The Adventures And Vagaries Of Twm Shon Catti Part 4

In this secluded place, with a wife, six grown-up daughters, and one man-servant, Morris Grump lived, in the most penurious manner, scarcely allowing himself or family the common necessaries of live. This was to Twm a most grievous change, where he was continually compelled to embrace his antipathies, and disconnect himself from all the felicities most dear to him. He loved books, rural festivities, rambling, and all those modes of pa.s.sing his time which were most allied to idleness; but in this house not a book was to be seen, nor the sound of mirth, harp, or song ever heard; nothing but work, hard work, seasoned with the shrill tones of scolding women, and the deep growls of the farmer. The state of a slave, in a more agreeable climate, was enviable compared to poor Twm's.

It has been complained that the improvements in modern cookery have caused the human race to devour more than twice the quant.i.ty of food requisite or beneficial; Molly Grump, the mistress of this mountain mansion, had no idea of inflicting such an evil on her kind, and therefore as an antidote to gluttony and intemperance, took care that her food and drink should be neither too savory nor gustful. Her habits were, to bake a large quant.i.ty of bread at once, so that it might soon get hard and mouldy; steep an immense portion of the matter for flummery, until as sour as verjuice; mix water with the milk, b.u.t.termilk, and whey; and make the cheeses for home consumption hard enough to answer the purpose of cannon b.a.l.l.s, in case the felicities of _Cwm du_ should ever tempt our foreign enemies to invade it.

Our hero, however, had a bold heart, and if a little better fed, would have endured all, and with that indifference and vein of whim which were natural to him, turned Misery herself into a scarecrow of mirth rather than terror. His wretched scanty meals did much to tame him, and he ate his breakfast of highly-watered milk porridge, with a hungry, and at the same time loathing, stomach. His dinner was either of very sour flummery and skim-milk watered, or for variety, broth, made of rusty bacon, or equally rusty dried beef or mutton; which being made in large quant.i.ties, was generally warmed and served up three or four succeeding days: and when Twm and his fellow servant (a half idiot lout,) vainly hoped that this species of drenching was over, they had the mortification to find a quant.i.ty of water added, to spin it out for another meal. When spared from out-door work, Twm became a drudge for the women; after the work of the day was over, and each resting in the chimney corner, there was always a job for him, of some kind or other. By the time he had been there six months, it was pitiable to see him, in the depth of winter, in his wooden clogs without stockings, and his happy laughing face rendered pale and sorrowful. Yet with all these drawbacks he preserved his turn for mirth, and in the evening would recite either ghost-stories or war-tales of old times, which he had heard from Ianto Gwyn or his master Rhys, that astonished and amused his auditors, at least part of them, for Molly Grump told him 'twas more fitting he should mind his work than give his time to telling lies and idling; and her eldest daughter Shan always echoed and imitated her mother, both in scolding and uttering wise _saws_.

The employment which they found for him in-doors, sometimes gave him an opportunity of repairing the deficiency of his stomach and warming his icy hands. One day, having brought in some turf and furze which he had chopped for baking plank, or bakestone, bread, while Shan had turned her back a little, he s.n.a.t.c.hed up the last cake taken from the fire, and doubling it up, thrust it into his breast, and attempted to make a hasty retreat to devour it. The great heat against his stomach, however, gave him infinite pain, which, like the Spartan boy he had determined to endure rather than be detected; but not having been favored with so stoical an education, he at length gave way to nature, and roared most loudly as he ran out and across a field, while Shan and her two younger sisters followed in full chase, to rescue the bread which the former immediately missed. Twm soon gained the mountain, when the girls gave up the pursuit, and he sat down and ate his bread undisturbed, hiding what remained beneath some stones, for a future meal, determined to abide the consequence of his theft rather than that of starvation. A severe thrashing from the farmer, some blows from his wife, much scolding from both as well from the echo Shan, with deprivation from dinner, were the attendants of this feat; and instead of being permitted to sit with the rest, to partake of a meal, he was ordered to give some hay to the cows: "and mind," cried Farmer Grump, "that you give more hay to the cow that yields you most milk, than to the cow that gives but little." "I will, be sure of it!" said Twm, pointedly and in a sulky tone; and immediately carried his two arms full of hay and threw it under the water spout.

