　gave　him　a　hearty　yet　respectful　welcome；　and　then　Nest；

downcast　and　blushing；　full　of　the　consciousness　which　her　father's

advice　and　conversation　had　not　failed　to　inspire；　ventured　to　join

them。　　To　Owen's　mind　this　reserve　and　shyness　gave　her　new　charms。



It　was　too　bright；　too　hot；　too　anything　to　think　of　going　to　shoot

teal　till　later　in　the　day；　and　Owen　was　delighted　to　accept　a

hesitating　invitation　to　share　the　noonday　meal。　　Some　ewe…milk

cheese；　very　hard　and　dry；　oat…cake；　slips　of　the　dried　kids'…flesh

broiled；　after　having　been　previously　soaked　in　water　for　a　few

minutes；　delicious　butter　and　fresh　butter…milk；　with　a　liquor　called

〃diod　griafol〃　（made　from　the　berries　of　the　Sorbus　aucuparia；

infused　in　water　and　then　fermented）；　composed　the　frugal　repast；　but

there　was　something　so　clean　and　neat；　and　withal　such　a　true

welcome；　that　Owen　had　seldom　enjoyed　a　meal　so　much。　　Indeed；　at

that　time　of　day　the　Welsh　squires　differed　from　the　farmers　more　in

the　plenty　and　rough　abundance　of　their　manner　of　living　than　in　the

refinement　of　style　of　their　table。



At　the　present　day；　down　in　Llyn；　the　Welsh　gentry　are　not　a　wit

behind　their　Saxon　equals　in　the　expensive　elegances　of　life；　but

then　（when　there　was　but　one　pewter…service　in　all　Northumberland）

there　was　nothing　in　Ellis　Pritchard's　mode　of　living　that　grated　on

the　young　Squire's　sense　of　refinement。



Little　was　said　by　that　young　pair　of　wooers　during　the　meal；　the

father　had　all　the　conversation　to　himself；　apparently　heedless　of

the　ardent　looks　and　inattentive　mien　of　his　guest。　　As　Owen　became

more　serious　in　his　feelings；　he　grew　more　timid　in　their　expression；

and　at　night；　when　they　returned　from　their　shooting…excursion；　the

caress　he　gave　Nest　was　almost　as　bashfully　offered　as　received。



This　was　but　the　first　of　a　series　of　days　devoted　to　Nest　in

reality；　though　at　first　he　thought　some　little　disguise　of　his

object　was　necessary。　　The　past；　the　future；　was　all　forgotten　in

those　happy　days　of　love。



And　every　worldly　plan；　every　womanly　wile　was　put　in　practice　by

Ellis　Pritchard　and　his　daughter；　to　render　his　visits　agreeable　and

alluring。　　Indeed；　the　very　circumstance　of　his　being　welcome　was

enough　to　attract　the　poor　young　man；　to　whom　the　feeling　so　produced

was　new　and　full　of　charms。　　He　left　a　home　where　the　certainty　of

being　thwarted　made　him　chary　in　expressing　his　wishes；　where　no

tones　of　love　ever　fell　on　his　ear；　save　those　addressed　to　others；

where　his　presence　or　absence　was　a　matter　of　utter　indifference；　and

when　he　entered　Ty　Glas；　all；　down　to　the　little　cur　which；　with

clamorous　barkings；　claimed　a　part　of　his　attention；　seemed　to

rejoice。　　His　account　of　his　day's　employment　found　a　willing

listener　in　Ellis；　and　when　he　passed　on　to　Nest；　busy　at　her　wheel

or　at　her　churn；　the　deepened　colour；　the　conscious　eye；　and　the

gradual　yielding　of　herself　up　to　his　lover…like　caress；　had　worlds

of　charms。　　Ellis　Pritchard　was　a　tenant　on　the　Bodowen　estate；　and

therefore　had　reasons　in　plenty　for　wishing　to　keep　the　young

Squire's　visits　secret；　and　Owen；　unwilling　to　disturb　the　sunny　calm

