L I B R.ARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 U N I VERS ITY 
 
 Of ILLl NOI5 
 
 V.I
 
 t,-^ 
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 BY 
 
 1C. 311. I. 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 GLADYS OF HARLECH 
 
 IN THEEE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 T. C. NEWBY, PUBLISHER, 
 
 30, WELBECK 6TBEET, CAVENDISH SQUAKB, 
 
 1860.
 
 V.J. 
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 It was a blowing, blustering evening. The 
 waves were lashing the rocks with wild and 
 frantic energy. The hissing spray was rear- 
 ,^ ing its crested head and assuming a thousand 
 'r^ fanciful forms, ever and anon disappearing 
 ^ here and there through the fissures of the 
 "t gigantic cliffs, overhanging a broad extent 
 < of sands at a secluded spot on the dangerous 
 ^ coast of Wales. At some distance over the 
 hill, the smoke was rising from a village 
 which lay partly concealed among the oaks 
 and firs, completely sheltered from the cold 
 VOL. I. p
 
 2 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 north wind by a crag which towered above 
 it. A small creek ran inland, forming a 
 natural harbour for a few trading vessels, 
 which were floating there, perfectly secure 
 from the agitated sea. The sun was setting 
 behind dark and lowering clouds, while sea- 
 gulls and other aquatic birds were shrieking 
 and screaming their wild notes in search of 
 shelter for the night. 
 
 At that moment, a man, who for the last 
 half-hour had been sitting upon the beach, 
 hastily rose, and wrapping his plaid around 
 his shoulders, hurried away in the direction 
 of the village, whistling, as he went along, a 
 Scotch air. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, he halted before a 
 house with a whitewashed front, having ivy 
 running up the gables to the top till it reached 
 above the chimney, almost concealing it 
 from the eye, with its bright glossy green 
 foliage. Over the door hung a board, on 
 which was painted the figure of a warrior in 
 armour. This sign was a miserable daub — •
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 3 
 
 painfully miserable, under which a few 
 rough characters were carved, revealing the 
 name and date of the last of the Welsh 
 princes, Llewelyn ap Griffydd, by which 
 name the picturesque inn was universally 
 known. 
 
 " I am afraid indeed, sir, you will not 
 think well of the place. I never see such 
 weather in summer come like this before ; 
 rain, rain, and storm every day. I am 
 sorry," said the landlady, addressing the 
 stranger in a strong Welsh accent. Courte- 
 sying at the same time, she relieved her 
 guest of his plaid and cap, and conducted 
 him immediately afterwards into the low 
 but roomy kitchen — a kitchen unlike any 
 the Scotchman had before seen. With a 
 quiet speculative scrutiny, and a shade of 
 curiosity over all, his eyes wandered from 
 one object to another; nothing escaped 
 him. The high mantel-shelf, with its rows 
 of great and small brass candlesticks, sea- 
 birds' eggs, feathers, foreign shells, and a
 
 4 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 curious variety of tin pots and pans, fantas- 
 tically arranged, were the first objects to come 
 under his investigation. Passing to the 
 right-hand corner of the kitchen, there was 
 a fixture in the shape of a triangular cup- 
 board, containing old china and glass, evi- 
 dently intended for ornament, or to be used 
 only upon particular occasions. Then came 
 a dresser with rows of gaudy-coloured plates 
 and dishes ; while hanging at the edge of 
 each shelf were pewter pots, and blue and 
 pink china mugs, which at a first glance 
 might have been taken for rows of shells or 
 birds' eggs. In fact, this original piece of 
 furniture and its appurtenances appeared to 
 have been placed in ambitious rivalry of the 
 mantelpiece, both as to variety and exact 
 order. Opposite the fireplace stood two 
 clocks ; one in a handsome dark oak carved 
 case, disclosing at the first glance that it 
 boasted of considerable antiquity, and with- 
 out doubt was a valuable heirloom. The 
 other clock was of a more modern date, but
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. O 
 
 had neither beauty, antiquity, nor anything 
 else to recommend it, save that it was a 
 wedding-gift. In the immediate vicinity of 
 the clocks, suspended upon the wall, were 
 two or three sets of polished steel fire-irons, 
 toasting-forks, cheese-pressers, and glass 
 rolling-pins, striped and mottled to resemble 
 marble. Next in succession hung a copper 
 warming-pan, shining like burnished gold. 
 A prussian-blue umbrella, an indispensable 
 article of domestic comfort to the peasantry 
 of Wales, found here a prominent peg, 
 assigned for its special use. Several pairs 
 of boots and shoes, polished as bright as the 
 pots and pans, were honoured enough to 
 find a place upon the ceiling amongst the 
 numberless pieces of bacon, dried salmon, 
 geese, and herrings, forming a singular 
 contrast, and running the chance of a col- 
 lision with the heads of strange visitors 
 who might happen to be a little above the 
 ordinary stature. Last of all, a dark oak 
 settle, with a high back, stood close to the
 
 6 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 fire at right angles to the chimney-corner. 
 It was the pride of the kitchen, and looked 
 as if it had more elbow-grease bestowed 
 upon it than any other article of the cottage 
 furniture. Broad and long, it monopolized 
 a considerable portion of tbe apartment. 
 No one, however, who frequented the 
 '' Llewelyn ap Griffydd," would have dared to 
 make an assertion of its superfluous room. 
 It would have been considered a positive 
 desecration, so much was that old oak settle 
 appreciated and revered. 
 
 At the moment to which allusion is 
 made, it was occupied by two men and an 
 overgrown youth. They were composedly 
 smoking their pipes, and sipping cwrw da.* 
 Aloof from them, and on the opposite side 
 of the fireplace, there sat, also smoking, a 
 young man of a gentlemanlike appearance. 
 
 On the first entrance of the stranger, the 
 two men and the lad rose, and having sa« 
 
 * Good ale.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 7 
 
 luted him with a quaint nod, resumed their 
 seats. 
 
 "You cold, you come by the fire ?" said 
 the pretty, goodnatured-looking hostess, 
 fetching a chair from a remote corner, and 
 placing it opposite to the lambent turf-fire. 
 '* Sit you down, mister ; you soon get warm 
 before the supper be ready." 
 
 Truer words were seldom spoken ; for 
 scarcely had the Scotchman sat five minutes 
 before the pyramid of burning turf, when 
 he was compelled, from the heat which it 
 emitted, to draw his chair off to a con- 
 siderable distance, or he would have stood a 
 chance of terminating his existence in the 
 same manner as a fatted ox had been doomed 
 to do that morning. 
 
 In reference to the ox, the important 
 fact must be stated, in theway of explanation, 
 that Mr. Owen Herbert Gwynne, the great 
 landed proprietor in those parts, had arrived 
 on the previous evening at Bleddyn, the 
 family seat, after a few years' absence from
 
 8 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 the country. To celebrate this event, an ox 
 had been roasted whole, and a dinner given 
 to the tenantry. 
 
 Mr. M'Farlane, for that was the Scotch- 
 man's name, sat for some time watching- the 
 flickering flames, before he ventured to cast 
 a few furtive glances towards his companions, 
 who were lounging in profound silence ; and 
 he became more interested in them, as he 
 found opportunity to examine them sepa- 
 rately. 
 
 The young gentleman to whom allusion 
 has been before made, excited his curiosity 
 not a little. He seemed out of place in 
 being there at all, and yet he sat perfectly 
 at his ease. He had a tall, muscular, and 
 commanding figure. His clothes, remark- 
 ably well made, were rather uncommon in 
 appearance. His eyes and complexion were 
 dark, and the quick, intelligent expression 
 of his features was remarkable. A sino^le 
 glance from his searching eyes embarrassed 
 the Scotchman, who turned his own to the
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. \f 
 
 opposite side, where the lad, who might be 
 about sixteen, was playing with the dog and 
 cat. The man who sat nearest him was a 
 red-haired, weather-beaten looking sailor, 
 with a high forehead, much of the man- 
 of-war's man in his bluff address, apparently 
 cunning and active, but not altogether bear- 
 ing an ill countenance. His companion was 
 nearly asleep in the comer, and looked 
 neither like a countryman, a sailor, nor a 
 gentleman, but seemed belonging to a 
 species of his own. A short-cropped head, 
 thick and bristly hair, a long nose, and 
 slanting eyes, scarcely visible beneath his 
 shaggy brow ; a velveteen coat, shorts, and 
 gaiters, with huge boots, the latter alarming 
 in their size, completed his original ap- 
 pearance. 
 
 Mr. M'Farlane had hardly time to make 
 a general survey of the whole party, be- 
 fore they were disturbed by approaching 
 footsteps in the passage ; and in a few 
 minutes, Hugh Lloyd, the master of the inn, 
 
 B 2
 
 10 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 accompanied by three male companions, 
 entered the kitchen. 
 
 " Indeed, truth, I be not sorry to have a 
 roof over my head, and a fire to sit by, such 
 a night as this," exclaimed the landlord, 
 wiping the streaming rain off his face, and 
 looking- round the cheerful and comfortable 
 kitchen. With a respectful bow, he saluted 
 the young gentleman '' foreigner." It was 
 by that name he was known in the country. 
 
 " I see, very good sir, you no got under 
 weigh this morning : 'pon my word, you get 
 luck. The water is playing the deuce with 
 the boats down yonder. I am sure it will 
 make a damage before the morning." 
 
 '' Yes, no doubt, we should have caught 
 it on the bar ; but my cutter is used to hard 
 work in the Bay of Biscay j she is a tough 
 little thing." 
 
 The landlady at that instant approached, 
 and with a concerned expression drew her 
 husband aside. A slight altercation fol- 
 lowed in their vernacular tongue, which
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 11 
 
 neither the stranger nor the Scotchman 
 could understand, but by their gestures they 
 Sfuessed the new-comers were the cause. 
 In a moment afterwards the host returned to 
 the fireside. 
 
 " I very sorry, Captain, very sorry ; my 
 missus is very unhappy, she can't make 
 thinors jro rio^ht. The fire won't burn in the 
 other room ; the smoke comes down, and the 
 rain has made a great mess : will you take 
 your supper with us to-night ? I no like to 
 ask you. Captain, but there is no help 
 for it." 
 
 " Make no apology, Hugh Lloyd; a 
 young man should see life in all its phases. 
 It won't do me any harm — your supper will 
 be just as good upon this table, as in the 
 other room. Tell your little wife not to dis- 
 tress herself; I am very comfortable here." 
 
 " You very good, sir, you no make any 
 trouble never, but I very sorry I bring these 
 men ; my missus say that make it worse." 
 
 " All's right," said the Captain, with a
 
 12 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 good-humoured smile ; " pray compose your- 
 self, my good man ; the more the merrier, 
 they say." 
 
 A slight bustle and confusion followed. 
 A girl with blooming cheeks, wearing a 
 striped linsey-woolsey petticoat, and a loose 
 blue bedgown fastened round the waist by 
 the strings of her apron, looking neither 
 very clean nor tidy, was hurrying backwards 
 and forwards from the scuUerytothe kitchen. 
 The red-haired sailor, who seemed to hold 
 the young gentleman in great respect, spoke 
 repeatedly to the lad to keep quiet ; but, 
 heedless of the reprimand, he set the dog 
 afresh at the cat, and made more noise in 
 his excitement than either of the com- 
 batants. 
 
 " You provoking rascal, why do you not 
 attend to your friend there?" exclaimed the 
 young foreigner, at last interfering. 
 
 The boy looked up in awe ; but in a few 
 minutes afterwards it was too tempting, and 
 again he began teasing the cat. This time
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. l3 
 
 the man in the corner with the great boots 
 roused himself, and aiming a blow at the 
 boy's head, sent him whirling nearly into 
 the fire, saying at the same time— 
 
 "Take that! Why don't you put the 
 dog down, the snarling brute, and leave the 
 cat alone? Can't you let a man sleep in 
 peace, without making all this thunder and 
 lightning ? I might as well be up in the 
 hills sleeping between two waterfalls. You 
 can't make much more noise." 
 
 Happily for all parties, the savoury fumes 
 from the supper, which was now placed on 
 the table, soon restored the household to 
 good humour. They took their places in 
 silence. 
 
 " The good dinner at the Plas to-day has 
 no made me feel less ready for my supper," 
 remarked one of the guests, smiHng com- 
 placently at his well-filled plate, and taking 
 upon his fork a swinging slice of bacon, and 
 a whole potato not half uncased from its 
 jacket, all of which he crammed into his
 
 14 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 mouth, his eyes nearly disappearing while 
 the process of mastication took place. He 
 was a fat little man, with a nooked nose, 
 and a remarkable round head, partly bald j 
 two tufts of hair, provokingly bristling and 
 obstinate, stood out on each side ; forming 
 a most ludicrous biped-like face. 
 
 The youth, who was sitting opposite, 
 happened at the critical moment to fix his 
 eyes upon the extended visage of this per- 
 son, and discovering in it a remarkable re- 
 semblance to the bird of wisdom swallowing 
 a mouse, his gravity was completely upset. 
 Losing all control over himself, he shrieked 
 with laughter, causing the glasses upon the 
 table to vibrate. The sharp lad, with pre- 
 sence of mind, concealed the real cause of 
 his merriment, by cleverly turning it off to 
 the cat, that had opportunely clawed the 
 dog's ears with her ever-ready pat. 
 
 " I feared, upon my word, you will think 
 us rough animals here, Mr. Scotchman," 
 said Hugh, apologetically. Then giving
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 15 
 
 the Captain a significant nod, he continued 
 — " But you see, mister, it will take time — 
 ay, indeed, truth it will, take time, before 
 you can feel home-like with us. You were 
 never in Wales before, were you, mister ?" 
 
 " No, nor never saw a Welshman till I 
 came here." 
 
 " Well, then, if a man comes to our 
 country, and none of us says ' come,' he 
 must learn to carry a wet jacket on his 
 shoulder, and take patience till the weather 
 give the sun to dry it. You, perhaps, no 
 understand me, Mr. Scotchman ?" 
 
 " Mr. M'Farlane," interposed the new 
 agent, drily, " that's my name," 
 
 " Well, very good, Mr. M'Farlane, if you 
 like that better ; 1 was only going to tell, 
 if you lives here four weeks and a day, you 
 will come sharp enough to find that out I 
 Just now you see we come all strangers to- 
 gether — strangers always looks civil and 
 pleasant in the face ; but you shall know 
 my mind before long. 1 always like to tell
 
 18 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 everything I think to a man's face, not be- 
 hind his back ; and it is better that way, 
 to be rough, than smooth-tongued : do 
 you see ?" 
 
 Mr. M'Farlane could not quite see the 
 drift of this ; he put down his knife and 
 fork, and looked uneasy. Hugh, without 
 noticing the action, turned his head to ad- 
 dress his wife. A considerable alteration 
 in the tone of his voice had taken place ; 
 vacillating between coaxing and sympathy, 
 he continued — 
 
 " Well, Molly bach, you always keep a 
 smile in the face, whether we run aground 
 or float smooth on the water. I am glad in 
 my heart, my little woman, you can ; I no 
 can, I must feel the change, and I do feel 
 it. You see, missus, the husband of Bleddyn 
 has live now a long time with strangers ; 
 now I always see strangers make everything 
 look ugly. I no see good come by them — • 
 never. Mr. Owen Herbert Gwynne, when 
 the father was alive, all the people in the
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 17 
 
 country will tell you, Mr. Scotchman, was a 
 fine young gentleman. He live here in the 
 country quite contented, and no tell a bad 
 word for anybody, and no want nobody to 
 farm the land but his own countrymen. I 
 tell the truth, he was different to what he 
 is now ; he go among those strangers, and 
 come back here, and think his countrymen 
 can't do nothing; and so you see he sends 
 youhere,Mr. Scotchman, to teach us farming. 
 Farming, indeed ! Don't we know enough 
 of farming to fill our pans in the dairies, 
 and our mills with flour ? We know enough 
 to keep our children's colour in their cheeks, 
 and good teeth in their heads. We no 
 want more, no. See the fire there, we 
 have plenty of that ; and look at my little 
 missus, what lady would like to have a 
 better dress than she wears ? We no want 
 more. Yn enw goodness ! What is the 
 use of making all this talk and botheration 
 about farming ?" 
 
 The landlord grew excited, and stopped
 
 18 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 to wipe his brow. No one spoke during 
 the interval, and nothing else was heard 
 beside the clattering of knives and forks. 
 
 " Somehow it is very odd," he began 
 again, " I see the English always bring bad ; 
 let them be high or low, it makes no differ- 
 ence. Now look you, when had we a mur- 
 der in this country before those railway 
 navvies came, kicking up their rows here, 
 and knocking each other's brains out there ? 
 Do you see, it is quite true. And now we 
 come back again to our landlord : who make 
 the first change in him ? The bad man, that 
 young Lord Morlif, who took Bryn-y-Coed 
 that year — it was he who did it, and he 
 make mischief all over the country. Dear, 
 dear ! there was poor Mrs. Gwynne, his 
 mother, breaking her heart about her son, 
 seeing him do so many wrong things with 
 that young lord. Ask any one in the place, 
 and they will tell you, Owen Herbert was 
 not like the same person after he come 
 acquainted with that bad man. Here is
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 19 
 
 this great gentleman, the Captain of the 
 Cambria, he knows more about it than any 
 of us : he was in the country at that time, and 
 saw a great deal of them — did you not, sir?" 
 
 " Oh yes, but there was not much friend- 
 ship lost between us," replied the young 
 sailor, rather cautiously ; " you should 
 not come to me for the character of 
 either of those gentlemen. I think, Mr. 
 M'Farlane, it is rather a chance shot your 
 coming here ; you will not have a pleasant 
 post to occupy. An agent's life at any time 
 is not an enviable one ; but here a stranger, 
 in a strange country, doubly enhances the 
 unpleasantness of such an office. Without 
 wishing to vilify the squire, I am afraid 
 you will find you have a capricious master to 
 deal with." 
 
 Mr. M'Farlane did not look at all 
 pleased, After a long pause, the Captain 
 turned to the hostess with the sudden de- 
 termination of alarming and teasing her, as 
 he had often done before.
 
 20 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 *' Well, Mrs. Lloyd, with that bright 
 smile of yours, are you pleased at having all 
 these grand folks coming into the country ? 
 or is the smile only a mask to conceal the 
 annoyance and uncomfortable feelings you 
 have, at the thoughts of seeing your peace- 
 ful village disturbed by the host of para- 
 sites, beef-eaters, and retainers, swarming 
 in the great house up there ? Are you sure 
 your heart does not sink into a well, when 
 the idea crosses your mind, of those jack- 
 anapes of footmen prying into your nooks and 
 corners, spoiling your girls' hearts by their 
 jackdaw flummery, telling tales at the Plas, 
 and then running about with little scented 
 notes to the magistrates in the county, 
 to bring you up for some trifling off'ence. 
 All this, Mrs. Lloyd, won't butter your 
 bread, nor make the kettle boil with its 
 jolly little chorus, as it has done for 
 the last five years. What will you do then, 
 when your tea and your good man's grog
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 21 
 
 are shipwrecked together upon Owen Her- 
 bert G Wynne's broad acres?" 
 
 " I no like to hear you talk in that way, 
 young gentleman. I think, indeed, you 
 make a big trouble out of a little one ; the 
 husband of Bleddyn will come like the 
 old father. Yet his mother was a good 
 lady, and was very kind to me, and I no 
 like to hear nobody say a bad word for the 
 family ; it is better when you can no tell 
 good, to no tell nothing." 
 
 "To no tell nothing ?" repeated her in- 
 terlocutor, smiling ; " well, I am very sorry, 
 Mrs. Lloyd, I can no tell nothing that you 
 approve of; but you must look upon it in 
 this light — I am acting a most charitable 
 part in warning you of the coming calamities. 
 It is always as well to be prepared for these 
 tilings. You may depend upon it, there is 
 a fearful change about to befall this quiet 
 little liamlet. There is every chance of your 
 good man being committed for having housed 
 and aided the poachers : that's one thing.
 
 22 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Then you must recollect you have had your 
 finishing feast upon hares and pheasants : 
 no more dainty bits for your babies. Last 
 of all, this comfortable inn, with its com- 
 fortable kitchen, will, if it is not closed up, 
 wear a very different aspect ; you will not 
 have one quarter of your customers. For 
 instance, our friend here," he continued, 
 pointing to the man with the cropped hair 
 and great boots, " I should say his visits will 
 be few and far between." 
 
 " You tell so many fine words, sir, I no 
 can understand you : I no can see the ugly 
 change you tell will come." 
 
 " You no can understand me, you no can 
 see the ugly change I tell you will come !" 
 laughed the young sailor, mimicking her 
 strong Welsh accent in the most good- 
 humoured manner possible. '' Well, well, 
 we had better say no more about it : I forgot 
 we were in the presence of this gentleman, 
 this distinguished proficient in farming, Mr. 
 Gwynne's new steward, who looks, I beg
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 23 
 
 your pardon, sir, as if you thought you were 
 among thieves, and were plotting to get 
 them a berth in the county gaol. Allow me 
 to give you a friendly hint not to meddle 
 with the inhabitants of this village. When- 
 ever I have come into this part of the 
 country, they have been my study : it won't 
 do to trespass upon their privileges, nor to 
 apply the rod ; that will not answer : as I 
 said before, you won't have a very enviable 
 position in being the tool in the hand of a 
 governor who is too indolent to consider his 
 own interest and the people's welfare." 
 
 *' The young gentleman says quite right," 
 observed the man with the great boots. 
 " You had better not come and trespass 
 upon us, sir, or you will have what you 
 won't like. We will dangle you up in shreds 
 and patches upon the highest tree in the 
 park for a scarecrow, or a target, which 
 would perhaps be better. You had best be 
 upon your guard, sir." 
 
 The young foreigner rose, lighted his
 
 24 COUNTRY LADLORDS. 
 
 cigar, and went back to the chimney-corner. 
 Scarcely had he left the table, when the red- 
 haired sailor burst out into smothered fits of 
 laughter, and many absurd and sharp remarks 
 were passed from one to another in their 
 own tongue, with which, once let loose, they 
 did not spare the unfortunate Caledonian. 
 
 " You tired sir?" suggested the landlady, 
 seeing the turn affairs had taken ; and 
 immediately fetching a light, she continued 
 in her broken English, " You would like to 
 go to bed ; yes ?" 
 
 The Scotchman looked weary and de- 
 pressed, and hence was by no means sorry 
 to avail himself of an opportunity of es- 
 caping from his boisterous companions. 
 
 " Good night to you, Mr. Scotchman," 
 cried one of the party, as he was about to 
 leave the kitchen. " Don't you be beating 
 us in your sleep," suggested another. '' And 
 by no means be carried away by the idea 
 that you have a class of willing Welshmen 
 to manage your fine pieces of machinery in
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 25 
 
 the shape of implements for sowing and 
 thrashing corn, and so forth. In the way 
 you will set about it, you will never succeed, 
 never," concluded the young sailor, as the 
 Scotchman's footsteps sounded upon the 
 stairs, and the party got up and prepared 
 to leave the house. 
 
 " So that is Mr. Gwynne's new agent," 
 said he a few minutes afterwards, addressing 
 Hugh Lloyd, now the only person in the 
 kitchen besides himself. '' The very last 
 man I should have selected. He is such a 
 mean, hypocntical-looking fellow ; shy, and 
 not clever. I don't like the man's face. 
 What could Owen Herbert have been think- 
 ing of to have introduced such a reptile here ? 
 How can ho ever have the patience to sit 
 and listen to him whinine^ out his broad gib- 
 berish, and catching up his breath like a 
 simple school-girl who has been told it was in- 
 teresting to mince her sayings? Why, Lloyd, 
 how is it you allowed the fellow to take up 
 his quarters here ? I should have thought, 
 VOL. I. C
 
 26 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 with your boiling indignation at having an 
 interloper, you would have shown him the 
 door before you had said ' Good morning ' 
 to him." 
 
 '' Well, sir, if I were to do what my heart 
 tells me, he should not have had his head 
 upon apillow in my house; no, that's certain. 
 But you see, young gentleman, I am not a 
 free man, and so it is not possible to do al- 
 ways what one would like. My missus every 
 day tells me I must learn to look civil and 
 pleasant in the face to everybody, or we 
 shall lose our customers. There are so 
 many new public-houses in Angharad now. 
 You know that, sir ? " 
 
 " Yes, Lloyd, 1 am sorry to see it." 
 
 " It is not good, indeed, sir, to have too 
 many." 
 
 " Beer — ay, you drink a monstrous quan- 
 tity of beer in this country ; it is a pity you 
 cannot. find something better to do." 
 
 The young sailor stretched himself at full 
 length upon the settle, and began musing.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 27 
 
 Hugh Lloyd walked about the kitchen in 
 his usual fidgety manner. The rain was 
 beating violently against the window-panes, 
 and the wind, as it swept round the high 
 gables, howled without intermission. It had 
 a dreary sound, and that very dreariness 
 recalled to Hugh Lloyd an event which had 
 aken place a few years before. 
 
 " It was just such a night as this — yes, 
 just such a night," muttered Hugh, carried 
 away by his own reflections and stopping 
 suddenly before the settle, when he con- 
 tinued — 
 
 " I sorry Mr. Gwynne is not a good 
 man. Do you remember when you were in 
 the country before, sir, what trouble he 
 brought upon the coast-guard's daughter?" 
 The Captain took his cigar from his mouth, 
 and shook the ashes from it. '' Yes, Lloyd, 
 it was a shameful affair; what has become 
 of the poor girl ? " 
 
 " Gone wrong in the head, sir, so they 
 say ; anyhow, they have put her in a mad-
 
 28 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 house to keep her out of the way. That 
 was a bad beginning for a young man coming 
 into a fine property. Was it not, sir ? " 
 
 " Yes, I am afraid Gwynne will have to 
 answer for much, when the day of reckon- 
 ing comes," 
 
 *' The people in the country talk a great 
 deal about that when Owen Herbert left 
 the country, and he and that young lord 
 give lots of money to stop the people's 
 mouths; but it no make no diiference. No- 
 body can keep the tongue quiet when a thing 
 like that spread over the country. Pity, I 
 always say, he make acquaintance with that 
 bad man. I wish the English would keep 
 away. We don't want their faces here. I 
 would rather be without their money, and 
 no dirty tricks." 
 
 "You should not be so prejudiced against 
 the English, Lloyd ; it is absurd ; why, there 
 are good and bad everywhere. Were you to tra- 
 vel from one country to another, as I do, you 
 would nothave these narrow views. The volup-
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 29 
 
 tuous gentleman to whom you refer was a bad 
 companion for Gwynne, no doubt, but it is 
 no apology for his conduct ; a man with 
 upright and honourable feelings will keep 
 himself straight, into whatever company he 
 gets. There is no excuse for him ; so do 
 not you be cutting up the English in that 
 fashion." 
 
 ** But really, sir, we never have a man like 
 that in the place before. He make no end 
 of trouble in country," persisted Hugh, de- 
 termined to stand his ground. 
 
 "Well, that may be, I am aware of it; 
 but 1 have no wish to argue the point ; I 
 have something of more interest to talk to 
 you about. The wind and weather did not 
 keep me from leaving your coast this morn- 
 ing. I remained purposely to disclose a 
 secret to you, Lloyd." 
 
 "A secret, sir? Good gracious, tell me a 
 secret ? " 
 
 " Whv not, Lloyd ? you are an honest
 
 30 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 fellow, 1 know, and I can trust you — I am 
 sure I can trust you." 
 
 " Well, yes, indeed, Captain, I hope that." 
 
 " Did you ever ask yourself the question, 
 Lloyd, why this foreigner should be always 
 coming upon your coast ? " 
 
 "• Yes, sir, sometimes ; but it is no busi- 
 ness of mine." 
 
 " What do the people say about me ? 
 The}' look upon me as a suspicious character, 
 a smuggler, or something of that sort ; do 
 they not ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, I hear some of the gentlemen 
 say that, "replied Hugh in a more confidential 
 tone ,• "but I tell everybody there is no truth 
 in it ; you are too great a gentleman." 
 ' " Ah, yes, I am a fine, noble fellow^, am I 
 not, Lloyd? I look as if I were ready to 
 kick the world before me like a football, and 
 so I am. I have been my own master for 
 years, and have been leading a vagabond 
 life, but I am no smuggler; I neither
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 31 
 
 smuggle nor receive srauf^gled goods ; that's 
 more than your gentlemen in this part of 
 the country can say. I am not always at 
 sea. Those who imaoine me to be a smu"- 
 gler, would find me often in the gay saloons 
 of Paris, or elsewhere, donned in a different 
 fashion to what I am here, pulling on my 
 white kid gloves, with a fine cambric pocket- 
 handkerchief at my nose, and saying pretty 
 things to the merry little French girls. But 
 I am soon weary of that sort of thing. I 
 like the salt water best, and my rough 
 jacket, and cruising about this rocky coast. 
 There is a charm about Wales." 
 
 '' I see you are fond of this country, and 
 I like you for it. Indeed, sir, me and my 
 wife are always glad to see your face, and 
 sorry when you go." 
 
 " It is kind of you to say so. I wonder, 
 Lloyd, you have never guessed who I am ; 
 can't you trace any resemblance in me to 
 some one you must have seen in your life- 
 time V"
 
 32 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " No, indeed, sir, no; you are a stranger 
 from a strange land — we all know that, 
 and can speak many languages ; but I never 
 see nobody in this country with dark eyes 
 and dark hair like yours." 
 
 *' My voice, is not that like ?" 
 
 *' Dear anwyl, sir! what make you talk 
 in this way ? What do you mean ?" 
 
 "This letter will explain it to you ; go 
 and read it if you can, and then tell me if 
 you do not know something of me." 
 
 Hugh took the letter to the light, and 
 after conning it over for a considerable 
 time, dashed it upon the table, and ap- 
 proached the young man in a state of great 
 agitation, scarcely able to articulate. 
 
 " Dear, dear sir, is it possible you are his 
 son ? Well, I am glad ; it never come 
 across me. This is good news, and my 
 little wife will be as glad as me." 
 
 Not able to express his feelings to the 
 extent he wished, he seized hold of the 
 young Captain by the hand and grasped it
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 33 
 
 with genuine warmth. " Why, it was my 
 father who help him out of the country, and 
 my father who was born at the gate-house 
 of the old Plas, and live all his life with 
 the family." 
 
 " Yes, I know all that, Lloyd ; and for 
 this reason, 1 have always come to your 
 house, and am now desirous to make you a 
 sort of agent of mine." 
 
 " An agent — make an agent of me ! No, 
 no ; not possible, sir. I will do anything I 
 can for you, but I no want money. I take 
 too much interest in the family. Not any 
 money for me — the son of an old servant, 
 no." 
 
 " Lloyd, 1 never employ any one without 
 payment for their services. 1 would not be 
 under obligation to an emperor, much less 
 to one in an humble sphere. You will only 
 have to do your duty, Lloyd, and leave the 
 rest to me. Money with me is no object. 
 Come, you must not be so excited ; but listen 
 to what I have to say. I was down at 
 
 c 2
 
 34 
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Hafod this morning. The old man has 
 been in possession of my secret for some 
 time ; but he thinks, with me, it is better to 
 keep the matter quiet. As far as it goes 
 now, all is right. He has promised to make 
 me his heir ; just what might be expected, 
 for by birth I am entitled to the property. 
 But my fear is, Lloyd, the old man may 
 change his mind or be persuaded if he gets 
 a large offer to sell the farm, and so do me 
 out of it. I know Gwynne has long coveted 
 that strip of land, and would go any length 
 to purchase it. My object is to keep it out 
 of his hands. Now I don't like the look of 
 that Caledonian gentleman ; he will perhaps 
 iirid how matters stand there, and turn the 
 old man round his fingers. This is what 
 you must prevent. You must always be 
 upon the look-out after my interest. Keep 
 your eye upon that rascal. I want that 
 property for several reasons. 1 want it, for 
 one thing, to build upon the Clogwyn, where 
 there is the finest view in the country, and
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 35 
 
 liiany capabilities. I have made up my 
 mind, if I ever build a nest upon land, it 
 will be upon the Clogwyn. So, Lloyd, you 
 see what your office is : you must be my 
 land pilot, while I am in foreign parts ; 
 and when you sec sandbanks, squalls, or a 
 shoal of sharks comin<2^, you must give the 
 alarm. That Scotchman must never be 
 allowed to put his foot into that house. 
 There is no telling what he may do, with 
 those cunning eyes buried in his head, and 
 those fingers never clean. Do you under- 
 stand what you have to do ? ' 
 
 •' Oh, yes, I see, sir; and I will indeed 
 look after your interest in every way. Dear 
 me ! it would make me happy to have you 
 living in the country. I am looking at you 
 — I can't help it, sir, you must forgive me ; 
 I cau't believe it is true." 
 
 " Oh, yes, look at mj ; you may look at 
 me as much as you like, there is no mistake 
 I am really his son, though I am not like 
 him; How is it this fact did not davvu^
 
 36 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 upon jou ? Twenty times, at least, I have 
 spoken to you of events that have taken 
 place in this country, and have questioned 
 you about many things, so that you might 
 have imagined I had been living here all 
 my life instead of being a foreigner. I 
 often wondered you were not puzzled at my 
 local knowledge.'* 
 
 " Well, indeed, sir, it was odd J no see 
 before. Now you make it known to me, I 
 see I have not been very sharp." 
 
 " No, Lloyd, you are not overburdened 
 with sharpness, though you may be with 
 honesty." 
 
 '' Indeed, I am afraid not, sir ; dear me, 
 it was foolish of me, when I know all the 
 while he gone to that far-off country from 
 where you come. I forget now what is the 
 name of the country — that place behind 
 France." 
 
 " Behind France !" repeated the young 
 sailor, with a ringing laugh ; " why, Lloyd, 
 my good fellow, when do you intend to set
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 37 
 
 about brushing the cobwebs from your in- 
 tellect, so that you may acquire a little more 
 sharpness, and learn to express your g(»ogra- 
 phical knowledge, and how to speak English 
 without makino: those infantine mistakes of 
 ' no tell,' and ' no see,* in every other sen- 
 tence ? Your phraseology is remarkable." 
 Again he launched. 
 
 Hugh stroked his head and grinned, 
 while the young Captain continued— 
 
 " I will tell you what, my good fellow, 
 there is a dearth of knowledge in this 
 country. There is too much night liere ; 
 we must, by some means, import a little 
 more daylight among these hills. If I 
 come and live among you, I will make a 
 change ; but I shall not set to work in the 
 way Mr. Gwynne and his tool, the Cale- 
 donian, do. No, I shall govern you without 
 whip or spur ; and you shall benefit by it 
 w ithout feeling it, or being ruffled or insulted 
 by bringing a Scotchman to put you into 
 leading strings to teacli you farming. But,
 
 38 COUA'TRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Jupiter take it ! this is random talk. I 
 have not yet got the Clogwyn. Mind, 
 Lloyd, whatever you do, keep your eye upon 
 the old gentleman down yonder in the 
 hollow. It all depends upon that ; when 
 that is secured to me, I will come and spend 
 my gold among you." - 
 
 " Upon my word, sir, I wish I could un- 
 derstand all you say," ejaculated Hugh, 
 looking at the young sailor with profound 
 respect. " I see all the same time you are 
 a great man. Yes, yes, my little missus tell 
 that from the first day she see you come 
 here. I think, indeed, my missus is more 
 sharp than me ; she is foolish in some little 
 things, but can see far in great things ! 
 Yes, it is true, indeed, you are a great man, 
 and what is better than all, though 1 can 
 hardly believe it, you are a son of the old 
 Plas. Nothing can make me more glad 
 than to hear that." 
 
