e it on the
hearth, and a shepherd's dog wanders about, occasionally going to the
door and scratching as if anxious to get out. The company are dressed
mostly in the same fashion, brown coats, broad-brimmed hats, and
yellowish corduroy breeches with gaiters. One who looks like a labouring
man has a white smock and a white hat, patched trowsers, and highlows
covered with gravel--one has a blue coat.

"There is a clock on the right-hand side of the kitchen; a warming-pan
hangs close by it on the projecting side of the chimney-corner. On the
same side is a large rack containing many plates and dishes of
Staffordshire ware. Let me not forget a pair of fire-irons which hang on
the right-hand side of the chimney-corner!"

I made a great many more dottings, which I shall not insert here. During
the whole time I was dotting the most marvellous silence prevailed in the
room, broken only by the occasional scratching of the dog against the
inside of the door, the ticking of the clock, and the ruttling of the
smoker's pipe in the chimney-corner. After I had dotted to my heart's
content I closed my book, put the pencil into the loops, then the book
into my pocket, drank what remained of my ale, got up, and, after another
look at the apartment and its furniture, and a leer at the company,
departed from the house without ceremony, having paid for the ale when I
received it. After walking some fifty yards down the street I turned
half round and beheld, as I knew I should, the whole company at the door
staring after me. I leered sideways at them for about half a minute, but
they stood my leer stoutly. Suddenly I was inspired by a thought.
Turning round I confronted them, and pulling my note-book out of my
pocket, and seizing my pencil, I fell to dotting vigorously. That was
too much for them. As if struck by a panic, my quondam friends turned
round and bolted into the house; the rustic-looking man with the
smock-frock and gravelled highlows nearly falling down in his eagerness
to get in.

The name of the place where this adventure occurred was Cemmaes.

CHAPTER LXXVII

The Deaf Man--Funeral Procession--The Lone Family--The Welsh and their
Secrets--The Vale of the Dyfi--The Bright Moon.

A little way from Cemmaes I saw a respectable-looking old man like a
little farmer, to whom I said:

"How far to Machynlleth?"

Looking at me in a piteous manner in the face he pointed to the side of
his head, and said--"Dim