made him no answer; whereupon he continued; but
suddenly hearing a noise behind him, he looked round and beheld Winifred,
who had returned to me on the morning of that day. "Who are you?" said
he, fiercely. "This man's wife," said she, calmly fixing her eyes upon
him. "Begone from him, unhappy one, thou temptest him in vain." He made
no answer, but stood as if transfixed: at length, recovering himself, he
departed, muttering "Wife! wife! If the fool has a wife, he will never
do for us."'

CHAPTER LXXX

The border--Thank you both--Pipe and fiddle--Taliesin.

We were now drawing very near the hills, and Peter said, 'If you are to
go into Wales, you must presently decide, for we are close upon the
border.'

'Which is the border?' said I.

'Yon small brook,' said Peter, 'into which the man on horseback who is
coming towards us is now entering.'

'I see it,' said I, 'and the man; he stops in the middle of it, as if to
water his steed.'

We proceeded till we had nearly reached the brook. 'Well,' said Peter,
'will you go into Wales?'

'What should I do in Wales?' I demanded.

'Do!' said Peter, smiling, 'learn Welsh.'

I stopped my little pony. 'Then I need not go into Wales; I already know
Welsh.'

'Know Welsh!' said Peter, staring at me.

'Know Welsh!' said Winifred, stopping her cart.

'How and when did you learn it?' said Peter.

'From books, in my boyhood.'

'Read Welsh!' said Peter; 'is it possible?'

'Read Welsh!' said Winifred; 'is it possible?'

'Well, I hope you will come with us,' said Peter.

'Come with us, young man,' said Winifred; 'let me, on the other side of
the brook, welcome you into Wales.'

'Thank you both,' said I, 'but I will not come.'

'Wherefore?' exclaimed both, simultaneously.

'Because it is neither fit nor proper that I cross into Wales at this
time, and in this manner. When I go into Wales, I should wish to go in a
new suit of superfine black, with hat and beaver, mounted on a powerful
steed, black and glossy, like that which bore Greduv to the fight of
Catraeth. I should wish, moreover, to see the Welshmen assembled on the
border ready to welcome me with pipe and fiddle, and much whooping and
shouting, and to attend me to Wrexham, or even as far as Machynllaith,
where I should wish to be invited to a dinner at which all the bards
should be present, and to be seated at the right hand of the president,
who, when the cloth was removed, should arise, and,