the doom of the griffiths-第6章

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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；　old　and　gray；　which　she　and

Owen　planted　a　green　slipling　beneath　the　window　of　her　little

chamber。　　In　those　moments　Owen　forgot　all　besides　the　present；　all

the　cares　and　griefs　he　had　known　in　the　past；　and　all　that　might

await　him　of　woe　and　death　in　the　future。　　The　boy；　too；　was　as

lovely　a　child　as　the　fondest　parent　was　ever　blessed　with；　and

crowed　with　delight；　and　clapped　his　little　hands；　as　his　mother　held

him　in　her　arms　at　the　cottage…door　to　watch　his　father's　ascent　up

the　rough　path　that　led　to　Ty　Glas；　one　bright　autumnal　morning；　and

when　the　three　entered　the　house　together；　it　was　difficult　to　say

which　was　the　happiest。　　Owen　carried　his　boy；　and　tossed　and　played

with　him；　while　Nest　sought　out　some　little　article　of　work；　and

seated　herself　on　the　dresser　beneath　the　window；　where　now　busily

plying　the　needle；　and　then　again　looking　at　her　husband；　she　eagerly

told　him　the　little　pieces　of　domestic　intelligence；　the　winning　ways

of　the　child；　the　result　of　yesterday's　fishing；　and　such　of　the

gossip　of　Penmorfa　as　came　to　the　ears　of　the　now　retired　Nest。　　She

noticed　that；　when　she　mentioned　any　little　circumstance　which　bore

the　slightest　reference　to　Bodowen；　her　husband　appeared　chafed　and

uneasy；　and　at　last　avoided　anything　that　might　in　the　least　remind

him　of　home。　　In　truth；　he　had　been　suffering　much　of　late　from　the

irritability　of　his　father；　shown　in　trifles　to　be　sure；　but　not　the

less　galling　on　that　account。



While　they　were　thus　talking；　and　caressing　each　other　and　the　child；

a　shadow　darkened　the　room；　and　before　they　could　catch　a　glimpse　of

the　object　that　had　occasioned　it；　it　vanished；　and　Squire　Griffiths

lifted　the　door…latch　and　stood　before　them。　　He　stood　and　looked

first　on　his　son；　so　different；　in　his　buoyant　expression　of　content

and　enjoyment；　with　his　noble　child　in　his　arms；　like　a　proud　and

happy　father；　as　he　was；　from　the　depressed；　moody　young　man　he　too

often　appeared　at　Bodowen；　then　on　Nestpoor；　trembling；　sickened

Nest！who　dropped　her　work；　but　yet　durst　not　stir　from　her　seat；　on

the　dresser；　while　she　looked　to　her　husband　as　if　for　protection

from　his　father。



The　Squire　was　silent；　as　he　glared　from　one　to　the　other；　his

features　white　with　restrained　passion。　　When　he　spoke；　his　words

came　most　distinct　in　their　forced　composure。　　It　was　to　his　son　he

addressed　himself：



〃That　woman！　who　is　she？〃



Owen　hesitated　one　moment；　and　then　replied；　in　a　steady；　yet　quiet

voice：



〃Father；　that　woman　is　my　wife。〃



He　would　have　added　some　apology　for　the　long　concealment　of　his

marriage；　have　appealed　to　his　father's　forgiveness；　but　the　foam

flew　from　Squire　Owen's　lips　as　he　burst　forth　with　invective　against

Nest：…



〃You　have　married　her！　　It　is　as　they　told　me！　　Married　Nest

Pritchard　yr　buten！　　And　you　stand　there　as　if　you　had　not　disgraced

yourself　for　ever　and　ever　with　your　accursed　wiving！　　And　the　fair

harlot　sits　there；