n, and almost immediately after, two or three young fellows rollicked
into the room: "Come let's be off," said one of them to the Wolverhampton
gent; "the carriage is ready." "I'm glad of it," said the fast young
man, "for it's rather slow work here. Come, doctor! are you going with
us or do you intend to stay here all night?" Thereupon the doctor got
up, and coming towards me leaning on his cane, said: "Sir! it gives me
infinite pleasure that I have met a second time a gentleman of so much
literature. That we shall ever meet a third time I may wish but can
scarcely hope, owing to certain ailments under which I suffer, brought
on, sir, by a residence of many years in the Occidental Indies. However,
at all events, I wish you health and happiness." He then shook me gently
by the hand and departed with the Wolverhampton gent and his companions;
the gent as he stumped out of the room saying, "Good-night, sir; I hope
it will not be long before I see you at another public dinner at
Wolverhampton, and hear another speech from you as good as the last." In
a minute or two I heard them drive off. Left to myself I began to
discuss my dinner. Of the dinner I had nothing to complain, but the ale
which accompanied it was very bad. This was the more mortifying, for,
remembering the excellent ale I had drunk at Bala some months previously,
I had, as I came along the gloomy roads the present evening, been
promising myself a delicious treat on my arrival.

"This is very bad ale!" said I to the freckled maid, "very different from
what I drank in the summer, when I was waited on by Tom Jenkins."

"It is the same ale, sir," said the maid, "but the last in the cask; and
we shan't have any more for six months, when he will come again to brew
for the summer; but we have very good porter, sir, and first-rate
Allsopp."

"Allsopp's ale," said I, "will do for July and August, but scarcely for
the end of October. However, bring me a pint; I prefer it at all times
to porter."

My dinner concluded, I trifled away my time till about ten o'clock, and
then went to bed.

CHAPTER LXXIII

Breakfast--The Freckled Maid--Llan uwch Llyn--The Landlady--Llewarch
Hen--Conversions to the Church.

Awaking occasionally in the night I heard much storm and rain. The
following morning it was gloomy and lowering. As it was Sunday I
determined to pass the day at Bala, and accordingly took my Prayer Book
out of my satchel, and also my single w