"There!" cried he, as the farmer came out and looked with astonishment, "_that_ is the _cow_ which gives me most milk, for your cursed broth and porridge is almost wholly made from this never-failing udder." This cost him another beating, but it was the last, for the farmer received a hint that it would not be safe to repeat the experiment, as Twm vowed to his fellow servant, that if again struck he would fell his a.s.sailant to the ground, like an ox: while his resolute and altered look convinced him that he meant to keep his word.

In the early part of the next summer, that dreadful malady, the small pox, made its awful visitation to Morris Grump's house, and like a terrific fiend laid its talons alike on young and old, and remorselessly swept them off to the grave. The two younger daughters were the first infected; and in a few days after, two more were taken ill, and Morris's house presented the appearance of an hospital. Morris's wife, as well as himself, from the excessive anxiety natural to parents in such unhappy circ.u.mstances for the preservation of her offspring, took, like thousands of others, the wrong course, and literally killed them with kindness; while the humbler inmates of the house, who had no share in her affection or concern, were as truly saved by absolute neglect. Thus, while without judgement or advice, except of those who were as ignorant as herself, she sought every delicacy to indulge and pamper the appet.i.tes of her own afflicted ones, giving them spiced ale sugared, and even wine, in her terror of losing them, she suffered the poor apprentice Twm, who was also deep in the small pox, to languish unattended, without enquiring after him, or sending him the common necessaries of life, utterly indifferent whether he lived or died.

On the first appearance of this disorder, the farmer's ploughman left him and went home, so that except Grump's own family, there were none in the house but Twm, who, if preserved from the small pox ran great danger of starvation. His bed was an old hop-sack half filled with oat-chaff, and his covering an old tattered blanket and a musty rug, which had filled similar offices for the horses. His bed-chamber being a portion of the hay-loft, poor Twm remained hours and days without food, groaning away his time, and until blinded by his malady, amusing himself by counting the number, and pondering on the formation, of the cobwebs that hung like sorrow's garlands from the mouldy beams and rafters, while the squeaking of the mice in the rotten thatch, served for music. At other times, somewhat nerved by the cravings of his stomach, his weak hands would rustle in some pease-straw that happened to be placed there, and now and then, to his infinite joy, find an unbroken pea-sh.e.l.l that had escaped the searching of the flail, which, in spite of the soreness of his hands and mouth, he would open, and with avidity devour its contents.

As in those days there were none who knew how to treat this disorder, in general it was looked upon as the certain harbinger of death, when the terror and confusion which took place on its appearance, was deplorable in the extreme. Two of the farmer's children, which had first been taken ill, now died; and a third in a day after, when Morris himself was discovered to be infected. Loud cries and lamentations became incessant day and night; and some of the neighbouring old cottage wives who offered their services came there to a.s.sist-and this to some of them was a welcome office, as on such occasions as watching the sick, or laying out the dead; feasting is as prevalent as at weddings.

Among these old hen-wives and grannies, tales of superst.i.tion prevailed in abundance; some spoke of the corpse candles seen by them previous to the deaths of the young women of the house; others dilated on the awfulness of a spectral burial, where shadows of the living supported the bier of the departed towards the churchyard.

One night, between twelve and one, while the three coffins and their contents presented a woeful sight, lying side by side on the long oak table, Morris, afflicted as he was, a.s.sisted his wife in supporting his fourth daughter, whose death they also deeply dreaded, as an old cottage woman, while she basted a loin of mutton roasting before the fire, dwelt much on the certainty of supernatural appearances, ill.u.s.trating her convictions by instances of her own experience. All at once, the current of her discourse was arrested by a shudder that overcame and struck her dumb, on hearing a rumbling and irregular noise, as of falling furniture, which also terrified the group about the fire. The noise increased, and at last seemed as of somebody stumbling in his way in the dark; groans, mutterings, and approaching human steps succeeded:-some shrieked, some rose and ran to remote corners, covering their heads with their ap.r.o.ns, while others sat breathless, as if nailed to the bench, and dissolved in streams of perspiration, their eyes starting from their sockets-when a figure with the air and rush of a maniac darted in, tore the roasting meat from the string, and disappeared with it, uttering in a dismal hollow tone "O G.o.d, I am famished by these wretches!" The consciences of the farmer and his wife were dreadfully wrung, as they now recollected the poor apprentice boy Twm, whom they had left in the depth of the malady which had deprived them of three of their children, to live or die, as he might; nor would Morris allow anybody to rescue the meat, but s.n.a.t.c.hing a loaf from the shelf, he entreated Twm to come in and eat his fill at the fire: but the youngster had entered his hay-loft, and with the ravenousness of a starved hound devoured his half raw prey in darkness. While yet the farmer, with tears of real penitence, was calling out to him, a loud scream from his wife convinced him that his fourth child was also dead. With wild agony that seemed to have humanized his hard heart by the bitter arrows of affliction, Morris fell on his knees, and with interrupting sobs, exclaimed "I see the hand of G.o.d in this, and a judgement, a heavy judgement has befallen us for our cruelty to the poor boy; but he will live! he! the lad whom we treated fouler than the beast! he will outlive this pest, while me and mine will perish!"

