Consequential Landlord - Cheek - Darfel Gatherel - Dafydd Nanmor -Sheep Farms - Wholesome Advice - The Old Postman - The Plant de Bat - The Robber's Cavern.
MY guide went to a side door, and opening it without ceremony went in. I followed and found myself in a spacious and comfortable-looking kitchen: a large fire blazed in a huge grate, on one side of which was a settle; plenty of culinary utensils, both pewter and copper, hung around on the walls, and several goodly rows of hams and sides of bacon were suspended from the roof. There were several people present, some on the settle and others on chairs in the vicinity of the fire. As I advanced, a man arose from a chair and came towards me. He was about thirty-five years of age, well and strongly made, with a fresh complexion, a hawk nose, and a keen grey eye. He wore top-boots and breeches, a half jockey coat, and had a round cap made of the skin of some animal on his head.
"Servant, sir!" said he in rather a sharp tone, and surveying me with something of a supercilious air.
"Your most obedient humble servant!" said I; "I presume you are the landlord of this house.""Landlord!" said he, "landlord! It is true I receive guests sometimes into my house, but I do so solely with the view of accommodating them; I do not depend upon innkeeping for a livelihood. I hire the principal part of the land in this neighbourhood.""If that be the case," said I, "I had better continue my way to the Devil's Bridge; I am not at all tired, and I believe it is not very far distant.""Oh, as you are here," said the farmer-landlord, "I hope you will stay. I should be very sorry if any gentleman should leave my house at night after coming with an intention of staying, more especially in a night like this. Martha!" said he, turning to a female between thirty and forty - who I subsequently learned was the mistress - "prepare the parlour instantly for this gentleman, and don't fail to make up a good fire."Martha forthwith hurried away, attended by a much younger female.
"Till your room is prepared, sir," said he, "perhaps you will have no objection to sit down before our fire?""Not the least," said I; "nothing gives me greater pleasure than to sit before a kitchen fire. First of all, however, I must settle with my guide, and likewise see that he has something to eat and drink.""Shall I interpret for you?" said the landlord; "the lad has not a word of English; I know him well.""I have not been under his guidance for the last three hours," said I, "without knowing that he cannot speak English; but I want no interpreter.""You do not mean to say, sir," said the landlord, with a surprised and dissatisfied air, "that you understand Welsh?"I made no answer, but turning to the guide thanked him for his kindness, and giving him some money asked him if it was enough.
"More than enough, sir," said the lad; "I did not expect half as much. Farewell!"He was then about to depart, but I prevented him saying:
"You must not go till you have eaten and drunk. What will you have?""Merely a cup of ale, sir," said the lad.
"That won't do," said I; "you shall have bread and cheese and as much ale as you can drink. Pray," said I to the landlord, "let this young man have some bread and cheese and a large quart of ale."The landlord looked at me for a moment, then turning to the lad he said:
"What do you think of that, Shon? It is some time since you had a quart of ale to your own cheek.""Cheek," said I - "cheek! Is that a Welsh word? Surely it is an importation from the English, and not a very genteel one.""Oh come, sir!" said the landlord, "we can dispense with your criticisms. A pretty thing indeed for you, on the strength of knowing half-a-dozen words of Welsh, to set up for a Welsh critic in the house of a person who knows the ancient British language perfectly.""Dear me!" said I, "how fortunate I am! a person thoroughly versed in the ancient British language is what I have long wished to see.