God　bless　him！　　I　think　I　see　him　now　with　his　bald；　shining　pate；
  and　his　finger　on　an　open　page　of　'Preston's　Conveyancing。'〃
  〃Sure　you　are　not　a　limb　of　the　law？〃　said　Mr　R…。
  〃No；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　might　be；　for　I　served　an　apprenticeship　to
  it。〃
  〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　Mr　R…；　shaking　me　by　the　hand。　　〃Take
  my　advice；　come　and　settle　at　Llangollen　and　be　my　partner。〃
  〃If　I　did；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　afraid　that　our　partnership　would　be　of
  short　duration；　you　would　find　me　too　eccentric　and　flighty　for　the
  law。　　Have　you　a　good　practice？〃　I　demanded　after　a　pause。
  〃I　have　no　reason　to　complain　of　it；〃　said　he；　with　a　contented
  air。
  〃I　suppose　you　are　married？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh　yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　both　a　wife　and　family。〃
  〃A　native　of　Llangollen？〃　said　I。
  〃No；〃　said　he：　　〃I　was　born　at　Llan　Silin；　a　place　some　way　off
  across　the　Berwyn。〃
  〃Llan　Silin？〃　said　I；　〃I　have　a　great　desire　to　visit　it　some　day
  or　other。〃
  〃Why　so？〃　said　he；　〃it　offers　nothing　interesting。〃
  〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　I；　〃unless　I　am　much　mistaken；　the　tomb
  of　the　great　poet　Huw　Morris　is　in　Llan　Silin　churchyard。〃
  〃Is　it　possible　that　you　have　ever　heard　of　Huw　Morris？〃
  〃Oh　yes；〃　said　I；　〃and　I　have　not　only　heard　of　him　but　am
  acquainted　with　his　writings；　I　read　them　when　a　boy。〃
  〃How　very　extraordinary；〃　said　he；　〃well；　you　are　quite　right　about
  his　tomb；　when　a　boy　I　have　played　dozens　of　times　on　the　flat
  stone　with　my　schoolfellows。〃
  We　talked　of　Welsh　poetry；　he　said　he　had　not　dipped　much　into　it；
  owing　to　its　difficulty；　that　he　was　master　of　the　colloquial
  language　of　Wales；　but　understood　very　little　of　the　language　of
  Welsh　poetry；　which　was　a　widely　different　thing。　　I　asked　him
  whether　he　had　seen　Owen　Pugh's　translation　of　Paradise　Lost。　　He
  said　he　had；　but　could　only　partially　understand　it；　adding；
  however；　that　those　parts　which　he　could　make　out　appeared　to　him
  to　be　admirably　executed；　that　amongst　these　there　was　one　which
  had　particularly　struck　him　namely：
  〃Ar　eu　col　o　rygnu　croch
  Daranau。〃
  The　rendering　of　Milton's
  〃And　on　their　hinges　grate
  Harsh　thunder。〃
  which；　grand　as　it　was；　was　certainly　equalled　by　the　Welsh
  version；　and　perhaps　surpassed；　for　that　he　was　disposed　to　think
  that　there　was　something　more　terrible　in　〃croch　daranau；〃　than　in
  〃harsh　thunder。〃
  〃I　am　disposed　to　think　so　too；〃　said　I。　　〃Now　can　you　tell　me
  where　Owen　Pugh　is　buried？〃
  〃I　cannot；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　suppose　you　can　tell　me；　you；　who　know
  the　burying…place　of　Huw　Morris　are　probably　acquainted　with　the
  burying…place　of　Owen　Pugh。〃
  〃No；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　not。　　Unlike　Huw　Morris；　Owen　Pugh　has　never
  had　his　history　written；　though　perhaps　quite　as　interesting　a
  history　might　be　made　out　of　the　life　of　the　quiet　student　as　out
  of　that　of　the　popular　poet。　　As　soon　as　ever　I　learn　where　his