 " Well, Lloyd, the old clock there tells 
 us it is getting late. I must be off" in the
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 6\) 
 
 morning at sunrise, so good niglit. Go, 
 and dream of the great man, and of the 
 old Plas, looking as it did a hundred years 
 ago, and — and — " 
 
 He took up his candle, and bounded up 
 the stairs, rousing the whole house by 
 another hearty laugh.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The library at Bleddyn was a gloomy room ; 
 the window looked out upon black rocks 
 that projected over the road leading to the 
 back premises. They were partly covered 
 with weeds and mosses, and water was con- 
 stantly dripping from long tendons of rank 
 creepers and ivy, which hung down from 
 above. A large cistern stood near, on one 
 side supplied with spring water by a pipe 
 conveyed over the cliff, emptying itself from 
 a great height^ and splashing every mineral 
 and vegetable production within its reach.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 41 
 
 The monotony of increasing dripping of 
 water ; the carved black oak furniture ; the 
 antique chintz hangings, and old-fash- 
 ioned portraits ranged high upon the 
 wainscot ; the glass door opening upon the 
 gravel walk, its passage choked with sickly- 
 flowers, evergreens, and overgrown vegeta- 
 tion, — all combined to give Mr. G Wynne's 
 study a most dreary appearance. The bright 
 glow of a fire might have cast a cheerfulness 
 upon its dull walls, but it was summer-time 
 and the grate stood empty, containing only 
 a few crumpled letters. 
 
 Mr. Gwynne, with a light in his hand, 
 opened the door and entered this still and 
 sombre apartment The family had retired to 
 rest. He sat down to his table covered with 
 papers, and remained some time leaning 
 back in his chair, apparently much excited. 
 Perhaps from custom or an overheated frame, 
 the chillness which prevailed around did not 
 inconvenience him. Mr. Gwynne was be- 
 tween thirty and forty years of age. lie
 
 42 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 could not be called a little man, yet his 
 face seemed shrunk, and with a cadaverous 
 complexion, there was nothing- that could 
 indicate a strong constitution. His character 
 was composed of strange contradictions ; he 
 was remarkably hospitable, yet he was covet- 
 ous. He was bland and courteous in his 
 manners, and yet there was a bluffness in- 
 termingled with his courteous carriage not 
 easy to define. In society he w^as cheerful, 
 even jovial : but notwithstanding his facetious 
 smile and his urbanity, to a scrutinizing 
 observer there were certain lines in his 
 countenance which indicated hollo vvuess, and 
 seemed to hint that he wished the world to 
 think contrary to the fact, that he was a 
 happy and contented man. Family pride, 
 and family possessions, with an increasing- 
 love for the bottle, were his besetting sins. 
 
 After musing for a considerable time in 
 his chair, he began muttering — 
 
 " Williams's farm ! The Hafod property ! 
 An ornamental and eligible slip to hook on
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 4o 
 
 to my broad acres, and it will keep out 
 intrusion. It is what I have been lon^inn: for 
 ever since the rent-rolls of Bleddyii have 
 been put into mv hands : and now thank 
 God the old fellow cumbers the earth no 
 more ; g-one at last !" 
 
 He rose to search for papers, then sank 
 back in his chair and repeated — 
 
 " I am glad the old fellow is dead, 
 gone at last ! The property is sure to be 
 sold, and I will purchase it. The Briscoes 
 extinct, the Gwynnes'will have the whole. 
 A grand move ! a grand move ! What would 
 my sire have given to see that come to pass ?" 
 As he finished the sentence, he rubbed his 
 hands and ixrinucd. 
 
 All the lights in the house save those 
 upon the table before him were extinguished, 
 yet the solitary master remained sitting- 
 there replenishing his glass with what ap- 
 peared to be brown sherry or brandy. The 
 hollow sound of the dripping water grew 
 louder from the stillness of the night, but
 
 44 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 lie had become accustomed to the monotony, 
 and found it rather composing than other- 
 wise, or the brandy- and -water had something 
 to do in making- him feel more con- 
 tented with himself than usual. He had 
 no inclination to go to bed, but continued 
 to be occupied with the decanters upon the 
 salver till he became so stupified from the 
 pressure upon his brain that he could 
 scarcely articulate clearly what he still at- 
 tempted to say — 
 
 *' Thank God, the old man is dead, gone 
 at last !" 
 
 He rose from his chair after making 
 several false essays, and with an unsteady 
 gait he quitted his study for his chamber. 
 
 On the following morning, before the 
 breakfast-bell had rung, Mr. Gwynne, a very 
 unusual circumstance, was again sitting in 
 the library occupied in writing a letter, and 
 Mr. M'Farlane was announced. 
 
 " What made you so late? I have been 
 expecting you this last half-hour," said he
 
 COUNTRY LANDLOIJDS. 45 
 
 in a nettled tone. " We shall lose this 
 day's post from your confounded dilatori- 
 ness. When I state an hour, I expect you 
 to he punctual to the moment ; bear that 
 in mind for the future." 
 
 With a short dry cough and a submissive 
 air the Scotchman was about to venture an 
 apology, but was immediately silenced by 
 an impatient shake of the hand. Having 
 finished and sealed the letter, Mr. Gwynne 
 rang the bell and gave it to the footman. 
 He then turned sharply to his agent. 
 
 " Now, M'Farlane, speak out, and spare 
 your words. What have you ascertained 
 concerning the farm ? Is the property en- 
 tailed ? 1 am pretty sure it is not." 
 
 "No, sir, it is not entailed, but I am 
 sorry to be obliged to comumuicate unac- 
 ceptable news. This old man who is just 
 dead, turns out to be a relative of that 
 voung foreigner who used to come upon 
 the coast a few years ago, and went by the
 
 46 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 name of Captain Ricardo Lewis. He has 
 left him everything he possessed." 
 
 " Lewis ! tliat fellow, confound his soul!" 
 parenthesized the squire, starting up from 
 his chair with a nervous contraction of the 
 brow, and his thin lips disappearing between 
 his teeth. " Jove take the fellow ! there is 
 no mistake then, he is a son of that vaga- 
 bond spendthrift, and this is what brought 
 him hovering about our coast, exciting 
 everybody's curiosity. Now it all comes 
 out." 
 
 Mr. Gwynne paused, walked to the win- 
 dow, and after remaining there for a few 
 minutes, returned, and said, in a hurried 
 and piqued tone : — 
 
 " Well, M'Farlane, it does not much 
 matter ; ] can purchase the property from 
 him, I suppose, as well as from any one else. 
 I know the fellow : he will care mere about 
 gold than those acres ; that wandering Jew 
 won't settle anywhere, not he." 
 
 " I am afraid, sir, you will be disap-
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 47 
 
 pointed, Hugh Lloyd told me that the 
 Captain will not part with the property on 
 my consideration, that he is going- to build 
 I palace upon the Clogwyn." 
 
 " A palace on the Clogwyn — absurdity ! 
 md are you such a fool as to believe it, and 
 I still greater to repeat what that humbugs 
 cing Methodist says ?" 
 
 " I am afraid you will find the man is 
 correct sir ; the site has already been fixed 
 upon, that extreme point which projects 
 over the sea to the south." 
 
 It was impossible for Mr. Gwynne to con- 
 ceal his annoyance. His lips were as livid 
 as his face, anger and vexation were rank- 
 ling within him. Striking his hand impe- 
 tuously upon the table, he continued — 
 
 " That fellow, that fellow, to come here 
 and plant himself among us! He, of all the 
 sons of Adam, to stand in my way ! I am 
 lord and master here, we don't want his in- 
 terference and moralising disputations. He 
 had better keep away — ay, and he shall
 
 48 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 keep away. We will lure the fellow by 
 giving him a bait in the form of a bribe. 
 Only let me have that property, and I 
 reck not what I sacrifice. Write, M 'Far- 
 lane, at once to his lawyer. Do you 
 hear ?" He wrote on the margin of a paper 
 he held in his hand and gave it to his agent 
 — " Offer him that sum, and higher if 
 necessary." 
 
 " Breakfast is ready, sir," said the 
 footman, dashing the door open, and start- 
 ling both master and agent by the sudden- 
 ness of his appearance. 
 
 Mr. Gwynne searched for some papers, 
 ani having given a few more directions, 
 obeyed the footman's summons, determined 
 in his own mind, as he passed through the 
 hall, that the property should be his. 
 
 The contrast was brilhant, coming from 
 that gloomy, dreary apartment, into the 
 pretty, cheerful morning parlour, with a 
 lovely view of the mountains and sea from 
 its windows, and a fountain playing upon
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 49 
 
 the lawn. There was, too, a profusion of 
 roses and clematis creeping' up the pillars of 
 the veranda, which, with the apple-green 
 curtains, and long pier glasses in neat white 
 and gold frames, together with a choice 
 collection of chalk drawings, rendered 
 the whole elegant and striking in effect. 
 There was much to attract and nothino" to 
 offend the eye ; all was cheerful without 
 being gaudy, and arranged with exquisite 
 taste. A flower-stand full of choice and 
 lovely exotics, rich in bloom, stood out in 
 the room some yards from the great bay- 
 window, attracting the general admiration 
 of a merry group gathered round the break- 
 fast-table. The rest of the party were 
 standing near the open casement admiring 
 the view, and talking over an excursion to 
 a cromlech, and other Druidical remains 
 that abound in the neighbourhood. 
 
 Mr. Gwynne conjured up a smile as he 
 entered the room and greeted his guests 
 with his usual cheerfulness. Amid all his 
 
 VOL. L D
 
 50 COUIMTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 peculiarities of character, he possessed the 
 art of making his friends feel welcome. 
 All were at home in his liberty-hall, and 
 experienced at their departure a regret 
 deeper than was usual upon such occasions. 
 
 The old mansion was a charming country 
 residence ; there was a sort of dreamy 
 romance hung about it, which made it par- 
 ticularly attractive to young people. It was 
 situated in the midst of fine mountain 
 scenery, and its extensive pleasure-grounds 
 stretched to the sea-shore. 
 
 Whatever was wanting in Mr. Gwynne 
 was amply supplied by his gentle wife, Lady 
 Elizabeth, who possessed a highly cultivated 
 and well-disciplined mind. In every senti- 
 ment there was a refinement and a purity 
 which raised her above her associates, with- 
 out causing any one to feel awed by her 
 presence She was easy of approach, and 
 l.cr aiiiipbility won all hearts. She was not 
 lidiusome, yet her smile and fascinating 
 manner gave that impression. 
 
 Some hours after breakfast, Mr. Gwynne
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 51 
 
 suddenly appeared before his wife with a 
 riding-whip in his hand. He looked heated. 
 
 " You ladies had better postpone your 
 drive till the evening. It is intensely hot 
 even in the shade. Those horses will neve r 
 stand the heat, any more than the flies, if 
 you attempt to take them out at this time 
 of day." 
 
 After chatting a few minutes with the 
 young ladies, he stepped out of the window 
 into the veranda, and as hedidso, exclaimed — 
 
 " Hollo ! you mischievous little dog, 
 what brings you here?" Clack went the 
 whip upon something soft, and Mr. Gwynne 
 disappeared down the gravel-walk. Lafly 
 Elizabeth approached the window. 
 
 " It is you, my child ; I did not know 
 you were in the room, or rather out of the 
 room," said she, as her eyes fell upon the 
 slender form of her son, stretched across 
 the window-sill, his head and shoulders 
 entirely sheltered by a large myrtle which 
 stood near in a colossal tub. " What are 
 you doing in that odd posture ?" 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF aimo« 
 
 ' LIBRARY
 
 52 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " Only reading, mamma," replied the 
 boy, lifting his thoughtful face to hers. 
 
 " The book must be very interesting to 
 keep you quiet so long," continued his 
 mother, glancing over his shoulder at the 
 absorbing volume. " To judge from its 
 appearance, it is neither a library nor a 
 story book. Where did you get it, my child T' 
 
 " You will not be angry with me, I know 
 you will not be angry with me. mamma," 
 cried the young heir, starting up with the 
 soiled book clasped between his fingers. 
 " You must not mind about its looking dirty 
 and torn. It is all about the Welsh hun- 
 dreds of years ago. I like reading about 
 them. Do not, pray, take it away from me." 
 
 While his mother examined the book, 
 which he placed in her hand with much re- 
 luctance, she remarked that it was a curious 
 piece of antiquity, and turning over the 
 pages, read aloud — " ' Welsh Legends ; Wars 
 upon the Marches ; the Mountain Bard.'
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 53 
 
 What can you find here to interest you, my 
 dear ?" 
 
 " I have been reading the history of the 
 mountain bard, poor lolo Goch, whom King 
 Edward's soldiers tried to murder, and they 
 could not. What do you think the great 
 bard did, mamma? He stood upon the 
 rock and cursed them all for killing his 
 brother bards, and was angry, very angry 
 with them." 
 
 " How excited you are !" 
 
 She drew him to her and kissed his o-low- 
 
 o 
 
 ing cheek, and again asked him by what 
 means the book came into his possession. 
 
 " Mr. Maurice lent it to me." 
 
 " The antiquary, our rector's father, you 
 mean." 
 
 " Yes, mamma ; and he has promised to 
 lend me more, and he is going to teach me 
 Welsh. You said I might learn it. I want 
 to learn it, that I may speak to the poor 
 people."
 
 54 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " I have no objection to your learning 
 the language, but I would rather you did 
 not go so frequently to the Rectory. Your 
 tutor complains to me that when you ought 
 to be at your lessons, you are either at the 
 Rectory, or scampering about the country 
 and getting into all sorts of mischief. It 
 is a sad account I hear of you, and not the 
 first time I have had to speak to you 
 about it." 
 
 ** Oh ! mamma ! lessons are so stupid, 
 and Mr. Gilford is so stupid ; he does not 
 like what I like." 
 
 " It is not to be supposed he would, my 
 dear : a little boy must learn to like what 
 his tutor likes." 
 
 " Oh ! dear, I cannot do it, mamma," 
 cried the child, striking his foot impatiently 
 upon the carpet; " it would be quite as 
 hard as not to love you — quite. Mr. 
 Gilford is like a girl ; he is frightened at 
 riding upon a horse, or sailing in a boat, or 
 running upon the edge of the rocks, and
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 55 
 
 goes to sleep when I am telling him about 
 the Cambro-Britons !" 
 
 The last sentence was uttered in a des- 
 pairing tone, and both hands disappeared 
 in his hair. His mother could scarcely sup- 
 press a smile. At the same time she spoke 
 seriously to him upon the importance of at- 
 tending to his lessons; and that learning 
 Welsh and the books Mr. Maurice lent him 
 must be put aside, if it continued to give 
 him such distaste for his studies. 
 
 A cloud passed over the child's face, and 
 for some minutes he stood swallowing his 
 grief. 
 
 " I wish, mamma, Mr. Gilford was like 
 Mr. Maurice; when he teaches me and 
 speaks to me, he looks so liappy and kind, 
 and his eyes are so bright. I remember 
 everything he tells me, while I forget all 
 that my tutor keeps talking about. I hate 
 many words ; I hate my tutor, indeed I do, 
 mamma. Will you send him away, and you
 
 56 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 teach me ? I am not happy now, not a bit 
 happy." 
 
 On Lady Elizabeth telling him that his 
 father would object to such an arrangement, 
 he shook his shoulder and his eye kindled. 
 
 " Papa !" he inteijected ; " why, mamma, 
 he does not care a bit about me." 
 
 " Anarawd !"* 
 
 "It is true, mamma, and you know I 
 can't love papa a bit more than I do Mr. 
 Gilford. Is he not always saying cruel, 
 unkind words to you, and scolding the ser- 
 vants and making everybody unhappy? I 
 never can love him, but hate him." 
 
 " Hush !" 
 
 His mother took him by the hand and 
 led him out of the room. 
 
 That evening the carriage drove to the 
 door, according to the arrangement m.ade 
 in the morning. 
 
 " You will have a glorious sunset from 
 
 * In Welsh the iv is pronounced like oo.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 57 
 
 the sands," observed Mr. Gwynne, who had 
 stepped out of the dining-room to hand the 
 ladies into the carriage. "I may join you 
 presently." 
 
 " Oblige me, Herbert ; lift Anarawd on 
 the box. This carriage is so high," said 
 his wife, in her usual gentle tone. 
 
 " What, is your pet still in long petti- 
 coats ?" replied Mr. Gwynne, with a sarcastic 
 expression playing round his nose and mouth ; 
 and turning to the footman, he continued 
 in a taunting tone : 
 
 " Go round there, Thomas, and lift tho 
 infant on the box ; and don't bo rough with 
 him — ha! ha!" 
 
 " I am not an infant," cried the boy, 
 striking the footman in the face and eluding 
 his hold. In an instant he sprang upon the 
 box agile as a cat. 
 
 The paternal insult brought a deep colour 
 into his face, and he knit his brow, 
 
 '' Ha ! ha I we have put his monkey 
 
 D 2
 
 58 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 up," laughed Mr. Gwynne. The carriage 
 drove off. 
 
 With a serious, anxious face, Lady Eliza- 
 beth leaned back and remained silent the 
 greater part of the drive. She was dwell- 
 ing upon the unhappy estrangement between 
 father and son. It was a deep and secret 
 grief to her, and would ever be so ; noble- 
 minded as her boy was, she felt that, on ac- 
 count of the father's unnatural conduct, he 
 would be a continual care, and that a heavy 
 responsibility rested upon her. In that she 
 stood alone. Hitherto she had done all in 
 her power for her child's good. After the 
 malignant fever he had caught in London, 
 the only surviving one out of three, her 
 anxiety concerning his health had been 
 great. She had yielded to the medical 
 man's advice to let him ride and run about 
 in the open air as much as possible. Thus 
 in regaining his health he had acquired 
 desultory habits, and now a new era in his
 
 COrNTRY LANDLORDS. t'jO 
 
 young life had commenced by the amval 
 of a tutor. He felt discipline and re- 
 striction a hardship. Unfortunately there 
 was no cordiality between tutor and pupil, 
 any more than between father and son. 
 None understood the child's disposition but 
 herself. 
 
 The moment they reached the beach, the 
 boy w^as soon scampering over the wet sands 
 and leaping over every puddle that came in 
 his way, and shouting to the flocks of sea- 
 gulls. The tears he had shed in the morn- 
 ing had left no trace upon his face. In the 
 midst of his joy at having escaped from his 
 tutor, even his father's insult for a time was 
 forgotten. Happy pliancy of youthful tem- 
 perament ! 
 
 The mother stood for a moment watching 
 his movements, and wondered how any one 
 could have the heart to cast a cloud over 
 the sunshine of early youth, that comes but 
 once, and is soon gone, leaving memory 
 crowded with regret that the past can return
 
 60 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 no more. We grow selfish as we grow in 
 years, and too rarely sympathize and parti- 
 cipate in the joys of childhood. Happy 
 childhood! — who would not be a child 
 again ?
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Months glided into years, and two lustres 
 have passed since we left our boy-hero 
 amusing himself on the hard sands a mile 
 distant from Bleddyn. Many events have 
 since taken place, and are to be found in the 
 records of the town of Angharad. These 
 shall simply be touclied upon in connection 
 with the narrative, before proceeding further. 
 Hafod is not yet in possession of the great 
 landed proprietor who coveted its acres : 
 gold had failed to gratify Mr. Gwynne's 
 cupidity. Captain Lewis would enter into no 
 negotiation, for these acres were of more value
 
 62 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 to him than ten times the number in any 
 other part of the PrincipaUty. 
 
 On Mr. Gwynne's return to his country- 
 seat on the following summer, it was with 
 secret mortification he saw the man he hated 
 continue with a lavish hand to erect his home 
 upon the Clogwyn (precipice). He was 
 constantly in a state of irritation to hear 
 Captain Lewis's praises among the inhabi- 
 tants of his own town The Captain was the 
 encourager of industry and the promotei' of 
 knowledge, and the interest he took in the 
 people was seen by his daily actions. These 
 showed that he was not a man who lived 
 without an aim in life. Mr. Gvvynne was of 
 the opposite character ; he took no interest 
 in anything but self-indulgence : he was a 
 voluptuary. A little conscience-smitten, his 
 malignant spirit vvas sharpened ; it made him 
 still more desirous to injure his rival. 
 
 *' Base envy withers at another's joy, 
 And hates that excellence it cannot reach." 
 
 As the structure rose under the hands of
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 63 
 
 the numerous workmen, many people were 
 puzzled as to what order of architecture it 
 mijrht be classed under. It bore some re- 
 semblance to an Italian villa, except that it 
 was much more massy and baronial-looking. 
 The most striking portion of it was a magni- 
 ficent terrace, jutting over the sea, with 
 turrets at each end. It might be said, that 
 without being of any architectural order, 
 there was an elegant classical appearance 
 about the entire edifice, which gratified the 
 eye and pleased the fancy. 
 
 When the building was completed, the 
 interior was fitted up with a taste and elegance 
 proportionate to the exterior appearance. 
 The grounds, too, were beautifully laid out 
 The spot iiud many capabilities, and none 
 were thrown away. There was not so much 
 disphiy as harmony throughout ; and this 
 harmony Captain Lewis considered the acme 
 of taste. Leading the life he had done in 
 Spain, Iliily, and other parts of the globe, 
 he had had many opportunities of selecting
 
 64 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 valuable pieces of furniture, curiosities, and 
 pictures, on which he particularly prided 
 himself: his collection he considered unique. 
 The questions mooted in the neighbourhood 
 were, Who was to be the mistress of this lovely 
 home ? Was he a married man ? Would he 
 bring home a foreign wife as dark and hand- 
 some as himself? His acquaintances were 
 sure he would never live alone ; he was too 
 fond of domestic society. Though a reserved 
 man, no one could be long in his company 
 without feeling that he appreciated the fair 
 sex, and was ready to uphold their rights. He 
 was, then, sure to marry, if he were not al- 
 readv bound by Hymen's chains. All were 
 mistaken ; for, much to their surprise, after a 
 six weeks' absence, he returned, accompanied 
 by a little givl with fair haii", her gover- 
 ness, and a black nurse. He appeared to 
 be devoted to this child. He was particular 
 in not allowing her to associate with any of' 
 the families in the neighbourhood, excepting 
 the Rector's; and even there she did not
 
 COUNTRY LAi^DLOKDS. 65 
 
 often visit. Her education monopolized her 
 time, and slie was seldom seen but in company 
 with her father, either on horseback, or occa- 
 sionally in his yacht, which was the admiration 
 and envy of all the gentlemen in the neigh- 
 bourhood. Though he had parted with his 
 ship, his yacht retained the name of the 
 Cambria. 
 
 Another member of the houshold was a 
 Mrs. Parry. On the death of the late pro- 
 prietor of Hafod, this widow, a relative of 
 the old man, was deprived of her home, and, 
 it was supposed out of commiseration and 
 charitable feelings. Captain Lewis offered her 
 one at Clogwyn. Mrs. Parry was near fifty, 
 with a good-tempered looking face, — an 
 adept in housekeeping and a useful member 
 in a large establishment, but nothing of a 
 companion. She was extremely attentive 
 and kind to Captain Lewis's little girl, much 
 as a conscientious upper servant would be. 
 
 For the first few years, Gertrude, ibr that 
 was the name of the fair-haired child, was
 
 66 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 seldom in Mrs. Parry's company but during 
 meals. When she was not with her governess, 
 she was with her father. Captain Lewis 
 found no fault with his isolated establishment. 
 Gertrude was his companion when he wished 
 for companionship, and he seemed to require 
 no other — he seldom left home, and did not 
 often visit in the neighbourhood. Every 
 year the child seemed to become more and 
 more essential to his happiness, and she 
 seemed to reciprocate the same sentiment to 
 an equal extent. 
 
 Ricardo Lewis having been nine years a 
 resident at Clogwyn, Gertrude had now at- 
 tained her seventeenth year. Her governess 
 had left, and she was finishing her education 
 with her father. He was bent upon giving 
 her a classical education ; for he said he 
 could not see why women should not enjoy 
 that advantage, and thus become more com- 
 panionable, without destroying their feminine 
 graces, for why should it? On this account, 
 Gertrude, independent of her governess, had
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 67 
 
 always to say her lessons to him from their 
 first settlement at Clogwyn. He felt great 
 pleasure in teaching her and training her 
 mind rightly, and rejoiced to find she re- 
 sponded entirely to his wishes. His great 
 aim was to keep her from indulging in ab- 
 surdities. Young ladies of the present day, 
 he thought, too often trifled away their time, 
 and fell short in their intellectual ac- 
 quirements, instead of attending to that 
 mental culture which would not only be an 
 endless source of pleasure to themselves, 
 but give a better tone to society at large. 
 
 One morning, as they were sitting in the 
 library and Gertrude had just fetched her 
 books, she looked up at her father, and 
 kissing him affectionately, said — 
 
 " What makes you look so serious, dear 
 papa ? of what are you thinking ?" 
 
 " That people seldom go through this 
 world without meeting with manv crosses." 
 
 " Oh ! pray don't talk about crosses," said
 
 68 COUNTRi LA.NDLORDS. 
 
 she with her laughing eyes : " as long as .8 
 live, we two, only we two in the worlu to- 
 gether, there can be none ; we must always 
 feel as we <lo at present — happy, without a 
 cloud." 
 
 " Without a cloud, Gertrude ! we should 
 then have more tlian our share of happiness 
 in this world. Suppose I were to tell you 
 that in the dim vista I can descry one al- 
 ready ?" 
 
 " No, no, dearest papa, don't frighten me. 
 Your looks are more ominous than your 
 words." 
 
 " Well, my darling, to speak faithfully, I 
 have not had good news this morning ; that 
 is what I mean." 
 
 " Not good news ?" 
 
 " No; I am apprehensive lest I should 
 have to go to Australia." 
 
 " Australia, papa ! then I will go with 
 you, and we shall still be happy." 
 
 *' Impossible ! I could not take my littlo 
 Gertrude into the rough world; over the
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 69 
 
 tempestuous sea, too. You are safer here 
 in this comfortable nest amono^ these hills. 
 If I go, I shall be compelled to leave you 
 behind. I shall be absent a year." 
 
 '' Never ! you must not indeed leave me 
 behind, my dear father. It would be great 
 cruelly. A whole year ! wliy it would seem to 
 me a lifetime of misery, we who have lived 
 entirely for each other's society. Think, 
 dearest papa, how could we support such a 
 separation ?" 
 
 " It will be a hard struggle, but I fear, my 
 child, ii must be sustained. The world — 
 the wide ocean, are far too rough for my gen- 
 llo Gertrude to encounter." 
 
 " 'J'hat is a weak, miserable excuse : you 
 must know tliat I shouM not mind roughing 
 anything, as long as I am with you. I can- 
 not submit U) this anaugement." 
 
 Ca])lain liCwii* sliook his head. *♦ Well, 
 well," said he, checking a sigh, '' let us hope 
 the evil day may yet l)e put oil, as it was last 
 \\\\v. You may be sure, my darling, 1 shall
 
 70 COUNTRY liANDLORDS. 
 
 make a great eflfort against it. The separation 
 will be harder for me than for you." 
 
 *' No, no, dear papa," cried she, throwing 
 her arms round his neck, " you could not 
 grieve more than I should. You must let 
 me accompany you : I will go with you." 
 
 *' What a passionate little thing you are, 
 Gertrude ! ever trying to hector or to govern 
 me ; but I am as firm as a rock. From your 
 childhood you have shown me obedience, 
 and you will do so now. If I go, I shall go 
 alone." 
 
 *' What a mournful word that alone ! 
 You cannot mean it ; really you must have 
 cold blood in your veins to issue such an 
 edict." She put her head upon his shoulder, 
 and burst into tears. 
 
 ^* Gertrude, look at me." 
 
 ^' No, this is cruel, cruel treatment !" 
 
 " My darling, pray don't weep in this way, 
 but listen to reason." 
 
 " No, reason cannot console me, so don*t 
 attempt to reason. Those who have a stone
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 71 
 
 for a heart may philosophize — I cannot. I 
 thought you had more regard for my feehngs, 
 and that your love for me was deeper." 
 
 " You wrong me, my child. I act for 
 your good ; mine is unselfish love ; for were 
 I to consult my own feelings, I would take 
 you with me and spare myself this bitter 
 trial, which, as I said before, will be harder 
 for me than for you." 
 
 " You speak enigmatically, I don't under- 
 stand you ; it cannot surely be good for us 
 to be separated : I shall be lost without you. 
 Think — oh, think again of it, dear papa!" 
 
 ''I will think of it again and again, my 
 little Gertrude ; but it will be in vain. You 
 must not talk in this childish way. Place 
 confidence in me, as you have hitherto done, 
 and rest satisfied. I will cause you no more 
 tears ihan I can help. Come, don't under- 
 value my love : give me the kiss of peace, 
 and lei us hope lliisi unwelcome voyage may, 
 after all, not be necessary." 
 
 " I do indeed hope so ; but that heavy
 
 72 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 sigh and grave look seem to say the hope 
 yoa have is faint." 
 
 '' I am only waiting to hear from my legal 
 adviser ; a letter from him will put me out 
 of suspense. 8hould it end in my being 
 obliged to leave you, I trust you will show 
 more fortitude. To have my Gertrude 
 sobbing in this way would make me fancy 
 you were a child again, and had not all that 
 amount of sound sense and that fund of 
 knowledge which J know you to possess. 
 At times you can look so womanly apd dig- 
 nified ; how is it, then, Gertrude, you are so 
 impulsive, so childlike in some things ?" 
 
 " Because my love for you is intense, and 
 this is the first time you have ever ill-treated 
 me. Imagine my having no other companion 
 than uninteresting Mrs. Parry, and not see 
 your dear face nor hear your voice for a 
 whole dreary year ! With so dark a prospect 
 before me, how can I have control over my- 
 self? Cry I must, if it is like a child. I 
 shall pine into a skeleton before you return.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 73 
 
 Surely, it is better to sacrifice money than 
 peace ; do not go, even if you deem it neces- 
 sary." 
 
 There was a pause. Captain Lewis re- 
 mained inflexible. Again Gertrude con- 
 tinued, — 
 
 " You have spoiled me ; that is the truth : 
 you have unsuited me for the society of any 
 one but yourself. Everybody strikes me as 
 insipid and ordinary after you. I cannot 
 make new companions if I would, and in that 
 case you must acknowledge it is doubly cruel 
 of you to leave me. It is unlike you; it is 
 inconsistent with your nature, papa." 
 
 '* Gertrude, don't cavil about it ; my posi- 
 tion is an embarrassing one, much more 
 than you are aware or than I can explain. 
 1 regret Mrs. Parry is not a more congenial 
 companion ; but you must write to your 
 governess, and ask her to come and keep 
 you company during my absence. I should 
 feel more comfortable did I know she was 
 with you. You can visit at the Rectory : 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 I would rather you did not go anywhere else, 
 for in the summer time there are many 
 strange characters infesting these secluded 
 districts ; so that I should be in constant 
 alarm, were J to know there was a chance of 
 your being thrown amongst them. As it is, 
 1 shall not leave you, my child^ without a 
 load of grief and anxiety ; and that dear little 
 face which generally looks so happy and 
 blithe, how I shall yearn to rest my eyes upon 
 it again ! It is well you don't know what a 
 bitter struggle it will cost me. But come, my 
 little Gertrude," he said hurriedly ; " the 
 fiat has not yet gone forth : hoping for good 
 news, let us begin our lessons." 
 
 '' Oh ! no, not any lessons to-day : I can't 
 give my mind to anything now." 
 
 '* We will go for a ride, then : it is fool- 
 ish to sit here fretting ourselves about what 
 may never come to pass." 
 
 Gertrude consented ; and Captain Lewis, 
 with a look as if he were trying to shake ofi'
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 75 
 
 forebodings, said, in as cheerful a voice as 
 he could command — 
 
 " The weather looks fine now ; I hope it 
 will keep so. Here, child, put on this hat, 
 and we will go to the stables ourselves and 
 order the nags. Your Nanny was so 
 wickedly inclined yesterday, she broke her 
 manger, and has hurt her foot; you will be 
 obliged to mount the black to-day." 
 
 " I wish she were not so mischievous ; it 
 does not seem loni; since she maimed herself 
 before. It is a bad habit she has acquired." 
 
 " Just what I told David, who if he had 
 had only his wits about him, this second acci- 
 dent might have been prevented. But it is 
 impossible to make these fellows use their 
 brains ; they won't think for themselves ; 
 they are little better than automatons." 
 
 On read ling the stable, Nanny's foot was 
 examined, and their orders given. In half 
 an hour afterwards the horses were at the 
 door, and they mounted. 
 
 " In what direction shall we ride?" asked
 
 76 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Captain Lewis, as they left the Clogwyn 
 gates. '' The sands, I am afraid, will be 
 soft after so much rain ; suppose we take the 
 Bleddyn road ? " 
 
 " Yes, and return over the hill : it will 
 make a pleasant round." 
 
 They continued this way for some little 
 time, until the old mansion of Bleddyn, 
 looking magnificent, and well sheltered by 
 the rocks and trees above it, came in sight. 
 
 Gertrude expressed her admiration for 
 the old place, and remarked how well it 
 looked, and how strange it was that she had 
 lived so many years in the country without 
 having visited the spot. 
 
 *' You know my reason for not allowing 
 you to enter those grounds." 
 
 " On account of not being friends with 
 Mr. G Wynne. He certainly has not behaved 
 well to you. He appears to me to thwart 
 you in everything, papa ; 1 don't much like 
 his appearance, he has such a two-sided 
 face."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 77 
 
 Captain Lewis laughed. " You are right 
 there, Gertrude. Great man as he is, I have 
 no desire for his friendship. I only wish he 
 would not stand in the way of my benefiting 
 the lower classes as he does. He will not 
 come forward himself, and makes it his 
 object to throw every impediment in the way 
 of those who would help them." 
 
 As they approached nearer Bleddyn, they 
 were surprised to see preparations going for- 
 ward; shaking of carpets, cleaning of walks, 
 and smoke from every chimney ; for it was not 
 the usual period the Gwynnes visited Wales. 
 
 " Lady Elizabeth may, perhaps, be ex- 
 pected," suggested Captain Lewis. "At this 
 time of the yearGwynne could not leavetown." 
 
 " I shall be glad to see her sweet, be- 
 nevolent face again in the country. You 
 know my admiration for her, and how I 
 long to know her personally. I wish she 
 were not married to Mr. Gwynne." 
 
 '* Poor lady ! she is far loo good for him. 
 A woman must have a brave heart to link.
 
 78 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 her fate with a Gwynne of Bleddyn, noto- 
 rious as they are for being bad husbands." 
 
 ** Bad husbands ! that is news to me. 
 Well, if they are ill-sorted, she does not 
 show it in her face." 
 
 " You cannot always trace in the face 
 what is at the heart. I should fear, poor 
 lady, she has a worm feeding upon hers. 
 Joined to that epicurean lord of the earth, 
 she must lead a miserable life — no woman 
 could be happy with that man.'* 
 
 *' There can be no greater affliction on 
 earth than for a woman to have a bad hus- 
 band." 
 
 '' Vice versa, 2l bad wife, my dear Gertrude." 
 
 " Certainly, a victimised man is equally 
 an object of pity; but there are more bad 
 husbands than wives, I should imagine." 
 
 " Perhaps so ; but men, recollect, are 
 thrown into greater temptations than women, 
 and their passions are stronger." 
 
 " If their passions are stronger, God has 
 endowed them with a more powerful intellect
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 79 
 
 than women, to control those passions ; 
 and, in that case, you should not bring it 
 forward as an excuse." 
 
