the doom of the griffiths-第3部分

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dependants；　or　some　unaccountable　thwarting　of　his　own　wishes；　he

fancied　he　saw　his　stepmother's　secret　influence　thus　displayed；

however　much　she　might　regret　the　injustice　of　his　father's　actions

in　her　conversations　with　him　when　they　were　alone。　　His　father　was

fast　losing　his　temperate　habits；　and　frequent　intoxication　soon　took

its　usual　effect　upon　the　temper。　　Yet　even　here　was　the　spell　of　his

wife　upon　him。　　Before　her　he　placed　a　restraint　upon　his　passion；

yet　she　was　perfectly　aware　of　his　irritable　disposition；　and

directed　it　hither　and　thither　with　the　same　apparent　ignorance　of

the　tendency　of　her　words。



Meanwhile　Owen's　situation　became　peculiarly　mortifying　to　a　youth

whose　early　remembrances　afforded　such　a　contrast　to　his　present

state。　　As　a　child；　he　had　been　elevated　to　the　consequence　of　a　man

before　his　years　gave　any　mental　check　to　the　selfishness　which　such

conduct　was　likely　to　engender；　he　could　remember　when　his　will　was

law　to　the　servants　and　dependants；　and　his　sympathy　necessary　to　his

father：　　now　he　was　as　a　cipher　in　his　father's　house；　and　the

Squire；　estranged　in　the　first　instance　by　a　feeling　of　the　injury　he

had　done　his　son　in　not　sooner　acquainting　him　with　his　purposed

marriage；　seemed　rather　to　avoid　than　to　seek　him　as　a　companion；　and

too　frequently　showed　the　most　utter　indifference　to　the　feelings　and

wishes　which　a　young　man　of　a　high　and　independent　spirit　might　be

supposed　to　indulge。



Perhaps　Owen　was　not　fully　aware　of　the　force　of　all　these

circumstances；　for　an　actor　in　a　family　drama　is　seldom　unimpassioned

enough　to　be　perfectly　observant。　　But　he　became　moody　and　soured；

brooding　over　his　unloved　existence；　and　craving　with　a　human　heart

after　sympathy。



This　feeling　took　more　full　possession　of　his　mind　when　he　had　left

college；　and　returned　home　to　lead　an　idle　and　purposeless　life。　　As

the　heir；　there　was　no　worldly　necessity　for　exertion：　　his　father

was　too　much　of　a　Welsh　squire　to　dream　of　the　moral　necessity；　and

he　himself　had　not　sufficient　strength　of　mind　to　decide　at　once　upon

abandoning　a　place　and　mode　of　life　which　abounded　in　daily

mortifications；　yet　to　this　course　his　judgment　was　slowly　tending；

when　some　circumstances　occurred　to　detain　him　at　Bodowen。



It　was　not　to　be　expected　that　harmony　would　long　be　preserved；　even

in　appearance；　between　an　unguarded　and　soured　young　man；　such　as

Owen；　and　his　wary　stepmother；　when　he　had　once　left　college；　and

come；　not　as　a　visitor；　but　as　the　heir　to　his　father's　house。　　Some

cause　of　difference　occurred；　where　the　woman　subdued　her　hidden

anger　sufficiently　to　become　convinced　that　Owen　was　not　entirely　the

dupe　she　had　believed　him　to　be。　　Henceforward　there　was　no　peace

between　them。　　Not　in　vulgar　altercations　did　this　show　itself；　but

in　moody　reserve　on　Owen's　part；　and　in　undisguised　and　contemptuous

pursuance　of　her　own　plans　by　his　stepmother。　　Bodowen　was　no　longer

a　place　where；　if　Owen　was　not　loved　or　attended　to；　he　could　at

least　find　peace；　and　care　for　himself：　　he　was　thwarted　at　every

step；　and　in　every　wish；　by　his　father's　desire；　apparently；　while

the　wife　sat　by　with　a　smile　of　triumph　on　her　beautiful　lips。