The suffering of the unhappy man was pitiable and heart-rending to witness; and on the very day of his children's burial, with loud cries of remorse and sorrow he expired.

Twm recovered, according to the farmer's prophecy, which was further verified, inasmuch that the remainder of his children did not live to see the end of the year; and his wife, losing her senses, was ever after a wretched moping idiot.

CHAP. X.

Twm returns to his mother's at Tregaron. His reception there, and amongst his old friends and cronies. Enters the service of Squire Gras.p.a.cre, and lives in clover. Becomes a great reader, hates servitude, and grows melancholy and romantic.

AFTER setting out early in the morning, and walking hard all day over a rugged mountain road, the heart of Twm Shon Catti thrilled with delight, and the tears filled in his eyes when, late in the evening, his own native place, the humble town of Tregaron appeared before him; and although his feet were so blistered that he could scarcely move, he attempted to make his limbs partake of the new vigour which sprung up in his heart, and essayed to run, but failing in his aim, fell down completely mastered by exhaustion and fatigue. Whether, like Brutus, he was re-nerved by breathing awhile on the bosom of his mother earth, or that the thoughts within, of home and its a.s.sociations, gave him strength, he rose much refreshed, but with considerable pain continued the short untraced portion of his journey.

Entering the town, at length, just as the darkness began to veil every object, he came to his mother's door, which was open, and cast an enquiring look before he entered. Catti had long dismissed her scholars, and sat in the chimney corner with her back towards the door, while her husband occupied the other side, and sat silently busy in scooping out the bowl of a new ladle. Twm's merry, trick-loving soul was not to be subdued by his troubles; having drawn his flat-rimmed old hat over his eyes, he leaned over his mother's hatch, and in a feigned voice begged for a piece of bread and cheese, saying that he was a poor boy, very hungry and tired, who was making his way home to Lampeter. "We are poor folk ourselves, and have nothing to give," said Carmarthen Jack, rather gruffly. "Stop!" cried Catti, "he's a poor child Jack, a bit of bread and cheese is not much, and somebody might take pity on my poor Twm, and give as much, if he should ever need it." The affectionate heart of Twm could no longer contain itself, but opening the hatch he burst forward, dashing his hat on the ground, and falling on her neck, giving ardent utterance to merely the word "mother;" and after the tender pause of nature's own embrace, he cried, with streaming eyes, "My good kind charitable mother! you shall never want bread and cheese, while your poor Twm has health and strength to earn it." Warmly returning his embrace and kisses, Catti long clasped her boy, and was quite terrified to see his pale lean cheek, and altered look. Ashamed of the exposure of his pitiless nature, Jack now came up, shook hands and condoled with him, but Twm _had seen the man_, _and loved him not_. After being refreshed, Catti eagerly enquired of all that happened to him since he left home, and wept much as he detailed his narrow escape from starvation and the small pox. By twelve o'clock next day, his tale was known to every body at Tregaron.

The catastrophe at Morris Grump's, of course, was considered as a judgement from heaven for his miserly propensities; and Ianto Gwyn wrote a pathetic ballad, to the great edification of the old women and tender-hearted damsels, giving _a true and particular_ account of the whole affair; to which was attached a moral, on the cruelty of mal-treating parish apprentices, and stuffing them with mouldy bread and sour flummery. This interesting ballad was daily sung by Wat the mole-catcher, to the English tune of Chevy Chase, which gained him the good will of all those old crones, who had taken deep offence at his numerous tricks.

