FARMER。　…　What　fools！　　How　thankful　I　am　that　I　live　in　wiser　days。
  If　such　things　were　going　on　in　the　old　Monachlog　it　was　high　time
  to　pull　it　down。
  MYSELF。　…　What　kind　of　a　rent　do　you　pay　for　your　land？
  FARMER。　…　Oh；　rather　a　stiffish　one。
  MYSELF。　…　Two　pounds　an　acre？
  FARMER。　…　Two　pound　an　acre！　　I　wish　I　paid　no　more！
  MYSELF。　…　Well；　I　think　that　would　be　quite　enough。　　In　the　time　of
  the　old　monastery　you　might　have　had　the　land　at　two　shillings　an
  acre。
  FARMER。　…　Might　I？　　Then　those　couldn't　have　been　such　bad　times；
  after　all。
  MYSELF。　…　I　beg　your　pardon！　　They　were　horrible　times　…　times　in
  which　there　were　monks　and　friars　and　graven　images；　which　people
  kissed　and　worshipped　and　sang　pennillion　to。　　Better　pay　three
  pounds　an　acre　and　live　on　crusts　and　water　in　the　present
  enlightened　days　than　pay　two　shillings　an　acre　and　sit　down　to
  beef　and　ale　three　times　a　day　in　the　old　superstitious　times。
  FARMER。　…　Well；　I　scarcely　know　what　to　say　to　that。
  MYSELF。　…　What　do　you　call　that　high　hill　on　the　other　side　of　the
  river？
  FARMER。　…　I　call　that　hill　Bunk　Pen　Bannedd。
  MYSELF。　…　Is　the　source　of　the　Teivi　far　from　here？
  FARMER。　…　The　head　of　the　Teivi　is　about　two　miles　from　here　high
  up　in　the　hills。
  MYSELF。　…　What　kind　of　place　is　the　head　of　the　Teivi？
  FARMER。　…　The　head　of　the　Teivi　is　a　small　lake　about　fifty　yards
  long　and　twenty　across。
  MYSELF。　…　Where　does　the　Teivi　run　to？
  FARMER。　…　The　Teivi　runs　to　the　sea；　which　it　enters　at　a　place
  which　the　Cumri　call　Aber　Teivi　and　the　Saxons　Cardigan。
  MYSELF。　…　Don't　you　call　Cardiganshire　Shire　Aber　Teivi？
  FARMER。　…　We　do。
  MYSELF。　…　Are　there　many　gleisiaid　in　the　Teivi？
  FARMER。　…　Plenty；　and　salmons　too　…　that　is；　farther　down。　　The
  best　place　for　salmon　and　gleisiaid　is　a　place；　a　great　way　down
  the　stream；　called　Dinas　Emlyn。
  MYSELF。　…　Do　you　know　an　animal　called　Llostlydan？
  FARMER。　…　No；　I　do　not　know　that　beast。
  MYSELF。　…　There　used　to　be　many　in　the　Teivi。
  FARMER。　…　What　kind　of　beast　is　the　Llostlydan？
  MYSELF。　…　A　beast　with　a　broad　tail；　on　which　account　the　old　Cumri
  did　call　him　Llostlydan。　　Clever　beast　he　was；　made　himself　house
  of　wood　in　middle　of　the　river；　with　two　doors；　so　that　when　hunter
  came　upon　him　he　might　have　good　chance　of　escape。　　Hunter　often
  after　him；　because　he　had　skin　good　to　make　hat。
  FARMER。　…　Ha；　I　wish　I　could　catch　that　beast　now　in　Teivi。
  MYSELF。　…　Why　so？
  Farmer。　…　Because　I　want　hat。　　Would　make　myself　hat　of　his　skin。
  MYSELF。　…　Oh；　you　could　not　make　yourself　a　hat　even　if　you　had　the
  skin。
  FARMER。　…　Why　not？　　Shot　coney　in　Bunk　Pen　Banedd；　made　myself　cap
  of　his　skin。　　So　why　not　make　hat　of　skin　of　broadtail；　should　I
  catch　him　in　Teivi？
  MYSELF。　…　How　far　is　it　to　Tregaron？
  FARMER。　…'Tis　ten　miles　from　here；　and　eight　from　the　Rhyd
  Fendigaid。
  MYSELF。　…　Must　I　go　back　to　Rhyd　Fendigaid　to　get　to　Tregaron？
  FARMER。　…　You　must。
  MYSELF。　…　Then　I　must　be　going；　for　the　night　is　coming　down。
  Farewell！
  FARMER。　…　Farvel；　Saxon　gentleman！
  CHAPTER　XCII
  Nocturnal　Journey　…　Maes　y　Lynn　…　The　Figure　…　Earl　of　Leicester　…