  grave　is　I　shall　assuredly　make　a　pilgrimage　to　it。〃　　Mr　R…　then
  asked　me　a　good　many　questions　about　Spain；　and　a　certain　singular
  race　of　people　about　whom　I　have　written　a　good　deal。　　Before　going
  away　he　told　me　that　a　friend　of　his；　of　the　name　of　J…；　would　call
  upon　me；　provided　he　thought　I　should　not　consider　his　doing　so　an
  intrusion。　　〃Let　him　come　by　all　means；〃　said　I；　〃I　shall　never
  look　upon　a　visit　from　a　friend　of　yours　in　the　light　of　an
  intrusion。〃
  In　a　few　days　came　his　friend；　a　fine　tall　athletic　man　of　about
  forty。　　〃You　are　no　Welshman；〃　said　I；　as　I　looked　at　him。
  〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　a　native　of　Lincolnshire；　but　I　have　resided
  in　Llangollen　for　thirteen　years。〃
  〃In　what　capacity？〃　said　I。
  〃In　the　wine…trade；〃　said　he。
  〃Instead　of　coming　to　Llangollen；〃　said　I；　〃and　entering　into　the
  wine…trade；　you　should　have　gone　to　London；　and　enlisted　into　the
  Life　Guards。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　he；　with　a　smile；　〃I　had　once　or　twice　thought　of
  doing　so。　　However；　fate　brought　me　to　Llangollen；　and　I　am　not
  sorry　that　she　did；　for　I　have　done　very　well　here。〃
  I　soon　found　out　that　he　was　a　well…read　and　indeed　highly
  accomplished　man。　　Like　his　friend　R…；　Mr　J…　asked　me　a　great　many
  questions　about　Spain。　　By　degrees　we　got　on　the　subject　of　Spanish
  literature。　　I　said　that　the　literature　of　Spain　was　a　first…rate
  literature；　but　that　it　was　not　very　extensive。　　He　asked　me
  whether　I　did　not　think　that　Lope　de　Vega　was　much　overrated。
  〃Not　a　bit；〃　said　I；　〃Lope　de　Vega　was　one　of　the　greatest　geniuses
  that　ever　lived。　　He　was　not　only　a　great　dramatist　and　lyric　poet；
  but　a　prose　writer　of　marvellous　ability；　as　he　proved　by　several
  admirable　tales；　amongst　which　is　the　best　ghost　story　in　the
  world。〃
  Another　remarkable　person　whom　I　got　acquainted　with　about　this
  time　was　A…；　the　innkeeper；　who　lived　a　little　way　down　the　road；
  of　whom　John　Jones　had　spoken　so　highly；　saying；　amongst　other
  things；　that　he　was　the　clebberest　man　in　Llangollen。　　One　day　as　I
  was　looking　in　at　his　gate；　he　came　forth；　took　off　his　hat；　and
  asked　me　to　do　him　the　honour　to　come　in　and　look　at　his　grounds。
  I　complied；　and　as　he　showed　me　about　he　told　me　his　history　in
  nearly　the　following　words：…
  〃I　am　a　Devonian　by　birth。　　For　many　years　I　served　a　travelling
  gentleman；　whom　I　accompanied　in　all　his　wanderings。　　I　have　been
  five　times　across　the　Alps；　and　in　every　capital　of　Europe。　　My
  master　at　length　dying　left　me　in　his　will　something　handsome；
  whereupon　I　determined　to　be　a　servant　no　longer；　but　married；　and
  came　to　Llangollen；　which　I　had　visited　long　before　with　my　master；
  and　had　been　much　pleased　with。　　After　a　little　time　these　premises
  becoming　vacant；　I　took　them；　and　set　up　in　the　public　line；　more
  to　have　something　to　do；　than　for　the　sake　of　gain；　about　which；
  indeed；　I　need　not　trouble　myself　much；　my　poor；　dear　master；　as　I
  said　before；　having　done　very　handsomely　by　me　at　his　death。　　Here
  I　have　lived　for　several　years；　receiving　strangers；　and　improving
  my　house　and　grounds。　　I　am　tolerably　comfortable；　but　confess　I
