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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 the little inn of Penmorfa。



But the curse was at work!  The fulfilment of the prophecy was nigh

at hand!







CHAPTER II。







It was the autumn after the birth of their boy; it had been a

glorious summer; with bright; hot; sunny weather; and now the year

was fading away as seasonably into mellow days; with mornings of

silver mists and clear frosty nights。  The blooming look of the time

of flowers; was past and gone; but instead there were even richer

tints abroad in the sun…coloured leaves; the lichens; the golden

blossomed furze; if it was the time of fading; there was a glory in

the decay。



Nest; in her loving anxiety to surround her dwelling with every charm

for her husband's sake; had turned gardener; and the little corners

of the rude court before the house were filled with many a delicate

mountain…flower; transplanted more for its beauty than its rarity。

The sweetbrier bush may even yet be seen

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