  Twm　Shone　Catti　…　The　Farmer　and　Bull　…　Tom　and　the　Farmer　…　The
  Cave　…　The　Threat　…　Tom　a　Justice　…　The　Big　Wigs　…　Tregaron。
  IT　was　dusk　by　the　time　I　had　regained　the　high…road　by　the　village
  of　the　Rhyd　Fendigaid。
  As　I　was　yet　eight　miles　from　Tregaron；　the　place　where　I　intended
  to　pass　the　night；　I　put　on　my　best　pace。　　In　a　little　time　I
  reached　a　bridge　over　a　stream　which　seemed　to　carry　a　considerable
  tribute　to　the　Teivi。
  〃What　is　the　name　of　this　bridge？〃　said　I　to　a　man　riding　in　a
  cart；　whom　I　met　almost　immediately　after　I　had　crossed　the　bridge。
  〃Pont　Vleer；〃　methought　he　said；　but　as　his　voice　was　husky　and
  indistinct；　very　much　like　that　of　a　person　somewhat　the　worse　for
  liquor；　I　am　by　no　means　positive。
  It　was　now　very　dusk；　and　by　the　time　I　had　advanced　about　a　mile
  farther　dark　night　settled　down；　which　compelled　me　to　abate　my
  pace　a　little；　more　especially　as　the　road　was　by　no　means　first…
  rate。　　I　had　come；　to　the　best　of　my　computation；　about　four　miles
  from　the　Rhyd　Fendigaid　when　the　moon　began　partly　to　show　itself；
  and　presently　by　its　glimmer　I　saw　some　little　way　off　on　my　right
  hand　what　appeared　to　be　a　large　sheet　of　water。　　I　went　on；　and　in
  about　a　minute　saw　two　or　three　houses　on　the　left；　which　stood
  nearly　opposite　to　the　object　which　I　had　deemed　to　be　water；　and
  which　now　appeared　to　be　about　fifty　yards　distant　in　a　field　which
  was　separated　from　the　road　by　a　slight　hedge。　　Going　up　to　the
  principal　house　I　knocked；　and　a　woman　making　her　appearance　at　the
  door；　I　said：
  〃I　beg　pardon　for　troubling　you；　but　I　wish　to　know　the　name　of
  this　place。〃
  〃Maes　y　Lynn　…　The　Field　of　the　Lake；〃　said　the　woman。
  〃And　what　is　the　name　of　the　lake？〃　said　I。
  〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　she；　〃but　the　place　where　it　stands　is　called
  Maes　Llyn；　as　I　said　before。〃
  〃Is　the　lake　deep？〃　said　I。
  〃Very　deep；〃　said　she。
  〃How　deep？〃　said　I。
  〃Over　the　tops　of　the　houses；〃　she　replied。
  〃Any　fish　in　the　lake？〃
  〃Oh　yes！　plenty。〃
  〃What　fish？〃
  〃Oh；　there　are　llysowen；　and　the　fish　we　call　ysgetten。〃
  〃Eels　and　tench；〃　said　I；　〃anything　else？〃
  〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　the　woman；　〃folks　say　that　there　used　to　be
  queer　beast　in　the　lake；　water…cow　used　to　come　out　at　night　and
  eat　people's　clover　in　the　fields。〃
  〃Pooh；〃　said　I；　〃that　was　merely　some　person's　cow　or　horse；　turned
  out　at　night　to　fill　its　belly　at　other　folks'　expense。〃
  〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　the　woman；　〃have　you　any　more　questions　to　ask？〃
  〃Only　one；〃　said　I；　〃how　far　is　it　to　Tregaron？〃
  〃About　three　miles：　　are　you　going　there？〃
  〃Yes；　I　am　going　to　Tregaron。〃
  〃Pity　that　you　did　not　come　a　little　time　ago；〃　said　the　woman；
  〃you　might　then　have　had　pleasant　company　on　your　way；　pleasant　man
  stopped　here　to　light　his　pipe；　he　too　going　to　Tregaron。〃
  〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　never　happier　than　when　keeping
  my　own　company。〃　　Bidding　the　woman　good　night；　I　went　on。　　The
