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cametoacollectionofhouseswhichanoldwoman，withacrackedvoiceandasmalltinmilk—pail，whomIassistedingettingoverastileintotheroad，toldmewascalledPenStrit—probablytheheadofthestreet。ShespokeEnglish，andonmyaskingherhowshehadlearnttheEnglishtongue，shetoldmethatshehadlearntitofhermotherwhowasanEnglishwoman。ShesaidthatIwastwomilesfromLlanRhyadr，andthatImustgostraightforward。IdidsotillIreachedaplacewheretheroadbranchedintotwo，onebearingsomewhattotheleft，andtheothertotheright。AfterstandingaminuteinperplexityItooktheright—handroad，butsoonguessedthatIhadtakenthewrongone，astheroaddwindledintoamerefootpath。HearingsomeonewalkingontheothersideofthehedgeIinquiredinWelshwhetherIwasgoingrightforLlanRhyadr，andwasansweredbyavoiceinEnglish，apparentlythatofawoman，thatIwasnot，andthatImustgoback。Ididso，andpresentlyawomancamethroughagatetome。
"Areyoutheperson，"saidI，"whojustnowansweredmeinEnglishafterIhadspokeninWelsh？"
"IntruthIam，"saidshe，withahalflaugh。
"AndhowcameyoutoanswermeinEnglishafterIhadspokentoyouinWelsh？"
"Because，"saidshe，"itwaseasyenoughtoknowbyyourvoicethatyouwereanEnglishman。"
"YouspeakEnglishremarkablywell，"saidI。
"AndsodoyouWelsh，"saidthewoman；"IhadnoideathatitwaspossibleforanyEnglishmantospeakWelshhalfsowell。"
"Iwonder，"thoughtItomyself，"whatyouwouldhaveansweredifI
hadsaidthatyouspeakEnglishexecrably。"ByherownaccountshecouldreadbothWelshandEnglish。Shewalkedbymysidetotheturn，andthenuptheleft—handroad，whichshesaidwasthewaytoLlanRhyadr。Comingtoacottageshebademegood—nightandwentin。Theroadwashorriblymiry：presently，asIwasstaggeringthroughaslough，justafterIhadpassedalittlecottage，Iheardacrackedvoicecrying，"Isupposeyoulostyourway？"I
recogniseditasthatoftheoldwomanwhomIhadhelpedoverthestile。Shewasnowstandingbehindalittlegatewhichopenedintoagardenbeforethecottage。Thefigureofamanwasstandingnearher。Itoldherthatshewasquiterightinhersupposition。
"Ah，"saidshe，"youshouldhavegonestraightforward。"
"IfIhadgonestraightforward，"saidI，"Imusthavegoneoverahedge，atthecornerofafieldwhichseparatedtworoads；insteadofbiddingmegostraightforwardyoushouldhavetoldmetofollowtheleft—handroad。"
"Well，"saidshe，"besureyoukeepstraightforwardnow。"
Iaskedherwhothemanwasstandingnearher。
"Itismyhusband，"saidshe。
"HashemuchEnglish？"saidI。
"Noneatall，"saidshe，"forhismotherwasnotEnglish，likemine。"Ibadehergood—nightandwentforward。PresentlyIcametoameetingofroads，andtogostraightforwarditwasnecessarytopassthroughaquagmire；remembering，however，thewordsofmyfriendthebeldameIwentstraightforward，thoughinsodoingI
wasslougheduptotheknees。InalittletimeIcametorapiddescent，andatthebottomofittoabridge。Itwasnowverydark；onlythecornerofthemoonwascastingafaintlight。AftercrossingthebridgeIhadoneortwoascentsanddescents。AtlastIsawlightsbeforemewhichprovedtobethoseofLlanRhyadr。I
soonfoundmyselfinadirtylittlestreet，and，inquiringfortheinn，waskindlyshownbyamantoonewhichhesaidwasthebest，andwhichwascalledtheWynstayArms。
CHAPTERLXV
InnatLlanRhyadr—AlowEnglishman—Enquiries—TheCook—A
PreciousCouple。
