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〃The greatest prydydd；〃 said the man of the tattered hat； emptying
the last contents of the jug into his glass； 〃the greatest prydydd
that … 〃
〃Well；〃 said I； 〃you appear to enjoy very great consideration； and
yet you were talking just now of being ill…used。〃
〃So I have been；〃 said the man in grey； 〃I have been kept out of
the eisteddfoddau … and then … what do you think？ That fellow； the
editor of the TIMES … 〃
〃Oh；〃 said I； 〃if you have anything to do with the editor of the
TIMES you may； of course； expect nothing but shabby treatment； but
what business could you have with him？〃
〃Why I sent him some pennillion for insertion； and he did not
insert them。〃
〃Were they in Welsh or English？〃
〃In Welsh； of course。〃
〃Well； then the man had some excuse for disregarding them … because
you know the TIMES is written in English。〃
〃Oh； you mean the London TIMES；〃 said the man in grey。 〃Pooh！ I
did not allude to that trumpery journal； but the Liverpool TIMES；
the Amserau。 I sent some pennillion to the editor for insertion
and he did not insert them。 Peth a clwir cenfigen yn Saesneg？〃
〃We call cenfigen in English envy；〃 said I； 〃but as I told you
before； envy will not always prevail。〃
〃You cannot imagine how pleased I am with your company；〃 said the
man in grey。 〃Landlord； landlord！〃
〃The greatest prydydd；〃 said the man of the tattered hat； 〃the
greatest prydydd。〃
〃Pray don't order any more on my account；〃 said I； 〃as you see my
glass is still full。 I am about to start for Caer Gybi。 Pray；
where are you bound for？〃
〃For Bangor；〃 said the man in grey。 〃I am going to the market。〃
〃Then I would advise you to lose no time；〃 said I； 〃or you will
infallibly be too late； it must now be one o'clock。〃
〃There is no market to…day；〃 said the man in grey； 〃the market is
to…morrow； which is Saturday。 I like to take things leisurely； on
which account； when I go to market； I generally set out the day
before； in order that I may enjoy myself upon the road。 I feel
myself so happy here that I shall not stir till the evening。 Now
pray stay with me and my friend till then。〃
〃I cannot；〃 said I； 〃if I stay longer here I shall never reach Caer
Gybi to…night。 But allow me to ask whether your business at L…
will not suffer by your spending so much time on the road to
market？〃
〃My wife takes care of the business whilst I am away；〃 said the man
in grey； 〃so it won't suffer much。 Indeed it is she who chiefly
conducts the business of the inn。 I spend a good deal of time from
home； for besides being a bard and inn…keeper； I must tell you I am
a horse…dealer and a jobber； and if I go to Bangor it is in the
hope of purchasing a horse or pig worth the money。〃
〃And is your friend going to market too？〃 said I。
〃My friend goes with me to assist me and bear me company。 If I buy
a pig he will help me to drive it home； if a horse； he will get up
upon its back behind me。 I might perhaps do without him； but I
enjoy his company highly。 He is sometimes rather indiscreet； but I
do assure you he is exceedingly clever。〃
〃The greatest prydydd；〃 said the man of the bulged shoe； 〃the
greatest prydydd in the world。〃
〃Oh； I have no doubt of his cleverness；〃 said I； 〃from what I have
observed of him。 Now before I go allow me to pay for your next jug
of ale。〃
〃I will do no such thing；〃 said the man in grey。 〃No farthing do
you pay here for me or my friend either。 But I will tell you what
you may do。 I am； as I have told you； an inn…keeper as well as a
bard。 By the time you get to L… you will be hot and hungry and in
need of refreshment； and if you think proper to patronise my house；
the … Arms； by taking your chop and pint there； you will oblige me。
Landlord； some more ale。〃
〃The greatest prydydd；〃 said he of the bulged shoe； 〃the greatest
prydydd … 〃
〃I will most certainly patronise your house；〃 said I to the man in
grey； and shaking him heartily by the hand I departed。
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Inn at L… The Handmaid … The Decanter … Religious Gentleman …
Truly Distressing … Sententiousness … Way to Pay Bills。
I PROCEEDED on my way in high spirits indeed； having now seen not
only the tomb of the Tudors； but one of those sober poets for which
Anglesey has always been so famous。 The country was pretty； with
here and there a hill； a harvest…field； a clump of trees or a
grove。
I soon reached L…； a small but neat town。 〃Where is the … Arms？〃
said I to a man whom I met。
〃Yonder； sir； yonder；〃 said he； pointing to a magnificent structure
on the left。
I went in and found myself in a spacious hall。 A good…looking
young woman in a white dress with a profusion of pink ribbons
confronted me with a curtsey。 〃A pint and a chop！〃 I exclaimed；
with a flourish of my hand and at the top of my voice。 The damsel
gave a kind of start； and then； with something like a toss of the
head； led the way into a very large room； on the left； in which
were many tables； covered with snowy…white cloths； on which were
plates； knives and forks； the latter seemingly of silver； tumblers；
and wine…glasses。
〃I think you asked for a pint and a chop； sir？〃 said the damsel；
motioning me to sit down at one of the tables。
〃I did；〃 said I； as I sat down； 〃let them be brought with all
convenient speed； for I am in something of a hurry。〃
〃Very well； sir；〃 said the damsel； and then with another kind of
toss of the head； she went away； not forgetting to turn half round；
to take a furtive glance at me； before she went out of the door。
〃Well；〃 said I； as I looked at the tables； with their snowy…white
cloths； tumblers； wine…glasses and what not； and at the walls of
the room glittering with mirrors； 〃surely a poet never kept so
magnificent an inn before； there must be something in this fellow
besides the awen； or his house would never exhibit such marks of
prosperity and good taste … there must be something in this fellow；
though he pretends to be a wild erratic son of Parnassus； he must
have an eye to the main chance； a genius for turning the penny； or
rather the sovereign； for the accommodation here is no penny
accommodation； as I shall probably find。 Perhaps； however； like
myself； he has an exceedingly clever wife who； whilst he is making
verses； or running about the country swigging ale with people in
bulged shoes； or buying pigs or glandered horses； looks after
matters at home； drives a swinging trade； and keeps not only
herself； but him respectable … but even in that event he must have
a good deal of common…sense in him； even like myself； who always
allows my wife to buy and sell； carry money to the bank； draw
cheques； inspect and pay tradesmen's bills； and transact all my
real business； whilst I myself pore over old books； walk about
shires； discoursing with gypsies； under hedgerows； or with sober
bards … in hedge ale…houses。〃 I continued musing in this manner
until the handmaid made her appearance with a tray； on which were
covers and a decanter； which she placed before me。 〃What is that？〃
said I； pointing to a decanter。
〃Only a p