So　Owen　went　forth　at　the　early　day　dawn；　sometimes　roaming　about　on

the　shore　or　the　upland；　shooting　or　fishing；　as　the　season　might　be；

but　oftener　〃stretched　in　indolent　repose〃　on　the　short；　sweet　grass；

indulging　in　gloomy　and　morbid　reveries。　　He　would　fancy　that　this

mortified　state　of　existence　was　a　dream；　a　horrible　dream；　from

which　he　should　awake　and　find　himself　again　the　sole　object　and

darling　of　his　father。　　And　then　he　would　start　up　and　strive　to

shake　off　the　incubus。　　There　was　the　molten　sunset　of　his　childish

memory；　the　gorgeous　crimson　piles　of　glory　in　the　west；　fading　away

into　the　cold　calm　light　of　the　rising　moon；　while　here　and　there　a

cloud　floated　across　the　western　heaven；　like　a　seraph's　wing；　in　its

flaming　beauty；　the　earth　was　the　same　as　in　his　childhood's　days；

full　of　gentle　evening　sounds；　and　the　harmonies　of　twilightthe

breeze　came　sweeping　low　over　the　heather　and　blue…bells　by　his　side；

and　the　turf　was　sending　up　its　evening　incense　of　perfume。　　But

life；　and　heart；　and　hope　were　changed　for　ever　since　those　bygone

days！



Or　he　would　seat　himself　in　a　favourite　niche　of　the　rocks　on　Moel

Gest；　hidden　by　a　stunted　growth　of　the　whitty；　or　mountain…ash；　from

general　observation；　with　a　rich…tinted　cushion　of　stone…crop　for　his

feet；　and　a　straight　precipice　of　rock　rising　just　above。　　Here　would

he　sit　for　hours；　gazing　idly　at　the　bay　below　with　its　back…ground

of　purple　hills；　and　the　little　fishing…sail　on　its　bosom；　showing

white　in　the　sunbeam；　and　gliding　on　in　such　harmony　with　the　quiet

beauty　of　the　glassy　sea；　or　he　would　pull　out　an　old　school…volume；

his　companion　for　years；　and　in　morbid　accordance　with　the　dark

legend　that　still　lurked　in　the　recesses　of　his　minda　shape　of

gloom　in　those　innermost　haunts　awaiting　its　time　to　come　forth　in

distinct　outlinewould　he　turn　to　the　old　Greek　dramas　which　treat

of　a　family　foredoomed　by　an　avenging　Fate。　　The　worn　page　opened　of

itself　at　the　play　of　the　OEdipus　Tyrannus；　and　Owen　dwelt　with　the

craving　disease　upon　the　prophecy　so　nearly　resembling　that　which

concerned　himself。　　With　his　consciousness　of　neglect；　there　was　a

sort　of　self…flattery　in　the　consequence　which　the　legend　gave　him。

He　almost　wondered　how　they　durst；　with　slights　and　insults；　thus

provoke　the　Avenger。



The　days　drifted　onward。　　Often　he　would　vehemently　pursue　some

sylvan　sport；　till　thought　and　feeling　were　lost　in　the　violence　of

bodily　exertion。　　Occasionally　his　evenings　were　spent　at　a　small

public…house；　such　as　stood　by　the　unfrequented　wayside；　where　the

welcome；　hearty；　though　bought；　seemed　so　strongly　to　contrast　with

the　gloomy　negligence　of　homeunsympathising　home。



One　evening　（Owen　might　be　four　or　five…and…twenty）；　wearied　with　a

day's　shooting　on　the　Clenneny　Moors；　he　passed　by　the　open　door　of

〃The　Goat〃　at　Penmorfa。　　The　light　and　the　cheeriness　within　tempted

him；　poor　self…exhausted　man！　as　it　has　done　many　a　one　more　wretched

in　worldly　circumstances；　to　step　in；　and　take　his　evening　meal　where

at　least　his　presence　was　of　some　consequence。　　It　was　a　busy　day　in

that　little　hostel。　　A　flock　of　sheep；　amounting　to　some　hundreds；

had　arrived　at　Penmorfa；　on　their　road　to　England；　and　thronged　the

space　before　the　house。　　Inside　was　the　shrewd；　kind…hearted　hostess；

