The Cambrian Sketch-Book Part 15

"You are too cruel to defer the day of my being made perfectly happy."

"But for your and her sake I think there should be reasonable delay. It is true your father is a rich man, but for the present you are simply a son of a city prince. Possibly he might give you 1000 a year, but I should like to see you in business yourself before you settle down. Then my dear sister is young: only little over eighteen years. Three or four years is not long to wait."

"For the present I will not argue the point with you, you will learn that I am not in the position you fancy I am. I cannot explain myself further now, but when we return to town, you, dear Cadwgan, will know all.

Others will reveal facts to you which I am bound to keep secret."

"Well, well, we'll talk on this matter again. We must now return to the Villa, and make our arrangements for our immediate return to London.

Early to-morrow morning we must leave, otherwise we shall arrive at the warehouse on the day our leave expires."

During the evening, Mr. Roberts and Gwenfan had a long conversation.

When he returned to the library to join Cadwgan, he whispered, "It is all settled; I'm now happy."

In the following August, Miss Wynn and her aunt paid a long visit to London. During their stay, they were frequent visitors at Mr. Roberts'

urban mansion. The more he saw of the gentle, quiet, and lovely Gwenfan, the more he liked her; and when the time came when those loving hearts were to be made one, he took his son's and future daughter's hands in his, saying, "Be true to each other; and you, my son, guard this beautiful Cambrian plant, for I am persuaded she is worth her weight in gold. You, Rhys, have made a wise choice, I would rather have Gwenfan for my daughter than a princess of the royal blood. May Heaven bless your union!"

We now pa.s.s over a brief period of history. Mr. Roberts had now ceased to be a partner in the firm. From the date of Mr. Wynn joining the firm until Mr. Roberts' retirement, the house had prospered year after year.

The partners became wealthy men, were of high repute in the city, and Mr.

Wynn, who was considered the soul of the business, was looked up to as a man almost unequalled for business talents, while his word was regarded as law by all with whom he had any mercantile transactions.

Of Mr. Roberts' intended retirement, Mr. Wynn knew nothing until the very morning it was carried out. When they met in the former's private office, he asked,-

"How many years, Mr. Wynn, has our partners.h.i.+p lasted?"

"Five years, sir."

"How long have you been with me?"

"Ten years to-day, sir, I entered your service."

"Oh, how rapidly the time pa.s.ses! Well I have to thank my heavenly Father for having directed your footsteps here. You have proved yourself a faithful friend, since the date of our partners.h.i.+p. By your tact, judgment, business habits, industry, and integrity, you have raised our house to the highest commercial position. You are almost as dear to me, Cadwgan, as if you were my own child."

"From you," replied Mr. Wynn, "I have received the greatest kindness and consideration. To me you have been a second father. No parent could have shown a deeper interest in a son than you have shown in me."

"As you are now a rich man, Cadwgan, why don't you seek a wife. I'm sure you would be a better and happier man?"

"I have, Mr. Roberts, antic.i.p.ated your wish."

"I'm glad to hear it, Cadwgan, though you surprise me. I was not aware of your having fixed your heart on any young lady. I hope she is worthy of you."

"From you, sir, I keep nothing. The lady is Miss Jones; she has accepted my offer, and her parents have given their consent to our union."

"I'm glad to hear this, for your sake and hers. Jones is a capital fellow, and his daughter is a n.o.ble girl. She has in her own right a splendid fortune, and her father must be a rich man. She will make you an excellent wife. Her fortune is in the funds, and if necessary you could turn it to immediate account. I hope you will get back the old place.

"Now, Mr. Wynn, as you have told me your secret, I see no reason why I should withhold from you mine. I, too, am about to contract a marriage; I do not find it good to be alone; I am going to be wedded to my first love. Strange to say, her name is Wynn. Do you know any lady in your parts of North Wales of that name?"

"Indeed, sir, I don't at present recollect any lady of the name of Wynn."

"Try, Cadwgan, and remember. My impression is you must remember; she is acquainted with you."

"Surely, Mr. Roberts, you don't refer to my aunt?"

"I do though. Are you willing to give her to me?"

"Most willing, sir, as far as I am concerned."

"Then you are pleased at the prospect of a closer connection between us?

You have placed me in possession of your feeling. Now please give me the reason of its existence?"

"That I will do, sir, in a few words. Though she is my aunt, and the only relative I have in the world, except my dear sister, I must say that she is one of the kindest and best of women. I am sure she will make you happy. But, sir, I did not know you had ever seen my aunt until she came to visit me in London?"

"Miss Wynn was my earliest love. I proposed to her, but her brother, your dear father, objected to our union. I left for London immediately afterwards, got married, settled down in business, but from the day of my departure until her visit to you we never met. Mr. Jones was fully aware of the circ.u.mstance of my being rejected. It was, indeed, the fact of my proposal of which Jones took advantage to plead so persistently for you when he wished you to come here. Little did I know then what a n.o.ble boy you were, what a treasure I was to have in you. But let that pa.s.s: I have one favour to ask you. Will you grant it?"

