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porch … No fortune…telling … The master's niece … Doing good … Two
or three things … Groans and voices … Pechod Ysprydd Glan。
I SLEPT soundly during that night； partly owing to the influence of
the opiate。 Early in the morning I was awakened by the voices of
Peter and his wife； who were singing a morning hymn in their own
language。 Both subsequently prayed long and fervently。 I lay
still till their devotions were completed； and then left my tent。
'Good morning；' said Peter； 'how dost thou feel？' 'Much better；'
said I； 'than I could have expected。' 'I am glad of it；' said
Peter。 'Art thou hungry？ yonder comes our breakfast；' pointing to
the same young woman I had seen the preceding night； who was again
descending the hill bearing the tray upon her head。
'What dust thou intend to do； young man； this day？' said Peter；
when we had about half finished breakfast。 'Do；' said I； 'as I do
other days； what I can。' 'And dost thou pass this day as thou dost
other days？' said Peter。 'Why not？' said I； 'what is there in this
day different from the rest？ it seems to be of the same colour as
yesterday。' 'Art thou aware；' said the wife； interposing； 'what
day it is？ that it is Sabbath？ that it is Sunday？' 'No；' said I；
'I did not know that it was Sunday。' 'And how did that happen？'
said Winifred； with a sigh。 'To tell you the truth；' said I； 'I
live very much alone； and pay very little heed to the passing of
time。' 'And yet of what infinite importance is time；' said
Winifred。 'Art thou not aware that every year brings thee nearer
to thy end？' 'I do not think；' said I； 'that I am so near my end
as I was yesterday。' 'Yes； thou art；' said the woman； 'thou wast
not doomed to die yesterday； an invisible hand was watching over
thee yesterday； but thy day will come； therefore improve the time；
be grateful that thou wast saved yesterday； and； oh！ reflect on one
thing； if thou hadst died yesterday； where wouldst thou have been
now？' 'Cast into the earth； perhaps；' said I。 'I have heard Mr。
Petulengro say that to be cast into the earth is the natural end of
man。' 'Who is Mr。 Petulengro？' said Peter； interrupting his wife；
as she was about to speak。 'Master of the horse…shoe；' said I；
'and； according to his own account； king of Egypt。' 'I
understand；' said Peter； 'head of some family of wandering
Egyptians … they are a race utterly godless。 Art thou of them？ …
but no； thou art not； thou hast not their yellow blood。 I suppose
thou belongest to the family of wandering artisans called …。 I do
not like you the worse for belonging to them。 A mighty speaker of
old sprang up from amidst that family。' 'Who was he？' said I。
'John Bunyan；' replied Peter； reverently； 'and the mention of his
name reminds me that I have to preach this day； wilt thou go and
hear？ the distance is not great； only half a mile。' 'No；' said I；
'I will not go and hear。' 'Wherefore？' said Peter。 'I belong to
the church；' said I； 'and not to the congregations。' 'Oh！ the
pride of that church；' said Peter； addressing his wife in their own
tongue； 'exemplified even in the lowest and most ignorant of its
members。 Then thou； doubtless； meanest to go to church；' said
Peter； again addressing me； 'there is a church on the other side of
that wooded hill。' 'No；' said I； 'I do not mean to go to church。'
'May I ask thee wherefore？' said Peter。 'Because；' said I； 'I
prefer remaining beneath the shade of these trees； listening to the
sound of the leaves and the tinkling of the waters。'
'Then thou intendest to remain here？' said Peter； looking fixedly
at me。 'If I do not intrude；' said I； 'but if I do； I will wander
away； I wish to be beholden to nobody … perhaps you wish me to go？'
'On the contrary；' said Peter； 'I wish you to stay。 I begin to see
something in thee which has much interest for me； but we must now
bid thee farewell for the rest of the day； the time is drawing nigh
for us to repair to the place of preaching； before we leave thee
alone； however； I should wish to ask thee a question … Didst thou
seek thy own destruction yesterday； and didst thou wilfully take
that poison？' 'No；' said I； 'had I known there had been poison in
the cake I certainly should not have taken it。' 'And who gave it
thee？' said Peter。 'An enemy of mine；' I replied。 'Who is thy
enemy？' 'An Egyptian sorceress and poison…monger。' 'Thy enemy is