 " We all fall short in self-control, or 
 neglect our duty. I don't mean exactly to 
 excuse man's offences; but does not woman 
 too often throw aside the influence she pos- 
 sesses over man ? It is in her power to do a 
 multitude of good acts, were she only to 
 exert her influence aright." 
 
 '* The influence she possesses over man ? " 
 repeated Gertrude, turning those eyes so full 
 of life upon her father's face. *' What 
 influence have I now? Have you not turned 
 a deaf ear to all my entreaties not to leave 
 me behind ? " 
 
 '^ Gertrude, woman is often ignorant of 
 her power. But you have come back to the 
 old grievance. Have I not already told you 
 that in this particular I am necessitated to 
 have my own way ? For your sake, as well as 
 my own, be satisfied. In other things, you 
 must admit how much I am influenced by you. "
 
 80 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 " No, papa, I feel only your influence. 
 What should I have been, had I had no 
 other companion than talkative Mrs, Parry ? 
 How truly thankful I am that I have been 
 brought up in that charming home with you, 
 dear papa ! Oh ! do not now destroy the 
 happy spell : it can never, when once broken, 
 be renewed. For my sake, do not leave 
 me." 
 
 *' Gertrude, you torture me.'* 
 
 ^' Don't say so, papa." Her eyes swam in 
 tears. And they dropped into silence as 
 they gradually ascended the hill. An hour 
 later, when they reached home, much to 
 their surprise, their lawyer, Mr. Tilt, met 
 them in the hall. Captain Lewis's face 
 changed colour as they walked into the 
 library together, followed by Gertrude. 
 
 '* Well, Lewis ! " said Mr. Tilt, in a 
 calm, business-like manner, " I found I 
 could not do without seeing you ; so here I 
 am, blue bag and all, ready to go through a
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 81 
 
 day's work, and off by the night-train to 
 London." 
 
 *' I hope, Mr. Tilt, papa is not obliged to 
 go to Australia ?" said Gertrude, in an agony 
 of apprehension. 
 
 " I am sorry to say, it cannot be avoided, 
 young lady ; his presence there is absolutely 
 necessary." 
 
 Gertrude walked mechanically out of the 
 room, and sought her own chamber with so 
 great an oppression at her heart that she 
 could hardly breathe. 
 
 On the following evening she was sitting 
 on her father's knee, and he was talking- to 
 her in a kind, consolatory tone. 
 
 " You see we must submit. Strive, my 
 darling, to be calm." He stroked her cheek 
 and kissed her affectionately. 
 
 " Don't talk of being culm ; it only aggra- 
 vates me more. How is it possible we can 
 either of us be calm with the prospect of 
 being separated for all these months ? " 
 
 The Captain looked pale and thoughtful, 
 
 E 2
 
 82 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 but I'olunteered no reply. He felt her 
 slender arms round his neck ; he felt the 
 beating of her temples as her head lay upon 
 his shoulder, and knew her heart was as sad 
 as his own. He thought of the wide space 
 of water between him and the distant land; 
 he thought, too, of the dreary year that would 
 sluggishly run out its days before he would 
 again clasp his treasure to his heart. 
 Gertrude was right : how could they be 
 calm ? There was something more required 
 than human philosophy to support the 
 heavy trial. A slight shudder passed over 
 his frame, and his lips again rested on his 
 child's cheek, that was glistening with tears. 
 This was Gertrude's first trial, and with it 
 the struggles of her life commenced.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A WEEK or more has passed since Captain 
 Lewis went off on his wearisome voyage ; 
 and Gertrude, from her appearance, has not 
 regained her spirits. Most of her mornings 
 were spent alone in the Hbrary. Mrs. Parry 
 fretted herself about her young charge, and 
 sought every means to rouse or divert her 
 from dwelling so constantly upon her loss, 
 but soon discovered her own incapacity for 
 the office, and came to the conclusion that 
 Miss Lewis would never make a sociable 
 companion, because her father had spoiled 
 her. She had repeatedly told the Captain so,
 
 84 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 and had warned him that he would some day 
 regret it. She could not, therefore, blame 
 Gertrude if she were different from other 
 young ladies. It was not her fault, but that 
 of her father. She pitied the girl, as she 
 pitied all spoiled children, who had a great 
 portion of bitterness entailed upon them by 
 the folly and misguidance of the parents. 
 
 Making these allowances for her young 
 companion, Mrs. Parry was ready to over- 
 look Gertrude's many little failings, and 
 bore her haughtiness and reserved manner 
 with surprising serenity and good temper. 
 Unfortunately, Mrs. Parry had no discern- 
 ment to enable her to distinguish what it 
 was that made her so objectionable to her 
 youthful charge ; and Gertrude, with her 
 spirit and disposition, had much to endure 
 from that over good-nature and fussy inter- 
 ference habitual to Mrs. Parry, as well as 
 the ceaseless rattle of her tongue. It was 
 annoying and wearisome to sit and listen to 
 a harsh voice that neither conveyed amuse-
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 85 
 
 ment nor sense. It is no marvel, therefore, 
 that Gertrude preferred soUtude ; locking up 
 her heart, and showing impatience to escape 
 after meals into the library. 
 
 One morning, when she entered that apart- 
 ment, which was to her indeed a sanctum 
 sanctorum, she closed the door, inwardly 
 rejoicing to shut herself out from the voices 
 of the household. 
 
 " To be alone, quite alone — I am much 
 happier," said she to herself, taking up a 
 book and approaching the window. " Books 
 are better companions than uncongenial 
 spirits ; they never fret me — they never 
 oppose me, nor convey unpleasant vibration 
 to the ear. I can sit here, too, and think of 
 dear pupa." 
 
 She paused and turned over the leaves 
 of her book, but did not appear as if she 
 were altogether satisfied wilh herself, or 
 with the conclusion to which she had come. 
 
 " I am miserably weak," continued she, 
 " and very selfish 3 there is something alto-
 
 86 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 gether wrong about me. How is it I can 
 admire nobleness of character, and appre- 
 ciate the good I see in others, and am not 
 strong in those virtues myself? With 
 such an example as I have had in dear 
 papa, I ought to be different ; and after all 
 the unsparing pains he has taken with me, I 
 ought to have profited more. You are 
 deceived in your Gertrude, papa — sadly de- 
 ceived ! I am nothing but a poor, weak, 
 discontented, selfish thing. The first mo- 
 ment a cross comes, I am crushed ; and thus 
 it is, T feel, too truly, I make more miseries 
 for myself. I keep repining, instead of em- 
 ploying myself usefully ; and murmuring 
 because he would not let me go with him. 
 Then I ask the question a hundred times, 
 * Why would he not ?' His objection to my 
 roughing the world was not the only reason. 
 There was something much more serious 
 than that, which made him so unyielding to 
 my entreaties ; he never acted so before. 
 He must know how little are all the luxu-
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 87 
 
 ries and enjoyments of life to me without 
 him ; and that to share a dry crust in an attic 
 with him, I should have been more con- 
 tented, and far happier !*' 
 
 The door at that instant softly opened, 
 and Gertrude caught the sound of the 
 negress's stealthy footstep approaching. 
 
 '' Well, Yarico," said she, without turn- 
 ing her head, " are you coming to see if I 
 am happier to-day ? Were the truth to be 
 told, I am more miserable than ever." 
 
 " Yarico is sorry to see no joy in her 
 missus's face ; but missus is neber happy 
 when massa go away for a day, or for an 
 hour. Yaiico see it always so, and is sorry." 
 
 " Ah ! yes, Yarico, and now he is gone for 
 so long. Sometimes I feel the strings of 
 my heart will break." 
 
 'J'he negress shook her head mournfully. 
 " Not good ; no, no; missus must remember 
 a long time, like a short time, soon go : massa 
 come again in the spring with the cuckoo and 
 the swallow. Yarico pray ebery night to the
 
 88 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Great Spirit to bring missus what she want, 
 and make her happy while massa away.'' 
 
 " Thank you, Yarico ; but I am afraid I 
 want a great deal to make up for my loss, 
 and perhaps I am not deserving." 
 
 " Yarico come to ask missus to go out. 
 Shall Yarico bring her dings?" 
 
 Gertrude, with an indolent shrug, seemed 
 to object. 
 
 " Not good to be in the house all day. 
 Yes, yes, you will go for a walk, and drink 
 de fresh air." 
 
 The negress moved towards the door as 
 she spoke, to go and fetch her mistress's 
 things." 
 
 " No, I think not, Yarico ; I would rather 
 sit here with my book. I am sadly idle, and 
 have no heart for anything." 
 
 The negress was disappointed, but was 
 resolved to make another effort. 
 
 " Missus dear look pale. Yarico neber 
 see her look so pale before ; a walk on the
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 89 
 
 hills will bring back de color. Missus will 
 go, say yes ?" 
 
 *' Well, Yarico, I ought to oblige you, so 
 good and forbearing as you are to me. If you 
 wish it, I will go ; only don't say anything to 
 Mi'S. Parry : I wish to walk alone." 
 
 It was not long before Gertrude was readv 
 to start. Opening the coloured glass door 
 which led into the shrubbery, she quickly 
 disappeared. 
 
 Beautiful and picturesque walks abounded 
 in the neighbourhood of Clogwyn ; and 
 Gertrude, in a solitary mood, sought the 
 most retired path. This led over the Hafod 
 sheep-walk, a tract of land almost destitute 
 of cultivation, consisting chiefly of rocks, 
 heath, fern, hazels, and stunted oaks. The 
 air was so pleasant, that, regardless of the 
 time, she strolled further than she had ever 
 before ventured — as far as the great boundary 
 wall which divided the properties of Bleddyn 
 and Hafod. 
 
 The evening was delightful ; the sun, too,
 
 y\) COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 lighting up the valley below, spread a rich 
 glow over the landscape. For some time 
 Gertrude stood upon the ledge of the rocks, 
 drinking in the delicious sea and mountain 
 air. 
 
 " What a lovely view there must be on the 
 other side of the wall !" she said to herself, 
 as she remained gazing wistfully at the 
 barrier which separated her from the for- 
 bidden ground. 
 
 The wall was high, and formed of large 
 unmortared stones, not easy to scale ; yet 
 she resolved to attempt it. Light and agile, 
 she soon reached the top, astonished with 
 what ease the difficulty had been overcome. 
 
 During the excitement of the moment — 
 her own strange position, with the magnifi- 
 cent view suddenly bursting upon her — the 
 loose stones gave way under her feet, and 
 she lost her balance. In vain she stretched 
 out her hands to catch hold of a bough 
 which was hanging over her head. Uttering 
 a cry of terror, she was impelled forward.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 91 
 
 and the next instant was prostrate on Mr. 
 Gwynne's land. She remained for some 
 time in a half-fainting state, unable to rise 
 or move : from the intense pain she en- 
 dured, she was convinced that she had either 
 broken or dislocated her ankle. At first she 
 was too distracted with pain to be aware of 
 her forlorn and distressing situation. 
 
 The rays of the setting sun reminded her, 
 at last, that the day was on the wane, and 
 tliat she was helpless several miles from 
 liome. Then the truth flashed across her 
 mind. The mural barrier stood before her; 
 on the slope further on was a thick wood 
 and a precipice ; she seemed shut out from 
 the world. The injury she had sustained 
 prevented her from moving, so that any at- 
 tempt to reach home would be in vain, and no 
 one would seek for her in that desolate spot. 
 No one from Clogwyn would suppose she 
 liad taken that route, and thus she would 
 probably iiave to remain there the whole 
 night. The thought alarmed her. She
 
 92 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 wished again and again she had never at- 
 tempted scaling the wall. Were she tjnly on 
 the other side, she might with a great effort 
 crawl to the edge of the cliff, and call till 
 some one heard her. But here shut out 
 upon a crag, enclosed on all sides by wood, 
 there was no hope of assistance, or of being 
 heard if she did raise her voice and cry for 
 help. Her case appeared indeed hopeless, 
 and she could not refrain from shedding 
 tears. 
 
 The valley looked gorgeous, as if in 
 mockery to her misery : a flood of light 
 burst from the clouds, and was again re- 
 flected on the opposite hills. All was smil- 
 ing and happy, while she was in fear and 
 torture, regardless of the lovely scene before 
 her. At intervals she gazed despairingly 
 around upon the dreamy landscape, stretch- 
 ing far and wide to the ocean horizon ; but it 
 only reminded her that the day was declining, 
 and that there was no chance of deliverance 
 for the night. Pondering upon her position
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 93 
 
 in the woods alone, her alarm momentarily 
 increased. She called aloud for assistance 
 again and again. The only reply was a 
 faint echo from the distant hills. She 
 listened, then repeated the call in hopes a 
 mountain peasant or a shepherd returning 
 to his home might hear her. Each time 
 she ceased, she sat and listened. It was 
 hoping against hope. Once more she hurst 
 into tears, and relapsed into silence. 
 
 On a sudden she was roused by a rustling 
 among the dead leaves in the coppice, a 
 short distance from where she sat. tier 
 heart beat ; turning her head at the instant, 
 a black retriever leaped over a ridge, and 
 came bounding towards her with a low growl. 
 Gertrude was too delighted to behold the 
 harbinger of relief approach to be alarmed 
 or to care at the iiiifiiendly greeting of the 
 animal. She could only feel that her deli- 
 verance from peril was at hand, and rejoiced 
 in the anticipation. Dreading lest the pas- 
 senger, whoever he might be, should con-
 
 94 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 tinue on his way without following the dog 
 to that secluded spot, she once more called 
 for help ; then she tried to make friends with 
 the animal, but in vain : he continued to 
 growl and prowl, around her, as if he hardly 
 knew whether to be pleased or not at her 
 attempt to caress him. While thus occupied, 
 a crackling of the boughs was heard, and a 
 tall young man, witli a fishing-rod in his 
 hand, suddenly stood before her. He was 
 startled and confused when he beheld Ger- 
 trude prostrated upon the sod in that wil- 
 derness. 
 
 As he approached and endeavoured to 
 shake off his embarrassment, he said some- 
 thing about not being mistaken ; he thought 
 he had heard a voice of distress, and hoped 
 there was nothing serious the matter. 
 
 Gertrude immediately told the stranger 
 how she had met with the accident; that she 
 could not put her foot to the ground, and 
 was in great pain. But her greatest concern 
 had been lest she should be compelled to
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 95 
 
 pass the night alone in that dark wood on 
 the dangerous precipice. 
 
 *' This is, indeed, a strange wild place to 
 meet a young lady ; and I am glad I have 
 arrived in time to prevent so unpleasant a 
 circumstance. I believe I have the pleasure 
 of addressing Miss Lewis ?" said Anarawd, 
 for it was the young heir of Bleddyn who 
 addressed her. After a pause he added, 
 " I am sorry to see you suffering. Can I 
 assist you or ease you in any way ?" 
 
 Gertrude's face was flushed. " I can 
 scarcely bear the pain ; how shall I ever get 
 home ?" 
 
 " If you cannot put your loot to the 
 ground, I am afraid you must submit to my 
 carrying you. It wi 1 be over a rough path, 
 and I fear in descending you will suffer still 
 greater pain ; but I will do my best." 
 
 " You cannot carry me, it is impossible. 
 Is there no means of letting iheiu know at 
 home where I am, and what has happened ? 
 Thev would come for me."
 
 96 COUilTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 '' It is too late to seek a messenger : be- 
 sides, I could not leave you here alone. 
 Allow nie to carry you ; pray don't hesitate." 
 
 Gertrude did hesitate, and a dialogue of 
 fears and assurances passed between them 
 before Anarawd prevailed upon her to accept 
 his offer. 
 
 Anarawd could not but feel interested in 
 Gertrude, who had fallen so singularly under 
 his special protection. He was anxious to 
 alleviate her sufferings, and in the most deli- 
 cate and gentle manner he raised her from 
 the ground, took her in his arms, and, with 
 a firm step, commenced descending the 
 rugged path which would conduct them into 
 the Bleddyn drive, from whence, he assured 
 her, there would be little difficulty in sending 
 for the Clogwyn carriage. 
 
 Scarcely had they set out, when Gertrude 
 cried with pain, and Anarawd had to stop 
 repeatedly in the descent ; for, with all his 
 care, he could not prevent some jolting over 
 the rough ground. Just as they reached
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 97 
 
 the drive, and he was in the act of securing 
 an eligible spot on which to place his burden, 
 Gertrude fainted. Her companion was much 
 alarmed, liardly knowing what course to 
 pursue, he dipped his handkerchief into a 
 stream that was running by the roadside, 
 and laid it across her temples ; but it was 
 some time before she came to herself or was 
 able to articulate. 
 
 It was now nearly dark, and not an indi- 
 vidual was to be descried in any direction. 
 'J'he young man's uneasiness increased, and 
 he began to feel more and more the awk- 
 wardness of his situation. To leave his 
 companion in that helpless state was out of 
 the question ; and yet how was the Clogwyn 
 carriage to be had unless he quitted her ? 
 While in this dilemma, he caught the sound 
 of wheels in the distance — 
 
 '* Here comes my mother's carriage ; 1 
 am not mistaken !" he exclaimed. '' Keep 
 up )our spirits, Miss Lewis, a little longer. 
 1 sincerely rejoice there is a chance of get-^ 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 ting you safely home. I am sorry to see 
 you suffering so much pain." 
 
 " Oh, never mind the pain now ; I am so 
 thankful to be out of the wood. I cannot 
 express, Mr. Gwynne, bow deeply I feel in- 
 debted to you. To have been in that dark 
 wood near that precipice all night, would 
 have been frightfully alarming. I shudder 
 when I think of it." 
 
 " Indeed, I am delighted that it so hap- 
 pened I could render you this assistance. 
 Pray don't thank me. I am glad to tell you 
 here is our carriage. I was not mistaken." 
 
 " Miss Lewis has met with an accident," 
 said Anarawd, a moment afterwards, in reply 
 to his mother's inquiries. " I am sure you 
 will permit the carriage to convey her to 
 Clogwyn before you return home. She is 
 unable to put her foot to the ground, and 
 lias only just recovered from a fainting fii." 
 
 Gertrude Lewis was lifted into the cariiasre 
 with care. Anarawd sprang upon the box, 
 and in ten minutes they swept up before the 
 hall-door of Clogwyn.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 It may be remembered, on last parting with 
 the family of Bleddyn, Mr. Gwynne was 
 buoying himself up with the hope that the 
 Hafod property would soon be in his posses- 
 sion ; that he was mistaken ; and that his 
 enmity was not inconsiderable towards the 
 individual who had defeated his wishes. It 
 was not long after this disappointment, for 
 it was a grievous one, that he became 
 desirous to acquire popularity and to secure 
 himself a higher position in the county. He 
 felt it was politic to do so, and now taking 
 every means to be courteous towards his 
 neighbours, he gave dinner-parties, accepted
 
 100 COUiNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 invitations, and never omitted attending 
 local meetings. 
 
 Thus affairs stood, until there came a 
 change in the Ministry, and, at the instiga- 
 tion of his friends who had promised to sup • 
 port him, Mr. Gwynne stood for the county 
 and was elected by a large majority. At 
 the time of Gertrude's accident he was in 
 London. Lady Elizabeth, on account of her 
 health, had been obliged to leave him and 
 retire to Wales in company with her son. 
 When in perfect health the repose of the 
 country was grateful to her, for she had ever 
 preferred the unsopliisticated charms of na- 
 ture to the incessant routine of dissipation 
 which distinguishes London life. On the 
 present occasion it was doubly appreciated. 
 
 When Lady Elizabeth took her seat at 
 the breakfast-table opposite to her son, she 
 expressed her impatience to hear how Miss 
 Lewis had passed the night, and was desirous 
 to hear the doctor's opinion, as it struck 
 her to be a serious case.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 10 L 
 
 *' I fear it is," said Anarawd, as he re- 
 ceived a cup of coffee from his mother's 
 hand. " She must have suffered acutely 
 to have fainted as she did. I am sure it 
 was ten minutes before I could revive her." 
 
 " Indeed ! poor child !" 
 
 " And an embarrassing position I was 
 placed in, mother ; I was greatly relieved 
 when I saw our carriaore." 
 
 During breakfast, Lady Elizabeth, in 
 broken sentences, remarked that it was 
 unfortunate Captain Lewis was from 
 home ; that the short time she was at 
 Clogwyn, she had discovered that Mrs. Parry 
 was no companion for Miss Lewis ; that 
 there was a sad want of reciprocity of feel- 
 ing between the two ; and how doubly dull 
 it would be for Gertrude in her father's 
 absence. Mr. Gwynne, when the Lewises 
 had first come into the county, had objected 
 to her calling at Clogwyn ; and under pre- 
 sent circumstances she did not see how it 
 could be avoided.
 
 102 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 " Of course you will go and see her," 
 replied Anarawd. " To judge, mother, 
 from what came under my ohservation 
 while you were with Miss Lewis and I was 
 shown into the library, I should pronounce 
 Captain Lewis to be a great reader and a 
 linguist : such a profusion of Italian, 
 German, and French authors ; and no lack 
 of English works either — most of our best 
 authors. He is an admirer of art too ; for a 
 private collection, he has magnificent speci- 
 mens of sculpture and painting — one picture 
 in particular — I was dreaming of it all 
 night. I regret, mother, you did not see 
 the room. I wish we had such a library at 
 Bleddyn, for I never saw one more to my 
 fancy. I have heard you remark that any 
 one can judge of the inmates, by the room 
 they inhabit. If that library be the index of 
 Captain Lewis's mind, I should say he must 
 be a man of refined taste, but not a volup- 
 tuary. How is it my father can disparage 
 him as he does? I have heard him re-
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 103 
 
 peatedly use the most bitter and unqualified 
 expressions against Lewis, expressions that 
 would lead any one to suppose he was a man 
 with whom one would not wish to associate. 
 I know it to be a false character, and that 
 few men have been more shamefully maligned 
 than Lewis. To speak truthfully upon the 
 subject, my fathers conduct is unjust and 
 unhandsome. Is it not so, mother ?" 
 
 " Do not embarrass me by asking any 
 such questions. You know, as far as it rests 
 with me, I have always been prepossessed 
 in Captain Lewis's favour. He won my 
 heart by building the school. Every one 
 must allow, in erecting that, he conferred a 
 general benefit upon the country, for it was 
 \vhat Angharad wanted of all things." 
 
 " Yes, mother, it was wanted : my father 
 ought to have seen about it, and built it 
 years ago. Captain Lewis does precisely 
 what the proprietor of Bleddyn ought to 
 do. Were I in my father's place, instead 
 of animadverting in strong language upon
 
 104 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 the man who makes these improvements^ I 
 should feel some qualms of conscience even 
 in mentioning his name. Oh I mother, I 
 am stung with mortification when I think 
 of my father's life. What good are we doing 
 here ? Who respects my father ? — not a 
 tenant upon the estate cares about him ;. 
 and no wonder. Look back upon years 
 gone by, and consider how they have 
 been spent. We sojourn here for a few 
 months : during that time we invite friends^ 
 and scamper over the country with them in 
 search of amusements ; eat, drink, and sleep 
 between our pleasure- taking ; and then re- 
 turn to London and spend our money, — all 
 without giving a thought to the poor here, 
 who have a claim upon us, if only as 
 landowners. In fact, you must see, mo- 
 ther, in the position my father holds it is 
 a sore reflection upon us that he does not 
 do more for the place. Who could say he 
 does his duty, and deserves respect?"
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 105 
 
 " Say no more, my dear boy ; let us avoid 
 the subject." 
 
 " I believe there is not another wife in 
 the world like you, mother," said he, getting 
 up from the table, and standing upon the 
 hearth-rug. " Perhaps I ought to take 
 example from you, and be a passive son ; 
 but my spirit revolts, I cannot suppress these 
 painful feelings regarding my father. I see 
 him constantly doing things from which 
 honour shrinks, and virtue recoils. Is it 
 possible I can respect him ? you don't know 
 half what I have to endure. He has grown 
 so close with his tenants, that they are con- 
 stantly coming to me to intercede for them. 
 At the recital of some of his mean acts, 
 I blush. What can be worse than to 
 see disgrace thrown upon one's nearest re- 
 lations ? My father does disgrace us. You 
 must feel it, you must see it, mother, for 
 the whole country sees it." 
 
 His voice rose with excitement : at the 
 same moment his eye fell upon his mother's 
 
 F 2
 
 106 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 face, and he discovered he had distressed 
 her. Taking a chair, he seated himself by 
 her side, and said in a penitent tone — 
 
 " Now I have vexed you, my dear mother ; 
 I generally do when I get into these fits of 
 annoyance respecting my father s conduct. 
 I wish I had more control over my feehngs. 
 I have been hasty : I would not wiUingly 
 cause you a moment's pain — you to whom I 
 owe everything, and who are everything to 
 me in the world." 
 
 " You do, Anarawd, grieve me. I would 
 implore you, as I have often done before, 
 not to express yourself in this bitter way, 
 since no good can proceed from it. Recollect, 
 my dear boy, there is a Providence over all. 
 Keep that in mind, and your ruffled feelings 
 will be subdued. We will say, in those lines 
 . of a foreign poet — 
 
 ' Oh, fear not in a world like this, 
 And thou shalt know ere long, — 
 Know how sublime a thing it is 
 To suffer and be strong.' " 
 
 " Ah, mv dear mother, I know I ouo^ht not
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 107 
 
 to speak of my father's faults, when, too, I 
 am so far from perfection myself : both for 
 your sake and my own, I will endeavour in 
 future to seal my lips and close my eyes. 
 I have you, my dear mother, all that the 
 best of mothers should be ; I am rich in pos- 
 sessing such love as yours, and own I ought 
 to be contented." 
 
 *' Well, my dear boy, remember, above 
 all, what a comfort you are to me. I am 
 amply recompensed." 
 
 A smile was exchanged between mother 
 and son. 
 
 A few minutes afterwards Anarawd went 
 to the window, and said, in a very hearty 
 way — 
 
 " I am charmed to be once more in 
 Wales. I feel free again. I can now climb 
 the hills with my gun or my fishing-rod, and 
 enjoy life. I don't believe I could support 
 another London season — such a season ! 
 With me, it is nothing more nor less 
 than a piece of irrelevant acting, to at- 
 tempt to be what the haul-ton calls an
 
 108 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 * agreeable young man.' Were I to be much 
 in such society as we had in London, I 
 should soon, from disgust and the desire to 
 he opposite in character, become a bear in 
 temper and address. What a life for a ra- 
 tional man to boast of ! — daily dancing at- 
 tendance on the young ladies, or becoming 
 a cicisbeo to some frivolous fashionable ma- 
 tron-, who is bent upon spending her after- 
 noons in the shops of Regent Street or 
 paying odious morning calls ; and wasting 
 nights in drawing-rooms, dancing, and foot- 
 ing it among diamond-bespangled dowagers, 
 pompous household Ganymedes, and shoals 
 of empty-headed fops, who look as if they 
 had been wrapped up in cotton wool ever 
 since they left off trap-ball at school. Really, 
 mother, it is a marvel to me how men can 
 submit to such an insipid life. What enjoy- 
 ment do they find in it ? I prefer any life to 
 that of a London season." 
 
 " The boy shows himself in the man," 
 said Lady Elizabeth, laughing. '' When
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 109 
 
 you were a little child in petticoats, you 
 loved the country, and had a strong aversion 
 to seeing men with any tendency to unman- 
 liness. Poor Mr. Gilford 1 it was a long 
 time before you had any respect for him, 
 on account of his effeminacy." 
 
 " Well, anything out of nature goes 
 against the grain. Nature is perfect when 
 untouched by man." 
 
 " True, bul I must tell you, Anarawd, I 
 wish to seealittle more gallantry in you; were 
 you not to shun the opposite sex, it would be 
 better for you. There is no fear of your 
 degenerating into a flippant fop; still I 
 shouhl be sorry to see you turned into a 
 bear— the happy medium is best. You are 
 young ; be warned against indulging eccen- 
 tricities : extremes — remember! are bad." 
 
 " I have discovered now, mother, why 
 you were desirous I should remain in Lon- 
 don, instead of going into Ihe country with 
 my friends to shoot: you thought a little 
 more intercourse with the ladies would
 
 110 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 soften my bearing. Was it not so, my dear 
 mother ?" 
 
 Lady Elizabeth smiled an affirmative. 
 
 " Ah, then, mother, I am afraid it has 
 had the contrary effect: I was bored to 
 death by flippant conversation — perfectly 
 victimized, till I believe it has given me 
 altogether a distaste for ladies' society." 
 
 '' Pray, dear Anarawd, do not say so : 
 you have been unfortunate in getting among 
 a frivolous set of young people ; but all 
 young ladies are not alike, any more than 
 young men. Do not forget that. If these 
 are your feelings, I can only wonder you 
 were so gallant to Miss Lewis last night." 
 
 " Oh, that was quite a different thing. 
 Who could turn away from a person in 
 distress ? I hope I am not so void of gal- 
 lantry as all that ! It would be an insult 
 to my best of mothers to suppose so. I only 
 mean those ' fashionable' young ladies, with- 
 out a vestige of nature left in them ; they 
 are my aversion."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. Ill 
 
 " I am pleased at hearing you say so. 
 The society of ladies is particularly improv- 
 ing to young men. So do not shut yourself 
 out from improvement, or, as I said before, 
 indulge in eccentricities." 
 
 " What a grave expression you have, 
 mother ! Don't despair of me : if London 
 society and Oxford have failed in dislodging 
 these eccentricities you dwell upon, the 
 army may have the desired effect of turning 
 me out a more agreeable and promising 
 young man ; but I doubt if T shall become a 
 better."
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 In the handsomely -furnished drawing-room, 
 shaded by Venetian blinds, Gertrude was 
 reclining upon a sofa, and the negress 
 standing behind her young mistress, ar- 
 ranging a tall vase of fresh flowers which 
 stood upon an ebony table. The door was 
 suddenly thrown open by the footman, who, 
 in a stentorian voice, announced Lady 
 Elizabeth and Mr. Anarawd Gwynne. A 
 cordial greeting immediately took place be- 
 tween the ladies. A fortnight had glided 
 by since the accident , and during that 
 interval, Lady Elizabeth had been almost 
 a daily visitor at Clogwyn. The heir of
 
 COQNTRY LANDLORDS. 113 
 
 Blcddyn had nofc seen Gertrude since the 
 night when he found her in the wood. He 
 now approached, and, in his quiet, frank 
 manner, shook her by the hand, and hoped 
 she was better. 
 
 Not long after their arrival, Mrs. Parry 
 made her appearance, with a little lap-dog 
 in her arms. For some minutes the party 
 was disturbed by the yelling of the miser- 
 able animal, that would neither be coaxed 
 nor pacified. Gertrude did not look pleased ; 
 but Lady Elizabeth had the delightful gift 
 of making annoyances appear of no weight, 
 and setting every person at ease. 
 
 Taking her seat near Anarawd, Mrs. 
 Parry made several attempts to enter into 
 conversation ; but each attempt was suc- 
 ceeded by a long, awkward pause. The 
 talkative matron, however, was not to be 
 daunted, and once more she resumed — 
 
 " 1 see you are admiring our view, Mr. 
 G Wynne. Captain Lewis thinks there is not 
 such another in the whole country. It is
 
 114 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 very fine, is it not ? and yet cheerful, which 
 to me is the most essential of the two." 
 
 " It is a lovely spot !" 
 
 " Were you ever at Clogwyn before?" 
 
 *' Repeatedly, when I was a boy. These 
 cliffs were my favourite haunts !" 
 
 " Yes," rejoined Lady Elizabeth, " he 
 was so fond of coming to this dangerous 
 locality, I was at last obliged to put my 
 veto upon his coming here at all. 1 was in 
 constant alarm for his safety !" 
 
 " I believe it was a wild, barren spot, 
 before papa had the grounds laid out," said 
 Gertrude. ^' You should see the view from 
 the terrace at sunset ; it is magnificent !" 
 
 " Perhaps Mr. Gwynne would like to 
 step out upon the terrace ?" suggested Mrs. 
 Parry, rising in her usual fussy way, and 
 opening one of the windows. " You will 
 scarcely recognise the old place ; so many 
 changes have been made." 
 
 " Yes ; but the cliffs — those old friends 
 of mine, the cliffs — are the same still. Yet,
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 115 
 
 it is rather difficult to associate them with 
 so many new and striking" objects," said 
 Anarawd, looking round admiringly. 
 
 " The grounds are what Captain Lewis 
 prides himself upon the most ; no expense 
 is spared here. I often tell him he has an 
 extravagant hobby; but he tries to convince 
 me, that in gratifying his own taste, he is 
 doing a fund of good to others, by giving 
 employment to them. He is such a man 
 for industry — encouraging industry, which, 
 he will always uphold, is better than giving 
 charity. And so in truth it may be, if one 
 takes it into consideration. Many little 
 mouths are supplied with bread and butter 
 from these grounds. You would scarcely 
 credit the number of men he employs." 
 
 " I think he is right ; 1 am sure he is 
 repaid. What a charming spot 1 — and what 
 admirable taste, too 1*' 
 
 " You will never find any deficiency in 
 taste wherever Captain Lewis's judgment 
 has been at work !"
 
 116 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " He has been a great travoller, has he 
 not ?" 
 
 " Oh, dear, yes ; and his travels have 
 not been lost upon him. He is a most 
 amusing companion, a clever man — such a 
 linguist ! Foreign-looking as he is, he speaks 
 English with fluency. As for Welsh, it is 
 marvellous how he has acquired it : he 
 knows it far better than I do, though I am 
 a Welshwoman, and have never lived out of 
 Wales. Then, you know, he is so clever ! — 
 too clever by far for me. I see little of 
 him, for he is always with his daughter, 
 who is the idol of his heart ; never were 
 there two so devoted to each other." 
 
 " Miss Lewis must miss him very much !" 
 
 " Yes ; for the first w^eek she was incon- 
 solable. I can only feel thankful she has 
 become acquainted with Lady Elizabeth ; 
 previous to the accident, I could do nothing 
 with her — she has been so spoiled by her 
 father. She is just like him, reserved and 
 proud, as the humour happens to take.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 117 
 
 Amusing and agreeable as Captain Lewis 
 is, you never for a moment lose the impres- 
 sion that lie is not a proud man. He has 
 been a good, kind patron to me ; yet I stand 
 somewhat in awe of liira. It is his nature 
 to be proud ; I suppose he can't help it. 
 Gertrude, too, with a strong will of her 
 own, is only what I have said before, Mr. 
 Gvvynne — his counterpart. You may ima- 
 gine, though we live in the same house, 
 that vve are independent of each other. I 
 go iny way, and they go theirs." 
 
 Anarawd smiled. She continued — 
 " I consider this accident a god-send. 
 Fortunately, Gertrude has taken to Lady 
 Ehzabeth, which is a wonder. She rarely 
 takes to anybody, and is a most unsociable 
 young person. Sometimes for a whole day 
 she will sit in the library, and only exchange 
 a word or two with her black servant, who 
 is fond of her to weakness, and spoils her 
 fully as much as her father. You can have
 
 118 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 no idea what I have to bear. She is a 
 strange girl ; but I suppose it is her nature. 
 You must see what a want of sociabihty 
 there is in her character?" 
 
 " Knowing nothing of the young lady, 
 Mrs. Parry, it would not be fair for me to 
 venture an opinion upon her social cha- 
 racter." 
 
 '' Very true ; and there is this to be said, 
 poor child ! that if she is uuamiable, it is 
 not her own fault. The injudicious manner 
 in which she has been brought up, accounts 
 for all. I am at a loss to express my thanks — 
 indeed, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to 
 Lady Elizabeth for taking such notice of 
 Gertrude. Her ladyship takes a weight off 
 my hands." 
 
