the doom of the griffiths-第5章

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of　anything　but　the　beautiful　changes　in　her　flexile　countenancethe

man　whom　Owen　took　for　her　father　came　up　and　addressed　some

observation　to　his　daughter；　from　whence　he　glided　into　some

commonplace　though　respectful　remark　to　Owen；　and　at　length　engaging

him　in　some　slight；　local　conversation；　he　led　the　way　to　the　account

of　a　spot　on　the　peninsula　of　Penthryn；　where　teal　abounded；　and

concluded　with　begging　Owen　to　allow　him　to　show　him　the　exact　place；

saying　that　whenever　the　young　Squire　felt　so　inclined；　if　he　would

honour　him　by　a　call　at　his　house；　he　would　take　him　across　in　his

boat。　　While　Owen　listened；　his　attention　was　not　so　much　absorbed　as

to　be　unaware　that　the　little　beauty　at　his　side　was　refusing　one　or

two　who　endeavoured　to　draw　her　from　her　place　by　invitations　to

dance。　　Flattered　by　his　own　construction　of　her　refusals；　he　again

directed　all　his　attention　to　her；　till　she　was　called　away　by　her

father；　who　was　leaving　the　scene　of　festivity。　　Before　he　left　he

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