of　these　halcyon　days　by　any　storm　at　home；　was　ready　to　use　all　the

artifice　which　Ellis　suggested　as　to　the　mode　of　his　calls　at　Ty

Glas。　　Nor　was　he　unaware　of　the　probable；　nay；　the　hoped…for

termination　of　these　repeated　days　of　happiness。　　He　was　quite

conscious　that　the　father　wished　for　nothing　better　than　the　marriage

of　his　daughter　to　the　heir　of　Bodowen；　and　when　Nest　had　hidden　her

face　in　his　neck；　which　was　encircled　by　her　clasping　arms；　and

murmured　into　his　ear　her　acknowledgment　of　love；　he　felt　only　too

desirous　of　finding　some　one　to　love　him　for　ever。　　Though　not　highly

principled；　he　would　not　have　tried　to　obtain　Nest　on　other　terms

save　those　of　marriage：　　he　did　so　pine　after　enduring　love；　and

fancied　he　should　have　bound　her　heart　for　evermore　to　his；　when　they

had　taken　the　solemn　oaths　of　matrimony。



There　was　no　great　difficulty　attending　a　secret　marriage　at　such　a

place　and　at　such　a　time。　　One　gusty　autumn　day；　Ellis　ferried　them

round　Penthryn　to　Llandutrwyn；　and　there　saw　his　little　Nest　become

future　Lady　of　Bodowen。



How　often　do　we　see　giddy；　coquetting；　restless　girls　become　sobered

by　marriage？　　A　great　object　in　life　is　decided；　one　on　which　their

thoughts　have　been　running　in　all　their　vagaries；　and　they　seem　to

verify　the　beautiful　fable　of　Undine。　　A　new　soul　beams　out　in　the

gentleness　and　repose　of　their　future　lives。　　An　indescribable

softness　and　tenderness　takes　place　of　the　wearying　vanity　of　their

former　endeavours　to　attract　admiration。　　Something　of　this　sort　took

place　in　Nest　Pritchard。　　If　at　first　she　had　been　anxious　to　attract

the　young　Squire　of　Bodowen；　long　before　her　marriage　this　feeling

had　merged　into　a　truer　love　than　she　had　ever　felt　before；　and　now

that　he　was　her　own；　her　husband；　her　whole　soul　was　bent　toward

making　him　amends；　as　far　as　in　her　lay；　for　the　misery　which；　with　a

woman's　tact；　she　saw　that　he　had　to　endure　at　his　home。　　Her

greetings　were　abounding　in　delicately…expressed　love；　her　study　of

his　tastes　unwearying；　in　the　arrangement　of　her　dress；　her　time；　her

very　thoughts。



No　wonder　that　he　looked　back　on　his　wedding…day　with　a　thankfulness

which　is　seldom　the　result　of　unequal　marriages。　　No　wonder　that　his

heart　beat　aloud　as　formerly　when　he　wound　up　the　little　path　to　Ty

Glas；　and　sawkeen　though　the　winter's　wind　might　bethat　Nest　was

standing　out　at　the　door　to　watch　for　his　dimly…seen　approach；　while

the　candle　flared　in　the　little　window　as　a　beacon　to　guide　him

aright。



The　angry　words　and　unkind　actions　of　home　fell　deadened　on　his

heart；　he　thought　of　the　love　that　was　surely　his；　and　of　the　new

promise　of　love　that　a　short　time　would　bring　forth；　and　he　could

almost　have　smiled　at　the　impotent　efforts　to　disturb　his　peace。



A　few　more　months；　and　the　young　father　was　greeted　by　a　feeble

little　cry；　when　he　hastily　entered　Ty　Glas；　one　morning　early；　in

consequence　of　a　summons　conveyed　mysteriously　to　Bodowen；　and　the

pale　mother；　smiling；　and　feebly　holding　up　her　babe　to　its　father's

kiss；　seemed　to　him　even　more　lovely　than　the　bright　gay　Nest　who　had

won　his　heart　at