 While Mrs. Parry ran on thus volubly, 
 Anarawd was admiring the view, and the 
 ingenuity with which Captain Lewis had 
 turned every nook and corner of his grounds 
 to account. He stood for a moment before 
 a bed of choice rhododendrons.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 119 
 
 '' There is a great deal to admire in a 
 small space ; is there not, Mr. Gwynne ?" 
 
 *' I am enchanted with the grounds. You 
 have a great show of flowers — how well the 
 American plants vegetate !" 
 
 " It can hardly be otherwise when there 
 is so much pains bestowed and such a 
 frightful quantity of money expended on 
 them : but, happily, that is no concern of 
 mine !" 
 
 A servant now summoned Mrs. Parry; 
 and, with a verbose apology, she left young 
 Gwynne to retrace his steps alone to the 
 house. 
 
 . When he reached the terrace, he stood for 
 some time in silence, absorbed in reminis- 
 cences of his boyhood. He looked down 
 over the clitF into the sea, thinking how 
 often he had stood upon that spot when it 
 was covered with heath and blackberry 
 bushes. A little below, there was the same 
 block of stone jutting out from among the
 
 120 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 trees, upon which he had stood a hundred 
 times to watch the douckers, when the tide 
 was out, rising and dipping alternately ; or 
 to peep at the old owl in the ivy feeding her 
 young. Yes, it was on that old stone he 
 used to sit, like a little savage, dreaming 
 about the Cambro-Britons, soliloquizing 
 about warriors and heroes, in his young days 
 of hero-worship, when, by the aid of a 
 creative mind, the old bards and Welsh 
 princes started again into life, and war-cries 
 resounded in his ears ; and his ruling ambi- 
 tion was to be a hero like the shadowy beings 
 he then recalled. What an odd, romantic 
 boy he had been ! The recollections of the 
 past brought a smile, then he grew grave 
 as he stood musing — 
 
 '' A pretty hero indeed I shall make, 
 flittering away my time and wasting my 
 life, as I seem to be doing at present ! I 
 believe, when a cliild, I had more eager 
 wishes and exalted ideas than I have now. 
 Is there nothing to bo extracted from early
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 121 
 
 feelings and early impressions? What a 
 problem is the human understanding — its 
 growth, its power, its transitions ! How 
 jealous and watchful we ought to be 
 of this great gift ! There should be no 
 retrogression, but one continual striving to 
 raise oneself above the mass. I feel this, 
 yet the steps I take forward are so slow 
 that I can perceive no progression. If it 
 were not for your sake, my dear mother, I 
 should not rest satisfied to remain long at 
 home. I would soon rouse myself from 
 this state of indifference as to my condition, 
 and endeavour to consecrate what power I 
 have to my Maker, as every man ought 
 to do !" 
 
 With these thoughts uppermost in his 
 mind, he returned to the drawing-room. 
 Lady Elizabeth rose — 
 
 " I hope, my dear, I have not exhausted 
 your patience ? I know your dislike to 
 morning calls." 
 
 ''No, mother, on the contrary, I have 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 had much pleasure in walking round the 
 grounds, and recognizing my old play-places 
 with a new and improved face. Into what 
 a charming residence has Captain Lewis 
 converted the Clogwyn !" 
 
 " YeSj papa takes deep interest in the 
 place, and regrets his absence from it 
 much." 
 
 " I could imagine any one growing at- 
 tached to a home such as this, and never 
 wishing to leave it." 
 
 Gertrude looked up with one of her me- 
 lancholy expressions — 
 
 " I could run away from it to-morrow ! 
 This home, that I once thought perfect, has 
 lost its charm since papa left !" 
 
 Lady Elizabeth gave her a gentle repri- 
 mand, and told her it was wrong to give 
 way to depression ; that she must promise to 
 come often to Bleddyn and spend the greater 
 part of her time with them ; and that it would 
 divert her from dwelling upon her father's 
 long absence.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 123 
 
 Gertrude felt some doubts whether her 
 father would like her to accept the invita- 
 tion. He was not there to give her counsel, 
 her responsibility rested upon her own judg- 
 ment, and to refuse the request would ap- 
 pear ungrateful and unkind. There was 
 no alternative but to accept the proffered 
 civility, und Lady Elizabeth arranged to call 
 for her on the following day and take her 
 a drive. During the conversation, Anarawd 
 stood patiently by with his eyes fixed upon 
 Gertrude's features. It was an interesting 
 face ; at least, he thought so. 
 
 The wild, harum-scarum boy had now 
 almost grown into manhood. Surveying 
 him as he stands there, we are at once pre- 
 possessed in his favour. There is something 
 noble and impressive in his address, and his 
 aristocratic head is well set upon his 
 shoulders. His features may not be regular 
 enough to call him handsome ; but he has 
 a most intelligent countenance, and his 
 deep blue eye is remarkably striking. Re-
 
 124 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 port informs us that he is unsociable and 
 proud ; a groundless charge, often made 
 against reserved and thinking persons. 
 
 After Gertrude's first visit to Bleddyn, 
 which she decided she would pay on the 
 score of gratitude as well as politeness, 
 she soon found the intercourse agreeable to 
 her feelings. In the society there all was 
 congenial to her ideas, and a strong friend- 
 ship was soon established between Lady 
 Ehzabeth and herself. When she visited 
 the ancient seat of the Gwynne family, into 
 which for so many years she had desired to 
 enter, and to explore the interior, there 
 was always a welcome awaiting her. In 
 the morning parlour, situated in a new part 
 of the house, the windows opening upon a 
 veranda, Gertrude was now frequently seen 
 sitting with Lady Elizabeth, reading aloud 
 or working. Occasionally young Gwynne 
 would break in upon them, but more fre- 
 quently he was absent among the hills 
 shooting and fishing. Gertrude felt more
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 125 
 
 at ease when alone with Lady Elizabeth, 
 because she stood a little in awe of his 
 quiet, searching^ glances, which tended to 
 embarrass her without her knowing why. 
 
 One afternoon, Anarawd returned from 
 fishing later than usual, and seemed much 
 fatigued from his day's sport. Greeting his 
 mother's visitor in his usual frank but un- 
 concerned manner, he passed on and 
 stretched himself upon a sofa at the further 
 end of the room. For more-than an hour 
 he lay apparently so still, that Gertrude 
 and his mother thought he had fallen asleep. 
 Gertrude was in one of her lively humours, 
 and conversed without restraint ; there was 
 something almost musical in her voice and 
 laugh, and Lady Elizabeth seemed de- 
 signedly to promote her elevation of spirits. 
 After conversino- for some time, she beg-ored 
 her young companion to go to the piano 
 and sing her one of her favourite songs. 
 
 " We shall disturb Mr. Gwynne," replied 
 Gertrude, looking towards the sofa. *' He
 
 126 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 is SO tired, it would be unkind to awaken 
 him." 
 
 " Thank you, Miss Lewis, for your kind 
 consideration ; I am not asleep ; T should, as 
 much as my mother, enjoy a little music." 
 
 As Gertrude touched the keys with her 
 fingers, she wished he were asleep, or that 
 he were out of the room. 
 
 The moment she finished one air, she was 
 solicited to play another, and a whole hoar 
 glided away until tea was brought in. 
 
 When she rose from the piano, she was sur- 
 prised to find Anarawd sitting behind her, 
 and his mother out of the room. Having 
 placed a chair for her at the table, the 
 young man seated himself opposite. 
 
 " How merry and light-hearted you are ! 
 I never met with any one who laughed from 
 the heart's core as you do. It is absurd of 
 you to talk to my mother of your unhap- 
 piness." 
 
 " If a laugh so admirably depicts the 
 truth, it is better the world should see our
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 127 
 
 smiles than our tears. It is more agreeable 
 to look upon the stage and be satisfied, 
 than peep behind the scenes to our dissa- 
 tisfaction." 
 
 " You deceive yourself. Miss Lewis," re- 
 plied Anarawd, with one of his searching 
 looks ; " that was a genuine laugh. Do 
 not deny it." 
 
 " Genuine ? I am afraid there is nothing 
 genuine in me but my deep affection for 
 my father. How can my laugh be genuine? 
 How can I be light-hearted, and at the same 
 time one of the most discontented, unhappy 
 beings in the world ? You and Lady Eli- 
 zabeth are both deceived in me." 
 
 " No, there is no deception in the case. 
 Were you not genuine, my mother would 
 not have that regard she has for you. If I 
 thought you were speaking in earnest, I 
 should regret it for my own sake." 
 
 *' I am in earnest. If I act what I don't 
 feel, how can I be genuine ?" 
 
 *' Would you, then, have me believe that
 
 128 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 you are not naturally light-hearted — that 
 that was not a laugh from the heart I 
 heard just now ?" 
 
 " No, I did not say I was not naturally 
 light-hearted. Before papa deserted me, I 
 never was troubled with low spirits — never 
 knew what it was to have the heart-ache. 
 But, Mr. Gwynne, I don't wish to argue the 
 point ; I would rather not have my character 
 analysed ; it is not fair under the present cir- 
 cumstances. I admit there is something 
 undefinable in this charming old place that 
 puts me into better spirits than customary, 
 and for the time I am diverted from painful 
 thoughts ; — I am happier." 
 
 << Why do you not come oftener to Bled- 
 dyn ? My mother is always glad to see you." 
 
 " Am I not here continually ? I think 
 sometimes I come too often.'' 
 
 " Impossible. I was not aware you were 
 here so constantly. I seldom meet you." 
 
 " Because generally you are among the 
 hills, or on the sea."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLOaOS. 129 
 
 "What did that look mean?— that I 
 might be better employed ?" 
 
 " I did not mean anything ; sportsmen 
 have a right to please themselves." 
 
 " This right, then, Miss Lewis — the right 
 to please myself — may appear, then, in ano- 
 ther form. Suppose it might be my plea- 
 sure to go for a ride to-morrow, might I 
 hope you would accompany me ? I should 
 like to take you to that mountain-pass we 
 were speaking of the other day. You would, 
 I am sure, be charmed with the ride. Will 
 you go, and allow me to be your escort?" 
 
 Gertrude hesitated, but finally accepted 
 the offer. 
 
 " Why did you hesitate ? Have you no 
 confidence in me ? Perhaps you are afraid I 
 shall lead you into danger, — such as a 
 bog, or quicksand, or into some other des- 
 perate peril." 
 
 " Not in the least ; I could not well have 
 a better guide than you who live among the 
 
 g2
 
 130 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 hills." Gertrude smiled, which perhaps did 
 mean something this time. 
 
 " Here comes my mother and the urn. 
 You are our tea-maker now : once in office, 
 never out of it. Thus, if you don't come to 
 us, we shall have to send for you, or be 
 deprived of our evening beverage." 
 
 When young Gwynne conducted Ger- 
 trude to her carriage, he fixed the hour for 
 their ride on the morrow.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Of lato years, all that Anarawd had seen 
 of the Clogwyn was when occasionally boat- 
 ing: beneath its dark shadow. Times had 
 changed. At the base of the cliff upon the 
 sandy beach his footsteps were now often to 
 be traced ; and gossip whispered they were 
 not the only footprints effaced by the ad- 
 vancing tide — that others of smaller dimen- 
 sions were sometimes visible there. 
 
 One afternoon the heir of Bleddyn was 
 in his bark opposite to the cliff in question. 
 It was a wild-looking evening ; the mist 
 and the spray commingling at times, entirely
 
 132 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 concealed the boat from sight, and the 
 screams of the sea-birds sounded ominously. 
 Scarcely had he sailed out to sea, before a 
 storm, which had been threatening over the 
 hills since sunrise, suddenly lowered upon the 
 horizon's verge ; the thunder rumbled in the 
 distance, and the lightning began to illumi- 
 nate the heavens, that were overspread with 
 dark, stately clouds. Aware of the danger 
 of the coast, Anarawd reefed his sail, and ran 
 his boat into a little sheltered cave among the 
 rocks, just below the Clogwyn. There he 
 moored it and leaped ashore. He had hardly 
 time to seek shelter from the rain in a fisher- 
 man's cottage, that stood near the water's 
 edge, before it came down in torrents. 
 
 " Well, Caddy," said he, addressing a 
 woman who appeared curtseying before him 
 as he stood in the centre of the kitchen, 
 "how are your children?" 
 
 " Quite hearty, thank you, sir. Dear me 1 
 Master Anarawd, I no see you this long 
 time in my house. You grow a great man ;
 
 COUNTIIY LANDLORDS. 183 
 
 you be too proud, I suppose, to come a:id see 
 Caddy now." 
 
 " No, Caddy, I hope not ; as lon^ as I am 
 the son of Bleddyn, that charge shall not be 
 brought against me." 
 
 " Years come very fast, and go," said 
 she, looking at his tall figure. " I was think 
 just now when you were a little boy. Dear 
 me ! I remember you come here many times 
 and tell at the door, ' Caddy, I am hungry ; 
 give me some oat-cake, with plenty of butter 
 upon it.' Yes, indeed, you tell that many 
 times. Indeed, I am glad in my heart to 
 see you here again ; I am always glad to see 
 the son of Bleddyn. I hope mistress is quite 
 hearty?" 
 
 " She is very well, thank you," replied 
 Anarawd, laughing at the woman's reminis- 
 cences. 
 
 " The rain come very bad now : will you 
 sit down a bit, son of Bleddyn ?" 
 
 " Thank you, my good woman, that will 
 do; you have given the chair groomino*
 
 134 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 enough ; you would make a good stable- 
 boy. This, I suppose, is your youngest, the 
 pet lamb of the family," he continued, draw- 
 ing a little rosy-faced child to him. " You 
 must not be shy : here is some money to buy 
 a hat, for you seem to want one. What a 
 plump little thing you are ! Oat-cake, butter- 
 milk, and sea-air make you thrive ; there 
 can be no mistake about that." 
 
 Anarawd had not sat more than a few 
 minutes, when the woman was called away 
 to see after the calves, which had huddled 
 into the yard at the back of the house, 
 alarmed at the storm. Durinof her ab- 
 sence, two or three men came into the outer 
 passage, and, without noticing a gentle- 
 man sitting in the kitchen, passed on and 
 descended a narrow staircase leading to a 
 room or cellar underground. A short time 
 afterwards, another couple entered the door 
 way, and disappeared in the same mysterious 
 manner. This was repeated several times, 
 until a number of them had assembled in 
 an apartment directly beneath the kitchen.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 135 
 
 There was a great clamour of voices heard, 
 and intermingled greetings. Some of the 
 men's voices Anarawd recognized ; but, until 
 order was restored, he could not hear what 
 they said. The planks with which the 
 kitchen was boarded, to judge from their 
 appearance, had been made of green timber. 
 From one end to the other there were 
 crevices through which the men's voices 
 could be distinctly heard. With no little 
 curiosity he listened to a conversation which 
 was mostly carried on in English, though 
 some of the party spoke it with a strong 
 Welsh accent. 
 
 " Well, Lloyd, my hearty, it was kind of 
 you coming down in all this squall (o see 
 an old acquaintance. 1 am afraid I have 
 been going on the wrong road ever since I 
 left the Cambria. I was a fool to quarrel 
 with my bread-and-butter : but it was my 
 own fault ; no one could have had a better 
 master, or have been better off. The deuce 
 take it ! you see it was my love for spirits ;
 
 136 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 and the Captain not approving of it, settled 
 the question between us, after serving hitn 
 ten years. Was I not a booby, Lloyd ?" 
 
 '' Well, yes, 'pon my word you not do 
 wise." 
 
 " No ; who could live all that time with 
 Captain Lewis without feeling- he would 
 suffer a great loss when he left him ? But 
 it was so ; and here I am, turned adrift. I 
 have become a smuggler, and find it an 
 easier life on this coast than any other. 
 Your magistrates are too soft to be up to our 
 dodges : your gentlemen altogether in this 
 country are not always over-particular. 
 Thev shake hands with us sometimes in a 
 corner, you know, and do not object to a 
 nosegay or two, smuggled of a dark night 
 into their cellars. They are nice boys — ha,, 
 ha ! You see, my friend, I manage to live, 
 and go on indulging my fancies. The day 
 will arrive, I know, when I shall go a little 
 too far to leeward ; the fishes will get a feast 
 then, while my spirit bolts ofi* to another
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 137 
 
 world There, Lloyd, I have made a long 
 speech : I am uncommonly glad to see you ; 
 tell me all about yourself, and your g-ool 
 little missus, who keeps you in order without 
 your knowing it. The best thing that can 
 happen to a man in the world is your lot, 
 my old friend. We fellows, you know, are 
 such confounded fools, that we are sure to 
 get into mischief like children when we are 
 not spliced,. That's my misfortune ; I am 
 unlucky, Lloyd — I have no wife that I can 
 call a wife, so I am going fast to the dogs.' 
 
 " Stop, James, I no like to hcary ou talk 
 in that way ; it is not right. Pity you not 
 keep friends with Captain Lewis : he is the 
 best man in this country, a hundred times 
 better than Mr. Gwynne." 
 
 " The dickens ! he might easily be that. 
 The squire is as great a fool as I am ; this 
 is the only difference — he quarrels with his 
 peace, instead of his bread-and-butter. But 
 tell me, is it true the Captain has gone to 
 Australia ?" 
 
 " Yes, and a great loss we get."
 
 138 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " And has he gone alone, without taking 
 that little girl with him ?"' 
 
 " Indeed, I am sorry in my heart to say 
 he has, and she come acquainted since he 
 left with the family at Bleddyn " 
 
 " By gingo ! mind what I say, that will 
 bring mischief. The Captain always put his 
 face against the squire's dirty ways. I know 
 more about the Captain than you do ; he 
 will be in a devil of a way, you will see." 
 
 " This is what I tell my missus, and vex 
 about it. What's more bad, 1 hear to-day 
 Lord Morlif is coming this summer to the 
 country ; he has taken Bryn-y-Coed again." 
 
 *' What, Lloyd, that gentleman scamp ! 
 coming among you again ? You will have to 
 be wide awake ; I know more about him 
 than any of you do. He is Captain Lewis's 
 greatest enemy. And he ought to be muz- 
 zled when he comes into this country ; for he 
 is the blackest liar under the sun. I know 
 him — oh yes, I know him ! Though he is a 
 lord, he is no gentleman : a man may be a
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 139 
 
 lord and yet not a gentleman. Mind, Lloyd, 
 you keep one eye open ; he is no friend to 
 the Captain." 
 
 *' It is very odd, James, when I see the 
 Captain leave the country I feel something 
 come over me, and I say to myself, ' Pity 
 indeed you no take the little girl with you.' " 
 " It puzzles me ; I can't understand at 
 all how he could part with her. When they 
 were at Naples, he never liked the child to 
 be away from him for a day. If we went 
 cruising in the Mediterranean — which we 
 often did — he always took her, the negress, 
 and the English governess with him. At 
 that time, I know, she was everything to him. 
 If any harm was to come to her in his 
 absence, I don't know what would become 
 of him. She was more than anything — ay, 
 more to him than — " * 
 
 " Well, James, what make you come to 
 full stop? — more, more than — what?" 
 
 " The deuce take it ! I forgot what I was 
 talking about; I am absent, or this good
 
 140 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 stuff is a little too strong for me. More ? why 
 yes, she was always more to him than most 
 children are to their fathers. He is the 
 best father, I know — that's what I mean." 
 
 " Well, to be sure, we all know that the 
 little girl is everything to her father, without 
 making so many words about it. Captain 
 Lewis has been living now nine years at the 
 Clogwyn, and everybody must see that." 
 
 "Nine years! Is it as much as that? 
 Good gracious ! Then I must have been nine 
 years at this smuggling work. It was at 
 Naples I quitted his service, just before he 
 started for Wales. I will say I was sorry 
 to turn my back upon the yacht and my 
 Captain. The yacht was a beauty ; I was 
 always proud of her. Is she not a beauty, 
 Lloyd ? ' a royal lady !' " 
 
 " Not one like her in this place. I see 
 scores come here backwards and forwards, 
 but none like the Cambria.*' 
 
 " Nor was there one in the Bay of Naples 
 like her either, that's my opinion ; and it was
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 141 
 
 the rest of the crew's opinion as well. The 
 first thing when I came here, I took the boat 
 to go and have a look, at her. I found her 
 sitting there like a swan upon the water, 
 quite as natural ; and do you know what 
 she did, Lloyd ? Squeezed a good many tears 
 out of my eyes ; she did, indeed. When 1 
 got back, I was obliged to make my grog 
 pretty stiff before I could feel myself. Aha! 
 I was a great fool : a nice berth those fellows 
 have of it now, and always have had. But, 
 hang it ! what is the use of fretting now ? 
 No use at all. A man often makes a slip in 
 his life; and 1 have made a great one, there 
 is no doubt of that." 
 
 For a few seconds there was a pause. 
 
 "No other news to tell us, Lloyd? No- 
 thing going on in the country ? How is Mr. 
 Gwynne getting on, now he is a Parliament 
 man ?" asked a voice in a strong Welsh 
 accent. 
 
 " Oh, it come much the same ; make, as 
 I sec. little difference : we not like him a
 
 142 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 bit better. He has not got a good name in 
 the country : he has not the hand nor the 
 heart of a gentleman ; that's it. And there 
 is that steward of his; he, too, makes a 
 load of mischief everywhere. Indeed, truth 
 I speak for us all at Angharad, we are not 
 happy — no, not happy." 
 
 ** No, nor are you likely to be when you 
 have a bad man ruling over you. A great 
 sinner as I am, I have read enough of the 
 Bible to know that. There is no peace for 
 you as long as the squire is alive." 
 
 " No, 1 suppose not ; they tell that in 
 the chapel, and I could groan about it." 
 
 " I hear, Lloyd, he is as great a friend to 
 the bottle as I am. Running on his last 
 legs, it will be a race between us. We shall, 
 perhaps, kick the bucket together ; and a 
 right good riddance the world will have — 
 won't it, my boys?" 
 
 " No, no, James, don't talk in that way ; 
 be a little quiet, will you ? I come here on 
 purpose to tell you something."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 143 
 
 " What the dickens is it ? Go ahead, my 
 good fellow. Is it a sermon you are going 
 to fling at us ?" 
 
 " No. but I wish to open your eyes, my 
 boys ; I want to make you see you are not 
 safe on this coast, snug as you are under 
 the rocks here. No, you are not safe ; don't 
 you deceive yourselves. The coast-guards 
 come just now sharp about their work. It 
 was only last week there was a vessel, laden 
 with snuff and tobacco, seized below there 
 in the cave. If you are not off soon, they 
 will catch you. For old acquaintance' sake, 
 James, I come to tell you this. 1 ake warn- 
 ing. I don't know how it is, but I see a 
 change come over the country ; the magis- 
 trates are more sharp. Two of them, you 
 know, are English gentlemen. There is no 
 possible to shake hands in a corner with 
 them, you know. Dear anwyl ! they make a 
 great row in Angharad, the other day, 
 burning our fishing-nets in the market-place,
 
 144 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 and telling all sorts of ugly things that I 
 not like to hear un fall — no ? indeed !" 
 
 With a sudden start, Llovd rose and con- 
 tinned — 
 
 " Well, lads, I must go now. I have given 
 you the warning. That's what I came for 
 — make the rio;ht use of it." 
 
 " Going ! — no, Lloyd, don't go yet," said 
 half-a-dozen voices ; " you have not had a 
 drop. Stop, that's a good fellow ; we have 
 some capital stuiF here that will warm the 
 cockles of your heart for you.'* 
 
 " No, it is not possible ; I must go. Only 
 remember what I told you. I should be 
 sorry, James, to see you in prison — yes, 
 indeed. Take care of yourself ; don't you 
 drink that fire-stuff too much ; better come 
 a teetotal than that. Though I am an inn- 
 keeper, I tell you, James, there is nothing 
 like being sober and honest." 
 
 There was a general move ; chairs grated 
 against the uneven boards, and voices in- 
 termingled, while Anarawd Gwynne had
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 145 
 
 ample time to escape from the kitchen before 
 Hugh Lloyd, the master of the " Llewelyn 
 ap Griffydd," mounted the secret staircase. 
 
 As Anarawd wound his way along the 
 ledge of the rocks, by a path which opened 
 into the high road, he became bewildered 
 and depressed. Now, he wished he had not 
 overheard the confabulation,— then, he would 
 not have missed it on any consideration. 
 
 On reaching the road, instead of turning 
 to Clogwyn, which had been his intention 
 before entering the cottage, he took the 
 path over the fields to Bleddyn. As soon 
 as he came in sight of the mansion, he stood 
 still — " Why should 1 allow what I have 
 overheard to disturb me? What can these 
 low fellows know about Captain Lewis or 
 ourselves ?"' he said to himself. " It is really 
 absurd, supposing Captain Lewis to feel 
 any resentment towards my family ; it can 
 only be on account of my father's unhand- 
 some conduct ; and in showing attention to 
 his daughter, it will be the means of bringing 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 about a reconciliation. Circumstances 
 have singularly favoured us. Why, then, 
 should they not continue to do so ? why 
 give the matter another thought ?" 
 
 He walked on a few paces, and again 
 stopped and soliloquized — " I cannot get rid 
 of this disagreeable feeling. 1 wish I had 
 not gone into the cottage. I have been 
 deceiving myself, for not till now did I 
 know how deeply I care for you, Gertrude 
 Lewis ! I am fearful lest there should be 
 any interruption to our intercourse. Love 
 is holy and unselfish ; why despise it ? why 
 fling it away, when centred in a being so 
 unlike others of her sex, unspoiled by the 
 world — lively, gentle, and affectionate? If 
 a little wayward, there is a charm in her 
 waywardness— an irresistible charm. To me 
 there is not another Gertrude in the 
 world." 
 
 It still rained, and was nearly dark, 
 when Anarawd retraced his steps, and 
 reached the Clogvvyn gates. He had again 
 changed his mind.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 147 
 
 On being shown into the library, Ger- 
 trude met him at the door. 
 
 " Oh, I am so glad you are safe !" said 
 she, stepping back and sinking into a chair, 
 as if greatly relieved. 
 
 "Safe? why did you think I was not 
 safe ?" 
 
 " Did I not see you in your boat tosdng 
 about in that dreadful storm ? I did not see 
 you land. I thought perhaps — no, I do 
 not know what I thought," replied Gertrude, 
 growing confused. 
 
 " That 1 was drowned or blown out to 
 sea?" said her companion, looking at her 
 as if he were trying f o fathom her thoughts, 
 to which he had unexpectedly gained a clue. 
 
 Embarrassed by his peculiar manner, and 
 seized with sudden alarm lest by these 
 few unguarded words she had betrayed her 
 secret, she remained silent. 
 
 Anarawd walked across the room, and 
 went to the window. " Don't you feel cold? 
 Shall I shut it ?"
 
 148 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 "If you like." 
 
 " Well, how stupid of me ! I can't manage 
 it." 
 
 " It is not difficult," said Gertrude, rising. 
 " It does not require strength — it is only a 
 knack." 
 
 In passing by him, her hand came in con- 
 tact with his wet clothes. 
 
 " Why, Mr. Gwynne, you are wet !" 
 
 "Yes, drenched ; it is a miserable night. 
 I suppose you have not been able to gel 
 out ; I have been out all day." 
 
 "Only in the garden, before breakfast." 
 
 " i^nd is this what you have been read- 
 ing ?" said he, glancing at an open book. 
 "I should not have thought that trashy 
 novel would have found its way into this 
 house." 
 
 "Anything that I fancy will find its way 
 into this house," replied Gertrude, with 
 somewhat of a haughty shake of tlie head. 
 
 "And this is your fancy?" said \oung 
 Gwynne, holding up the book to the light.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 149 
 
 and reading the title in an audible voice; 
 " an author Miss Lewis admires, so precisely 
 correspondent with her character — so sym- 
 pathizing, so harmonizing !" 
 
 "There is no occasion to be so satirical, 
 nor to fancy yourself a critic ; are you sure 
 you are competent to judge, either one way 
 or the other ? There are many writers with 
 whom I sympathize, but whom you, pro- 
 bably, would not appreciate." 
 
 " I thought our tastes assimilated. You 
 were ready to admit it the other day. This 
 book, I am sure, you do not approve. 
 You know you do not." 
 
 " I am afraid I am troubled with a short 
 memory. I don't remember what 1 said 
 the other day : besides, I am not accus- 
 tomed to be catechized. You must ex- 
 cuse my answering the question." 
 
 " How imjjerious you are ! What puts 
 you in this strange humour to-night? You 
 know it is all acting, nothing but acting. 
 Why not be natural, like yourself ? Do
 
 150 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 pray oblige me, Gertrude ; throw the mask 
 off, and be as you always are." 
 
 " What do you mean by ' always ?' I don't 
 understand you." 
 
 "Miss Lewis — Gertrude — ^}-ou do know 
 what I mean." His eyes flashed upon her 
 face, and went straight into her soul ; but 
 she had wonderful command over herself, 
 and defeated all his attempts to make her 
 natural. It seemed to her he was taking 
 advantage of those unguarded words, which 
 she would have recalled a thousand times if 
 she could. She felt angry with herself for 
 not having been more cautious; but she 
 determined he should be baffled. 
 
 With an unmistakeable look, Anarawd 
 laid the book upon the table, moved away, 
 and remained silent, standing before his 
 favourite picture. Gertrude, in the mean 
 while, looking pale and tired, lounged in 
 an easy chair, and remained as silent as 
 Anarawd himself. 
 
 " I think, Mr. Gwynne, you had better
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 151 
 
 go home," she said, breaking silence, and 
 in a formal tone. " I am sure if Lady 
 Elizabeth knew you were wearing those wet 
 clothes, she would be distressed. Come, 
 do come away from that idol of yours, and 
 depart." 
 
 " No, I cannot go," said he, taking his 
 place before her ; I shall remain here till 
 I receive better treatment. If I have 
 offended you, I am grieved. Why, Gertrude, 
 so cold ? I dislike your being cold. What is 
 the matter ? are you not well ? you look 
 pale." 
 
 " Pale — what absurdity ! How ridicu- 
 lous you are ! There is nothing the matter 
 with me ; though I think there is something 
 amiss with you. Why keep reprimanding 
 me, and calling me Gertrude? It is presum- 
 ing of you, Mr. Gwynne, extremely free." 
 
 Anarawd coloured, and hastily drew him- 
 self up. " I beg a thousand pardons. I 
 am not myself to-night, I own it. AVlien I 
 entered the house, I was not in a happy
 
 152 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 state of mind. I cannot say the result of 
 this visit has been the means of cheering 
 me. Good night." 
 
 " Good night," repeated Gertrude, in a 
 calm, cold tone. 
 
 He walked deliberately across the room ; 
 his footstep sounded in the hall, the front 
 door opened and closed, and he was gone.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Gertrude retired to lier chamber after the 
 departure of young Gwyrine, and dismissing 
 Yarico, sat a considerable time musing in 
 her chair! Tears at length came to her 
 relief, and, with her handkerchief to her 
 eyes, she murmured to herself — 
 
 " How I wish, my dear father, you had 
 never left home. It would distress me to 
 cause you sorrow, but how then can 1 ever be 
 happy again ? you will, I fear, never forgive 
 me. I seem not to wish to care for Anarawd 
 Gwynne, and yet I cannot help it. in this 
 I cannot comprehend myself. Having made 
 him unhappy, I feel miserable. He will 
 
 H 2
 
 154 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 not, he cannot, ever have the same opinion 
 of me again that he had before. How could 
 I treat him so harshly and cruelly? — he 
 pleaded so hard, too ! I wonder how I could 
 be so cold, when 1 was in a burning fever 
 all the while. Why did he look as he did, 
 when I told him I was glad he was safe ? 
 How foolish I was not to keep the joy it gave 
 me to myself !" 
 
 Many similar expressions to these fell 
 from Gertrude's lij)s, and in bed that night 
 she never closed her eyes. 
 
 Of the minor miseries to which we are 
 liable, misunderstandings between persons 
 strongly allied by affection or kindred are 
 among the greatest. The deeper the affec- 
 tion, the keener the sensations ; and how- 
 ever trivial the circumstances may be from 
 which they arose, the bitterness of wormwood 
 accompanies them, and taints all. Even 
 then, if the cause is not removed, it is sure 
 to rankle and coiTode the heart, as iron is 
 corroded by rust.
 
 Country landlords. 155 
 
 Anarawd Gwynne did not pass a happier 
 night than Gertrude, and with a dispirited 
 air he joined his mother at breakfast. 
 
 " The letters, I see, have arrived this 
 morning, and your looks impress me with 
 the idea that you have not had good news," 
 said Anarawd to his mother. 
 
 " My face betrays me, my dear ; I cer- 
 tainly have not received good news. I have 
 had a letter from your father, and he tells 
 me he has invited Lord Morlif and his family 
 to spend some weeks at Bleddyn. There 
 is also a message for you. He wishes you 
 to see about the horses beinof broken in : 
 you know to which he alludes." 
 
 " Lord Morlif coming here, mother? I 
 heard he had taken Bryn-y-Coed." 
 
 " He has done so ; but the house, it seems, 
 is not ready. Read the letter, and you will 
 find your father has been in Paris all this 
 time. There he met the Morlifs, and has 
 persuaded them to return with him to Wales,
 
 156 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 promising them accommodation here till the 
 house is ready." 
 
 Anarawd expressed much regret at hearing 
 of this arrangement. '' I have no pleasant 
 recollections of that man," said he. " It is 
 singular I never hear his name mentioned, 
 but our library in town comes before my 
 eyes, with you standing at the window 
 weeping. I was a little lad then. Did 
 Lord Morlif cause you any trouble, mother?'^ 
 
 " He is not a desirable companion : I 
 never liked your father to associate with 
 him. He was no friend of mine." 
 
 She paused — her lips trembled. " Your 
 father might have had more consideration 
 for me, for he is aware the company of any 
 of that family will be particularly disagreeable 
 to me. I am much hurt at your father's 
 conduct." 
 
 Anarawd had never heard his mother 
 speak her mind so decidedly before, nor 
 had he ever seen her so discomposed. " I 
 am not surprised at your being hurt, dear
 
 COUNTRY LANDLOUDS. 157 
 
 mother," said he, stooping to kiss her care- 
 worn face ; " no one can lament my father's 
 imkindness to you more than I do." 
 
 Tears started into Lady EUzabeth's eyes. 
 " Pray, my dear boy, don't say anything 
 more. We have to bear much in this world. 
 I have one consolation : I need not fret 
 myself about you ; Lord Morlif and his son 
 will not lead you astray ; I have too much 
 confidence in you." 
 
 " Thank you for your good opinion. If 
 I admire virtue and shun vice, I owe it all 
 to you, who took such pains in inculcating 
 high principles for my rule of life. I hope 
 earnestly I may never cause you anxiety, 
 mother ; you have already too large a share 
 from other sources." 
 
 The mother looked affectionately at her 
 son, and assured him that though she was 
 deprived of many blessings, he made up 
 fur their absence. She then changed the 
 subject by referring to the three happy 
 months they had passed together -the cozy
 
 158 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 evenings they had enjoyed, and the pleasure 
 they had experienced in Gertrude Lewis's 
 society. Then again she alluded to the 
 Morlifs, whose presence would be an invasion 
 of their peace. 
 
 On Anarawd asking if his father knew 
 of the intimacy which had taken place, she 
 replied that she had told him, but that he 
 had not once referred to the subject ; adding, 
 she hoped he would not make it unpleasant 
 to Gertrude after his arrival. 
 
 " Why should you suppose that, mother? 
 My father, with all his failings, never loses 
 his politeness to ladies. He could not but 
 treat her with civility under his own roof, 
 although he abuses her father." 
 