THEinnseemedverylarge，butdidnotlookverycheerful。Nootherguestthanmyselfseemedtobeinit，exceptinthekitchen，whereIheardafellowtalkingEnglishandoccasionallyyellinganEnglishsong：themasterandthemistressofthehousewerecivil，andlightedmeafireinwhatwascalledtheCommercialRoom，andputtingplentyofcoalsinthegratesoonmadetheapartmentwarmandcomfortable。Iordereddinnerorrathersupper，whichinabouthalf—an—hourwasbroughtinbythewoman。ThesupperwhethergoodorbadIdespatchedwiththeappetiteofonewhohadwalkedtwentymilesoverhillanddale。
OccasionallyIheardadreadfulnoiseinthekitchen，andthewomantoldmethatthefellowtherewasmakinghimselfexceedinglydisagreeable，chieflyshebelievedbecauseshehadrefusedtolethimsleepinthehouse。Shesaidthathewasalowfellowthatwentaboutthecountrywithfish，andthathewasthemorereadytoinsultherasthemasterofthehousewasnowgoneout。IaskedifhewasanEnglishman，"Yes，"saidshe，"alowEnglishman。"
"Thenhemustbelowindeed，"saidI。"AlowEnglishmanisthelowestofthelow。"AfteralittletimeIheardnomorenoise，andwastoldthatthefellowwasgoneaway。Ihadalittlewhiskyandwater，andthenwenttobed，sleepinginatolerablechamberbutrathercold。Therewasmuchrainduringthenightandalsowind；
windowsrattled，andIoccasionallyheardthenoiseoffallingtiles。
Iaroseabouteight。Notwithstandingthenighthadbeensotempestuousthemorningwassunshinyandbeautiful。HavingorderedbreakfastIwalkedoutinordertolookatthetown。LlanRhyadrisasmallplace，havingnothingremarkableinitsaveanancientchurchandastrangelittleantiquemarket—house，standingonpillars。Itissituatedatthewesternendofanextensivevalleyandattheentranceofaglen。Abrookorrivuletrunsthroughit，whichcomesdowntheglenfromthecelebratedcataract，whichisaboutfourmilesdistanttothewest。Twoloftymountainsformtheentranceoftheglen，andtowerabovethetown，oneonthesouthandtheotheronthenorth。Theirnames，iftheyhaveany，Ididnotlearn。
Afterstrollingaboutthelittleplaceforaboutaquarterofanhour，staringatthethingsandthepeople，andbeingstaredatbythelatter，Ireturnedtomyinn，astructurebuiltinthemodernGothicstyle，andwhichstandsnearlyoppositetothechurchyard。
WhilstbreakfastingIaskedthelandlady，whowasbustlingabouttheroom，whethershehadeverheardofOwenGlendower。
"Intruth，sir，Ihave。Hewasagreatgentlemanwholivedalongtimeago，and，and—"
"GavetheEnglishagreatdealoftrouble，"saidI。
"Justso，sir；atleastIdaresayitisso，asyousayit。"
"Anddoyouknowwherehelived？"
"Idonot，sir；Isupposeagreatwayoff，somewhereinthesouth。"
"DoyoumeanSouthWales？"
"Intruth，sir，Ido。"
"Thereyouaremistaken，"saidI；"andalsoinsupposinghelivedagreatwayoff。HelivedinNorthWales，andnotfarfromthisplace。"
"Intruth，sir，youknowmoreabouthimthanI。"
"DidyoueverhearofaplacecalledSycharth？
"Sycharth！Sycharth！Ineverdid，sir。"
"ItistheplacewhereGlendowerlived，anditisnotfaroff。I
wanttogothere，butdonotknowtheway。"
"Sycharth！Sycharth！"saidthelandladymusingly："IwonderifitistheplacewecallSychnant。"
"Istheresuchaplace？"
"Yes，sure；aboutsixmilesfromhere，nearLangedwin。"
"Whatkindofplaceisit？"
"Intruth，sir，Idonotknow，forIwasneverthere。Mycook，however，inthekitchen，knowsallaboutit，forshecomesfromthere。"
"CanIseeher？"
"Yes，sure；Iwillgoatonceandfetchher。"
Shethenlefttheroomandpresentlyreturnedwiththecook，ashort，thickgirlwithbluesta
