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tell you all about it。 When I was a girl I lived with my parents a
little way from here。 I had a cousin； a very good young man； who
lived with his parents in the neighbourhood of our house。 He was
an exemplary young man； sir； and having a considerable gift of
prayer； was intended for the ministry； but he fell sick； and
shortly became very ill indeed。 One evening when he was lying in
this state； as I was returning home from milking； I saw a candle
proceeding from my cousin's house。 I stood still and looked at it。
It moved slowly forward for a little way； and then mounted high in
the air above the wood； which stood not far in front of the house；
and disappeared。 Just three nights after that my cousin died。〃
〃And you think that what you saw was his corpse candle？〃
〃I do； sir！ what else should it be？〃
〃Are deaths prognosticated by any other means than corpse candles？〃
〃They are； sir； by the knockers； and by a supernatural voice heard
at night。〃
〃Have you ever heard the knockers； or the supernatural voice？〃
〃I have not； sir； but my father and mother； who are now dead； heard
once a supernatural voice； and knocking。 My mother had a sister
who was married like herself； and expected to be confined。 Day
after day； however； passed away； without her confinement taking
place。 My mother expected every moment to be summoned to her
assistance； and was so anxious about her that she could not rest at
night。 One night； as she lay in bed； by the side of her husband；
between sleeping and waking； she heard of a sudden a horse coming
stump； stump； up to the door。 Then there was a pause … she
expected every moment to hear some one cry out； and tell her to
come to her sister； but she heard no farther sound； neither voice
nor stump of horse。 She thought she had been deceived； so； without
awakening her husband； she tried to go to sleep； but sleep she
could not。 The next night； at about the same time； she again heard
a horse's feet come stump； stump； up to the door。 She now waked
her husband and told him to listen。 He did so； and both heard the
stumping。 Presently； the stumping ceased； and then there was a
loud 〃Hey！〃 as if somebody wished to wake them。 〃Hey！〃 said my
father； and they both lay for a minute expecting to hear something
more； but they heard nothing。 My father then sprang out of bed；
and looked out of the window； it was bright moonlight； but he saw
nothing。 The next night； as they lay in bed both asleep； they were
suddenly aroused by a loud and terrible knocking。 Out sprang my
father from the bed； flung open the window； and looked out； but
there was no one at the door。 The next morning； however； a
messenger arrived with the intelligence that my aunt had had a
dreadful confinement with twins in the night； and that both she and
the babes were dead。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said I； and paying for my ale； I returned to
Llangollen。
CHAPTER XII
A Calvinistic…Methodist … Turn for Saxon … Our Congregation … Pont
y Cyssyltau … Catherine Lingo。
I HAD inquired of the good woman of the house； in which we lived；
whether she could not procure a person to accompany me occasionally
in my walks； who was well acquainted with the strange nooks and
corners of the country； and who could speak no language but Welsh；
as I wished to increase my knowledge of colloquial Welsh by having
a companion who would be obliged； in all he had to say to me； to
address me in Welsh； and to whom I should perforce have to reply in
that tongue。 The good lady had told me that there was a tenant of
hers who lived in one of the cottages； which looked into the
perllan； who； she believed； would be glad to go with me； and was
just the kind of man I was in quest of。 The day after I had met
with the adventures； which I have related in the preceding chapter；
she informed me that the person in question was awaiting my orders
in the kitchen。 I told her to let me see him。 He presently made
his appearance。 He was about forty…five years of age； of middle
stature； and had a good…natured open countenance。 His dress was
poor； but clean。
〃Well；〃 said I to him in Welsh； 〃are you the Cumro who can speak no
Saxon？〃
〃In truth； sir； I am。〃
〃Are you sure that you know no Saxon？〃
〃Sir！ I may know a few words； but I cannot converse in Saxon； nor
understand a conversation in that tongue。〃
〃Can you read Cumraeg？〃
〃In truth； sir； I can。〃
〃What have you read in it？〃
〃I have read； sir； the Ysgrythyr…lan； till I have it nearly at the
ends of my fingers。〃
〃Have you read anything else besides the holy Scripture？〃
〃I read the newspaper； sir； when kind friends lend it to me。〃
〃In Cumraeg？〃
〃Yes； sir； in Cumraeg。 I can read Saxon a little but not
sufficient to understand a Saxon newspaper。〃
〃What newspaper do you read？〃
〃I read； sir； Yr Amserau。〃
〃Is that a good newspaper？〃
〃Very good； sir； it is written by good men。〃
〃Who are they？〃
〃They are our ministers； sir。〃
〃Of what religion are you？〃
〃A Calvinistic Methodist； sir。〃
〃Why are you of the Methodist religion？〃
〃Because it is the true religion； sir。〃
〃You should not be bigoted。 If I had more Cumraeg than I have； I
would prove to you that the only true religion is that of the
Lloegrian Church。〃
〃In truth； sir； you could not do that； had you all the Cumraeg in
Cumru you could not do that。〃
〃What are you by trade？〃
〃I am a gwehydd； sir。〃
〃What do you earn by weaving？〃
〃About five shillings a week； sir。〃
〃Have you a wife？
〃I have； sir。〃
〃Does she earn anything？〃
〃Very seldom； sir； she is a good wife； but is generally sick。〃
〃Have you children？〃
〃I have three； sir。〃
〃Do they earn anything？〃
〃My eldest son； sir； sometimes earns a few pence； the others are
very small。〃
〃Will you sometimes walk with me； if I pay you？〃
〃I shall be always glad to walk with you； sir； whether you pay me
or not。〃
〃Do you think it lawful to walk with one of the Lloegrian Church？〃
〃Perhaps； sir； I ought to ask the gentleman of the Lloegrian Church
whether he thinks it lawful to walk with the poor Methodist
weaver。〃
〃Well； I think we may venture to walk with one another。 What is
your name？〃
〃John Jones； sir。〃
〃Jones！ Jones！ I was walking with a man of that name the other
night。〃
〃The man with whom you walked the other night is my brother； sir；
and what he said to me about you made me wish to walk with you
also。〃
〃But he spoke very good English。〃
〃My brother had a turn for Saxon； sir； I had not。 Some people have
a turn for the Saxon； others have not。 I have no Saxon； sir； my
wife has digon iawn … my two youngest children speak good Saxon；
sir； my eldest son not a word。〃
〃Well； shall we set out？〃
〃If you please； sir。〃
〃To what place shall we go？〃
〃Shall we go to the Pont y Cyssylltau； sir？〃
〃What is that？〃
〃A mighty bridge； sir； which carries the Camlas over a valley on
its back。〃
〃Good！ let us go and see the bridge of the junction； for that I
think is the meaning in Saxon of Pont y Cyssylltau。〃
We set out； my guide conducted me alo