 " I hope so, my dear ; but I am afraid 
 Gertrude will be diffident, and not come so 
 often as she has done. I shall miss my little 
 friend in a thousand ways ; the Miss Morlifs 
 cannot fill her place. From what I saw of 
 those young ladies at Brighton two years
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 159 
 
 ao-o, they did not prepossess me in their fa- 
 vour ; I shall soon grow weary of their com- 
 pany. You are not eating your breakfast. 
 You don't look well; is anything the matter 
 with you, my dear? I hope you have not 
 caught cold by sitting in your wet clothes last 
 night. I wish, too, you would not go upon 
 the sea when the weather is stormy. You 
 made me very anxious about you the whole 
 of last evening. I hate the sea ; it has 
 caused me many a pang, without your know- 
 ledge." 
 
 " I know the coast very well ; there is 
 nothing of which to be afraid, dear mother. 
 If one does get a little wetting, it is of no 
 moment, and only a seasoning for the storms 
 of life. There is nothing really the matter 
 with me. I think I shall go for a ride : air 
 and exercise will put me right." 
 
 " The weather does seem inviting ; what 
 a change from yesterday ! Should you be 
 passing near Clogwyn, you will perhaps leave 
 a note for me at the Lodge. I did not see
 
 160 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Gertrude yesterday, and I am anxious she 
 should dine here to-day." 
 
 " I can take it for you ; it will be an 
 object in my ride." 
 
 While his mother was writing, he walked 
 up and down the veranda, looking often 
 towards the tall chimneys of Clogwyn, the 
 only part visible above the trees. Gertrude 
 was monopolizing histhoughts,andhe became 
 feverish and restless. Though she had be- 
 haved so unkindly to him, he could not help 
 dwelHng upon the delightful greeting she 
 had given him. So eagerly, so heartily, had 
 the words been repeated — '' Oh, lam so glad 
 you are safe !" Could she have used them if 
 she had not cared about him ? Why, then, 
 should her subsequent conduct trouble him ? 
 He had taxed her with acting, and he was 
 right. It was nothing but waywardness ; 
 an explanation and confession would set all 
 straight. As to what the men had said in 
 the cottage ; their solicitude for the safety
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 161 
 
 of the little girl, as they called her, during 
 her father's absence ; how could she be 
 better off than under his mother's care? Still, 
 doubts would arise. It was possible she did 
 not care for him, after all. He was buoying 
 himself up with false hopes. She might 
 treat him again with coldness, and to have 
 a repetition of the same would be unbearable 
 to his feehngs. He persuaded himself he 
 was happier before he had seen Gertrude — 
 happier much when he went roving over the 
 hills with his fishing-rod or his gun. He 
 had never then felt such wretchedness, nor 
 been one moment exquisitely happy and the 
 next miserable. 
 
 As he passed hurriedly through the break- 
 fast-parlour, his mother gave him the note 
 for Gertrude, and he started in the direction 
 of Clos-wyn. 
 
 " Is Miss Lewis at home?" he inquired of 
 the footman, as he stood before the hall- 
 door, having the bridle in his hand. 
 
 " No, sir," was the reply; "but 1 think I
 
 162 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 saw her half-an-hour since, going round tlie 
 walk at the edge of the cliff." 
 
 The bell was rung: for the o^room ; and 
 having given up his horse, he descended a 
 flight of steps which led into the marine 
 path : nor had he advanced far, before he 
 caught a sight of light-coloured garments 
 fluttering in the breeze. 
 
 Gertrude was sitting in the heath, with 
 her face averted. As he approached her, 
 the waves beating upon the rocks below, and 
 the moaning of the wind among the stunted 
 shrubs, prevented her from catching the 
 sound of his footsteps. Without uttering a 
 syllable, he quietly took his seat by her 
 side. She started, but was quickly aware in 
 whose presence she found herself. She tried 
 to conceal tears which were suimming in 
 .her eyes, but his quick glance had detected 
 them. He said, in a low, earnest voice — 
 
 " You are not unforgiving by nature. If 
 I displeased you last night, I entreat you to
 
 CaUNTRY LANDLORDS. 163 
 
 pardon me : say so, and let us be friends, 
 better friends than ever." He clasped her 
 hand in his own. She made no effort to 
 speak, but he could read reconciliation in 
 her eyes. Thus encouraged, he proceeded — 
 
 " Considering the opportunity we have 
 had of seeing each other so frequently, and 
 having exchanged our thoughts and feelings, 
 it was foolish of us to quarrel as we did 
 last night. We were very like children — 
 don't you think so ?" 
 
 " Yes, very." 
 
 " This must not occur in future ; we must 
 understand each other, Gertrude — you must 
 let me call you so !" Then lowering his 
 voice, he continued — 
 
 " I have a great many faults ; I should be 
 sorry to conceal them from you ; but there is 
 one pure and holy feeling in my heart, of 
 which you cannot be altogether ignorant : 
 tliat feeling is my sincere and deep regard 
 for you. May I some day hope we shall be 
 more to each other than mere friends ?'*
 
 164 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 This appeal struck suddenly and sounded 
 strangely in Gertrude's ear. She did not 
 draw back her hand. Anarawd was holding 
 it to his heart, but she trembled. 
 
 " Gertrude, let me have an acknowledg- 
 ment from your own lips that my affection 
 is returned : say I may hope." 
 
 " No, no, we must never be anything but 
 friends. It is a misfortune to us that we care 
 for each other." Here her voice dropped to 
 a whisper. 
 
 '' Why, Gertrude — why a misfortune ? 
 When we care for each other, we should not 
 be alarmea at trifling obstacles which seem 
 to stand in the way of our wishes. All I 
 ask for the present is your promise, your 
 pledge. Give me that ; let us feel we are 
 living for each other : it would be such a 
 comfort, such a happiness, to both." 
 
 " Pray, pray, don't." 
 
 " Gertrude, why trifle with our mutual 
 happiness? why be over-scrupulous?" 
 
 " I would not be so -, but my father — Oh,
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 165 
 
 he will never forgive me ! Besides, I could 
 never, never make up my mind to leave 
 him " She concealed her face and wept. 
 
 " Your father, Gertrude, would not mar 
 your happiness. The more he loves you, the 
 more desirous he would be to see you happy. 
 You need not be separated ; he can live with 
 us, and I will make him perceive that my 
 object in life will be solely to make his 
 daughter happy. Trust me, dear Gertrude, 
 I am not given to change : once mine, you 
 will ever be mine. Do not waver ; come, 
 your promise ?" 
 
 " Impossible," muttered Gertrude with a 
 despairing look. " J have done very wrong 
 not to avoid your company. My father will 
 never forgive me ; I wish we did not regard 
 each other." 
 
 " Don't say that, Gertrude ; }our father 
 will see it was natural. There will be no- 
 thing to forgive. Do not hesitate to give 
 mc your pledge. I will solemnly vow tb.at
 
 166 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 no other woman shall share my heart, which 
 you will never find change." 
 
 *' Pray do not be rash. Why buoy me 
 with a hope that can nover be realized ? It 
 is madness. Your father will object, as well 
 as my own dear papa." 
 
 " I am independent of my father. I have 
 always met his disapproval. Supposing he 
 should ever take an interest in me, it can 
 have no weight in this matter. My mother 
 already loves you ; she will love you more for 
 my sake. Pray, then, Gertrude, do not draw 
 the picture of a gloomy future. The present 
 is ours ; let us use it. Give me your promise, 
 and it shall be my treasure." 
 
 For a long while young Gwynne sat 
 pouring into Gertrude's ear hopes and 
 assurances, till his eloquence found its way 
 to her heart and brightened in her face ; 
 in a faltering voice she at last' gave him her 
 promise. 
 
 " Again, say it again. Gertrude," said he,
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 167 
 
 drawins: her nearer to him with a look of 
 delight. 
 
 " Why so exacting? a promise once uttered 
 
 becomes sacred : be satisfied, dear Anarawd." 
 
 " True, it is sacred, Gertrude, and my 
 
 vow is sacred. May God bless us — we must 
 
 solicit his blessing." 
 
 His manner grew more excited. " Ger- 
 trude," he repeated, "can there be a greater 
 joy upon earth than to feel we love and are 
 beloved ? You know those lines of Goethe's — 
 
 * Und doch, welch Gliick gelicbt zu werdeu ! 
 Uud liebeii, Cotter, Avelch eiii Gliick !' 
 
 Shall I repeat the third line in that verse ?" 
 He drew his arm closer round his be- 
 trothed ; and with a new and indescribable 
 pleasure he watched the blush which his 
 words, like magic, spread over her deUcate 
 features. " You have not forgotten them ? 
 
 ' In deiucn Kiissen, vrelche Wonne !' " 
 
 That day, that hour, that moment, was 
 an era in their lives never to be effaced. 
 No account was taken of time. There
 
 168 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 they sat with a splended marine view before 
 them, but they were insensible to its beauty, 
 they could only think of each other ; the 
 world was shut out from them. 
 
 Gertrude first broke the spell. She pleaded 
 she wished to be left alone. 
 
 " Will you send me away when we are so 
 exquisitely happy?" 
 
 " Yes, 1 wish to be left alone. I must be 
 left alone." 
 
 As Anarawd rose, he asked what messaoe 
 he was to convey to his mother in reply 
 to her note. 
 
 " 1 shall be happy to come, but you will 
 promise not to pay me any particular at- 
 tention. You will tell her of our engagement 
 some day. I should not like to keep it 
 from her." 
 
 " Certainly not; she shall know it, but not 
 to day, the happiest of all days tome." 
 
 They walked together a short distance 
 along the ledge, and then separated. Ana- 
 rawd pursued his way, dreaming of happiness 
 which mioht never- be realized.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 169 
 
 The moment Gertrude found herself alone 
 the words rose spontaneously — " He loves 
 mo ! I possess his heart, and those lips so full 
 of truth I can never doubt. But my father, 
 when I think of him, I must doubt ; fear 
 mingles with my love. What will he say 
 when he hears my confession ?" 
 
 The brio^ht and olowino: vision which a 
 moment before appeared to her excited mind 
 became suddenly clouded, and cast its 
 shadow across her brow, as she sat there 
 pondering upon the uncertain future. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Dinner was announced, and Mr. Gwynne, 
 with one of his insinuating smiles, gave his 
 arm to Miss Morhf. They had previously 
 been talking in an animated strain, and he 
 had just given her the information that a 
 ball was about to take place shortly in the 
 county. 
 
 " A ball among these Welsh hills, that 
 will be a novelty !" was Miss Morlif's excla- 
 mation, as she entered the dining-room and 
 seated herself very maonificentlv at the table. 
 '* It will be as amusing, I should imagine, as 
 a German ball, where the society is not 
 select, and the eye everywhere meets with 
 disfigurement of the human form divine."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 171 
 
 '^ No, pray, my young friend, do not foster 
 so erroneous an idea. Our Welsh assemblies 
 have no resemblance to those upon the 
 Continent; there is no mingling of classes 
 here." 
 
 " Really ! Well, I suppose you don't often 
 get up these amusements in this dull country 
 place." 
 
 " Not so dull as you fancy. There is always 
 something going on. If not balls, we have 
 riding-parlies, picnics, boat-races, and yacht- 
 ing. Folks know how to enjoy life here." 
 
 '* Most grateful intelligence ! it is reviving 
 to my spirits," said Miss Morlif, turning her 
 prominent eyes upon young Gwynne, and 
 .making a wry face as if a little sceptical. 
 " I suppose we may scamper about as wild 
 as we please, since there is no one to say tiiis 
 is proper, or that is improper. I like the 
 thought of such primitive freedom amazingly, 
 and begin to treasure up a hope, my dear 
 sir, that life in Wales will not be so insup-
 
 172 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 portab]y dull, after all ; we shall be able to 
 exist." 
 
 " My dear young friend, you are troubled, 
 I am afraid, with a short memory : did I not 
 promise you, when I persuaded your father to 
 come into this country, that it should not be 
 dull^" 
 
 " Oh no, Mr. Gwynne, I am not so un- 
 grateful; I have not forgotten your kindness ; 
 but you are not asvare of the amount of amuse- 
 ment J require. Before I was old enough to 
 leave the nursery, I ate, drank, and slept upon 
 society. Country places have ever been to me 
 distasteful; for the classes with whom we come 
 in contact are such a dronish, uninteresting 
 set ! It is out of the question to get on with, 
 them ; all we can do is to indulge occasionally 
 in a laugh. Last autumn, while with my 
 aunt in Hampshire, I was all but expiring 
 from eiinid. Do not then, my dear sir, be 
 offended with me when I acknowledge I had 
 terrible misgivings, on my arrival, that an 
 entire summer in Wales would be juy-killing.
 
 COUNTRY LVNDLORDS. 173 
 
 I find I am agreeably mistaken ■: with this pro- 
 mised novehy, and the prospect of various 
 amusements, I am satisfied I shall not expe- 
 rience dulness. — B}-the-bje, did you not 
 promise to make a programme of what we 
 are to do while at this dear old place ?'' 
 
 *' I did ; but, I regret, this week my time 
 will nut be at my own disposal.'* 
 
 " In that case we must make the best of 
 our trouble." She turned to Anarawd, and 
 claimed his attention. 
 
 " We shall expect you to figure as grand 
 master of the ceremonies in the approach- 
 ing scenes. Loving Wales as you do, and 
 acquainted with its renowned localities and 
 legends, we can hardly do better, papa 
 says, iluin elect }ou major domo. But it 
 will be a responsible post. I don't wish 
 to deceive you : we are wild, giddy girls, and 
 you must be prepared to show the gallantry 
 and knight-errantry of old, in defending and 
 shielding your lady-loves."
 
 174 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " You have selected the wrong person, 
 Miss Morlif, either as master of the ceremo- 
 nies, or as knight-errant. The honour, I 
 fear, would sit ill upon me. I am one of 
 those native bears which you and your sister 
 were commenting upon a short time ago, — 
 one of those animals that like prowling about 
 the hills and valleys, in search of his pecu- 
 liar fancies, primitive and countrified, as you 
 please to term them." 
 
 " We shall not let you off in that way." 
 
 " Were I to accept the responsible ofBce, 
 I really am afraid it would have an effect 
 upon my temper ; I should not be a pleasant 
 companion," pursued Anarawd. " Do, for 
 your own sake, appoint some one else. You 
 have to learn that the great charm in this 
 country is, that each individual is indepen- 
 dent of the other." 
 
 " Independent! selfish independence, very 
 shabby conduct. Is it not so, Mr. Gwynne ?" 
 
 A sneer came Upon Mr. Gwynne's features, 
 as he expressed himself pointedly: —
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 175 
 
 "It is precisely the conduct one might 
 expect from him. If you hope to find a 
 sociable and agreeable companion in my son, 
 you will be disappointed. He is too fond of 
 solitude, too great a country-worshipper, ever 
 to be fitted for the civilized and polite circles 
 in which Miss Morlif moves." 
 
 " Oh, he must not indulge in such bad 
 habits. We will stir him up, and lead him 
 such a life ! It will do your son good, Mr. 
 G Wynne, will it not ?" 
 
 " I doubt it. In such a character there 
 is little chance of amendment. He is ruin- 
 ing himself by this absurd love for rural 
 pastimes. The only chance left for him is 
 the army — the best school for all young 
 men, particularly for dreamers !" 
 
 Mr. G Wynne never addressed his son or 
 spoke of him without sarcasm tainting his 
 words, as it did on the present occasion. 
 Anarawd, however, had been so long ac- 
 customed to his father's asperity, that if it
 
 1 76 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 affected him, he never allowed it to be per- 
 ceived. 
 
 Miss Mary Morlif, who was sitting near 
 young Gwynne, not looking over-pleased at 
 his decided refusal to dance attendance 
 upon them, suddenly reminded her compa- 
 nion that he had promised to take them in 
 his boat : she hoped he would not break 
 that promise. 
 
 " Certainly, if I made that promise, I 
 will keep it." 
 
 " Not without making us feel we are 
 under obligation to you," interposed Miss 
 Morlif, trying to attract his attention to 
 herself. 
 
 " That must depend upon your own 
 conduct." 
 
 " What ! will you try and exert your 
 authority, and keep us in order? Is that 
 your intention?" 
 
 " No , that would be too laborious an 
 undertaking, and not sufficiently interesting." 
 
 "Pray, then, what would be sufficiently
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 177 
 
 interesting to excite Mr. Anarawd's gallan- 
 try?" 
 
 Mr. Gwynne drew in his lips, and ex- 
 changed an odd smile with the lady, and 
 asked her to take a glass of wine in the old- 
 fashioned form ; and until the ladies left 
 the room he engrossed the whole of her 
 conversation. 
 
 Not long after the ladies had escaped to 
 the drawing-room, Rupert Morlif rose, and 
 putting his hand upon Anarawd's arm, said 
 he was dying for a cigar, and impatient to 
 get rid of the fumes of dinner. Would he 
 go for a stroll ? Anarawd readily acquiesced, 
 and the two young men stepped out upon 
 the lawn. 
 
 " You must teach me the geography of 
 this place. 1 understand there is a village 
 not far off. 1 am sure there was a dearth 
 of villages as we came along-. What a 
 thinly-populated country this is ! Very 
 striking, after being so lately in Germany. 
 There, you never go a mile without stura- 
 
 I 2
 
 178 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 bling upon a town or a village, or having 
 your road intercepted by those nonsen- 
 sical, humbugging processions en route to 
 their shrines, which generally contain a 
 black virgin, or something uglier. Have 
 you ever been in that part of the world ?" 
 " No, not since I was an infant." 
 " Ah, that's the thing you require. A 
 man in these days must travel ; there is no 
 keeping pace with the world unless you do. 
 I would recommend you to go, by all means : 
 but, whatever you do, take care not to let 
 your governor accompany you ; he would 
 worry you out of your existence before a 
 week expired. For the last three months 
 I have been a martyr to mine. This ap- 
 pears a similar case : no love lost between 
 you and your father. We are fellow- 
 sufferers, and should sympathize with each 
 other." 
 
 " My father's tastes and my own are 
 diametrically opposite. There is no hiding it 
 from the world."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 179 
 
 " Precisely so ; and provokingly dis- 
 agreeable it is, to have governors whom we 
 care not a shot for, sparring at us and 
 trying to keep us in order, when they require 
 being kept in order ten times more themselves. 
 The truth is, your father and mine both 
 consider themselves still young men, and do 
 not like having tall boys topping over them, 
 looking more fresh and vigorous.** 
 
 Anarawd differed from him in this opinion ; 
 his father had never shown him any affection 
 or consideration from his cradle. 
 
 " Lord ! it is not the fashion now for 
 fathers to care about their sons ; and if we 
 can only be independent, it matters little 
 whether they do or not : so much for ray 
 logic. You know my father married when 
 he was nineteen ; but it was not an affair of 
 the heart ; consequently, at the end of five 
 years he quarrelled with my mother, and 
 separated. She came over to England, and 
 he lived abroad, a kind of life, 1 imagine, 
 he would not relish to live over again. I
 
 180 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 never saw his face till I was twelve years of 
 age." 
 
 " Your mother is not alive ?" 
 
 " Xo ; a few years ago she went off in a 
 hurry. But, my good fellow, this is not a 
 pleasant subject ; let us drop it. What is the 
 matter with your cigar? you have no fire." 
 
 " It is not a good one. However, it is of 
 no consequence ; I have no inclination to 
 smoke." He threw it over the trees. 
 
 " Why, my boy, it is what you want to 
 rouse you a bit ; you are a cup too low, try 
 one of mine." 
 
 " No, thank you." 
 
 " Well, if you discard my offer, don't let 
 us dawdle here any longer. In which di- 
 rection is the village ? north, south, east, or 
 west ? lam just in the humour to kick up 
 a row. It would be good fun to make the 
 old women drunk, and set them all chat- 
 tering like the apes of Gibraltar ! Is this 
 the way?" 
 
 " No," replied Anarawd, looking ratber
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 181 
 
 stern. " I am not going to take you there ; 
 I have too great respect for the inhabitants." 
 '' Nonsense ! you are not in earnest, though 
 you wear those ultra grave looks." 
 
 On Anarawd assuring him he was in 
 earnest, Rupert stood still, and stared at 
 him in the face : 
 
 " Why, what sort of fellow are you ? not 
 up to a spree, a little innocent amusement ? 
 Ha ! ha ! you are humbugging me 1' 
 
 " In that sort of spree I could find no 
 amusement. Is it likely I should choose to 
 stand by and see our tenants insulted ? In 
 making such a proposition, one might have 
 doubted that you were in earnest, for it 
 seems to me a most vitiated taste." 
 
 " Ought I to be abashed at this repri- 
 mand ? No, that would be humbug. If it 
 is a vitiated taste, I must plead guilty ; for 
 to make old women merry, I consider is as 
 good as a comedy." lie stooped to gather 
 a rose, and placed it in his button- hole. 
 " Really, I am disappointed. I did not
 
 182 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 suppose you to be this sort of fellow. You 
 do want a little schooling in the army, to 
 drum Methodistical notions out of your 
 head : your father, after all, was about 
 right. I understood you were a regular 
 brick, full of life, up to a lark, the best shot 
 in Wales, and a proficient in angling. With 
 manly acquirements such as these, one can- 
 not imagine a man setting his face against 
 a bit of a spree : I cannot comprehend it." 
 
 " Then it is well you should be unde- 
 ceived. It does not always follow, because a 
 man is a sportsman, that he is wedded to 
 low amusements as well. I have never 
 had a taste for them, and I hope I never 
 may ; I am far too jealous of myself." 
 
 " Low amusements, my good fellow ! — I 
 suppose you would place cat-hunting in the 
 category of low amusements ? Now, I consi- 
 der cat-hunting about the highest and best 
 sport there is going, I have brought down 
 such a tip-top terrier ; he is a perfect little 
 love. Is there a good show of cats in the
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 183 
 
 village ? I am prepared to make war against 
 the feline race during my sojourn here. I will 
 scour the country so that there is not a cat 
 left — Ah ! I can see by that solemn air you 
 do not approve my notions. By Jove ! it is 
 a woful pity a young fellow like you, heir 
 to a large estate, don't know how to enjoy 
 life. I wish, upon my soul, 1 was as well 
 off as you are ! Here is my father, with all 
 his high connections and high position, he is 
 such an extravagant man, that he keeps his 
 son as poor as a church-mouse, and is never 
 himself out of debt. — Is this the way to the 
 beach?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Let us, then, go and explore those caves 
 you were speaking of before dinner." 
 
 Rupert ^lorlif was in high glee ; he did 
 not require entertainment ; his great delight 
 appeared to be listening to his own imaginary 
 wit, and laughing when he failed to make 
 his companion laugh. lie had wonderful 
 volubility, and his animal spirits knew no
 
 131 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 change. Long before they reached the beach, 
 Anaravvd was weary of his associate. 
 
 '' By Jove ! what a place for a gallop !" 
 was Rupert's exclamation, as they came 
 suddenly in view of the wnde extent of hard 
 sands. " But the coast, 1 should think, 
 must be dangerous with such rocks as those 
 running out into the sea ?" 
 
 " It is dangerous; we have had several 
 wrecks since I was a boy ; but it does not 
 debar us from sailing. We have famous 
 yachting on this coast." 
 
 " Where do you keep your boat ?" 
 " At Angharad." 
 
 " And your men are there, too, I suppose ? 
 Is there no possibility of sending for her ?" 
 " No ; and it grows late." 
 •' Is not that a young lady I see there, 
 riding alone ?*' pursued Rupert, following 
 Anarawd's eye, which was straining in an 
 opposite direction. " Who is she — do you 
 know ?"
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 185 
 
 " A young lady who lives not far from 
 here." 
 
 " What is her name, and where did she 
 come from ? Is she a Welsh heiress ?" 
 
 " Her father is a man of property. They 
 have lived in the neighbourhood for some 
 years. Lewis is the name." 
 
 " Miss Lewis ? AA'ell, she must be a bold 
 girl to come here without a groom, on such 
 a horse as that. Let us go and meet her. 
 I should like to have a good stare in her 
 face, to see what this Diana Vernon — this 
 Welsh heiress is like. Is she pretty ?" 
 
 " That depends upon taste." 
 
 " I have always understood Wales was 
 celebrated for pretty girls. That was a 
 great inducement for me to come down. I 
 am an ardent admirer of pretty girls, and 
 am on the look-out, you must know, for a 
 pretty face and a fortune. Not a difficult 
 thing to find in Wales ; for they tell me these 
 hills swarm with old raisers : is that true ?" 
 
 " I do know of a few in this county."
 
 186 COUNTIlY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " And have they pretty daughters ? I 
 could not possibly marr}- an ugly girl." 
 
 " Why, I hardly know : yes, perhaps there 
 are some of the young ladies who may 
 please you." 
 
 " Glorious ! Mind, I expect you to in- 
 troduce me to them on the night of the 
 ball. — Not in that direction, if you please ; 
 1 must commence my search after a wife by 
 inspecting number 1." • 
 
 " This is the way to the caves : you ex- 
 pressed a wish to see them." 
 
 " Oh ! hang the caves ! I would see them 
 at Hong Kong rather than miss a pretty 
 face ! By your manner I begin to suspect 
 there is something remarkable about this 
 young lady, which makes me all the more 
 desirous to gratify my curiosity. Come, do 
 be obliging." 
 
 " How can you think of going and staring 
 into a young lady's face, particularly when 
 she is unprotected ? Besides, she is a friend
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 187 
 
 of my mother's : I could not accompany 
 you." 
 
 " Why, that makes it the more absurd. 
 If you know her, be good-natured enough 
 to introduce me to this fair Diana." 
 
 " 1 do not think it would be agreeable to 
 her." 
 
 " How particular you are ! how solicitous 
 you are about other people ! A stranger 
 would imagine you belonged to a philan- 
 thropic society. I see, my boy, I see it all : 
 you are bent on cutting me out, that is 
 quite clear." 
 
 Rupert thus concluded, following his com- 
 panion, who had not waited to hear the 
 last part of his remark. 
 
 After a pause, he began again — 
 
 " Confound it ! I did not expect matters 
 would turn out this way. I counted upon 
 our being great chums, and that you would 
 put me into the way of throwing a line and 
 shouldering a gun. I, in return, would 
 have repaid you with tirst-rate sport. My
 
 188 COUNTl'.Y LANDLORDS. 
 
 tiptop terrier would surprise you. No one 
 can have an idea who has not tried it, what 
 fascination there is in a cat-hunt : if you 
 were only once to accompany me, I know 
 you would like the sport." 
 
 *' No, I don't tliink I sliould. I dislike 
 to see animals tortured : I cannot imagine 
 any fun in it." 
 
 " Nonsense ! you forget all in ihe excite- 
 ment. You must see that little dog of mine ; 
 he is a fizzer ! You would be amused to 
 watch him prick his ears and give tongue ; 
 it is better than any music. Such an irri- 
 tcition in every hair of liis body 1 you can see 
 it all over him. By Jove ! you should have 
 been with me the other dav, when the little 
 devil discovered I had a cat in the closet. 
 I never saw such antics ! I laughed myself 
 ill : it was the most ridiculous sight in the 
 world. It is no jise, my good fellow — I 
 shall not be satisfied till I make you appre- 
 ciate a cat-hunt." 
 
 He clapped his hand upon his companion's
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 189 
 
 shoulder, and laughed heartily at the recol- 
 lection of his terrier's excitement. 
 
 After exploring the caves, they turned up 
 ihe path which conducted them into the 
 Bleddyn road, and had not gone far, when the 
 sound of a h(jrse's hoofs caught Anarawd's 
 ear. Ilupert stood and lislened. 
 
 " Here she comes ! I shall catch a sight 
 of her after all !" cried the latter in delight, 
 and turned round to face the young lady 
 equestrian. 
 
 When Gertrude approached and saw 
 Anarawd, she spoke a few hurried words, 
 smiled, and rode forward. 
 
 " The murder is out at last!" exclaimed 
 Rupert, as he joined his companion: " what 
 a lucky djg, to have such a sweet smile 
 lavished upon you ! I see how it is : she is a 
 favourite of y(nns, and you are jealous, I 
 will make you more jealous yet, one of these 
 days. Talking about it depending upon 
 taste whether she is to be admired or not, 
 whv 1 don't know when I have seen such
 
 190 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 a dazzling complexion and delicate features. 
 She is decidedly a pretty girl ; no one would 
 dispute it. I will get introduced to her at 
 the ball, and she shall be the first lady that 
 I will lead to the dance. When I am bent 
 upon showing the amiable to a young lady, 
 there is little chance for others. I see you 
 are a slow, apathetic fellow in these affairs ; 
 there is a want of gallantry that will not go 
 down with young ladies. I shall, in conse- 
 quence, stand a good chance of rivalling even 
 the heir of Bleddyn, to whom every peasant 
 in passing bows obedience, repeating caba- 
 listic phrases, known only to himself. I 
 might fancy I was walking with a prince. 
 Is this the way you go on here, paying court 
 to superiors ? It beats the bowing and 
 scraping on the Continent all hollow." 
 
 " What a heap of nonsense you can string 
 together !'" said Anarawd^, laughing : "is there 
 nothing sensible we can converse upon ?" 
 
 " Why, my good fellow, we are neither 
 priests nor scholars ; what do we want with
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 191 
 
 sensible discourses? Don't suppose you 
 will draw me from my purpose. I have some 
 questions still to ask about this young lady. 
 What sort of governor is hers ? Has she 
 any long-legged brothers, or any formidable 
 male cousins, that are likely to tumble in 
 one's way and treat one roughly — any 
 foolish mamma who has the peculiar weak- 
 ness of keeping her girls out of the reach 
 of all young men, on the absurd supposition 
 that they are unprincipled roues?'' 
 
 " Keally, my good fellow, you must excuse 
 my answering your questions. You have a 
 coarse way of expressing yourself, which I 
 can't enter into ; nor could I give you a 
 satisfactory reply." 
 
 " What an odd fellow you are!"said Rupert 
 once more, looking full at his companion. " I 
 am sure you must be out of temper. Oblige 
 me by taking one of my cigars : it will soothe 
 you, and make you more amiable and conver- 
 sational. The weed, you know, is a panacea 
 for all complaints of the temper, and a sure
 
 192 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 promoter of good fellowship. Pray accept 
 one, extra fine, 'real Havanna, a perfect nose- 
 gay ; I never wish to have a better between 
 my teeth." 
 
 In presenting the cigar, Rupert put on 
 such a ridiculous port, that Anarawd could 
 not help joining his companion in a hearty 
 laugh. Shortly afterwards they reached the 
 mansion, and he left Rupert, thankful to es- 
 cape to his study. 
 
 " If this is not being bored to death, I do 
 not know the interpretation of the word !" 
 said he to himself, as he sat down to his 
 desk. He then sought solace in writing a 
 note to Gertrude, and afterwards joined the 
 party in the drawing-room. 
 
 He found the topic of their conversation 
 was the ball, about to take place on the fol- 
 lowing week. Mr. Gwynne had been 
 appointed (he chairman of the committee, 
 and was energetic in seeing after the accom- 
 modaliun neeessary for such visitors as were 
 expected from the adjoining counties. A
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 193 
 
 band of music had baen eno'af^ed from 
 Chester, a man-cook and a number of 
 waiters weie to be in attendance, and the 
 whole was to be conducted in first-rate style. 
 To please Miss Morlif, Mr. Gwynne pro-' 
 mised that, on the evening after the ball, 
 he would engage the band to be at Bleddyn, 
 and there should be another hop. 
 
 Lady Elizabeth had no voice in the affair ; 
 Mr. Gwynne, Lord Morlif, and the two 
 vounq- ladies, made the arrano-ements with- 
 out the slightest regard to her feelings, 
 or whether she would approve of them 
 or not. The marquee was to be erected 
 on the lawn, coloured lamps were to be 
 suspended in the trees, and blue lights 
 were ordered from London ; bonfires were 
 to be made in tbe grounds upon the hills; 
 while figures, dressed up as banditti, were 
 to prowl among the trees, designed to 
 promote the illusion by the light of the 
 bonfires or the glimmering lamps, thus 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 forming altogether a fancy scene of some 
 wild romance. 
 
 Mr. Gwynne appeared in excellent 
 spirits. Lady Elizabeth inquired if her hus- 
 band had any objection to Miss Lewis being 
 invited to the dance. 
 
 " That is the young lady Rupert was 
 raving about, after he came in from his 
 walk," said Lord Morlif. *' A pretty girl, of 
 course, is always attractive ; there can be no 
 objection." 
 
 '' Certainly not," replied Mr. Gwynne, who 
 was in such an elevated state as to make it 
 doubtful whether he knew of whom they 
 were speaking. 
 
 Anarawd grew tired of listening to their 
 flippant and senseless conversation. He 
 rose and left the room. Directly afterwards 
 going to the stable, and ordering his horse, 
 he started for Clogwyn. 
 
 It was a lovely moonlight night, and he 
 was soon standing upon the terrace in 
 company with his betrothed.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 195 
 
 " I need not have despatched the note ; 
 but at the time I did so, I did not know I 
 should be able to steal away. I could not 
 rest at home ; so you see I have come, late 
 as it is," said Anarawd, after the first saluta- 
 tion had passed. 
 
 *' I am glad you sent the note, and still 
 more delighted to have you with me,*' was 
 Gertrude's ready response. " Is not the 
 evening lovely ? We can now enjoy it to- 
 gether, only I wish it was not so late." 
 
 '' Not till I came here, was I aware of the 
 beauty of the evening." 
 
 "What! insensible to this delicious wea- 
 ther ? Quite an Italian day. The tints upon 
 the hills and the soft air, have they all been 
 lost upon you ? Have you been in a dream 
 all day, dear Anarawd P" 
 
 " No, dearest Gertrude; but I have spent 
 an unpleasant day, one of hard endurance. 
 You can form no conception what odious 
 girls those Miss Morlifs are. And their 
 brother is no better; he is the most empty-
 
 196 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 headed fellow fashion can exhibit in its ranks. 
 There can be no companionship with him. 
 The only one who has any brains is his Lord- 
 ship ; yet you would not at first suppose it by 
 his flippant way of talking. They all have 
 that flippancy of speech. Living so much 
 at watering-places, and indulging in the most 
 unmeaning frivolities, they have acquired a 
 loose, jaunty, self-confident manner, to me 
 particularly disagreeable.*' 
 
 Gertrude remarked what a relief it 
 would be when they were gone. She pitied 
 Lady Elizabeth. 
 
 " It will indeed be a day of rejoicing to 
 her and myself. But do not let us waste our 
 words on that uninteresting family. I am 
 so thankful to escape from my home and be 
 here ; you have become so essential to my 
 liappiness, Gertrude, that I am never happy 
 but when I am with you." 
 
 " I feel the same, dear Anarawd.'* 
 
 His hands tightened over hers, and he said,
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 197 
 
 in his low, earnest tones, " You will not 
 again wish we were only friends." 
 
 " I think not ; but I have a dread, a sort 
 of feeling that this happiness is too great to 
 last. I am ever under a cruel apprehension 
 it may be snatched from me." 
 
 " If God separates us, we must submit. As 
 to earthly obstacles, I have too resolute, too 
 unflinching a heart, ever to grow weary of 
 surmounting them." 
 
 "Here comes Mrs. Parry!" interjected 
 Gertrude, " to warn us of the hour. I know 
 it is very late.'* 
 
 '* Mr. Gwynne, you really nmst depart. It 
 is nearly twelve o'clock ; Captain Lewis never 
 likes Gertrude to keep late hours." 
 