a female。 I fear thou hadst given her cause to hate thee … of what
did she complain？' 'That I had stolen the tongue out of her head。'
'I do not understand thee … is she young？' 'About sixty…five。'
Here Winifred interposed。 'Thou didst call her just now by hard
names； young man；' said she； 'I trust thou dost bear no malice
against her。' 'No；' said I； 'I bear no malice against her。' 'Thou
art not wishing to deliver her into the hand of what is called
justice？' 'By no means；' said I； 'I have lived long enough upon
the roads not to cry out for the constable when my finger is
broken。 I consider this poisoning as an accident of the roads； one
of those to which those who travel are occasionally subject。' 'In
short； thou forgivest thine adversary？' 'Both now and for ever；'
said I。 'Truly；' said Winifred； 'the spirit which the young man
displayeth pleases me much； I should be loth that he left us yet。
I have no doubt that； with the blessing of God； and a little of thy
exhortation； he will turn out a true Christian before he leaveth
us。' 'My exhortation！' said Peter； and a dark shade passed over
his countenance； 'thou forgettest what I am … I … I … but I am
forgetting myself； the Lord's will be done； and now put away the
things； for I perceive that our friends are coming to attend us to
the place of meeting。'
Again the family which I had seen the night before descended the
hill from their abode。 They were now dressed in their Sunday's
best。 The master of the house led the way。 They presently joined
us； when a quiet sober greeting ensued on each side。 After a
little time Peter shook me by the hand and bade me farewell till
the evening； Winifred did the same； adding that she hoped I should
be visited by sweet and holy thoughts。 The whole party then moved
off in the direction by which we had come the preceding night；
Peter and the master leading the way； followed by Winifred and the
mistress of the family。 As I gazed on their departing forms； I
felt almost inclined to follow them to their place of worship。 I
did not stir； however； but remained leaning against my oak with my
hands behind me。
And after a time I sat me down at the foot of the oak with my face
turned towards the water； and； folding my hands； I fell into deep
meditation。 I thought on the early Sabbaths of my life； and the
manner in which I was wont to pass them。 How carefully I said my
prayers when I got up on the Sabbath morn； and how carefully I
combed my hair and brushed my clothes in order that I might do
credit to the Sabbath day。 I thought of the old church at pretty
D…； the dignified rector； and yet more dignified clerk。 I though
of England's grand Liturgy； and Tate and Brady's sonorous
minstrelsy。 I thought of the Holy Book； portions of which I was in
the habit of reading between service。 I thought； too； of the
evening walk which I sometimes took in fine weather like the
present； with my mother and brother … a quiet sober walk； during
which I would not break into a run； even to chase a butterfly； or
yet more a honey…bee； being fully convinced of the dread importance
of the day which God had hallowed。 And how glad I was when I had
got over the Sabbath day without having done anything to profane
it。 And how soundly I slept on the Sabbath night after the toil of
being very good throughout the day。
And when I had mused on those times a long while； I sighed and said
to myself； I am much altered since then； am I altered for the
better？ And then I looked at my hands and my apparel； and sighed
again。 I was not wont of yore to appear thus on the Sabbath day。
For a long time I continued in a state of deep meditation； till at
last I lifted up my eyes to the sun； which； as usual during that
glorious summer； was shining in unclouded majesty； and then I
lowered them to the sparkling water； in which hundreds of the finny
brood were disporting themselves； and then I thought what a fine
thing it was to be a fish on such a fine summer day； and I wished
myself a fish； or at least amongst the fishes； and then I looked at
my hands again； and then； bending over the water； I looked at my
face in the crystal mirror； and started when I saw it； for it
looked squalid and miserable。
Forthwith I started up； and said to myself； I should like to bathe
and cleanse myself from the squalor produced by my late hard life
and by Mrs。 Herne'