h precipitous bank lying between
it and me. I went forward and ascended the side of the hill before me,
and presently came to a path running east and west. I followed it a
little way towards the east. I was now just above the house, and saw
some children and some dogs standing beside it. Suddenly I found myself
close to a man who stood in a hollow part of the road, from which a
narrow path led down to the house; a donkey with panniers stood beside
him. He was about fifty years of age, with a carbuncled countenance,
high but narrow forehead, grey eyebrows, and small, malignant grey eyes.
He had a white hat, with narrow eaves and the crown partly knocked out, a
torn blue coat, corduroy breeches, long stockings and highlows. He was
sucking a cutty pipe, but seemed unable to extract any smoke from it. He
had all the appearance of a vagabond, and of a rather dangerous vagabond.
I nodded to him, and asked him in Welsh the name of the place. He glared
at me malignantly, then, taking the pipe out of his mouth, said that he
did not know, that he had been down below to inquire and light his pipe,
but could get neither light nor answer from the children. I asked him
where he came from, but he evaded the question by asking where I was
going to.

"To the Pont y Gwr Drwg," said I.

He then asked me if I was an Englishman.

"Oh yes," said I, "I am Carn Sais;" whereupon, with a strange mixture in
his face of malignity and contempt, he answered in English that he didn't
understand me.

"You understood me very well," said I, without changing my language,
"till I told you I was an Englishman. Harkee, man with the broken hat,
you are one of the bad Welsh who don't like the English to know the
language, lest they should discover your lies and rogueries." He
evidently understood what I said, for he gnashed his teeth, though he
said nothing. "Well," said I, "I shall go down to those children and
inquire the name of the house;" and I forthwith began to descend the
path, the fellow uttering a contemptuous "humph" behind me, as much as to
say, "Much you'll make out down there." I soon reached the bottom and
advanced towards the house. The dogs had all along been barking
violently; as I drew near to them, however, they ceased, and two of the
largest came forward wagging their tails. "The dogs were not barking at
me," said I, "but at that vagabond above." I went up to the children;
they were four in number, two boys and two gir