  moon　now　shone　tolerably　bright；　so　that　I　could　see　my　way；　and　I
  sped　on　at　a　great　rate。　　I　had　proceeded　nearly　half　a　mile；　when
  I　thought　I　heard　steps　in　advance；　and　presently　saw　a　figure　at
  some　little　distance　before　me。　　The　individual；　probably　hearing
  the　noise　of　my　approach；　soon　turned　round　and　stood　still。　　As　I
  drew　near　I　distinguished　a　stout　burly　figure　of　a　man；　seemingly
  about　sixty；　with　a　short　pipe　in　his　mouth。
  〃Ah；　is　it　you？〃　said　the　figure；　in　English；　taking　the　pipe　out
  of　his　mouth；　〃good　evening；　I　am　glad　to　see　you。〃　　Then　shaking
  some　burning　embers　out　of　his　pipe；　he　put　it　into　his　pocket；　and
  trudged　on　beside　me。
  〃Why　are　you　glad　to　see　I　me？〃　said　I；　slackening　my　pace；　〃I　am　a
  stranger　to　you；　at　any　rate；　you　are　to　me。〃
  〃Always　glad　to　see　English　gentleman；〃　said　the　figure；　〃always
  glad　to　see　him。〃
  〃How　do　you　know　that　I　am　an　English　gentleman？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh；　I　know　Englishman　at　first　sight；　no　one　like　him　in　the　whole
  world。〃
  〃Have　you　seen　many　English　gentleman？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh　yes；　have　seen　plenty　when　I　have　been　up　in　London。〃
  〃Have　you　been　much　in　London？〃
  〃Oh　yes；　when　I　was　a　drover　was　up　in　London　every　month。〃
  〃And　were　you　much　in　the　society　of　English　gentlemen　when　you
  were　there？〃
  〃Oh　yes；　a　great　deal。〃
  〃Whereabouts　in　London　did　you　chiefly　meet　them？〃
  〃Whereabouts？　　Oh；　in　Smithfield。〃
  〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃I　thought　that　was　rather　a　place　for　butchers
  than　gentlemen。〃
  〃Great　place　for　gentlemen；　I　assure　you；〃　said　the　figure；　〃met
  there　the　finest　gentleman　I　ever　saw　in　my　life；　very　grand；　but
  kind　and　affable；　like　every　true　gentleman。　Talked　to　me　a　great
  deal　about　Anglesey　runts；　and　Welsh　legs　of　mutton；　and　at　parting
  shook　me　by　the　hand；　and　asked　me　to　look　in　upon　him；　if　I　was
  ever　down　in　his　parts；　and　see　his　sheep　and　taste　his　ale。〃
  〃Do　you　know　who　he　was？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh　yes；　know　all　about　him；　Earl　of　Leicester；　from　county　of
  Norfolk；　fine　old　man　indeed　…　you　very　much　like　him　…　speak　just
  in　same　way。〃
  〃Have　you　given　up　the　business　of　drover　long？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh　yes；　given　him　up　a　long　time；　ever　since　domm'd　railroad　came
  into　fashion。〃
  〃And　what　do　you　do　now？〃　said　I。
  〃Oh；　not　much；　live　upon　my　means；　picked　up　a　little　property；　a
  few　sticks；　just　enough　for　old　crow　to　build　him　nest　with　…
  sometimes；　however；　undertake　a　little　job　for　neighbouring　people
  and　get　a　little　money。　　Can　do　everything　in　small　way；　if
  necessary；　build　little　bridge；　if　asked；　…　Jack　of　all　Trades　…
  live　very　comfortably。〃
  〃And　where　do　you　live？〃
  〃Oh；　not　very　far　from　Tregaron。〃
  〃And　what　kind　of　place　is　Tregaron？〃
  〃Oh；　very　good　place；　not　quite　so　big　as　London　but　very　good
  place。〃
  〃What　is　it　famed　for？〃　said　I；
  〃Oh；　famed　for　very　good　ham；　best　ham　at　Tregaron　in　all　Shire
  Cardigan。〃
  〃Famed　for　anything　else？〃
  〃Oh　yes！　famed　for　great　man；　clever　t