Carmarthen Jack, although so careful of his bread and cheese, was determined not to be outdone on this occasion, but brought the graphic art to perpetuate his stepson's tale; that is to say, he carved on a wooden bowl the figures of four beings, well attended, in bed, with the scythe of Death across their throats, while in the distance a meagre boy was s.n.a.t.c.hing a joint of meat from the fire; the idea, it is true, was better than the execution; but altogether it gained Jack very great applause.

Right glad were all Twm's cronies to see him again at Tregaron; but dearer than all to him was the welcome of the curate Rhys, with whose books he was again permitted to make free, while he profited by his instructions and conversation. He had now been at home about three months, and recovered his health, strength, and spirits to perfection, when his mother fancied he had become an eye-sore to her husband, who she thought looked at him with the scowling brow of a step-father, which Twm's conduct, he might imagine, justified, as his behaviour towards Jack had been very unconciliating, ever since the bread and cheese adventure.

With this impression, Catti once more waited on Squire Gras.p.a.cre to solicit that some place or employment should be found for her boy, as she could not afford to keep him in idleness. The tale of his sufferings at _Cwm du_, interested the squire in his favor; and he felt some reluctance to send him as a parish apprentice; particularly as Catti declared he would rather die than be such again. The worthy curate, Rhys, had also spoken a kind word in his pupil's favor; and Carmarthen Jack, gaping hand in hand, looked as if he would say much to get rid of his stepson, could he hit on words to his purpose. Amused by his simplicity and awkward gestures, the squire asked him, "Well Jack, what would you advise me to do with Catti's boy?" This plain question met as blunt an answer, "Make him your servant boy sir, if you please." "And so I will old hedgehog,"

cried the squire, slapping him on the shoulder, "Your oratory has settled the matter." Accordingly, our hero next appears as the squire's man at Gras.p.a.cre Hall; this was an agreeable change in life to him, where he lived, as they say, in clover; and by his good temper and turn for mirth, he gained the good will and admiration of his fellow servants, particularly the girls, with whom he became an especial favorite. Behold him now then, in the seventeenth year of his age, with the looks and habits of twenty, gay, happy, and as mischievous as an ape; kissing and romping with the girls, caring for none of them but shewing attentions to all, while he jeered and mocked the cross-grained and disagreeable, and whenever he could, raised a laugh at their peculiarities. His employments at the squire's were various, among which, waiting at table every day, neatly dressed, and carrying his master's gun and attending him during his shooting excursions, formed the princ.i.p.al. To these, Squire Gras.p.a.cre, who since the death of his wife was ever wench-hunting, aimed to add the office of pimp. Twm, however, had been swayed too long by the counsels of Rhys the curate, to lend himself to any such unworthy services; and having by his conversations with him, and by the tenor of his readings, imbibed a taste for romantic honor, he was not without a secret hope, if not presentiment, that his great father might some day own him, and destine him to a very different sphere in life. These ideas were no sooner born than they daily expanded in his breast, and filled his imagination so far as to induce him to seize every opportunity to improve his mind, and qualify himself for the best chances of Fortune.

With the growth of these notions, rose in his mind a distaste for servitude, and an ardent longing to shine in a sphere allied to literature and respectability.

By the time he had been a twelvemonth in his situation, from a merry happy youth he became pensive, and sometimes deeply melancholy. His bed-room was over the lawndry, a building detached from the house; in which he had shelves put up to hold his books, a small stock, but which he continually increased by laying out every farthing which he received from visitors, or saved from his wages, in the purchase of more. On retiring at night, his habits were to cover closely his window, to conceal the light of his candle, while he generally sat up more than half the night luxuriating over his darling volumes; and as he was directed in his choice of them by Rhys, who made him presents of many, he soon acquired no inconsiderable share of information: this blessing, however, became partially a curse to him, for, as he could not be persuaded to give his attention to books of a religious tendency, the light that gleamed upon his mind had the effect of shewing him his dest.i.tution, and making him discontented with his lot in life. Sometimes, he talked to his late school-master on the subject of travelling to England to seek his fortune, which wandering predilections that worthy man always discouraged, but events soon occurred to shew our hero in a new character, in which most men appear at some period of their lives-that of a lover.

CHAP. XI.