bustling　to　and　fro；　with　merry　greetings　for　every　tired　drover　who

was　to　pass　the　night　in　her　house；　while　the　sheep　were　penned　in　a

field　close　by。　　Ever　and　anon；　she　kept　attending　to　the　second

crowd　of　guests；　who　were　celebrating　a　rural　wedding　in　her　house。

It　was　busy　work　to　Martha　Thomas；　yet　her　smile　never　flagged；　and

when　Owen　Griffiths　had　finished　his　evening　meal　she　was　there；

ready　with　a　hope　that　it　had　done　him　good；　and　was　to　his　mind；　and

a　word　of　intelligence　that　the　wedding…folk　were　about　to　dance　in

the　kitchen；　and　the　harper　was　the　famous　Edward　of　Corwen。



Owen；　partly　from　good…natured　compliance　with　his　hostess's　implied

wish；　and　partly　from　curiosity；　lounged　to　the　passage　which　led　to

the　kitchennot　the　every…day；　working；　cooking　kitchen；　which　was

behind；　but　a　good…sized　room；　where　the　mistress　sat；　when　her　work

was　done；　and　where　the　country　people　were　commonly　entertained　at

such　merry…makings　as　the　present。　　The　lintels　of　the　door　formed　a

frame　for　the　animated　picture　which　Owen　saw　within；　as　he　leaned

against　the　wall　in　the　dark　passage。　　The　red　light　of　the　fire；

with　every　now　and　then　a　falling　piece　of　turf　sending　forth　a　fresh

blaze；　shone　full　upon　four　young　men　who　were　dancing　a　measure

something　like　a　Scotch　reel；　keeping　admirable　time　in　their　rapid

movements　to　the　capital　tune　the　harper　was　playing。　　They　had　their

hats　on　when　Owen　first　took　his　stand；　but　as　they　grew　more　and

more　animated　they　flung　them　away；　and　presently　their　shoes　were

kicked　off　with　like　disregard　to　the　spot　where　they　might　happen　to

alight。　　Shouts　of　applause　followed　any　remarkable　exertion　of

agility；　in　which　each　seemed　to　try　to　excel　his　companions。　　At

length；　wearied　and　exhausted；　they　sat　down；　and　the　harper

gradually　changed　to　one　of　those　wild；　inspiring　national　airs　for

which　he　was　so　famous。　　The　thronged　audience　sat　earnest　and

breathless；　and　you　might　have　heard　a　pin　drop；　except　when　some

maiden　passed　hurriedly；　with　flaring　candle　and　busy　look；　through

to　the　real　kitchen　beyond。　　When　he　had　finished　his　beautiful　theme

on　〃The　March　of　the　men　of　Harlech；〃　he　changed　the　measure　again　to

〃Tri　chant　o'　bunnan〃　（Three　hundred　pounds）；　and　immediately　a　most

unmusical…looking　man　began　chanting　〃Pennillion；〃　or　a　sort　of

recitative　stanzas；　which　were　soon　taken　up　by　another；　and　this

amusement　lasted　so　long　that　Owen　grew　weary；　and　was　thinking　of

retreating　from　his　post　by　the　door；　when　some　little　bustle　was

occasioned；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room；　by　the　entrance　of　a

middle…aged　man；　and　a　young　girl；　apparently　his　daughter。　　The　man

advanced　to　the　bench　occupied　by　the　seniors　of　the　party；　who

welcomed　him　with　the　usual　pretty　Welsh　greeting；　〃Pa　sut　mae　dy

galon？〃　（〃How　is　thy　heart？〃）　and　drinking　his　health　passed　on　to

him　the　cup　of　excellent　cwrw。　　The　girl；　evidently　a　village　belle；

was　as　warmly　greeted　by　the　young　men；　while　the　girls　eyed　her

rather　askance　with　a　half…jealous　look；　which　Owen　set　down　to　the

score　of　her　extreme　prettiness。　　Like　most　Welsh　women；　she　was　of

middle　size　as　to　height；　but　beautifully　made；　with　the　most　perfect

yet　delicate　roundness　in　every　limb。　　Her　little　mob…cap　was

carefully　adjusted　to　a　face　which