 "Very well, Mrs. Parry, I am going 
 directly." He turned round, and observed 
 to Gertrude — 
 
 " What I was full of a short time ago, I 
 have not yet communicated. We are going 
 to have a dance at Bleddyn the night after 
 the ball, and you are to be invited."
 
 198 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " Surely you do not wish me to accept the 
 invitation ? " 
 
 " Yes, clearest, and my mother wishes it." 
 
 " What will papa say ? He would not 
 smile his approval if he knew it." 
 
 " You will be under my mother's protec- 
 tion. Why should he express any feeling of 
 disapprobation at your coming to the dance, 
 any more than your visiting us ? " 
 
 " I wish he were at home." 
 
 " What a deep sigh ! One moment you 
 are so blithe and light-hearted, the next so 
 utterly desponding. Have courage, dear 
 Gertrude ; do not be so scrupulous. We 
 shall take good care of you." 
 
 " I don't doubt that ; still I wish papa were 
 here, and that you knew each other— that he 
 were reconciled and you were friends. I should 
 not then fall into fits of despondency." 
 
 '^ Have greater confidence in me, Gertrude, 
 and be patient ; submit passively to circum- 
 stances, instead of diving so deeply into the 
 future."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 199 
 
 " It is not easy to command patience, nor 
 to cling to hope, when it takes flight and 
 leaves the mind restless and distressed." 
 
 " These are small trials, Gertrude, which 
 we must learn to bear with cheerfulness. 
 Look forward to the time when we are to go 
 hand in hand through life. The day will 
 come, I feel it will." After a long pause, 
 Anarawd continued — 
 
 *' Say now, dearest, that you will not make 
 yourself uneasy about this dancing affair; 
 there is no occasion for it. We are anxious 
 that you should be introduced to my father ; 
 it will be a good opportunity — so you must 
 come." 
 
 Gertrude said she had never been at a 
 dance, that she felt nervous, and had no 
 fancy for going among strangers ; but, as 
 they wished it, she was ready to oblige them. 
 
 " My poor little apprehensive bird, I shall 
 take such care of you. There will be no other 
 meteor in the crowd ; there will be nothing to 
 me there but you, Gertrude."^
 
 200 COUNTRY LANDLORDS; 
 
 "Pray don't talk of my being a meteor. 
 I shall be longing to hide myself among the 
 cushions in the corner of the sofa, or to 
 escape to my quiet home." 
 
 " Your fears are more in imagination 
 than reality. What will the crowd consist 
 of, after all? Men and women, very inferior 
 to my dearest Gertrude. 
 
 " You should not, indeed, Anarawd, talk 
 in that absurd way : if I am perfection in your 
 eyes, I am far from being so in those of others. 
 I find ii necessary to examine myself more 
 strictly than I used to do. Papa spoiled me, 
 and now you are spoiling me, unfitting me 
 for the world ; I shall soon become a useless 
 member in it." 
 
 " Unfilting you for the world ! — a delusion. 
 Gertrude, will you not have me ? I hope 
 always to shelter you from the bitterness of 
 the world. What does it signify ? Spoiling 
 does not diminish your virtues." 
 
 " That is your idea. Some day I shall 
 have to reproach you for it."
 
 COUMTRY LANDLORDS. 201 
 
 *' For what ? " 
 
 '' For trying to persuade me I possess 
 
 irtues to which I have no claim ; throwing 
 
 I veil over your own eyes, as well as over 
 
 mine. It is not wise : it makes me question 
 
 your sound sense." 
 
 ** We won't quarrel about this point ; I am 
 willing to remain blind. It is far belter to 
 be blind to each other's faults than to be 
 constantly disclosing them." 
 
 " Mrs. Parry is coming again ; she won't 
 leave us alone, you must indeed depart." 
 
 " vSuy then, Gertrude, you will not re- 
 proach me, and I will bid you good-night." 
 
 " Yes, I will reproach you ; the time will 
 come, I know it will, when I shall appear be- 
 fore you with streaming eyes, and blame you 
 lor the sweets on which you have fed me ; 
 when what was once sweet will turn to aall 
 — gall to both of us." 
 
 " Mr. Gwynne, I have come once more to 
 insist upon your going." 
 
 '* I am sorry to annoy you, Mrs. Parry, 
 
 K 2
 
 202 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 in this way ; I have only a few more words to 
 say to Miss Lewis, and then I will go, I pro- 
 mise you." 
 
 " Do, my dear Anarawd, say good-night at 
 once ; she is not pleased." 
 
 " No, Gertrude, I cannot leave you with 
 those words in my ears, though said in a half- 
 jesting way. It was unkind of you to make 
 such a speech just as I was leaving. You 
 must recall every word, and make ample 
 amends. Send me home with happier 
 thoughts to dream of." 
 
 They walked to the other end of the terrace, 
 and in cheerful voices repeated "good- 
 night."
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 A cnowD had collected round the door, and 
 drew baclv as Miss Morlif, dressed in the ex- 
 treme of fashion, and with a very distingue 
 air, hanging upon Mr. Gwynne's arm, en- 
 tered the country ball-room. 
 
 The apartment was neither small nor 
 ill-lighted ; but there was still a primitiveness 
 about the whole, which to a stranger ren- 
 dered the scene interesting from novelty, if 
 not striking. 
 
 " Sweetly pretty, extremely so !" said Miss 
 Morlif, glancing round with not a little 
 curiosity. " What would they have done 
 without your taste, Mr. Gwynne ? We have
 
 204 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 to render you a thousand thanks for the in- 
 terest you have taken in the arrangements. 
 How well the lamps look, embowered in 
 green ! 1 admire the tout-ensemhle ex- 
 tremely." 
 
 " I am glad the decorations meet my 
 fair friend's approval. It is a pretty room." 
 " Yes, a dreamy-looking room, such as one 
 reads of in books. With a good band and a 
 chalked floor, what a charming evening we 
 shall have ! How the people must rejoice 
 when you come among them, Mr. Gwynne ! 
 In this rural neighbourhood I could imaoine 
 your being looked up to as if you were a 
 prince." 
 
 " Oh yes, I am the prince here," replied 
 her companion, laughing and colouring at 
 the same time. " We had better take a 
 seat here ; it will be a good position to see 
 the company as they enter. I will give 
 you permission to quiz my countrywomen, 
 provided you will acknowledge they have 
 a good share of beauty. In that party
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 205 
 
 just entering are our banker's daughters,— 
 sweet comely-looking girls, and well attired, 
 are they not ?" 
 
 " Rather provincial." 
 " Oh no, don't say that ; a London mil- 
 liner has been at work there. I beg you 
 not to use the word ' provincial.' Tiiere 
 is a a'ood deal of style about them." 
 
 *' Mr. Gwynne, how can you say so ! Out 
 of courtesy to your countrywomen, I suppose 
 you will be blind to their defects, and will 
 not acknowledge them." 
 
 " Now oblige me, my young friend : take 
 a general survey ; tell me if you do not think 
 there are a great number of pretty faces 
 and well-dressed women in the room ? The 
 Welsh girls, it is proverbial from days im- 
 memorial, are fond of dress. Tliere is a 
 good display of it this evening." 
 
 " 'J'astes differ. There may be a pretty 
 fair sprinkling of handsome dresses and 
 comely faces ; but at a glance (1 must use the
 
 206 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 word to which you object), they are 'provin- 
 cial' — decidedly ' provincial.' " 
 
 " I am afraid you are fastidious." 
 
 " Not in the least. Town and country, all 
 will allow, are very different. What can we 
 expect ? If a dress is made in London, the 
 wearer will not wear it as it should be worn. 
 Their ladies' maids in the country are, 
 perhaps, not so au fait at their work as 
 ours. Without being more explanatory, 
 you must see, Mr. Gwynne, there is some- 
 thino[' wanting;," 
 
 Her companion laughed — " A pretty face, 
 let it be countrified or not, always claims 
 a certain degree of admiration. I still 
 maintain, there is much beauty to be seen 
 here to-night." 
 
 '' Well, perhaps there is ; — certainly a pre- 
 dominancy of pink and white, which is by 
 the opposite sex often mistaken for beauty." 
 " How severe ! The haughty beauty might 
 be a shade more generous."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 207 
 
 AVith a significant smile and his usual 
 blandishment of manner, Mr. GAynne 
 offered the lady his arm and led her away 
 to open the ball with him. 
 
 Lord Morlif had selected the acknowledged 
 county belle — for there is one so character- 
 ised in every county place — and to her he 
 was holdino: forth on the charms of the 
 ladies, the independence of the country, the 
 hospitality of the gentry, the civility of the 
 peasantry, and, by way of conclusion, the 
 further declaration that he was so pleased 
 with Wales, he should not object to spend 
 half his life in the Principality, only with the 
 proviso that he should have the supreme feli- 
 city of meeting once a month so many sweet 
 faces as were then and there assembled. 
 
 The dancing had not long commenced, 
 when young Gwynne, with his mother upon 
 his arm, entered the room. He inmiediately 
 conducted her to a seat at the upper end. 
 
 Showing no inclination to join the gay 
 throng, he sat conversing by her side.
 
 208 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " I wonder young Mr, Gwynne does not 
 dance. With such a figure as he has, he 
 would look well, spinning round with one 
 of those handsome Miss Morlifs, or with my 
 dauo'hters," remarked the banker's wife, who 
 was sitting in great state on a bench watch- 
 ing couple after couple whirling by her. 
 " He is not half such a man as his father 
 was at his age iii amusements of this sort ; 
 he always sho\ved much spirit, and made 
 something of himself. His son, on the con- 
 trary, appears to be a stupid young man ; 
 very stupid." 
 
 " Do you think so ?" replied an elderly 
 gentleman who was sitting by her side. " I 
 can't agree v/ith you. There is no stupidity 
 in that face, no dulness in those eyes. It 
 is an intellectual face, and particularly pre- 
 possessing." 
 
 " Ah, perhaps I am wrong. Now I reflect, 
 his eyes are more fierce than dull, and it 
 would be more accurate to say tliat he is 
 stern and proud,"
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. ^09 
 
 " Pardon me, I must again differ from 
 you. He has a frank, condescending address. 
 I have often remarked it, and those who 
 know him intimately would affirm what I 
 state." 
 
 " Indeed! Well, I know little of the young 
 man. He is not altogether popular amongst 
 us. He keeps himself aloof, and perhaps 
 shines more out of a ball-room than in it." 
 
 '' You have arrived at the truth ; but you 
 surely would not blame him for that, nor 
 think it a drawback with a young man." 
 
 " I am afraid I do blame him ; it shows 
 a singularity of character. Now, being sin- 
 gular is, in my opinion, just as bad as being 
 stupid. I prefer those who can make them- 
 selves agreeable to the multitude ; I hate 
 your thinkers and your philosophers. They 
 arc no companions ; they are much better 
 shut up with their books in their libraries. 
 The owl we call the bird of wisdom is the 
 dullest and most inert of all creatures ; so it 
 is with your wise men. Give me an amusing
 
 210 COUNTRY la>;dlords. 
 
 companion ; let me have the multitude, who 
 can discourse suitable nonsense : let me have 
 him who can deal in small talk, whenever 
 it is required of him," 
 
 Glancing perhaps with inward significance 
 at the profusion of gay ribands adorning 
 the head-dress of his lady companion, the 
 grave old gentleman relapsed into silence. 
 
 Scarcely had half-an-hour passed, when 
 it was whispered from one to vanother that 
 Lady Ehzabeth was ill. Shortly afterwards 
 young Gwynne, supporting his mother, 
 threaded his way through the crowd, and 
 disappeared from the gay scene. 
 
 " Shall I order the carriage to the door, 
 mother ? you will not go again into that hot 
 room," said Anarawd, when Lady Elizabeth 
 had recovered from her faintness. 
 
 '' Yes, my dear, I do not feel equal to 
 remaining here ; I must go home. I need 
 not take you with me. Margaret is here, 
 and Williams ; they will pay me every atten- 
 tion."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 211 
 
 " I could not think of such a thing ; you 
 must allow me, my dear mother, to accom- 
 pany you. 1 have no wish to remain." 
 
 " The evening, my dear, is only just begun. 
 You had better stay an hour or so longer." 
 
 " Oh no, mother ; what does that matter ? 
 I shall not be missed. I should prefer re- 
 turning with you." 
 
 As they drove home, the soft-sea-breeze 
 sweeping through the valley was so pleasant 
 and refreshing, that, by the time they 
 reached Bleddyn Lady Elizabeth felt no ill 
 effects from her indisposition, and appeared 
 not less pleased than her son to reach home. 
 
 After sitting for some time conversing 
 with his mother in her dressing-room, Ana- 
 rawd rose, and wishing her good night, 
 retired to his chamber. The din of music 
 and the confused hum of voices were still 
 sounding in his ears ; and the gay company 
 had quitted was still fluttering before his 
 vision. lie had no inducement to return to 
 the giddy scene. Indeed, he was thankful
 
 212 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 to escape from it. With no inclination to 
 go to bed, he changed his dress, and once 
 mor esought the open air. 
 
 It was a lovely night ,• the moon was 
 shining brightly above his head, and the 
 soft landscape, dreamy and beautiful, 
 operated like a composing draught to his 
 spirits. For the first half-hour he continued 
 parading the broad walk facing the old 
 mansion, when a sudden thought arose that 
 he would take his fishing-rod, and try for a 
 trout in the lake among the hills, not far 
 distant. He might get there before sunrise, 
 the best time for the fish to bite. 
 
 As he continued on his sohtary route 
 among the rocks and heath, he rejoiced to 
 be alone with nature, unmolested and undis- 
 turbed. Occasionally he stood to look down 
 into the valley, where the lights were stream- 
 ing from the ball-room window. The gay 
 assembly he had lately left came again 
 vividly before him. He felt a revulsion to 
 any second entry into that room, and wished
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 213 
 
 both he and his mother had kept away 
 altoofcther. " What could be more un- 
 seemly than to witness there his father's 
 levity of conduct — what more painful than 
 his total neglect of his virtuous mother, who 
 always endeavoured to screen the faults of 
 him who continually wronged her ? Though 
 she kept her wrongs to herself, could he not 
 see through it all ? could he not read her 
 heart, and sympathize with her without her 
 being aware of it ? Since the arrival of the 
 Morlifs, matters had grown worse. His 
 father appeared to be infatuated with IMiss 
 Morlif, and she took every opportunity of 
 encouraging him. How girls could be 
 pleased and flattered by the attentions of 
 married men, was to him inexplicable ; 
 it showed such a want of good feeling and 
 delicacy. Yet what might not be expected 
 from worldly and fashionable people, re- 
 gardless of principle ? Had his own father 
 possessed honourable and upright feelings, 
 he would not have invited such a family to
 
 214 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 his house. He had chosen to do so, and, 
 moreover, spoke of them as his best and 
 dearest friends. On reviewing his father's 
 life, he could not feel due respect for him. 
 Unnatural as it might appear to the world, 
 he never recollected the time that affection 
 for his father had a place in his heart. 
 His mother had never told him to imitate 
 his father, but had endeavoured to impress 
 upon him that it was the duty of a child to 
 love and respect a parent. On that point 
 he could never implicitly obey her. He 
 questioned whether it was his duty, and his 
 mother was pained at the unnatural feelings 
 which he would occasionally express. What 
 had not those struggles cost him ? A world 
 of misery had, unknown to her, been shut up 
 in his own heart, and he believed it had an 
 effect upon his character. It had marred 
 many of the hours of his youthful joyousness, 
 and had caused feverish passions and strange 
 ideas to haunt his mind, which in all proba- 
 bility would never have existed, had he been
 
 COUNT IIY LANDLORDS. 215 
 
 blessed with a good father. He felt it more 
 in early life than he did now. He was then 
 unable to investigate the difficult questions 
 childhood was ever prompting. He could 
 not then satisfy himself, that however un- 
 natural a son he was, and however unyielding 
 to his mother's entreaties, it was his mis- 
 fortune, not his fault, that he could not 
 honour and love the beino: to whom he owed 
 his existence. Would any one question 
 whether it were natural or unnatural, ri^^ht 
 or wrong, that he had not felt love or 
 respect, when no love or respect was really 
 due V Would any one blame him for encou- 
 raging feelings of thankfulness to Heaven 
 for having planted early in his breast a sense 
 of what was right and virtuous, and what was 
 debasing; ; of that which he should strive 
 to imitate, and that which he should avoid? 
 The world might judge him as it pleased. 
 In his own heart there would never cease 
 to be feehngs of gratitude that he had 
 learned early not to approve <)r imitate his
 
 216 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 father's habits, but rather to hold them in 
 abhorrence. 
 
 He walked on, glancing occasionally at the 
 lights in the valley. They were still dancing 
 and feasting there, and his father, perhaps, 
 indulging beyond all limits in his debasing 
 propensities. The conversation of the smug- 
 glers in the cottage, before related, recurred 
 to him at this moment. It was evident, as 
 he had always suspected, that the lower class 
 had not the slightest regard for Mr. Gwynne. 
 They had spoken disrespectfully of him, and 
 had decided the question with the hum of 
 approving voices that the squire had neither 
 the hand nor the heart of a gentleman. 
 
 These were not pleasant reflections for 
 a son. They rankled in his bosom the 
 more deeply, on account of his poor 
 mother's misfortune of being linked to one 
 so unworthy of her. Could he ever be atten- 
 tive and considerate enough to his dear 
 mother, his poor neglected mother ?
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 217 
 
 With a flushed face, and his eyes kindhng, 
 
 he hurried forward, as if to get away from 
 
 his own thou'^hts, and reached the summit 
 
 of a favourite eminence just in time to see 
 
 the sun rise. He loved Nature to his heart's 
 
 core, and could appreciate her beauties in 
 
 whatever garb she decked herself. The 
 
 scene now before him was imposing, and it 
 
 was with gloom upon his heart he watched 
 
 the day break. The blue and grey hills, 
 
 iind lake reposing beneath, were beginning 
 
 already to be tinged with an incarnadine hue. 
 
 >Summer looked fresh in her virginity. The 
 
 rich colour, not only upon the hills, but 
 
 the foliage in the glen beneath, he thought 
 
 lie had never seen in greater perfection. He 
 
 wished his dear Gertrude there to enjoy the 
 
 tranquil beauty around him, for it seemed as 
 
 if she only was wanting to make it perfect. 
 
 After lingering there for some time, he 
 hurried down the declivity, and soon found 
 himself standing upon a block of stone, 
 VOL, I. L
 
 218 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 throwing in his line with all the adroitness 
 of an experienced angler. 
 
 As the hours stole on, the day continued 
 uninterruptedly fine ; and not till the sun 
 began to drop behind the hills in the west, 
 did he conteroplate returning home. Whis- 
 tling to his dogs, and putting up his tackle^ 
 he was quickly some distance from the 
 picturesque lake in the hollow, and crossing 
 the moor on his way to Bleddyn. 
 
 Once more he began musing : soon the 
 monotonous and stupid polka would again 
 commence, again the former din would 
 assail his ears, and he would see his home 
 converted into a sort of heartless Vanity fair, 
 his father and Lord Morlif the two most 
 conspicuous figures in the scene. What 
 a change to the quiet evenings he had 
 spent with Gertrude and his mother ! He 
 grew weary and discontented at the pros- 
 pect of the coming evening's festivities. He 
 knew his mother would not enjoy them ; 
 and Gertrude would rather have remained at
 
 COUNTRY LA.NDLORDS. 219 
 
 home. He should be thankful when the 
 night was over, and he could steal away and 
 spend quiet and happy hours at Clogwyn, 
 for now his most delightful moments were 
 spent there. 
 
 A small cottage at the instant came in 
 sight, and, feeling painfully hungry, he 
 stopped and entered the low doorway, in the 
 hopes of obtaining a little refreshment. 
 
 The inmate, a woman with a good-tem- 
 pered smile, begged he would take a seat 
 upon the settle, and she would in a few 
 minutes make him a cup of tea, and give 
 him the best of bread and butter. While 
 busy at her preparations, the young sports- 
 man, overcome by fatigue, fell as fast asleep 
 as if he had been reposing on his own down- 
 pillow. On rousing himself, he was not a 
 little surprised to find the (all of evening had 
 arrived, and it was high time to be off. 
 Partaking hastily of the good woman's cheer, 
 and remunerating her much against her 
 will, he once more started on his way home,
 
 220 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 accompanied by his usual companions, two 
 fine retrievers. 
 
 The instant he reached the old mansion, 
 he went to the back entrance, and hurried 
 up stairs to his mother's dressing-room, 
 anxious to ascertain how she was, after the 
 previous night's indisposition. His knock 
 for admittance was answered by a light step 
 hurrying across the apartment. On the bolt 
 being withdrawn and the door opened, 
 Gertrude, robed in white, stood before him. 
 
 This unexpected meeting so overjoyed 
 him, that he forgot his muther's presence, 
 and was about to give her a warmer greeting 
 than usual, when she raised her hand play- 
 fully and gave him timely warning. 
 
 When his inquiries had been satisfactorily 
 answered, Lady Elizabeth asked him what 
 he thouglit of Gertrude's dress, whether it 
 became her, and that he did not think it was 
 particularly chaste and pretty ? 
 
 Anarawd did not require being asked such 
 a question twice. He instantly turned round,
 
 COUNTRY L^VNDLORDS. 22 i 
 
 and glanced again upon Gertrude's sylpli- 
 like form. 
 
 " Why, mother, she looks like one of the 
 gossamer clouds I saw blown off Snowdon 
 this morning at sunrise I She will make a 
 sweet little bride for me — will she not ? " 
 He took hold of Gertrude's hand, and drew 
 the blushing girl to him. '* Mother, you 
 will give us your consent and your blessing ? 
 I have been wishing to tell you for some 
 days, that I have stolen Gertrude's heart 
 against her will, and she has taken posses- 
 sion of mine in return. You will not, I 
 know, dear mother, throw a cloud over our 
 happiness by refusing to give your consent 
 to our being some day united." 
 
 " My dear boy ! " exclaimed Lady Eliza- 
 beth. 
 
 '' You are not surprised — you cannot be 
 surprised. Gertrude and 1 have seen so much 
 of each other lately. Who could be constantly 
 in the company of a dear little creature like 
 this without loving her? You 1'^'
 
 222 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 mother, and you will love her more for my 
 
 sake, since I love her so deeply." 
 
 Lady Elizabeth was startled, and tears 
 
 came into her eyes. There was a pause, 
 
 when Gertrude dropped upon her knees, 
 
 bent forward, and looked anxiously in her 
 
 face. 
 
 " I am afraid I have not acted as openly 
 
 as I ought to have done — that I have taken 
 
 an unfair advantage of your kindness. You 
 
 are displeased. Oh ! dear Lady Elizabeth, 
 
 forgive me.'* 
 
 " Gertrude is not in error; if any one is to 
 
 blame, it is myself. Therefore, my dear 
 mother, don't reproach her. She will make 
 
 you a good daughter — she has promised to 
 do so — and where could we find another 
 Gertrude, one so congenial to the feelings of 
 
 both ?" 
 
 " Yes, my dear, I am ready to admit all 
 that you have pleaded, and more. I should 
 not hesitate to give you my consent, but that 
 will not avail anything. Captain Lewis and
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 223 
 
 your father have to be consulted. I am 
 fearful you will have opposition to your 
 wishes." 
 
 *' You will consent ; and your love and 
 blessing are all I ask. Give us those, dear 
 mother, and do not be anxious any further 
 about us. By the aid of Providence, I 
 trust to step in time over all opposition. 
 I would run a thousand races for such a 
 prize." 
 
 " What a hopeful face you carry ! — may 
 you not meet with disappointment. As 
 to you, my dear Gertrude, do not shed tears; 
 I am not angry with either of you ; but I 
 confess I have been blind : I was little 
 prepared for the intelligence. Kiss me ; 
 rise ; you must not spoil your dress nor dis- 
 figure yourself by weeping." 
 
 '* Yes, kiss her, my dear mother, and 
 make her feel she will have a welcome into 
 my family from you at least." 
 
 " Yes, she shall have a welcome from me.
 
 224 COUNTRY LANDLORD^. 
 
 God bless you both, my dear children, and 
 help you when all other help fails." 
 
 They mutually thanked her; and Gertrude 
 \?as gratified by one of Lady Elizabeth's 
 benevolent smiles, and an aflfectionate em- 
 brace. 
 
 A little time elapsed, when Anarawd, 
 addressing Gertrude, said — 
 
 " I have not looked at your dress yet." 
 He drew her to the light. "■ I am glad to 
 see you have not any of those flaunting 
 flowers or gaudy ribands, hiding what Nature 
 has given you, in the most beautiful of all 
 ornaments, the hair." 
 
 Lady Elizabeth smiled. *' He haspecuhar 
 fancies about ladies' dress; but you must 
 not always be guided by him.'* 
 
 " No, dear Lady Elizabeth ; he is aware 
 I have a will of my own ; papa is very par- 
 ticular." 
 
 " He can hardly be more so than Anarawd. 
 He takes dislikes to persons, sometimes 
 only from the mode in which they dress."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 225 
 
 *' Well, I confess I hjite to see persons 
 over-dressed or ill-dressed. Gertrude, you 
 will see, mother, has fortunately learned the 
 art of dress without making a study of it — 
 a thing too many young ladies do, and 
 become ahsdrd objects in the end." 
 
 " IJe therefore approves, Gertrude, of 
 your dress," said Lady Elizabeth, amused. 
 " Do you not see some defect in it, Anarawd? 
 a contrast, it strikes me, is wanting. Before 
 you appeared, 1 was offering Gertrude a 
 bunch of those carnations : the delicate 
 green, and rich red upon the white, would 
 look well ; such was my suggestion." 
 
 " Oh no, it would spoil the whole effect, 
 ^fy mother seems anxious to make a rainbow 
 f if you. I like my little gossamer cloud best. 
 1 )o, pray, take away those gaudy carnations ; 
 we don't want any of them, do we, Gertrude? ' 
 
 " You must now go and dress," interposed 
 Lady Elizabeth ; " your father wishes us to 
 be early in the refreshment-room." 
 
 "There can be no hurry j there is plenty 
 
 L 2
 
 226 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 of time. It is far more agreeable to be here, 
 than it will be in those noisy, gaudy rooms," 
 was Anarawd's reply, without taking his 
 eyes off Gertrude. 
 
 Again and again Lady Elizabeth had to 
 remind him of what she had said, before she 
 could get him to stir from the easy chair in 
 which he had sunk. 
 
 "Must I, then, really go? What a bore 
 it is ! Dress is a monstrous trouble, when 
 one is tired, and comfortable here. What 
 would I give to have a nice quiet evening 
 such as we used to have I" He looked at 
 Gertrude, then at his mother. 
 
 " Yes ; I, too, should prefer it much ; but 
 we can't have what we desire in this world. 
 We must conform to circumstances ; rich 
 and poor alike — none are exempt ; we all 
 have to practise self-denial — to submit to 
 every-day crosses : it would not be life with- 
 out it." 
 
 " You are right, no doubt, my dear 
 mother. During the time these detestable
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 227 
 
 Morlifs infest our house, we shall certainly 
 have more than our share of self-denial. I 
 wish they were gone ; they make one feel a 
 stranger in the paternal home. Gertrude 
 has not seen them yet ; and she is nervous 
 ;.t going among so many strangers. You 
 will think of this, my dear mother, and will 
 have some consideration for her. Don't 
 look grave upon the present event. Con- 
 sider how happy you have made us by your 
 kind words ; we deeply value them." 
 
 " Go, go — do, my dear boy; and while you 
 are dressing, Gertrude and I will have some 
 private talk." 
 
 An hour later Lady Elizabeth and Ger- 
 trude were descending the staircase, when 
 Auarawd again joined them, and presented 
 Gertrude with a beautiful spray of white 
 heath. 
 
 " That will be a sufficient contrast," said 
 he, holding her handkerchief and fan as 
 she fastened the flower upon her person. 
 They exchanged smiles.
 
 228 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Music was heard in the hall, and the 
 hum of voices, as they drew near the recep- 
 tion-rooms, grew louder and louder. 
 
 " You don't feel nervous now, do you, 
 my dear?" inquired Lady Elizabeth. 
 
 " Yes, dreadfully so. It is extremely 
 foolish of me." 
 
 '' It will only be at first ; don't think 
 about it ; you will soon regain your courage." 
 
 " I will endeavour," replied Gertrude, 
 feeling at the same time that Lady Eliza- 
 beth did not know what it was to feel as she 
 felt, because few had been brought up in 
 the like seclusion. She longed for her 
 father's presence. Oo entering the room 
 she was in a tremour, and much embarrassed. 
 The number of eves turced upon her in- 
 creased the perturbation of her feelings. 
 Most of the company had arrived, and she 
 could scarcely recognize the quiet, comfort- 
 able, old-fashioned drawing-room, adorned 
 and illuminated after Miss Morlif's sugges- 
 tions. It was dazzling, and the contrast
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 229 
 
 SO striking" that it made a deep impression 
 upon Gertrude. 
 
 Mr. Gwjnne was nut in the room, Uupert 
 Moi lif was standing near the door, with a 
 knot of young men. The moment he saw 
 them, he crossed the room, and requested 
 to be introduced to the fair Diana. 
 The first thing he did was to question 
 (lertrude why she was not at the ball, and 
 wished to know whether the cause arose 
 from any tiresome, jealous old maiden aunt, 
 who could not enjoy the sweets of life her- 
 self, and would not suffer her to partici- 
 pate in them. Perhaps it was some high 
 sister- of-charity notions, or any other notions 
 that were prevalent in the present day, not 
 thinking it right to patronize public amuse- 
 ments — that considered dancing- a sin; or 
 perhaps she was under the influence of some 
 pet clergyman, who bound up her will, and 
 would not let h<^r do anything she pleased. 
 
 Gertrude slightly bent her head, and 
 answered his interrogations in a quiet but
 
 230 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 short way, showing that she did not feel 
 prepossessed with him or his language. 
 
 On Anarawd finding them a seat, Rupert 
 was obliged to move away to make room for 
 )thers. Taking the young heir by the 
 3utton-hole, he drew him aside. 
 
 " What a stupid fellow you were to run 
 off in the way you did last night ! I never 
 spent a merrier evening in my life. So 
 many pretty girls, so sweetly original ; they 
 have laid siege to my heart already; don't 
 marvel if you hear I am quite killed." He 
 waved his hand in repeating the last sen- 
 tence, and hurried away to greet a party 
 that entered at the moment on the opposite 
 side of the room. 
 
 The whole of the evening he was taken 
 up with his new acquaintances, and dancing 
 about like a madman. With each of his 
 partners, he made an arrangement to meet 
 either at the hunt-ball in the adjoining- 
 county, or in a picnic, or a sailing expedi- 
 tion. No one was in such exuberant spirits .
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 231 
 
 as Rupert Morlif. Every one asked who 
 that young man was with the light hair and 
 thin figure, making himself so agreeable to 
 the ladies. 
 
 Lord Morlif and Mr. Gwynne were stand- 
 ing in the crowd, just as one of the dances 
 commenced, when the former, raising his 
 eyeglass, inquired — 
 
 " Who is that young lady dancing with 
 Rupert ? She was not at the ball. By Jove ! 
 she is a sweet pretty creature ; so graceful ! 
 — good blood there, good blood." 
 
 " No, you are mistaken,'* said Mr. 
 Gwynne with one of his cynical laughs ; 
 " she is Lewis's daughter." 
 
 " What ! is that Miss Lewis ? Impos- 
 sible that that Moor can have such a fair 
 daughter!" 
 
 " She may take after her mother ; it is 
 his child." 
 
 " And the one he has made so much 
 of ; his treasure of treasures." 
 
 Lord Morlifs deep-set eyes were fixed 
 upon Gertrude's face the whole time she
 
 232 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 was dancing. A smile froze upon his lips 
 as he said to himself, '' So that is the child 
 — Lewis's daughter ; and he in Australia ! 
 What could he have been thinking of to 
 eave her behind ?" 
 
 After pondering for some minutes, he 
 turned to his friend — 
 
 " There is something very attractive 
 about that young lady. I hear she speaks 
 Italian like a native ; it will be a treat to 
 have a chat in that language. Gwynne, 
 you must introduce me to her." 
 
 " What will Lewis say if he hears you 
 have been paying his daughter attention ? 
 Be on your guard, my friend ; you had 
 better not meddle with any one belonging 
 to him again." 
 
 " For iloaven's sake, Gwynne, don't rout 
 up old things. l>et bygones be bygones : 
 who likes being reminded of anything un- 
 pleasant ? Jove take the fellovv ! I never 
 did consult his feelings, nor have I any 
 intention of doing so now. IVolcns volens, he
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 233 
 
 shall be baffled. Child as she is, she pleases 
 my fancy ; she has bewitched me already." 
 
 *' Kecollect, Lewis is not a man to be 
 trifled with, and he adores his child." 
 
 " Ah, I am aware, quite aware of it." 
 
 " For my own part, I would rather steer 
 clear of him, and I feel annoyed at the inti- 
 macy which has taken place in my absence. 
 To please my lady, I say nothing, and shall 
 leave the matter alone till Lewis returns. 
 Then our enmity will not be a whit different 
 from what it was before. Lewis, that code- 
 teaching upstart, shall never enter under 
 my roof again, I am resolved." 
 
 The quadrille was over, and the dancers 
 were dispersing ; two gentlemen crossed the 
 room, and joined Lord Morlif and Mr. 
 Gvvynne, entering into an animated discus- 
 sion upon politics. Meanwhile Gertrude, 
 overpowered with the attentions she re- 
 ceived on all sides, was delighted to escape 
 with Anarawd into the garden.
 
 234 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " You will, I hope, not catch cold," said 
 Anarawd, the moment he had carefully 
 wrapped his companion in a cloak. Let us 
 sit here, under the old elm-tree ; it will be 
 pleasant and refreshing." 
 
 " Yes, it is delightful to get away from 
 ihe noise and dazzling lights ; I am weary 
 )f dancing already. I should never do to 
 ^0 through a London season ; I should die 
 3f ennui in the halls of gaiety and dissipa- 
 tion. I have repeatedly wished myself at 
 home this evening, when I was not dancing 
 with you. What stupid, uninteresting men 
 there are in the world ! I have been bored 
 to death with my partners. That Captain 
 Sands — that soi-disant Captain, as you call 
 him — is so eaten up with vanity, he is posi- 
 tively half an idiot. Don't let me dance 
 with him again, pray. Kupert Morlif, too, 
 is another simpleton. I wonder how half 
 the world finds pleasure in this sort of life ; 
 I would rather seek amusement from other 
 sources,"
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 235 
 
 " So would I, Gertrude ; there is no real 
 pleasure to be found in a life of dissipation. 
 I am convinced we must look for something 
 higher and better — something that will 
 bring us more lasting satisfaction. What 
 contents the mass will not content you nor 
 me, I am certain ; so we shall do to run 
 through life together, for we will not live 
 without an aim." 
 
 " 1 hope not." She gave a heavy sigh. 
 
 " Why did you sigh, Gertrude, and shrink 
 from me in that way ? Tell me your thoughts ; 
 tell me without any concealment." 
 
 " They travelled far away just then. If 
 papa could see me sitting here with you, what 
 would he say ? There would be no smile upon 
 his face, I know there would not. I dread 
 the future. I am a coward at heart, Anarawd. 
 I wish he had never left me." 
 
 " You don't place sufficient confidence in 
 me." 
 
 " Yes, dear Anarawd, I do." 
 
 " ISo, Gertrude : the confidence I woul'l
 
 236 COUiNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 have you place in me should exclude fear or 
 apprehension." 
 