Twm Shon Catti falls in love, and preserves his mistress from the squire's clutches. The adventures of Farmer Cadwgan's she a.s.s. Twm escapes from the squire's.

THE squire and his man Twm returning one evening from grousing on the hills, on their descent towards the valleys had to pa.s.s by a small farm house, inhabited by a tenant of the former, who whispered Twm, "This is the keep, the close, that contains better game, and can afford livelier sport than any I have had to day." Twm by his silence testified his ignorance of his drift; but he resumed "what you don't understand me?

haven't you seen this farmer's plump partridge of a daughter, the pretty Gwenny Cadwgan, you young dog! I am determined to have that bird down, some way or other, and you must help me." Before Twm could reply, the squire alighted and entered the cottage, at the door of which the farmer and Gwenny Cadwgan, now grown a fine and blooming young woman, met and welcomed their landlord. Some oaten bread, b.u.t.ter and cheese, and a cup of homely ale was put before him; and while he ate, the pretty Gwenny carried a portion to Twm, as he held the horses in the yard. While he received the welcome food from the hand of the happy smiling girl, he perceived the blush with which she gave it, and felt in his breast certain sensations no less new than agreeable; thus, while each made brief allusions to their days of childhood, a tear started in the eyes of Twm, on seeing which the bright eyes of Gwenny were also suffused, till the pearly drops over-ran her fresh ruddy cheeks. Her father then calling her in, she suddenly shook hands with, and left our hero, who in that hour became a captive to her charms, while the innocent girl herself then felt the first shootings of a pa.s.sion that daily grew, in sympathy with his own.

The squire having finished his hasty lunch, he remarked to his tenant Cadwgan in a hurried manner, that he should have company, the next day to entertain at his house, and would thank him to let his la.s.s come to the hall to a.s.sist in attending on them. The farmer of course a.s.sented, in words, for what small farmer would dare to deny his landlord such a favor, though his heart might tremble with apprehension?

After the squire's departure, Cadwgan became deeply distressed at the predicament in which he found himself; to deny his landlord, was probably to lose his farm; and to a.s.sent to his specious proposal, was to endanger, if not utterly ruin the innocence of his darling daughter; as, since the death of Mistress Gras.p.a.cre, more than one of the neighbouring damsels had to rue their intimacy with the squire. He pa.s.sed a sleepless night of bitter reflection, and saw daylight with an agonized spirit; but the active mind imbued with honorable ideas, never fails in due season to work its own relief. When Twm appeared next morning on horseback before his door, with a pillion behind, for the reception of Gwenny, Cadwgan's terrors had vanished, his indignation at the premeditated injuries intended him, was roused, and with braced nerves, and a firm heart, he determined to deny the squire, and abide the consequences, be what they might. But honest Nature was elsewhere at work in Cadwgan's favor, and unknown to him, had raised a friend to save him from those impending perils, to the preservation both of his farm and his more precious daughter, in the person of young Twm Shon Catti.

On his journey home the last evening, while listening to his master's commands, and hearing his plans to inveigle the innocent Gwenny, Twm was silent and meditative, mentally engaged in seeking some mode to preserve her from his clutches; and at length heroically determined to save the object of his admiration, even at the risk of losing his place and being cast again on the wide world. He fed his fancy all night in dwelling on her beauty, and the merit of preserving her, while he ardently enjoyed in antic.i.p.ation, the sacrifice he was about to make for her sake; considering he should feel himself amply repaid if favored by the sweet girl with a smile of approbation.

The morning came, and the squire gave the dreaded order, "Take the horse Dragon, put a saddle and pillion on him, and bring the farmer's la.s.s behind you here; tell Cadwgan not to expect her back to-night, but she shall be brought home to-morrow." Although Twm had been preparing himself to give a doughty reply, and so commence the heroic character he had modelled, yet when the moment came, his resolution failed him, and the high-sounding words were not forthcoming; although the determination to disobey remained as strong as ever. He rode off, through Tregaron, and up the hills, in a melancholy mood, and without any settled purpose, except that of straight-forward resistance to the orders he had received.