"Yes, sir, to the extent of every penny I possess."

"Will you consent to be married on the same day as myself? And we will arrange that Rhys and your sister shall also be united on the occasion.

Next, will you sign that parchment, without asking any question, or examining its contents? you can make yourself acquainted with the particulars hereafter."

"Heartily I say yes, to your questions."

"My dear boy, I thank you from my heart of hearts for your goodness and confidence. The doc.u.ment contains a dissolution of partners.h.i.+p so far as I am concerned. You, and your future brother are now the owners of everything here."

"Mr. Roberts," replied Cadwgan, with tears in his eyes, "how can I ever repay you for so n.o.ble and so generous an act?"

"My dear boy, you have already repaid me with your grateful tear, by your ten years of faithful services, and by the splendid gift of your aunt.

There is the ledger, which you can scan at leisure. You will find the facts fully set forth. Here is a mortgage deed for 50,000,-a sum which simply represents your share of the profits of the business during the period of our partners.h.i.+p. The other mortgagee is your intended father-in-law, who has invested his daughter's fortune in the same property as her trustee and guardian. The two sums amount to 115,000, which are secured on your paternal estate, Wynn Castle. On the day of your marriage, the estate, which has been greatly improved since your poor father's death, will be conveyed to you as sole owner, by cancelling those deeds. How this matter has been arranged it is not necessary for you to know. I rejoice beyond measure in your being about to take possession of your lost inheritance, and to regain it by means so honourable to yourself. My prayer shall be that Heaven will bless you with health and prosperity, and that you may long live to enjoy it. I have now done my day's work, so for the present must wish you good morning. We shall soon meet again."

But few additional words are necessary to complete this history. In a few months after the above interview, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Roberts junior, and Cadwgan were married to the ladies of their choice.

During a portion of each summer, Mr. and Mrs. Cadwgan Wynn, and Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, senior and junior spent several weeks at Wynn Castle, where Mr. and Mrs. Owen Jones had taken up their permanent abode. The various tenants on the estate rejoiced in possessing such an excellent landlord, but their joy was unbounded on the morning the news reached them of the birth of a son and heir. On the return to the castle after this event, his tenantry presented him with an address, to which he replied as follows:-

"Friends and neighbours,-After many years of exile from the land of my birth and the home of my father's sepulchre, I feel it my first duty to return my grat.i.tude to Him who guides and directs the destiny of us all, for having in His good and merciful providence again directed my footsteps to the land of my love and my warmest affection. Twelve years to day I went out in the wide world, poor and almost penniless. I resolved, with Heaven's help, to succeed, that is if success could be achieved by honesty, integrity, and plodding. After wandering about London for several days, I found myself one summer evening on London Bridge, faint, anxious, and sick, with but a few s.h.i.+llings in my pocket.

Just as I was about to settle down to sleep on the cold stone, a good Welsh Samaritan who was pa.s.sing by had compa.s.sion on the forlorn one, and took me to his home. Strange to say, his n.o.ble daughter fell in love with me, poor and friendless though I was. That lady is my wife and the mother of my son. I might tell you that her love for dear old Cambria is as deep and as intense as is her love for her offspring. Moreover, her heart is full of sympathy for the sons and daughters of human suffering wherever found, and she will consider it not only a pleasure but a duty to visit and administer consolation and solace to the distressed in this beautiful valley. But, says my friend on my right, you must not remain idle; you have work to do. My dear friend, the Rev. Thomas Charles, who is an honour to our country, is doing much for the intellectual, moral, and religious welfare of the people. You ought to support his efforts by every means in your power. Him I will aid with my purse and influence.

I hope in this effort we shall be united, conformists and nonconformists, joining hand in hand and heart with heart, so that our people may become an intelligent and religious people. To bring about such a glorious consummation is the chief desire of my soul. I have only one more word to add, that is to thank you for your beautiful address. Be a.s.sured that I and my wife will endeavour to earn your good opinion. We will try to promote your commercial welfare, and with it your highest interest."

McLiver in due time was brought before the bar of justice, and his guilt having been clearly established, was banished the kingdom. After undergoing ten years of punishment in Van Diemen's Land, he obtained his release, and settled down in one of the Australian colonies as a small farmer. His uncle and cousin were finally apprehended, and being found guilty were transported. Donald was allowed to go free, as his guilt could not be legally established. Some years afterwards Mr. Wynn learned that he was engaged in the fish trade in one of the Orkney Islands.

TRADITIONS OF LLYN SAVATHAN; OR LLANGORSE, OR TALYLLYN LAKE.

CHAPTER I.

_TRADITIONS OF GIRALDUS_.