 " It does not do that ; oh no." 
 
 " I rej^ret that — why not repose all your 
 trust in me ? We shall never be happy unless 
 it is so." 
 
 ** Don't speak so despondingly. I do 
 place my whole trust in you, but you do not 
 hold my destiny in your hands. If ill fortune 
 is marked out for my lot, you will not be able 
 to smooth my path, though you may ear- 
 nestly desire it." 
 
 " You call up imaginary evils ; you should 
 not do so. What an excitable person you 
 are, Gertrude ! Your fingers are trembling : 
 you are a mystery ; women are a mystery." 
 
 *' Why a mystery ? The general view 
 man takes of woman is, that she is open and 
 confiding, watchful over the charge committed 
 to her care, and an upholder of her husband, 
 let him be saint or sinner." 
 
 " Ah, yes ; so far may be true ; still she is 
 a mvstery."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 237 
 
 '' Well, then I am an admirable study for 
 you/' said Gertrude, laughing; "a little 
 bundle of contradictions, just at present. 
 But listen to what I have to say. When f 
 am your wife, you will awake out of a dream, 
 and discover I am no mystery, but a mere 
 piece of machinery in the hands of her lord 
 and master ; a little working automaton, that 
 grows ugly, and worn with age, but under 
 all carries a heart as bright and as joyous 
 as a May-day, so long as her lord and 
 master's love does not diminish a hair's- 
 breadth." 
 
 " 'J'hat never will be, Gertrude — never." 
 
 " Not a hair's-breadth ? You don't know 
 bow soon vou mav «'et tired of me." 
 
 *' My' love for you, my dear Gertrude, is 
 too deeply woven with myself ever to lessen 
 or change, and you know it. Yet you have 
 not confidence in me I" 
 
 t?he placed her lips to his — " I have — 
 why will you not believe me ? It lies here,
 
 238 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 deep as a well, if you could only probe mj 
 heart/' 
 
 " Gertrude, how is it you possess this 
 faculty — this wheedling mode of putting one 
 into good humour, and extracting a smile 
 out of a frown ? It would be impossible to 
 feel displeased for many minutes together ; 
 it is a happy gift, which few possess." 
 
 " Love, 1 suppose it is love, which softens 
 the heart and the tongue, and changes 
 bitter to sweet, making life often run 
 smoothly when it would be otherwise rough. 
 What a dreary waste the world would be 
 without love ! Imagine hate ruling in its 
 place. What demons we should become !" 
 
 " We have too much of it now ; the world 
 is bad enough. Are you cold ?" 
 
 " No ; only I never know how^ time goes 
 when we are together. Do you think we 
 have been here long ? I hope it will not be 
 noticed." 
 
 " I am afraid we have. Pleasant as it is, 
 we must return into the gay scene. My
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 239 
 
 mother, perhaps, may want me; I must 
 not neglect her." 
 
 " No, no, come at once. Dear, kind Lady 
 Elizabeth is so good to me, too ; 1 hope we 
 shall not bring her into trouble," whispered 
 Gertrude. 
 
 " I hope not ; it would grieve me to see 
 her suffer on my account." 
 
 They crossed the lawn, and entering the 
 dancing-room, Lord Morlif met them at 
 the door. He immediately requested the 
 pleasure of leading Gertrude through the 
 next quadrille. He would have no refusal, 
 and Anarawd, with some reluctance, gave 
 her up. In leaving them to go to his 
 mother, he heard Lord Morlif say — 
 
 " Not another word in our vulgar mother 
 tongue ; let us have nothing but Italian." 
 
 Many curious eyes were turned upon 
 Gertrude, as she stood in a conspicuous 
 part of the room, speaking to Lord Morlif 
 in a foreign tongue. Some envied her, 
 others pitied her, and many inquired who
 
 240 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 she was. One among the crowd, a gentle- 
 man from an adjoining county, asked Mr. 
 Cad Maurice, the son of the antiquary, if 
 the young lady was a relation of the 
 Gwynnes, as he had seen her come into the 
 room with Lady Elizabeth, and she had an 
 aristocratic air. 
 
 " Oh, no, she is no connection of theirs ; 
 she is Miss Lewis of Clogwyn." 
 
 " What ! Miss Lewis who drives those 
 beautiful ponies, and rides so well?" 
 
 " The same." 
 
 " So, that's she ? I admire her far moi-e 
 than those dashy, flaunting Miss Morlifs ; 
 with all their style, they are not so lady- 
 like, nor have they that sweet expression. 
 She is a charming little thing ; there is not 
 one in the room so taking ; ^>omething far 
 more than pretty." 
 
 " I agree with you, that in calling her a 
 pretty girl we should not do lier justice." 
 
 '' I pity her, poor girl, that she should
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 241 
 
 be standing there, listening to that man's 
 danoferous tono^ue." 
 
 " Do you know Captain Lewis?" 
 " I know him by sight ; not personally." 
 " Were he here to-night, I feel sure he 
 would not approve of his daughter's being in 
 company with Lord Morlif." 
 
 " No father would, he is a thorough 
 roue. He led a most immoral life when he 
 was down in this part of the country before, 
 and was cut by all the families in the 
 neighbourhood : that, now, seems to be for- 
 gotten. I wonder at Mi. Gwynne's inviting 
 so notorious a character to his house." 
 
 " I wonder at nothing in these days, 
 when we only look at home, and consider 
 the number of strange events that take 
 place in our small watering-places. An 
 odd set infests these neiohbourhoods some- 
 
 o 
 
 times ; yet we manage to discover who is, 
 and who is not presentable. They imagine 
 they can live here incog., but find they are 
 mistaken." 
 
 VOL. L M
 
 242 COUNTRY LAl^JDLORDS. 
 
 " It becomes necessary we should be par- 
 ticular; although my friend Mr. Gwynne 
 does not seem to be of that opinion. I see 
 two young men here^ named ' Sands.' They 
 have been some time in our neighbourhood, 
 kicking up the dust, and trying to make the 
 people believe they are somebody, when they 
 are really nothing. The eldest gave it out 
 that he was heir to a large property, and his 
 brother a captain in Her Majesty's service. 
 The latter is no more a captain than I am, 
 nor his brother an heir ; it is all mystification. 
 They are two scampish adventurers, and 
 nothing more." 
 
 " Likely as not : Mr. Gwynne knows no- 
 thing about them. They are good dancers, 
 and he probably thought they would be an 
 acquisition on the present occasion." 
 
 '* It may be so : we too often cut a ridi- 
 culous figure in this part of the country. 
 Only imagine Mr. Gwynne, in his exalted 
 position, picking up two such rascally fellows 
 as those, and loading them with attentions !
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 243 
 
 It is absurd. I understand they dined here 
 yesterday, and are to join a riding-party which 
 is to come off to-morrow at twelve. That 
 such a proud man as Mr. Gwynne should do 
 so is the more surprising." 
 
 " It is not like him : giving this ball is 
 something novel also. If" I have an oppor- 
 tunity, I will name what you say to his son, 
 and put them on their guard." 
 
 " You had better not meddle with the 
 great folks ; for attempting to do an aristocrat 
 a service, is like putting your finger into a 
 hornet's nest : they won't be interfered with." 
 
 '^ Ah ! but I know his son intimately ; I 
 have known him from a child, when he used 
 to ixo flviiifi: over the fences in the field, 
 doing one's heart good to see him : he won't 
 be offended with anything I shall have to 
 communicate, but take it as it is intended. 
 Ho does not in the least resemble his father, 
 eiliier in person or character." 
 
 '' Well, you know best. I make it a rule 
 to avoid the magnates, particularly such a
 
 244 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 man as Mr. Gwynne, and that esteemed 
 friend of his, who thrives and prospers through 
 all his evil courses. It is clear those ari- 
 stocratical, influential men may pass life as 
 they please ; moral or immoral, that is never 
 taken into consideration. They are received 
 into society precisely the same. If they are 
 acknowledged in their own circles, what can 
 we do, but shut our eyes and remain dumb? 
 This, I fear, will always be the case, as long 
 as the laws of society make it an offence to 
 tell truth of noble and wealthy men. Public 
 censure, indeed, may do good sometimes, 
 when it comes home to a man's conscience. 
 Why should vice be overlooked in one class 
 of society any more than in another ? Why 
 should any be privileged ? We live in a land 
 styled one of freedom !" 
 
 ** We don't desire the privilege of exemp- 
 tion in the middle classes. We stand in a 
 better position without it, since it enables us 
 to prove there is more virtue to be found in 
 our class than in theirs. As for myself, I
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 245 
 
 would rather be an honest man at the plough, 
 than a dissipated aristocrat surrounded by 
 his parasites and living in voluptuousness." 
 
 " I, too, should be sorry to see our moral 
 position changed : the day of reckoning will 
 surely come." 
 
 At that moment, the band struck up a 
 lively quadrille from one of the popular 
 operas. Mr. Cad Maurice and his companion 
 moved away to make room for the dancers ; 
 while Anarawd Gwynne appeared among the 
 crowd, watching Gertrude at a little distance. 
 
 " What! not dancing again? Why, you are 
 the slowest, inexcitable fellow I ever came 
 across !" was the exclamation which roused 
 our hero from a reverie. On turning round, 
 his eyes fell upon Rupert Morlif, with a 
 young lady on his arm. '* Why, Gwynne 
 what can you be made of, to resist this fizzing 
 quadrille ? It goes right through one ! 
 Come this way ; a young lady is dying to 
 dance with the heir of Bleddyn. We are in 
 want of a vis-d-vis : pray oblige us. Enlre
 
 246 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 nouSj you must excuse me," continued 
 Rupert, whispering aside : " for your own 
 sake, don't be standing here looking like a 
 bronze figure, to be admired solely as a piece 
 of art. As the heir and master of the cere- 
 monies, you ought to be taking an active 
 part in the evening's amusements." 
 
 Anarawd drew himself up — '' Thank you, 
 it is considerate of you, but I must decline 
 the honour. If you are in want of a partner 
 for the young lady, there are a heap of 
 loungers at the door, who will be glad to get 
 an introduction." 
 
 Rupert shrugged his shoulders, and had 
 the sense to see it was no use arguing the 
 point ; so he hurried away to do as he had 
 been recommended. 
 
 A few minutes later, Anarawd was standing 
 near his mother. 
 
 '' You look fatigued ; is there anything I 
 can get you, mother ? a glass of wine, or an 
 ice ?" 
 
 " I am not able to keep up as I used to
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 247 
 
 do. lam tired ; and an ice would, perhaps, 
 refresh me." 
 
 " Remain here, and I will fetch one in a 
 few minutes.*' He disappeared amongst the 
 crowd. 
 
 When he returned, and Lady Elizabeth 
 received the ice from his hand, she said, 
 rather anxiously — 
 
 "Now go, my dear, and see after Gertrude, 
 and bring her to me. The quadrille is over ; 
 and it is as well she should not be with 
 Lord Morlif." 
 
 Anarawd paced the room two or three 
 times in hopes of encountering the couple 
 he was in search of, but was unsuccessful. 
 They were at the time in the greenhouse, 
 carrying on the following conversation : — 
 
 '' You say you are very fond of a green 
 house ?" 
 
 " Yes, extremely," replied Gertrude. 
 
 '^ Have you one at home ?" 
 
 " Oh yes, we have several : papa could
 
 248 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 not exist without his exotic plants ; he takes 
 great interest in them." 
 
 " Not exist without his exotic plants ! I 
 should never have thought it, from what I 
 have heard of him'; a man who has lived so 
 much upon the salt water !" He laughed. 
 
 Gertrude coloured, and was a little puzzled 
 at his manner. " I don't see why he should 
 not for that reason appreciate them all the 
 better. No one knows dear papa, or is ready 
 to do him justice. He, however, loses little 
 by it, and the world a great deal." 
 
 " A very pretty speech, most flattering to 
 him, I am sure. 1 should like to see your 
 greenhouses, and the great display of taste 
 which I am told is everywhere to be found 
 at Clogwyn. I was never there. I shall 
 come some day to pay you a visit ; seeing is 
 believing. I shall then, perhaps, do your 
 father more justice." 
 
 " Yes, I am sure you will," replied Ger- 
 trude, in her artless, hearty manner, and 
 looking up at him as she spoke. There was
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 249 
 
 a peculiar sharp expression in Lord Morlif s 
 eyes, which, if they did not embarrass her, 
 always left a disagreeable impression. She 
 was glad to turn away from him, and for a 
 few minutes stood to admire an exotic shrub. 
 
 " Allow me, Miss Lewis, to present you 
 with these camellias, and give me those 
 withered flowers in exchange," said her 
 companion, holding the spray in his hand : 
 " these are emblems of yourself. What ! not 
 lake them ?" 
 
 " No, I am sorry, my lord ; why were 
 you in such haste ? That very cluster Lady 
 Ehzabeth was admiring this afternoon. I 
 cannot accept them, nor part with these 
 faded flowers." 
 
 " Oh, impossible ! that miserable bit of 
 heath ! You cannot wear it any longer ; 
 do oblige me ?" 
 
 " No, thank you. Withered as they are, 
 it does not matter. I am tired and faded, 
 like the flowers. We shall soon retire from 
 
 M 2
 
 250 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 these hot rooms together, and be revived 
 before the morninfr." 
 
 As she spoke, she placed her hand before 
 the faded heath, and stepped backwards, as 
 if she dreaded Lord Morlif would take it 
 without her permission. 
 
 " There, now, my dear young lady, see 
 what you have done, — torn your dress with 
 that cactus! Had you obliged me in 
 accepting the flowers, this would not have 
 happened." 
 
 Gertrude stooped in an instant to disen- 
 tangle the flounces of her dress from the 
 prickly plant, and in her haste her finger 
 came in contact with one of its great thorns. 
 When she drew her hand away, she was 
 startled to find her glove and handkerchief 
 covered with blood. 
 
 " Pray do not be alarmed," said Lord 
 Morlif, putting down the flowers, and has- 
 tening to her assistance : "" it is but a 
 chapter of accidents." 
 
 "The thorn has gone deep," said Ger-
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 251 
 
 trude, examining the wound. '* Allow me 
 to pass : I had better wash my finger in 
 the fountain." 
 
 Lord Morlif followed her to the end of 
 the conservatory. 
 
 " Does it pain you ?" 
 
 " Yes, it was sharp at first. I wish it 
 would not bleed so." 
 
 *' It is better it should do so. There is 
 poison in the cactus : now let me look at 
 the wound — I can easily bind it up for you." 
 
 With the greatest confidence Gertrude 
 gave him her hand. 
 
 " It is quite a gash. To think of this 
 delicate hand beino- so ill-treated ! What a 
 barbarous thorn !" 
 
 Before the unsuspecting girl could guess 
 his manoeuvre, he raised her hand and 
 pressed it to his lips. 
 
 With an expression of great indignation, 
 Gertrude drew her hand from him, and a 
 deep blush mantled in her face. At the
 
 252 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 same instant, hearing a footstep from behind, 
 she turned round and encountered Anarawd. 
 
 " I am glad you are here. Don't look 
 startled ; I have only run a thorn into my 
 finger, and want you to take me to Mar. 
 garet now directly, that I may get it bound 
 up." 
 
 With a very serious air, Anarawd drew 
 her arm within his own, but did not open 
 his lips. 
 
 ''There is no occasion to go so far for 
 assistance ; I can bind it up for you in a very 
 few minutes," said Lord Morlif, approach- 
 ing and tearing off a strip from his cambric 
 handkerchief. 
 
 " No, thank you," said Gertrude, in a 
 quiet but decided tone. " I prefer going 
 with Mr. Gwynne to Lady Elizabeth's maid. 
 She will furnish me with a fresh hand- 
 kerchief and gloves." 
 
 " Then you will not accept my good 
 offices ? Not very grateful of you, Miss 
 Lewis."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 253 
 
 " I am sorry it should so happen. Having 
 no confidence in you, my lord, it is only 
 what you might expect." 
 
 Bovving coolly, she hurried away with 
 Anarawd. 
 
 " They understand each other, there is 
 not the smallest doubt. Gwynne is as blind 
 as a bat, like most fathers in these affairs. 
 Taking it into his head that his son has no 
 susceptibility ! no susceptibility !" 
 
 " What ! you, my lord, here all alone, 
 soliloquizing among the green leaves and 
 flowers, with a handkerchief torn into 
 ribands, and flowers strewed upon the 
 ground! What has happened ?" 
 
 ^Ir. Gwynne had entered by a side door, 
 and thus accosted Lord Morlif, shrugging 
 up his own shoulders at the same time and 
 laughing. 
 
 " Nothing of vital importance. I have only 
 been ill-treated by the blond beauty, and I 
 am a little jealous of your son, — that's all." 
 
 " My son ! What do you mean, my lord ?
 
 254 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 Don't speak quite so loud ; we shall be 
 overheard." 
 
 " Why, I told you a short time ago he 
 was paying Miss Lewis a great deal of atten- 
 tion. The sooner you get rid of the idea of 
 your son having no susceptibility, the better." 
 
 Mr. Gwynne put his arm within Lord 
 Morlif's, and leaving the greenhouse, passed 
 on to the refreshment-room, where they sat 
 down and ordered champagne and sherry. 
 
 An hour later, Mr. Gwynne was standing 
 near the ball-room door, with his face 
 flushed and the tone of his voice sounding 
 unusually high, when his son crossed the 
 room and approached with Gertrude leaning 
 on his arm. She had just taken leave of 
 Lady Elizabeth, and Anarawd was conduct- 
 inof her to her carriag-e. 
 
 " Are you going, Miss Lewis — going ?" 
 repeated Mr. Gwynne, staggering forward 
 in an unbecoming manner, his articulation 
 so thick it was difficult to understand what 
 he said.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 255 
 
 " Yes, it is late," replied Gertrude, otTer- 
 inor liim her hand, and in a confused and 
 hurried manner she wished him good-night. 
 
 *' Stay ; I par — par — particularly wish to 
 speak to you. Allow me a few, few, a — a 
 little conversation. Your — your father was 
 a — a fool, a fool for coming here. I — I — I 
 would " 
 
 " I am afraid my carriage stops the way ; 
 I must say good-night," interrupted Ger- 
 trude, growing alarmed as her eyes rested 
 on the drunken countenance of the speaker. 
 " Excuse me." 
 
 Anarawd drew her away without speak- 
 ing. His face gradually paled till it became 
 perfectly livid, and his lips and cheeks were 
 of the same colour. Gertrude looked dis- 
 tres?ed, and pressed his hand affectionately. 
 
 " Pray don't mind about it, dear Anarawd,' 
 she whispered, while he fastened her cloak 
 about her person. " My sympathy for you 
 will be all the stronger; I shall go home 
 and think of you with nevN feelings."
 
 256 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 As he stood lingering at the half-closed 
 carriage-door conversing with her, he seemed 
 to regain his spirits. 
 
 *' Remember, I shall come for you at 
 half-past eleven, and expect to find you 
 ready. One favour I have to ask before I 
 wish you good-night : will you oblige me by 
 not riding Nanny to-morrow ? She is so un- 
 governable in company. Will you oblige me?" 
 
 " If you wish it ; but you know I am 
 used to Nanny's pranks ; she does not 
 alarm me in the least." 
 
 " Well, that may be ; I would rather you 
 did not mount her on this occasion." 
 
 " Very well, I shall be ready. Good-night." 
 
 The carriage-door closed; and as the 
 vehicle rolled away, Anarawd sprang up the 
 steps, and on entering the hall, came in 
 contact with his father. 
 
 " Well, sir," said Mr. Gwynne, with his 
 inflamed eyes staring into his son's face ; 
 " so this is the state of affairs, is it ? A con- 
 spiracy ; a conspiracy, sir, carried on in my
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 257 
 
 own house, and your foolish mother at the 
 head of it ! I — I — I will soon put a stop 
 to it. He was a fool for coming into 
 this neighbourhood ; and your mother is a 
 fool— a fool !" 
 
 " My dear sir, this is not the time to 
 speak of these things : another day, when 
 we are alone." 
 
 He drew his father's attention to the 
 company that were flocking into the hall, 
 preparing to leave the house; and Mr. 
 Gwynne had sufficient sense left to see liis 
 son was right, and he became silent. 
 
 Anarawd escaped to his study, and was 
 thankful to find himself once more unmo- 
 lested.
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Gertrude was sitting in the garden in her ' 
 habit, with her hat lying by her side, when 
 Anarawd rode up, and dismounting, crossed 
 the lawn and addressed her : — 
 
 '' Is it not a heavenly morning ? I am 
 glad to find you are ready, and, as I wished, 
 we have a quarter of an hour to spare. You 
 look as fresh as if you had had a double 
 allowance of beauty's sleep last night, instead 
 of sitting up so late as you did. Are you 
 fully equal to a long ride ?" 
 
 " I think so. The air is delicious; it will 
 be no punishment to be out the whole day.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 259 
 
 But, my dear Anarawd, how is Lady Eliza- 
 beth? I was grieved to see her looking so 
 fatigued last night : a lover of repose as she 
 is, and so necessary as rest is to her, it must 
 have been a trial to her to sit out the 
 entire evening:." 
 
 " Yes, the slightest excitement fatigues 
 her. When we met at breakfast, I observed 
 she was looking pale and out of spirits. It 
 is a marvel to me she can ever be in good 
 spirits. I never remember her so cheerful 
 as when we three spent our evenings together. 
 I know, Gertrude, she loves you dearly, and 
 at her heart rejoices I have chosen you 
 out of the world ; but she is fearful lest our 
 hopes should be blighted." 
 
 '* Our attachment is mutual. I loved her 
 for her own sake before I cared for you, and 
 now I doubly love her." 
 
 " She merits the love of all, for there are 
 few who resemble her in the world. Yet, 
 strange to say, some do not appreciate her." 
 
 " That should not distress you ; we know
 
 260 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 her worth and possess her love. But you, 
 too, are out of spirits." 
 
 **I ought not to be so, on such a lovely morn- 
 ing as this, in your company. I am not, in 
 truth, in good spirits enough to desire to join 
 the noisy cavalcade ; I wish we could take 
 one of our own quiet rides." 
 
 " I wish, indeed, we could. Is Mr Gwynne 
 going? 
 
 ** I don't know : I did not see him this 
 morning. I met the young Sands as I came 
 through our gates. They are to be of the 
 party. T can't think how my father, just to 
 please Miss Mary Morlif, could ask those 
 two scamps to our house. What do you 
 think of those delectable young ladies ? you 
 surely don't admire them ? " 
 
 " Oh, no. I should shrink from their 
 companionship. I did not see any one in 
 the room that I would desire for a iriend." 
 
 " My mother would say you are too par- 
 ticular, as she says of me ; that you ought to
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 261 
 
 be more sociable ; that it is the duty of all 
 to try and discover what good there is in 
 others, and to spare their feelings." 
 
 " Yes, but she is so exceedingly benevo- 
 lent : my ambition is to be like her, but I fear 
 I never shall attain to her excellence. I find 
 it extremely difficult to be sociable when I 
 am with those with whom I feel I have no 
 congeniality of sentiments. I draw back, 
 retire within myself, and refrain from inter- 
 course with them. When that is the case, I 
 can be coldly polite, but never sociable." 
 
 Anarawd said he had often experienced 
 the same feelings ; but they must learn to 
 sacrifice their feelings, if duty stood in the 
 way. 
 
 " There is no duty attached to my being so- 
 ciable to strangers, and I am contented and 
 happy at possessing the love of three in the 
 world. There is no room in my heart for 
 more ; for those it is full to overflowing. I 
 thought once it would be impossible to love
 
 262 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 any one but my father. I shall never learn 
 to know myself." 
 
 " We ought, Gertrude, to take a certain 
 mterest in all our fellow-creatures, and be 
 ready to live for them as well as ourselves. 
 We must guard against our love growing 
 selfish, and be careful we do not deteriorate." 
 
 " Oh, no! I hope not to deteriorate, but I 
 fear love is selfish." 
 
 " Another of those mournful expressions, 
 Gertrude. I can guess your thoughts." 
 
 " There will be a hard battle between you 
 and papa ; and when you carry off your 
 trophy, I shall perhaps fail in making you a 
 good wife." 
 
 " I have no fear ; I know what you are 
 capable of being." 
 
 " It is greatly to your detriment having 
 so exalted an opinion of me. You will some 
 day be disappointed. Think how painfully 
 mortifying that would be to me ; do not be 
 so blind to my faults — pray do not." 
 
 " Before I have to search for your faults, I
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 263 ' 
 
 shall have to school myself into perfec- 
 tion. What book is this you have been 
 reading ? " 
 
 *' Curiosity is strongly developed in your 
 character. You must always know what I 
 have been reading. Not a trashy novel to- 
 day, not one to excite your ire or your 
 sarcasm, dear Anarawd." 
 
 " Dante, the great Dante. 1 have not had 
 my Italian lesson lately. Is there a chance, 
 Gertrude, oi my ever mastering the lan- 
 guage ?'* 
 
 " If you were a little more industrious, 
 there is every hope." 
 
 *' Do you remember your first impression 
 of me, that I was an ignorant savage ? " 
 
 " No, no, that is too strong language." 
 
 " You certainly fostered an idea that I had 
 no taste for literature ; that I could see no 
 amusement, nor think of anything but 
 shooting, fishing and boating." 
 
 " When 1 first visited iileddyn, you did
 
 264 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 little else. You should not blame me if I 
 had that impression." 
 
 " You were not aware then what kind of 
 life I had been leading in London, and how 
 thankful I was to get back to the mountains, 
 and to enjoy again a life of freedom. But 
 we understand each other better now. We 
 have ceased to give way to our fancies, to 
 doubt and to quarrel. We are satisfied our 
 tastes and principles agree, that there is that 
 affinity that is so necessary for the peace 
 of both." 
 
 " You say all this, Anarawd, and yet you 
 look unhappy. I am afraid your father has 
 been angry with you. It is only what I 
 might expect from his manner to me last 
 night." 
 
 " He did not know what he was saying, 
 Gertrude ; let nothing he says have weight. 
 Do not think any more of what passed last 
 night." 
 
 " No, no, it was not kind of me to remind 
 you. Believe me, I returned home sorely 
 
 grieved for you."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 265 
 
 *' Do not allude to it." 
 
 " Only tell me if he spoke to you after I 
 left." 
 
 " He did ; and by some means he has dis- 
 covered our attachment, and was anything 
 but gracious ; but it will pass off, I hope." 
 
 Gertrude's fears were awakened, and he 
 had some difficulty in soothing her. More 
 than half an hour elapsed, when Anarawd 
 started to his feet and exclaimed — 
 
 " They will be waiting for us ; let us go. 
 Here is your hat ; let me hold your whip ; 
 and do not, my dearest, look unhappy. Will 
 Dante be safe here ? " 
 
 " Oh yes, there is no fear of rain to-day." 
 They beckoned to the groom, and mounted. 
 
 When they came in sight of Bleddyn, 
 a busy, lively scene presented itself. Grooms 
 and attendants were running in all direc- 
 tions, and various sounds of merriment 
 burst upon the ear. Some of the equestrians 
 were mounted, waiting patiently in the 
 shade ; others were arranging their friends 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 266 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 in the carriages, and settling where and 
 at what hour the party were to meet There 
 were disputes, too : dowagers were appre- 
 hensive lest they should be kept waiting 
 for their dinner, not approving the eques- 
 trians going a different road from that 
 taken by the carriages. There was the 
 same indecision in packing the prog. In 
 making and unmaking their plans, a whole 
 hour was wasted. Eupert Morlif was dan- 
 cing attendance on the young ladies, and 
 Captain Sands was carrying on a double 
 flirtation with Miss Mary Morlif and the 
 banker's pretty daughter. 
 
 On Anarawd and Gertrude approaching, 
 Lord Morlif and Mr Sands, in light summer 
 attire, separated from the rest of the party 
 to meet them. 
 
 " Good morning ; we are glad to see you," 
 was Lord Morlif's salutation. " We began 
 to think you were going to play truant and 
 leave us in the lurch. We all know how 
 dangerous it is for a young man to be under
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 267 
 
 the influence of a pretty woman, and were 
 seriously under the apprehension that the 
 magnetical attraction at Clogwyn might 
 inconvenience the party. Time, you know, 
 was stealing on." 
 
 " I was not aware it was so much after 
 the hour of appointment," said young 
 Gwynne, taking out his watch with a look 
 of supreme indifference. " At all events, I 
 have not kept you waiting, for I see the 
 party are not now nearly ready." 
 
 "Yes, yes, you are in excellent time," re- 
 joined Mr. Sands with a broad grin. " I 
 don't believe they will be ready for this half- 
 hour or more ; they are still so undecided.'' 
 
 " If] we are not off soon, there will not be 
 time to go the long round and eat our 
 dinner in comfort ; we shall perhaps have 
 to dispense with the meal altogether." 
 
 " Then let us bv all means set off: let 
 us hurry them. I should be sorry to go 
 without my dinner. This country makes 
 me so confoundedly hungry, that I am in a
 
 268 COUNTRY LANDLORDS, 
 
 half-famishing state from an hour after 
 breakfast till my legs are under the maho- 
 gany, every day in the week. 1 have just 
 been trying your porter, Mr. Gwynne ; and 
 very fine it is — quite as good as you can get 
 in any of the first club-houses in London. 
 At my request, an extra half-dozen has been 
 tucked up in the prog-baskets. I shan't 
 object, if there should be no demand for 
 them, to drink the six long-necked bottles 
 myself. Tliere is every excuse for us poor 
 thirsty de\ils in this glorious hot weather. 
 The ladies, too, have not been forgotten. 
 Your butler is a famous man for this sort 
 of thing ; he has taken care there should be 
 iced champagne in abundance, and all else 
 a man of taste could desire." 
 
 " There will be no lack of provisions, 
 I see, to judge from the piles of baskets we 
 observe there," remarked Lord Morlif: 
 " there is enough for ourselves and all the 
 pauper herd in the neighbourhood besides ; 
 so one might imagine."
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. "269 
 
 " Better to have an over-abundance than 
 too little at anv time. I hate a scanty allow- 
 ance, quite as much as I did when I was a 
 small boy, perched upon a form, peering into 
 an empty pie-dish and longing for more. 
 We shall do justice to the good things. 
 The ladies, too, I hope, will help us, and not 
 be shocked at our voracious appetites." 
 
 Gertrude was glad when they had passed 
 throuf^h the assemblao^e crowded in front of 
 the mansion, and reached the spot where 
 Lady Elizabeth was sitting in the shade. 
 
 " Is my father going ?" inquired Anarawd 
 the moment he had dismounted and ap- 
 proached his mother. 
 
 " No, my dear, he is not out of bed ; he 
 complains much of his head this morning." 
 
 •' You are mounted so high, it is impossi- 
 ble to hold any conversation with you, my 
 dear Gertrude," continued Lady Elizabeth, 
 venturing a little nearer to the lively animal 
 on which she was seated. " I hope you are
 
 270 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 not over-exerting yourself in joining the ride 
 after the dancing last night." 
 
 " No, I think the ride will refresh me ; I 
 am strong enough. On the other hand, I 
 wish I could see you looking better ; I am 
 afraid it is you who are feeling the effects 
 of last night." 
 
 The conversation was interrupted by some 
 of the party coming up to wish Lady Eliza- 
 beth good morning. They were going to 
 start at last. They then all moved off. 
 Anarawd and Gertrude lingered. 
 
 " Try and get a little rest, mother, 
 while we are away." 
 
 " And will you come and spend a quiet 
 morning with me at Clogwyn to-morrow ? 
 You know what repose is to be found there. 
 Do come." 
 
 " Yes, my dear. I want to talk to you ; I 
 will come if I can."- 
 
 Kissing his mother, Anarawd mounted, 
 and in a few seconds was following the 
 cavalcade.
 
 COUNIllY LANDLORDS. 271 
 
 Lady Elizabeth stood looking wistfully 
 after the party, and watched them out of 
 sight. She then sank upon the seat and 
 sighed heavily. Her pale face grew paler, 
 and with a mournful shake of the head she 
 murmured — 
 
 " Blight, that comes upon the heart 
 later in life, is bitter enouo-h. Who would 
 not struggle to avert it from youth ?" 
 
 Leaving Lady Elizabeth to her sombre 
 reflections, we follow the picnic party — or 
 rather the riders — for some distance after 
 they left the gates of Bleddyn. The road 
 lay at the foot of the hills, shaded by trees 
 that made it more agreeable to the merry 
 equestrians. Lord Morlif said and did 
 little but devote himself to the ladies. He 
 was frequently observed whispering a com- 
 pliment in Italian to Gertrude, and quizzing 
 most unmercifully those ladies whom he did 
 not admire. Thus an hour had passed 
 away, when, on suddenly turning a corner, 
 a full view of the sea burst upon them.
 
 272 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 " Now for a gallop upon the sands," said 
 Anarawd, stopping before a gate which 
 opened upon a path leading down a declivity. 
 '^ You must not mind a little loose sand 
 and rough riding for a quarter of a mile. 
 Follow me ; there is no real danger, steep 
 as it is. When you get upon the level, you 
 had better let me still be your guide, or we 
 may be buried in a quicksand." 
 
 " Keally, Mr. Gwynne, it is impossible ; 
 we can't take our horses down that path," 
 said two or three voices ; " it is a precipice." 
 " And I have a horror of quicksands. 
 Do, pray, Mr Gwynne, let us keep on the 
 high road," cried Mary Morlif with a look 
 of terror. " How can you think of taking 
 us into such a frightful place as this ! We 
 shall be sure to meet with an accident." 
 
 Anarawd Gwynne was beyond hearing. 
 Rupert Morlif and Captain Sands were 
 highly entertained at the trepidation into 
 which the ladies were thrown. 
 
 There is no turning back now ; we must
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 273 
 
 go on. Why, Miss Lewis has nearly reached 
 the bottom. See how well she manages 
 her horse, and how courageous she is ! — a 
 pattern to you all," said Rupert Morlif. 
 
 " Miss Lewis is accustomed to this 
 country, and knows all its horrors," said 
 Mary Moilif, looking as if she were ready 
 to burst into tears. " Besides, she is under 
 the special care of our guide, who appears 
 so occupied with her that he is no guide to 
 any of the rest of the party ; so we cannot 
 be worse off." 
 
 *' it is no use your grumbling in this way. 
 Do, Mary, try and get on," said her brother, 
 impatiently. 
 
 " Just to go into those quicksands ? I 
 can't." 
 
 " Nonsense ! We have only to follow 
 Gwynne. It is safe enough." 
 
 The young men continued laughing and 
 talking in such an absurd manner, that it 
 helped to put the timid into better spirits. 
 The moment they cleared the sandbank 
 
 n2
 
 274 COUiSTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 and great stones, their past perils were no 
 longer remembered. In reference to the 
 quicksands, the danger, as is generally the 
 case, was greater in anticipation than reality. 
 When once upon terra Jirma, the whole 
 party enjoyed a gallop upon the hard sands, 
 and felt refreshed by the sea-breeze. As 
 they continued, thousands of sea-gulls ho- 
 vered overhead, and numbers were continu- 
 ally flying or settling upon a peninsula of 
 sand extending some distance into the sea. 
 They were screaming and keeping up such 
 a noise, that it was impossible not to notice 
 them. Trading- vessels and herring-boats, 
 with their sails reflected beneath, might be 
 seen appearing and disappearing alternately 
 upon the horizon line. This was so clear that 
 the South Wales coast could be distin- 
 guished, reaching far away until it dwindled 
 to a thread upon the ocean. What made the 
 landscape still more striking and beautiful, 
 were those peculiarly rich and varied tints 
 upon the near and distant mountains, that
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 275 
 
 seemed borrowed from the clouds partially 
 restinfj on and floatinfir over them far mto the 
 distance. These operated as friendly shields 
 to keep off the scorching rays of the sun from 
 their lofty peaks. So delightful was the scene, 
 that the party lingered long to admire it ; 
 and, for tlie first time since they had started 
 from Bleddyn, conversation flagged. 
 