As he jogged on listlessly, he was suddenly roused from his reverie by the braying of Cadwgan's a.s.s, that was grazing in a green lane which he was about to enter. Such an animal being a rarity in that country, Twm, with surprise, audibly muttered, "What the devil is that?" An old woman at that moment opening the gate, which she civilly held for our hero to pa.s.s into the lane which she was leaving, hearing his words, replied "It is only Cadwgan's _a.s.s_." Twm, whose thoughts ran entirely on the farmer's fair daughter, mistaking what she said, rejoined "Cadwgan's _la.s.s_, did you say?" "You are very ready with your mocks and pranks, Master Twm," cried the old woman, slamming the gate against the b.u.t.tocks of the horse, "but you know very well that I said Cadwgan's _a.s.s_, and not his _la.s.s_, for I should be sorry to compare the good and pretty Gwenny Cadwgan to such an ugly ill-voiced animal." Twm laughed at his mistake, made his apology, and rode on with revived spirits, having now, from this very ludicrous circ.u.mstance, hatched the trick which he intended to play off on his master.

The farmer's mind being made up, as before observed, to refuse the attendance of his daughter at his landlord's, he was astonished to hear Twm say, "Master Cadwgan, it was squire Gras.p.a.cre's order to me, that I should saddle this horse, come to your house, and with your consent, bring your _a.s.s_ to him, on the pillion behind me." Cadwgan stared doubtfully, and Twm resumed "I hope you are too sensible to question or look into the reasonableness of his whims, and will be so good as to catch the strange animal, which I pa.s.sed on the road, that we may tie him across the pillion." Cadwgan immediately concluded this to be a providential mistake of the young man's, that might have the most desirable effect of relieving him from his apprehended troubles, and with a ready presence of mind said, laughing, "To be sure it is no business of mine to look into the oddness of his fancies, and he shall have my a.s.s by all means." "Put an L to a.s.s, and 'twill be _la.s.s_," said Twm seriously, and with emphasis, "and such is the squire's demand: but," said the youth with rising enthusiasm, "I would risk my life to save your daughter from his snares, and will feign that I thought he said _a.s.s_ instead of _la.s.s_, to be brought on the pillion." Affected by this instance of generosity, the farmer, as well as his lovely daughter, burst into tears, thanking and blessing him; the former a.s.suring him, that if in consequence of this undertaking, he should be dismissed from his place, _his_ roof, hearth, and table should be at his service.

While Cadwgan went out to catch the long-eared victim, Twm spent a delicious half hour in the company of the fair Gwenny; and took that opportunity to protest the ardor of his affection for her, and vowed that when Fortune favored him with the means of getting a livelihood independent of servitude, it would be the glory of his life to come and ask her to be his own. The maiden heard him with streaming eyes and pa.s.sion-heaving breast, nor withdrew her cheek when her lover imprinted on it affection's first kiss; which she considered a sacred compact, the seal of true love's faithful covenant, never to be broken by the intrusion of another.

Cadwgan at length returned, with his charge in a halter, grumbling and abusing the beast at every step, in consequence of having been led a pretty dance in chase of her; for, as if conscious of her coming troubles, the moment he approached, she scampered off through the lane, and right through the river, nor stopped until fairly fast in a bog, from whence, with much trouble, the farmer roughly rescued her. With the a.s.sistance of Twm and a neighbouring cottager, he now tied the animal's legs and lifted her into the seat of the pillion, a situation that her struggling and resistance indicated to be more elevated than comfortable.

Twm, however, rode on slowly with his grotesque companion, without the occurrence of an accident till they arrived at Tregaron; when the whole town, men, women, and children, came out to enjoy the strange sight, amidst roars and shouts of laughter. Whether the princ.i.p.al figure in the group felt her dignity hurt, or her modesty offended, by such an exhibition of her charms to the rude ribaldry of a mob, or whether instigated by the rational motive of seeking ease by change of position, it may not be an easy matter to determine, but certain it is, that straining every nerve to liberate her captive limbs, she at length succeeded, bursting the cord by which she was fastened to the pillion, and tumbled in a heap to the ground, where, as if inspired by the genius of perseverance she again struggled hard and soon shook off every remnant of her hempen gyves; and in all the pride of high achievement and newly acquired freedom, ran with all her might through the town, brandishing her heels to right and left, whenever any person approached to impede her career, till through a long narrow lane she reached the mountains. Here she seemed to defy her numerous pursuers, but after a long chase which lasted till dusk, she was surrounded, secured, and placed in her former situation behind our hero on the pillion. At length he reached Gras.p.a.cre Hall, and made his approach at the back of the house. His stepfather a.s.sisted both him and his companion to alight, leading the latter to the stable, while Twm went to inform his master of his arrival, and the cause of his long delay. A sudden terror arrested his steps awhile, he felt himself in a peculiar dilemma, out of which he would have been right glad to be delivered; but after his fit of apprehension had lasted a few minutes, he plucked up his courage and his breeches at the same time, exclaiming, "Well! he can't kill me for it, a beating and a dismissal will be the worst of it:" and thus self-comforted he entered the house.

