," said she, "if you had had a cup of tea I should have charged
sixpence."

"You make no charge," said I, "for what I have had?"

"Nothing, sir, nothing."

"But suppose," said I, "I were to give you something by way of present
would you--" and here I stopped. The woman smiled.

"Would you fling it in my face?" said I.

"Oh dear, no, sir," said the woman, smiling more than before.

I gave her something--it was not a sixpence--at which she not only smiled
but curtseyed; then bidding her farewell I went out of the door.

I was about to take the broad road, which led round the hill, when she
inquired of me where I was going, and on my telling her to Festiniog, she
advised me to go by a by-road behind the house which led over the hill.

"If you do, sir," said she, "you will see some of the finest prospects in
Wales, get into the high road again, and save a mile and a half of way."

I told the temperance woman I would follow her advice, whereupon she led
me behind the house, pointed to a rugged path, which with a considerable
ascent seemed to lead towards the north, and after giving certain
directions, not very intelligible, returned to her temperance temple.

CHAPTER XLVII

Spanish Proverb--The Short Cut--Predestinations--Rhys Goch--Old
Crusty--Undercharging--The Cavalier.

The Spaniards have a proverb: "No hay atajo sin trabajo," there is no
short cut without a deal of labour. This proverb is very true, as I know
by my own experience, for I never took a short cut in my life, and I have
taken many in my wanderings, without falling down, getting into a slough,
or losing my way. On the present occasion I lost my way, and wandered
about for nearly two hours amidst rocks, thickets, and precipices,
without being able to find it. The temperance woman, however, spoke
nothing but the truth when she said I should see some fine scenery. From
a rock I obtained a wonderful view of the Wyddfa towering in sublime
grandeur in the west, and of the beautiful, but spectral, Knicht shooting
up high in the north; and from the top of a bare hill I obtained a
prospect to the south, noble indeed--waters, forests, hoary mountains,
and in the far distance the sea. But all these fine prospects were a
poor compensation for what I underwent: I was scorched by the sun, which
was insufferably hot, and my feet were bleeding from the sharp points of
the rocks which cut through my boots like razors. At length coming to a
stone wa