 With sharpened appetites they quitted 
 the beach at last, and traversing a mountain- 
 path for some distance, reached the spot 
 which had been fixed upon for the picnic. 
 The company in part was already assem- 
 bled there, and waiting with impatience to 
 sit down to a rural repast, served upon a 
 large stone in place of a table. 
 
 The young ladies made there toilet at a 
 brook, and then had places allotted to 
 them. Plates were handed from one to 
 another ; servants bustled from side to side, 
 doing little or nothing, and often coming 
 in collision with each other, while staring 
 at the gentlemen who assumed to officiate
 
 276 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 in their stead, displaying still greater stu- 
 pidity by mislaying the articles constantly 
 in use. Some had to go without mustard, 
 and some without salt ; it mattered little. 
 No one seemed inclined to find fault. The 
 name of a picnic seemed to carry with it 
 a charm. Every one did as he liked, eating 
 and drinking in whatever form or fashion 
 the humour of the moment directed. No 
 one thought of impropriety or vulgarity. If 
 a lady held a wing of a chicken between 
 her fingers, or a gentleman ran about with 
 a leg of lamb as a trophy, or drank out of 
 a bottle, it was hailed as a charming 
 novelty, and no more. 
 
 Every face seemed beaming with good 
 temper. It is possible there were many 
 there who seldom enjoyed a meal with 
 greater gusto than upon that occasion. 
 Quiet and noisy flirtations were kept up as 
 briskly as the consumption of food. Captain 
 Sands sat between the rival ladies, drinking 
 the health of both in a bumper of sparkling
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 277 
 
 hock before a morsel had passed his lips. 
 Judging from the general aspect of affairs 
 in regard to the younger members of the 
 party, there was no drawback to enjoy- 
 ment. Still, there are doubts whether the 
 grave, thin-lipped banker, sitting in an un- 
 comfortable and cramped position by the 
 side of his good-humoured plethoric wife, 
 would not have preferred his glass of port 
 in his snug dining-room at home. Perhaps, 
 too, the care-worn, pale lad}', sitting at his 
 right hand, the victim of a noisy, rackety 
 husband, constantly helping himself out 
 of a black bottle, would as gladly have 
 escaped, and saved herself the annoyance of 
 witnessing, before the evening was over, a 
 husband in a state of total forgetfulness of 
 himself and the company. 
 
 The most contented-looking of the party 
 was Mr. Cfidwalader Maurice, the son of the 
 antiquary. He was a small, spare man, 
 with an open countenance beaming with 
 intellioence and benevolence. He was never
 
 278 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 known to hesitate, to prevaricate, or to speak 
 ill of his neighbours ; he was a general fa- 
 vourite with all, and at a picnic he was indis- 
 pensable. If any one fell into a bog, stumbled 
 over a hedge, or were involved in any diffi- 
 culty, he was sure to be the first to render 
 assistance. From principle, he showed more 
 attention to the plain girls than to those 
 more favoured by nature, and was the peace- 
 maker in the neighbourhood. He had a 
 peculiar fancy for teaching little boys to 
 ride, and make men of them, as he deno- 
 minated it. Anarawd Gwynne had been 
 one of his first pupils, and he had reason 
 to be proud of him. They had afterwards 
 been excellent friends. The Maurices were 
 the only resident family; near, with whom 
 the young heir was particularly intimate. 
 The patriarch of the family, it will be re- 
 membered, possessed great influence over 
 Anarawd's mind in early youth, and time 
 did not diminish his respect for him. He 
 ^ oft en visited him, and followed his advice,
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 279 
 
 as he had been accustomed to do when a 
 child. 
 
 They were a happy, picturesque-looking 
 ^oup, a good subject for an artist's pencil, 
 as they sat under the shadow of an over- 
 hanging rock, Snowdon towering in the 
 distance, surrounded by her aspiring com- 
 peers. A soft haze was stealing over the 
 summit ; rich tints, ever and anon, rose and 
 disappeared, as the rays of the setting sun 
 glanced obliquely upon the lower hills, and 
 tipped with gold the foliage of the forest- 
 trees in the valleys beneath. The party 
 had removed to a little distance from the 
 rustic table ; some were lounging on the 
 heath, and several of the young ladies, at 
 the request of the gentlemen, were singing 
 native melodies. In addition to the rural 
 character of the scene, a number of ragged, 
 bare-legged children had scrambled down 
 over the cliff, not far from their homes, and 
 stood gazing in silent wonderment at the 
 grand ladies and gentlemen, as if they had
 
 280 cotisTRY la>;dlokds. 
 
 belonged to another species of humanity. 
 A few of the more timid were peeping from 
 behind large stones, occasionally coming 
 forward to share, with their more venturous 
 comrades, the tempting food flung to them 
 by the servants. It was a golden harvest 
 to them ; their little faces beamed with joy 
 as they pocketed or devoured hurriedly 
 morsels, to them so delicious, again spring- 
 ing forward for a fresh supply. Old women, 
 with coloured handkerchiefs thrown across 
 their full-bordered caps, hovered round, 
 their arras full of knitted stockings, in 
 hopes of finding purchasers. Two or three 
 old men, in earlier years adroit fishermen, 
 drew near, speaking a little broken Eng- 
 lish, and volunteering to show the gentle- 
 men where the large fish haunted; reminding 
 them, too, that if they were in want of flies, 
 they had them of first-rate quality for sale. 
 Some of the gentlemen, amused at the 
 quaint ways of these old codgers, examined 
 their flies, and strolled, without their hats,
 
 COUNTRY LANDLOI DS. 281 
 
 down to tli<^ river's edge. To complete the 
 rural encampment, the horses and ponies, 
 without either saddle or bridle, were grazing 
 in a small enclosure, and, by their antics, 
 were enjoying the sweet pasture of the 
 quiet mountain. 
 
 To the reflective and to artists, it was a 
 scene to be enjoyed more in the perspective 
 than in the foreground. Some of the party 
 were of this opinion, Anarawd and Gertrude 
 among the rest. They had sauntered in an 
 opposite direction from the party, and se- 
 lected a seat where they could have a good 
 view of the entire scene, and yet remain 
 beyond reach of the confusion of voices, 
 and the intrusion of the ignorant and 
 officious. It was as novel a scene to Ger- 
 trude as the previous ball had been ; but, 
 though at first amused, she soon grew weary 
 of it. 
 
 " Cannot we go home before they go ?" 
 she inquired, putting up her sketch-book. 
 " Lord Morlif, his daughters, and all your
 
 282 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 visitors, appear to be most condescending 
 to the others of the party, and to be much 
 entertained ; you will not be missed. Shall 
 we go ?" 
 
 " I shall be delighted ; for, somehow, this 
 sort of amusement does not suit me any 
 more than yourself. We shall neither of 
 us be sorry when the day is over." 
 
 They accordingly went off in a contrary 
 direction, in which they hoped to find the 
 servants, and met Cad Maurice, who, with 
 his usual good-nature, offered to go in 
 search of the groom, and recommended 
 having their horses brought to the lower 
 gate, from whence they might start ufiob- 
 served by the rest of the party. 
 
 Soon afterwards, in his company, they 
 scrambled down a steep bank, and reached 
 the spot where they found their horses 
 ready, mounted, and were soon on their 
 way to Clogwyn, leaving the rest of the 
 party to follow when so inclined.
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 A FORTNIGHT passed. Lord Morlif and his 
 family had left Bleddyn, and were settled 
 for the summer and autumn at Bryn-y-Coed. 
 Anarawd Gwynne had been walking with 
 his mother in the garden, and was pacing 
 the veranda, endeavouring to compose his 
 mind after he had been unfolding to her 
 his future hopes. She had told him of his 
 father's strong objection to the union be- 
 tween the two families, and how anxious 
 she was about them. His mother's sym- 
 pathizing voice was yet in his ears, and the 
 warm pressure of her hand was still felt,
 
 284 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 when a servant appeared, and said to 
 Anarawd — 
 
 " My master wishes to see you, sir, in 
 his study." 
 
 " Very well, Williams; all right. 1 will 
 be there in a few minutes," 
 
 " Mills, sir, wants to know what time 
 you think you will require your horse : he 
 has been saddled a long while." 
 
 " How stupid of me ! I forgot to give a 
 counter-order. Tell Mills 1 shall not re- 
 quire him to-night." 
 
 Anarawd was ao^ain alone, with a mind 
 more disturbed than before ; and with a 
 slow step he took another turn, and then 
 stood at the end of the veranda, looking up 
 at the giant crag v>^hich towered above the 
 trees, and in the twdhght haze which hung 
 upon the summit had a more majestic and 
 gigantic appearance than usual. 
 
 His heart throbbed. Was he a coward ? 
 did he dread the interview ? — was he, then, 
 afraid of him for whom he had never
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 285 
 
 experienced the smallest fear ? Not at all. 
 There was creeping over his heart an appre- 
 hension lest, through his father's deter- 
 mination to oppose him, he might lose Ger- 
 trude, the dearest tie on earth. Lord 
 Morlif had been closeted with his father 
 all the morning, and no good could come 
 from such an interview. The influence his 
 lordship had over him (Mr. Gwynne) was 
 great, and he had probably proved a secret 
 enemy. 
 
 Endeavouring to shake off these re- 
 flections, he entered the house, and pro- 
 ceeded to the study. 
 
 " Procrastination is always bad," said Mr. 
 Gwynne, addressing his son the moment he 
 came into his presence. " It is to be re- 
 gretted there has been so much of it in 
 relation to this absurd engagement between 
 you and Miss Lewis. I am desirous, sir, 
 to let you know at once what my opinions 
 are upon the subject, and to point out to 
 you the extreme folly of your conduct. Is
 
 286 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 your pride extinguished? Is all correct 
 feeling departed, sir, that you think of 
 offering your hand to a young lady so much 
 beneath you? — that young lady, too, a 
 daughter of a man whom I loathe and 
 detest ? Of a family connection with that 
 man how could you ever dream ? I would ra- 
 ther see you incarcerated in the county gaol, 
 with a halter about your neck, than married 
 to a daughter of that dogmatical, upstart 
 Lewis — a man of no reputation. What a 
 low-lived mind you must have, or be a 
 perfect Simon Pure, to commit your family 
 name, your respectability, the merit and 
 lustre of your family inheritance, as you have 
 done !" 
 
 Mr. Gwynne grew more excited as he 
 spoke, and struck the table two or three 
 times violently with his hand, while ire 
 flashed from his eyes. 
 
 Lady EHzabeth, who was sitting upon the 
 sofa pale and trembling, rose and ap- 
 proached : —
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. ^87 
 
 " You promised me you would not lose 
 your temper. I entreat you to compose 
 yourself. Have some consideration for his 
 feelings : losing control over yourself, you 
 only make matters worse." 
 
 '' You are right, madam ; to be able to 
 have command over oneself is a material 
 advantage, a radical virtue, beyond doubt. 
 Go back to your seat. I will have no inter- 
 ference ', I am not a man of many words, and 
 we shall soon settle affairs." He then 
 resumed his address to his son : — 
 
 " Miss Lewis, I am ready to admit, is a 
 pretty bauble. There could be no objection 
 to uuiking a plaything of her ; but to make 
 her a wife— the wife of the heir of Bleddyii, 
 that is a different thing — that shall never be. 
 This hand, sir, shall first disinherit you. A 
 Lewis, indeed, share the wealth and honour 
 of our noble house ! I swear solemnly it 
 never shall be. Rank, sir, rank is what you 
 should seek. We don't want meek- eyed
 
 288 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 maidens with sanctified purity, but blood, 
 blood and position — that is the point." 
 
 He glared at his son as if he expected 
 some reply, or some demonstration of his 
 feelings. Anarawd stood still and silent. 
 " Well, sir, I hope you see the necessity 
 nay, the duty you owe your family ; you must 
 break off this connection at once. You do 
 not still intend to be such a blind fool as to 
 stand in the way of your own interest?" 
 
 " I cannot, sir, behave dishonourably to 
 Gertrude Lewis. I cannot for mere interest's 
 sake give her up. I have pledged myself — 
 that pledge is sacred." 
 
 " Sacred ! Jove take your sacred pledges ! 
 What, sir ! Hear me !" He raised his voice. 
 •' Hear me, sir ! I swear again, that the 
 moment you link your fate with that young 
 lady, you are disinherited ; you are cut off 
 from all but your ancient family estate; not 
 a tittle of my [)roperty is yours ! Ay, cut 
 off from all my large funded and personal
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 289 
 
 properly, and the estates I have purchased. 
 I will cut you oflf, sir, with a shilling. I am 
 thankful to say it is in my power to do so. 
 Your gentle mother may plead for you, and 
 you may plead for yourself, sir; and the world 
 may condemn me : I care not. Nothing, I 
 solemnly swear, shall alter this my determina- 
 tion. I l<novv my own afiairs ; I defy and 
 ignore the world, its counsel and censure." 
 
 Mr. Gwynne again lost his temper, and 
 a^ain swore outrageously at his son. 
 Lady Elizabeth did not dare to interfere. 
 Anarawd said nothing. A slight expression 
 of indignant scorn played about his lips, as 
 he quitted the study under a fresh volley of 
 vituperative language, • 
 
 " There, madam, you may thank yourself 
 for this. There is no one to blame but your- 
 self. Go and rejoice in your son's prospects. 
 This is the frdit of allowing this attractive 
 young lady to be so intimate here, and of 
 your over-indulgence to your son when a 
 child. You permitted him to imbibe all soils 
 VOL. I. o
 
 290 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 of primitive and independent ideas ; you 
 know you did ! I hope you are aware of the 
 mistake you have committed, as clearly as I 
 am. Had I ruled him with a rod of iron from 
 his cradle, he would not have been what he 
 now is, a great fool. The day will come when 
 he will regret and you will regret it, with the 
 injudiciousness of your past conduct. Recol- 
 lect, once cut off, he will be cut off irrevo- 
 cably. It will be in vain then for you to come 
 screaming his name in my ears. I shall 
 forbid him the house, and not allow his name 
 to be mentioned. It will be his loss, and 
 his folly, not his father's ; so I shall give 
 myself no concern. He may take his own 
 course, for me, and curse me if he will — aye, 
 he may curse me." 
 
 " Hush ! my dear sir, you don't know what 
 you are saying ; you are so petulant — your 
 only son !" 
 
 Mr. Gwynne walked about the room, and 
 then drinking off a glass of strong brandy- 
 andvvaler> resumed in a taunting tone : —
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 291 
 
 ** Five hundred per annum ! a meagre 
 pittance for him : one, loo, of his extravagant 
 notions. He will be no better off than a 
 panper!" 
 
 " Liberal — don't call him extravagant," 
 interrupted Lady Elizabeth. 
 
 " Well, well, it is all the same, with his 
 notions. If Lewis treats his daughter no 
 better than I do my son, an enviable position 
 they will be in. That child — that pretty ten- 
 derling, so fitted to be a poor man's wife — 
 she will feel it more than he will, when she 
 has to put her delicate hands to the wash-tub 
 — who knows ? she will be scarcely able to 
 keep herself out of rags. If they do starve, 
 I shall not help them ; nor will I acknow- 
 ledge my amiable son, — remember that. 
 This, madam, is the precise state of affairs. 
 You have to thank yourself for it all, and no 
 one else. I will affirm that to the last hour 
 of my life.*' 
 
 " Do not speak with so much bitterness. 
 He is our only son — do not break my heart
 
 292 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 by letting me feel, through his unfortunate 
 mother, that his fat'ier has disinherited him !" 
 cried Lady Elizabeth, bursting into tears, 
 and looking at him beseechingly. " They 
 are both young, both of affectionate disposi- 
 tions — so suited, so calculated to make each 
 other happy. Think of your own youth, 
 and have some regard for them. Do not be 
 so hasty in your decision." 
 
 " Folly — imbecility," muttered Mr. 
 Gwynne, in an irritated voice. Let me have 
 no more of your tender, sympathetic feelings : 
 I had enough. Heaven knows, of those the 
 other day. You encourage him, you make 
 him fly in the face of his own interest. To 
 hear you express yourself in this way, is 
 enough to provoke a saint. Go — for Heaven's 
 sake go, and leave me here in peace !" 
 
 *' Let me prevail on you to listen to me 
 for a few minutes. Be reasonable for once, 
 my dear Herbert. They are young, as I 
 said before; they are in no great hurry to 
 get married. Cnptain Lewis's consent has
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 293 
 
 to be obtained, and a thousand other tilings 
 have to be considered. Why say anything 
 at all about it for the present? Let it pass 
 over till the time arrives. Gertrude has ac- 
 knowledged to me, that without her father's 
 consent the union can never take place. 
 There is the chance of his not consenting ; 
 and in thai case it will place my poor boy in 
 another position. His trial will be hard 
 enough then, without distracting him prema- 
 turely with threats and angry words." 
 
 Mr. Gwynne looked serious, and was 
 silent ; then suddenly he broke the pause — 
 
 '' There may be truth in your suggestions. 
 Now I reflect, Lewis perhaps will be as 
 violently opposed to this union as myself ; 
 not on my account, but his own. He is 
 selfish and jealous, and probably would not; 
 like to give up his child, to whom he is so 
 devoted. From jealous feelings alone, he 
 will compel his daughter to break off her 
 engagement. It is as likely as not. About 
 the best thing that could happen to them
 
 294 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 t 
 
 both. Meanwhile I cannot do better than 
 send my son from home. I had a letter 
 from Gilford this morning. He is going 
 upon the Continent, coaching a young party, 
 and thinks it would be an admirable oppor- 
 tunity for Anaravvd to join them. But, if I 
 make this proposition, my dutiful son will 
 in all likelihood oppose me, and you will 
 oppose me, yet expect matters to run glibly 
 between father and son ; — consistent I" 
 
 " You do injustice to your son ; you don't 
 know him. He will not oppose your ^^ishes 
 when it does not directly violate his honour 
 or his principles — you know that, Herbert ?" 
 
 "Ah, yes, I am apt to be forgetful of his 
 virtues. He is a paragon of perfection in 
 your eyes. He never commits a fault, 
 never does a wrong thing. He is a great 
 fool, nevertheless." 
 
 Mr. Gwynne here gave a cynical, sati- 
 rical laugh, peculiar to himself. Drinking 
 another glass of brandy-and-water, he threw 
 himself into a chair and continued —
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 295 
 
 ** Suppose, then, my dear madam, we 
 again summon this virtuou"? youth, and put 
 his dutifulness to the test." He rose and 
 rang the bell. 
 
 When Anarawd answered the summons, 
 there was a change in his appearance ; he 
 was as pale as a spectre. His father at 
 once noticed it, and for a minute there was 
 an awkward pause. 
 
 " Sit down, my dear," whispered Lady 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 " I have not sent for you to resume our 
 former subject," broke in Mr. Gwynne 
 abruptly, " but to make a proposition which 
 will give you time to repent of your folly 
 and restore you to reason. Here is a letter 
 I have received from your old tutor ; you 
 will see what he says. While you are wast- 
 ing your time here waiting for your com- 
 mission, you cannot do better than join his 
 party and see something of foreign parts. 
 It is an opportunity that will not again
 
 '2i}6 CaUNTllY LANDLORDS, 
 
 occur. I wish you to go. Will you oblige 
 me, or will you again oppose me ?"' 
 
 In spite of all his efforts to appear calm^ 
 Anarawd could not disguise his feelings. 
 The proposal was sudden and unlocked for. 
 He hesitated, and seemed bewildered for a 
 moment, and then gave a decided reply : 
 
 " Very weil, sir, if it is your wish." 
 
 " Then you have not much time to lose. 
 Gilford starts on the 18th. You must be 
 off the day after to-morrow.'* 
 
 Neither father nor son seemed to have 
 any inclination to enter into further con- 
 versation. Lady Elizabeth sat looking at 
 her son with tears in her eyes, and was 
 hardly able to walk when she rose to leave 
 the room. Anarawd took her hand, and 
 they left the study together. 
 
 "■ I am grieved for you, my dear Anarawd; 
 let us go into the breakfast-room and have 
 some private talk," whispered Lady Eliza- 
 beth.
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 297 
 
 " Not now, my dear mother, not now ; I 
 feel I would rather be alone." 
 
 He kissed her affectionately, and wishing 
 her good-night, mounted the great staircase 
 and went to his own chamber. 
 
 Long after every light was extinguished 
 in the house, his candle burnt dimly in the 
 socket ; but, dim or bright, it mattered little, 
 for he could settle to no employment, neither 
 could he sleep. Gertrude was in his 
 thoughts, and her name was repeatedly 
 upon his lips throughout the watches of 
 the night, while the unconscious girl was 
 wrapt in sweet slumber.
 
 CHAPTER XIIi; 
 
 It was twilight; and Anarawd Gw^nne 
 stood before the rich and fine old picture 
 in the library at Clogwyn, motionless and 
 silent. The subdued light, with a few 
 borrowed reflections from the sunset sky, 
 had stolen in through the casement, and 
 was displaying this noble specimen of art 
 to advantage. There seemed a fresh dreami- 
 ness, a new poetical romance, in every object 
 and leaf to be found upon the canvas, pro- 
 claiming a wonderful production of an 
 Italian master-hand, full of creative power. 
 Pre-occupied as the mind of Anarawd 
 was, this effect riveted his attention. It was
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 299 
 
 actually subduing, imperceptibly, the rest- 
 lessness and uneasiness of his mind. He 
 did not stir until Gertrude's step bounded 
 across the room, and he felt her fingers 
 entwined with his own. 
 
 Without uttering a syllable, he conducted 
 her to a sofa, and placed himself by her 
 side. 
 
 It required but a single hasty glance at 
 his face to rouse Gertrude's anxiety. Full 
 of impulse, she pushed his wavy hair off his 
 temples, and asked, with unaffected eager- 
 ness — 
 
 " What has happened, my dear Anarawd ? 
 1 never remember to have seen you look so 
 miserable, so wretched. Do speak, tell me ? 
 
 His prolonged silence increased her alarm ; 
 she dived into his eyes for an explanation. 
 " Your father has insisted upon your break- 
 ing off our engagement, and has prohibited 
 your coming to see me again. Is this the 
 truth, the unvarnished truth ? Do not keep
 
 300 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 it from me. Anarawd ; I must have it, in 
 whatever shape it exists," she urged. 
 
 " The truth, my darUng Gertrude, often 
 comes in an ill shape, and it wears that face 
 now. I never before felt such a coward, 
 so thoroughly unnerved, as I do at this 
 moment. I have some bad news, and know 
 not how to break it to you." He hesitated, 
 and then continued — " My father has made 
 a solemn resolution, that the instant you 
 become my wife, he will shut me out of all 
 his property — disinherit his only son, and 
 close his doors against him. Bleddyn, the 
 family estate, is all that I could lay claim 
 to at his death ; but, not hanng sufficient 
 means to keep up the place, that, too, would 
 be as good as lost to me. And at the 
 present moment I have no more than what 
 my grandmother left me — a poor pittance, 
 barely five hundred per annum, not sufficient 
 to keep you as I would wish to keep my 
 wife. No prospect in after-years would
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 301 
 
 then exist of your being the mistress of my 
 old home, on which I had set my heart. 
 Placed in this embarrassing position, can I 
 dare to hope, Gertrude, that you will still 
 cling to me, and be the wife of a poor man, 
 disinherited from his family possessions, 
 relegated from his home?" His lips qui- 
 vered, and laying his hands across his eyes, 
 he relapsed into silence. 
 
 His betrothed looked startled, and was 
 greatly moved, yet spoke unhesitatingly. 
 
 " What! Anarawd, do you for one instant 
 doubt my affection ? Did I but possess my 
 father's consent, were I only free, I would 
 cling to you in misfortune, sickness, or 
 distress. Do not wrono; the woman who 
 loves you. It is not the wealthy heir of 
 Bleddyn I care about. No, no, it is Ana- 
 rawd Gwynne for whom my heart throbs ; 
 and he has yet to learn how deeply a woman 
 can love — how fearlessly and willingly she 
 would share the destiny of the man who 
 has her heart, through hardships and
 
 802 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 poverty : with him, wants would cease to be 
 wants ; without him, riches would be poverty. 
 1 confess this — nay, more, why should I 
 conceal the truth from you, and live on 
 deceiving myself? Dear as my father is to 
 me, and unaccountable as it seems, by some 
 invisible power you have so entwined your- 
 self round my heart, that you have become 
 dearer to me than he has ever been or can 
 be." 
 
 Anarawd drew her closer to him, and 
 looked at her with intensity of feeling. 
 There was nothing to be seen of her small, 
 soft hands ; they were buried between his 
 own. " How welcome is this confession! — 
 thank you for it, from the depths of my soul. 
 Let the storms set in now, I shall weather 
 them all — I am satisfied." 
 
 " No, you must not say satisfied : you mis- 
 understand me ; this is not now the question. 
 To be constant to you, would injure you. 1 
 could not see you disinherited for my sake, 
 nor witness the mortification 'which you
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 303 
 
 would suffer from your father's utj natural 
 conduct. It would be sowing seeds of per- 
 petual disunion between you and your 
 parents. It would be giving you joy, and 
 snatching it from you. This must not be ; 
 we shall have to wear upon our hearts the 
 panoply of duty, and sever our engagement. 
 Reason demands it, dear Anarawd: however 
 great the sacrifice, we ought to obey ; we 
 must obey." 
 
 " Xo, my darling ; duty is not so imperious 
 as to demand any such sacrifice. What 
 recompense, either, should we gain by it ? 
 Nothing whatever. Without you, my wealth 
 would be the bane of my existence. Look 
 at me, Gertrude : I could bear any trial but 
 losing you ; with your confession engraven 
 on my heart, I will try and rise in the army. 
 I have interest ; I will work, do anything — 
 serve with Jacob's patience for seven years, 
 rather than lose my prize — a prize a hun- 
 dred times the value of the property I forfeit. 
 Don't look so sorrowful : now I feel the re-
 
 304 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 action of happiness ; certain of your love, I 
 am prepared to combat all things." 
 
 "Why so hopeful? Though you have my 
 heart, I may never be your wife, never ! The 
 impenetrable future, I have a foreshadowing, 
 is darkened for us. Even before my father's 
 return home, all things are going against 
 us. Why have I been heedless of fore- 
 warnings ? Why did I permit you to gain 
 my affections, when I felt I was doing wrong? 
 It was criminal to yield to what I knew 
 would be harmful to both. Reflect now 
 upon our present position, and you must 
 acknowledge that it would have been better 
 for us both had we never met. Would ! oh, 
 Anarawd, would that — " 
 
 " Gertrude " — he grasped her hand reso- 
 lutely — " you shall not speak in this wild 
 way ; you promised me you never would 
 again. You know how it pains me. We 
 cannot pretend to dive into the future. 
 There may be more blessings than sorrows 
 in store for us. Do be hopeful : we should
 
 COtJNTRV LANDLORDS. 305 
 
 always be ready to face the storms of life, 
 and ride them down with a stout heart. 
 The greater inability we feel to keep up our 
 courage, the more we must seek for strength 
 to discipline our hearts and our minds, to 
 conquer such weaknesses ; for, remember, 
 these trials do not emanate from man alone, 
 but from our Creator, who wills his own 
 designs, and makes man the instrument. If 
 we but place confidence in Him, tie will 
 bless us in his own good time ; rest assured 
 of that." 
 
 " I cannot see and feel as you do ; I am 
 no optimist, but a miserable, erring being!" 
 interjected Gertrude, giving way to pas- 
 sionate grief. 
 
 There was a troubled pause. Anarawd 
 felt her small fingers tightening over his, 
 and the throb of her heart was audible. 
 He struggled against his feelings. 
 
 " I w^ould say a thousand things to 
 comfort you. Be a brave girl, and be not 
 cast down at the first blow. Do, my darling,
 
 306 COUNTRY LANDL0RD3. 
 
 for your own sake as well as mine, en- 
 deavour to keep up your fortitude. You 
 will not have me long to talk to you : pro- 
 mise me you will." 
 
 Gertrude gave a start, and lifted up her 
 sorrowful eyes to his. " You are going 
 from home, then — going to leave me ? I felt 
 it would end thus, and thus we are punished." 
 
 " To oblige my father, I have consented 
 to go abroad with my ci-devant tutor, old 
 Gilford ; but I shall not be long away." 
 
 " This is cruel news !" 
 
 " It cannot be avoided ; we must part 
 sometimes, you know. When I get my 
 commission, it will be a longer separation 
 than this." He lowered his voice. " Ger- 
 trude, we are not the only ones who will 
 feel the separation : my poor mother ! she 
 is broken-hearted at this arrangement. Will 
 you go often to see her, and cheer her in 
 my absence ?" Tears started to his eyes. 
 *' Say you will obhge me." 
 
 *' It will be a hard task, when I shall want
 
 COUMTRV LANDLORDS. 307 
 
 cheer myself. How wretched and lonely 
 we shall be without you !" 
 
 *' The time will soon glide by, and we 
 must often write to each other. After all, 
 to get knocked about in the world will do 
 me good : I have been leading a sad idle 
 life of late. You have frequently remarked, 
 you like to see men manly. How 1 have 
 degenerated from your standard ! Yet how 
 is it, Gertrude, you have not discovered my 
 falling off?" 
 
 " Because there is no degeneracy : you 
 only fancy so." 
 
 " What ! you are blind to my faults ! Now 
 it is my turn for retaliation. I shall have 
 to get you a pair of spectacles, when you 
 will be alarmed at the host of errors which 
 will appear." 
 
 " Oh I don't laugh, don't talk lightly ; it 
 is a mockery when we are so unhappy. I 
 am content to see you as you are ; I would 
 rather there was not the slightest chanofe in 
 you. Those who live much in the great
 
 308 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 world generally become selfish, cold-hearted, 
 and conventional : you have said soyour- 
 self. Do not suppose, then, you will gain 
 any advantage in my eyes : certainly not. 
 How earnestly I wish you were not going ! 
 We have been so happy ; the brightness of 
 those days will never come again. Must 
 you — are yjj obliged to go?" 
 "Yes: my sentence is passed." 
 She lucked up tenderly in his face. " See 
 how inconsistent I am. A little while since, 
 I was for severing our engagement ; now, I 
 am for holding you fast, and cannot re- 
 concile myself to part with you, even for a 
 short time. Why have you made me care 
 so deeply for you ? You are to blame." 
 
 " No ; that I call cowardly, to impute the 
 blame to me. We had better not attempt 
 an investigation. You forget what a httle 
 loadstone you are yourself — how impossible 
 it was, with all my foregoing determination, 
 to shun your sex — I could not resist you. 
 But we won't talk about it now ; rather let
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 309 
 
 me tell you, with your hand upon my heart, 
 that notwithstanding this cruel rupture with 
 my father, your declaration has made me 
 happier than before ; for I have still greater 
 confidence in your love." 
 
 p]ye rested upon eye : there was a silence 
 on both sides for a few minutes; but to them 
 it was not a pause — they could read each 
 other's heart without the aid of language. 
 The eloquence of the eye is as forcible and 
 faithful as the language of the lips : in the 
 eye of Auarawd Gwynne there was some- 
 thing peculiar — it was as if his soul dwelt 
 in them. 
 
 " And when am I to lose you ?" Gertrude 
 at length inquired, in a voice scarcely above 
 a whisper, half shrinking from the answer. 
 " To-morrow." 
 
 The colour forsook her cheeks and lips, 
 as she repeated, " To-morrow ! so soon !" 
 
 When the truth burst upon her mind, she 
 could no lono^er control her aoitation. 
 Starting up, she moved hastily towards the
 
 310 COUJSTRY LANDLORDS. 
 
 open window, concealing her face from her 
 companion, who also rose and followed her- 
 
 " To part in this way is doubly dis- 
 tressing. Gertrude, dearest, keep up your 
 heart ; show your own real character — that 
 you are no ordinary person. Let us look 
 forward cheerfully to a happy meeting." 
 
 " When we part, we don't know when 
 we shall meet. This plan for your joining 
 Mr. Gilford may only be a ruse of your 
 father to keep us apart, to wean us from 
 each other. And how shall I be able to 
 cheer your mother during your absence, 
 with the sad conviction that I am the sole 
 cause of her distress ? Instead of giving 
 me a welcome, my presence will cause her 
 pain. Do not ask me to bej reconciled." 
 Tears were streaming from her eyes, and 
 her whole frame shook with emotion. 
 
 Anarawd drew her away from the win- 
 dow, and kissed her repeatedly. There was 
 a long interval of silence again. At length
 
 COUNTRY LANDLORDS. 311 
 
 it was broken by his appealing to Gertrude's 
 feelings and judgment. So cogent and full 
 of pathos was his eloquence, that if it had 
 not the desired effect of soothing the un- 
 happy girl, it restored her to something like 
 reason and self-possession. 
 
 The clock struck twelve as Anarawd 
 Gwynne passed out through the gates of 
 Clogwyn. It was a dreary night. The 
 wind howled among the trees, and scattered 
 the boughs and leaves in the air, as if it had 
 been the winter solstice, instead of summer- 
 time. Dreary and cheerless as the propect 
 opened upon him, it was not so dreary as 
 his own disturbed spirit. Here let the cur- 
 tain be dropped. 
 
 END OF VOL. L 
 
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 xxxvir. 
 
 In 2 vols., price 21s., cloth. 
 
 THE LIFE OF PERCY BYSSHE SHELLY. 
 
 BY CAPTAIN MEDWIN, 
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 NEW PUBLICATIONS. 13 
 
 XXXVIII. 
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 PRINCE LIFE. 
 
 BYG. P. R. JAMES, ESQ., 
 
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 XXXIX. 
 
 Second Edition, now ready, in 3 vols., price 42s. 
 THE LITERARY LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE 
 
 OF THE 
 
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 BY R. MADDEN, Esq., F.R.C.S.-ENG. 
 
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 XL. 
 
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 14 T. c. newby's 
 
 XLI. 
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 THE HAPPY COTTAGE, 
 
 A TALE FOR SUMMER'S SUNSHINE. 
 By the Author of "Kate Vernon," "Agness "Waring." 
 
 xLir. 
 
 In I vol. 8vo. 
 
 THE AGE OF PITT AND FOX. 
 
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 A CATHOLIC HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 
 
 BY W. MAC CABE, Esq. 
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 XLIV. 
 
 In 1 vol., price 14s. 
 
 LIVES OF THE PRISVIE MINISTERS OF 
 
 ENGLAND 
 
 PBOM THE RESTORATION TO THE PRESENT TIME. 
 
 BY J. HOUSTON BROWN, L.L.B. 
 Of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-Law. 
 
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 NEW PUBLICATIONS. 15 
 
 XLV. 
 In 2 vols., price 10s. 
 
 SHELLEY AND HIS WRITINGS. 
 
 BY C. S. MIDDLETON, Esq. 
 
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 therefore cleared for the new generation of readers." — Jlhenaeum. 
 
 " The Life of the Poet which has just appeared, and which 
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 XLVI. 
 
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 POPULAR NEW NOVELS. 17 
 
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 THE STORY OF A LOST LIFE, 
 
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 HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY, 
 
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 NEW NOVELS. 21 
 
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 XVTII. 
 
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 NEW NOVELS. 23 
 
 XX 
 
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 xxr. 
 
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 FROM THE PEASANTRY TO THE 
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