  sometimes　look　back　to　my　former　roving　life　rather　wistfully；　for
  there　is　no　life　so　merry　as　the　traveller's。〃
  He　was　about　the　middle　age　and　somewhat　under　the　middle　size。　　I
  had　a　good　deal　of　conversation　with　him；　and　was　much　struck　with
  his　frank；　straightforward　manner。　　He　enjoyed　a　high　character　at
  Llangollen　for　probity　and　likewise　for　cleverness；　being　reckoned
  an　excellent　gardener；　and　an　almost　unequalled　cook。　　His　master；
  the　travelling　gentleman；　might　well　leave　him　a　handsome
  remembrance　in　his　will；　for　he　had　not　only　been　an　excellent　and
  trusty　servant　to　him；　but　had　once　saved　his　life　at　the　hazard　of
  his　own；　amongst　the　frightful　precipices　of　the　Alps。　　Such
  retired　gentlemen's　servants；　or　such　publicans　either；　as　honest
  A…；　are　not　every　day　to　be　found。　　His　grounds；　principally　laid
  out　by　his　own　hands；　exhibited　an　infinity　of　taste；　and　his
  house；　into　which　I　looked；　was　a　perfect　picture　of　neatness。　　Any
  tourist　visiting　Llangollen　for　a　short　period　could　do　no　better
  than　take　up　his　abode　at　the　hostelry　of　honest　A…。
  CHAPTER　LVI
  Ringing　of　Bells　…　Battle　of　Alma　…　The　Brown　Jug　…　Ale　of
  Llangollen　…　Reverses。
  ON　the　third　of　October　…　I　think　that　was　the　date　…　as　my　family
  and　myself；　attended　by　trusty　John　Jones；　were　returning　on　foot
  from　visiting　a　park　not　far　from　Rhiwabon　we　heard；　when　about　a
  mile　from　Llangollen；　a　sudden　ringing　of　the　bells　of　the　place；
  and　a　loud　shouting。　　Presently　we　observed　a　postman　hurrying　in　a
  cart　from　the　direction　of　the　town。　　〃Peth　yw　y　matter？〃　said　John
  Jones。　　〃Y　matter；　y　matter！〃　said　the　postman　in　a　tone　of
  exultation；　〃Sebastopol　wedi　cymmeryd。　　Hurrah！〃
  〃What　does　he　say？〃　said　my　wife　anxiously　to　me。
  〃Why；　that　Sebastopol　is　taken；〃　said　I。
  〃Then　you　have　been　mistaken；〃　said　my　wife　smiling；　〃for　you
  always　said　that　the　place　would　either　not　be　taken　at　all　or
  would　cost　the　allies　to　take　it　a　deal　of　time　and　an　immense
  quantity　of　blood　and　treasure；　and　here　it　is　taken　at　once；　for
  the　allies　only　landed　the　other　day。　　Well；　thank　God；　you　have
  been　mistaken！〃
  〃Thank　God；　indeed；〃　said　I；　〃always　supposing　that　I　have　been
  mistaken　…　but　I　hardly　think　from　what　I　have　known　of　the
  Russians　that　they　would　let　their　town　…　however；　let　us　hope　that
  they　have　let　it　be　taken。　　Hurrah！〃
  We　reached　our　dwelling。　　My　wife　and　daughter　went　in。　　John　Jones
  betook　himself　to　his　cottage；　and　I　went　into　the　town；　in　which
  there　was　a　great　excitement；　a　wild　running　troop　of　boys　were
  shouting　〃Sebastopol　wedi　cymmeryd。　　Hurrah！　Hurrah！〃　　Old　Mr　Jones
  was　standing　bare…headed　at　his　door。　　〃Ah；〃　said　the　old
  gentleman；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you。　　Let　us　congratulate　each　other；〃
  he　added；　shaking　me　by　the　hand。　　〃Sebastopol　taken；　and　in　so
  short　a　time。　　How　fortunate！〃
  〃Fortunate　indeed；〃　said　I；　returning　his　hearty　shake；　〃I　only
  hope　it　may　be　true。〃
  〃Oh；　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　its　being　true；〃　said　the　old
  gentleman。　　〃The　accounts　are　most　positive。　　Come　in；　and　I　will
  tell　you　al