The squire at this time was seated at the head of the table, pushing about the bottle among his friends, princ.i.p.ally formed of the neighbouring gentry. In the course of the day he had sent several times to know whether Twm had arrived. When little Pembroke at length went in to announce his return, he desired he should be immediately sent in, and Twm approached him with a burning cheek and an agitated heart. He questioned the youngster in an under tone, asking _if he had brought her_, and where he had been so long; to which Twm replied "Yes sir, I have brought her, and much trouble I had with her, for she didn't like to come, thinking perhaps you meant her foul play; and once she escaped off the pillion into the mountain." "The devil she did!" cried the squire, "but you caught her again?" "Oh yes sir, after losing much time, I have brought her here at last, and she is now much tamer than at first." "A good lad Twm, a good lad, remind me to give you a guinea for this day's work; but what have you done with her? where is she?" "Why sir," cried Twm, "I tied her up to the manger and locked the stable door, to prevent her escape." "Shame Twm, shame, you ought not to have done that, for she will think it was by my orders, and hate me perhaps for cruelty," quoth the squire, thinking all the time that Cadwgan's _la.s.s_, and not his a.s.s, was the subject of discussion. "No sir," replies Twm, "but it is likely though, that she will have an ill will towards me, as long as she lives, for it." "Well well," said his master hastily, "take her from the stable into the housekeeper's room, and tell Margery to comfort her and give her a gla.s.s of wine." This was too much for Twm, and the smothered laugh burst out in spite of his efforts; on which, his master, with a severe brow, asked how he dared to laugh in his presence. "Indeed I could not help it," cried Twm, "but I don't think she ever drank a gla.s.s of wine in her life, and perhaps might not like it." "Why that's true; then tell the butler to give out a bottle of the sweet home-made wines for her-let it be a bottle of the cowslip wine, and say that I am very sorry for the trouble and vexation she has had." "Yes sir," cried Twm, who made his bow, and retired to the servant's hall, where he made them acquainted with the squire's freak of having Farmer Cadwgan's a.s.s brought there on a pillion behind him; and that it was his master's orders that she was to be brought into the housekeeper's room, and a gla.s.s of wine given to her, and that Margery was to make her comfortable.

They were all aware of their master's occasional eccentricities, and that he was as absolute in demanding obedience to his wildest whims as to the most important matter in the world; and therefore, one and all, they a.s.sisted in bringing the a.s.s from the stable, and with much trouble forcing her into the housekeeper's room, where Glamorgan Margery spread a small carpet for her to lie down on, and amidst the side-aching laughter of the servants, offering her a gla.s.s of wine, which no persuasions could induce her to accept.

The squire had given orders that no person was to answer the bell the rest of the evening but Twm, and as it was now rang, in went our hero, when he was asked "How is she now?" "Rather fatigued sir; she doesn't like wine, nor would she touch a drop of it." "Well well," said the squire, "if she likes ale better, let her have some, with a cold fowl, and something of the nicest in the house, though perhaps she would prefer a cup of tea to anything. After she has taken the refreshment she choses, tell Margery to put her to bed, in the green chamber, then lock the door and bring me the key." Here Twm's risible faculties were again oppressed to bursting, but a look from his master checked him.

Squire Gras.p.a.cre now secretly antic.i.p.ated the completion of his scheme, anxiously waiting for the departure of his guests, who by their noisy hilarity had long given notice that a very little more devotion to the bottle would lay them all under the table. The wily squire however desisted, before he had pa.s.sed the boundary of what topers call _half and half_, considering in the mean time, that his plan would best succeed by not appearing before Gwenny Cadwgan till midnight, when all his household would be asleep, and himself supposed to have retired to his room.

After some trouble, which was heightened by forced suppression of laughter, that, however, broke out in spite of them, the servants got the donkey up stairs, having previously fed her with bread, oaten cakes, and oats, on her rejection of ale, wine, fowl, and tea, which to their own great amus.e.m.e.nt they had successively offered in vain. Having brought the poor animal into the green room, the best chamber in the house, and kept only for particular guests, they placed her on the fine handsome bed; the legs being already tied, they fastened them also to the bed posts. Twm heightened the drollery of the scene by cutting two holes in a night cap, drawing through them the a.s.s's ears, and slitting it at the edge, he drew the cap down towards the eyes. Thus secured and accoutred, they bade her good night, locked the door, and gave the key to their master.

The guests at length dispersing, they all rode off as well as their muddled heads would let them, to their respective homes; the squire, as was his custom, locked the door himself, and saw every light in the house out before he retired himself. At length he gained his chamber, and all was still in Gras.p.a.cre Hall. The amorous squire, chuckling at his luck as he thought of the fair la.s.s in the green chamber, grew too impatient to wait till the proposed hour of midnight, and leaving his candle on his own table, took off his shoes, and softly approached the casket, that he deemed contained his precious jewel. Applying the key, he opened the door very gently, and cautiously approaching the side of the bed, said in a whisper towards the pillow, "Don't be alarmed Gwenny, my dear, 'tis I, the squire; fear nothing my girl, this will be the making of your fortune my dear; and if you are as kind and loving as I could wish you to be, you may soon become the second Mrs. Gras.p.a.cre." Hearing no reply, he considered that according to the old adage, _silence gives consent_, and proceeded to bend his face down to kiss the fair one, when a severe bounce inflicted by a toss of his _incognita's_ snout, knocked him backwards off the bed to the floor, and set his nose a-bleeding. After recovering himself a little, though labouring under the delusion that the blow had been struck by the hand of a fair maiden, he exclaimed in an under tone, "You little vixen, how dare you treat me in this manner?"

Proceeding more roughly again towards the bed, he was completely horror-struck at the loud bray which the terrified a.s.s sent forth; while the poor animal, after a hard struggle, liberating her limbs, struck him a severe blow on the forehead with her hoof, and getting off the bed, made a terrible clatter with her shod feet over the boards of the room.

The unfortunate squire, although hitherto a loud decrier of superst.i.tion, now felt a thrill of the utmost horror pervade him, while he deemed himself ensnared by the enemy of man, as the punishment of his guilty intentions; and after a clamorous outcry fell senseless on the floor.

The servants, having but concealed the lights, expecting some _denouement_ of this sort, now rushed in, and saw their fallen master ghastly pale, with streams of perspiration running over his forehead, while his wildly-staring eyes alternately looked at and turned from the monster of alarm. When he had sufficiently recovered to learn the real stand of the affair, from little Pembroke, who had been made Twm's confidante in this matter-how that wight had brought the farmer's a.s.s according to his orders behind him on the pillion, although he had been in some doubt whether he had said Cadwgan's _a.s.s_, or Cadwgan's _la.s.s_, the squire's rage was boundless. Exasperated at the trick put upon him by a mere youngster, and a menial, and scarcely less provoked at the exposure he had made of himself before his servants, down he rushed into the hall, and s.n.a.t.c.hed a heavy horse-whip, unlocked the door, and made his way towards our hero's chamber over the lawndry; but when he reached the bed-side, prepared to inflict the severest punishment that the thong of a whip was capable of, how great was his mortification to find the bird flown! his chagrin and resentment were anything but lessened, when he took up a sheet of paper off the bed, on which in a large hand were written these pretty lines.

If from _la.s.s_ you take the letter L, Then la.s.s is a.s.s if I have learnt to spell; Yet a.s.s and la.s.s methinks are coupled ill, Though human a.s.ses follow la.s.ses still; An a.s.s were I too-one yclept a ninny- If now I stay'd to claim my promised guinea.

CHAP. XII.

Carmarthen Jack's churlishness to Twm. His mishap in consequence.

Squire Gras.p.a.cre reforms his conduct. Sends for his son and daughters home. A delicate Devonshire lady, Twm's satire on the cook. Gives the young squire a thrashing, and runs away. Visits Rhys and Cadwgan. About to be married to Gwenny. A dreadful adventure on the hills that ruins all his prospects.