Chapter 9
Chapter 9 of Garth Owen, a story of a Welsh homestead by Alan Raine. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The North Star Eben Owens was going to market in his rough jolting car. Dick Peekstye beside him, both dressed in their best frieze,
in the back of the car, covered over with a netting, lay three small pigs, who grunted and squealed in concert when a rough stone gave him an extra jolt. In the crowded street at Castle On, where the bargaining was most vigorous and the noise of the market was loudest, he stopped, an unharnessed bowler who had forged into town with great swinging steps and much jingling of buckles and chains.
Having led him into the yard of the plough-in, he returned and with Dick's help proceeded to lift out the pigs and carry them to the pen prepared for them in the open street, Dick taking them by the ears and Ebinoins by the tail. Now pigs have remonstrated loudly against this mode of conveyance for generations,
but nobody seems to have listened to their expostulations. They are by no means light and airy creatures. Indeed, for their size, they are of considerable weight. so why they of all other animals should be picked out for this summary mode of transport is difficult to understand. At any rate the Carthoen pigs resented it warmly and the air
was rent with the shrieks as Will and Gwilym Morris came upon the scene. Eben Owens almost dropped his pig in the delight of seeing his son in his new clothes. Will nodded smilingly at him while keeping at a respectable distance from the shrieking animals, and the old man was filled with a glow of pride and happiness which threw a colour de rose over everything for the rest of the day. In truth, Morgan Jones of Bryn made an easy bargain with him for those pigs, and Ebbin went
home in the evening with ten shillings less in his pocket than he meant to have had when he started from home. Look you here, he said to Anne and Gethin, who both hovered around him on his return with loving attentions. Look you here now, wasn't a gentleman in the market looking smarter than our will today? There was the young son of Mr. Vaughan, the lawyer, who dressed like him exactly. Same brown hat, same grey suit, and his boots not shining so well as Will's. Captain Bob.
This answer me was, shouldn't wonder if he didn't marry a lady some day with plenty of money. Shouldn't wonder indeed, said Gething, clapping him on the back, and as proud he'll be to drive his old father to church with him. Heck, heck, heck, laughed the old man, sitting down and rubbing his knees. Well, indeed he's a fine boy whatever.
Wasn't Gwilym there? asked Anne. yes yes to be sure and he's looking very nice always but i didn't notice him much today meanwhile in the town will and gwillam had much to do there were books to be got there was a horse to be looked at for the farm and moreover will was to call upon mr price the vicar so the hours passed quickly away until late in the afternoon when the crowd was a little thinning the nanty
mini carriage passed through the street. Within it, Colonel Vaughan and his niece. Will saw it at once, and turned away to avoid recognition, for although nothing would have pleased him more, he was a man of great tact and common sense, and never spoiled a good chance by indiscreet intrusion. As he turned away, Colonel Vaughan caught sight of him and stopped the carriage, beckoned to a bystander who touched his hat with a knobbed stake from the hedge
isn't that young owens of garth owen he's sure said the man knocking his hat again ask him to come here then and will came not too hurriedly and with assumed nonchalance well young man said the colonel i want to know how your arm is it's quite well thank you said will carefully studying his accent, I hope, he added, taking off his hat and turning to Gwenda, who sat up interested, I hope you are no longer suffering pain. Very little, thank you. I'm so glad your arm is well
again, and I'm glad to have this opportunity of thanking you. And as Will prepared to withdraw again, lifting his hat and showing his tawny locks and his white teeth, Miss Vaughan placed her hand in his with a friendly goodbye. The old colonel winced a little. I don't think you need have shaken hands with him, child. However, it was very nice of you, and I've no doubt it will please the young man very much. I declare, he looks like a gentleman.
And speaks like one, said Gwenda. Yes, pomy word, I don't know what the world's coming to. very nice people those vaughns i should think said gillam morris as he and will tramped homewards in the evening hmm yes said will i dare say they thought they were honoring me very much by their notice but mind you gillam in a few years i'll show them i can hold up my head with any of them will said gillam after a pause i'm afraid for you lad i'm afraid of what the world will make of you
At Garth Owen, with nothing but the simple country ways around us, we escape many temptations. But once we enter the world outside, even here in the market, it reaches us. That subtle, insidious glamour which incites us not to become what we ought to be, but to appear different to what we are in reality. I can't follow you, said Will.
I suppose it's every man's duty to try and get on as far as he can in the path of life which he has chosen. I have chosen mine and I don't mean to leave a stone unturned which may help me on You can't blame me for that, Quilliam No, no, I suppose not And yet, and yet, and yet what?
Asked Will irritably You may get to the very top of the ladder But then find it has not been leaning against the right wall That would be a poor success, Will Well, well, he said as they entered the farmyard
What's the matter with you tonight? You wait a few years, give me only a chance and you'll be proud of your old pupil When they had separated, Gwilym looked after him thoughtfully I wonder will I indeed, he said It was late in the evening when Morva made her way to the cliffs to meet her lover The moor was bathed in a flood of silver moonlight
The sea below was lighted up by the same serene effulgence and the silence of night was only broken by the trickle of the mill stream down in the valley, the barking of the dogs on the distant farms, and the secret scurry of a rabbit under the fir's bushes. As she neared the edge of the cliff, the peace and beauty of the scene impressed her eye, but did not reach her heart, which was beating with a strange unrest. In the dark shadow of the
crags on the cliffside, Will was waiting for her. He had been there some time, and was a little nettled at her delay. Where has been Morpha? he said, stretching out his hand, and drawing her towards him in the shadow. Come out of the moonlight glass, there is Simon Sundew fishing down there with Essex Jones, they will see thee. Well indeed, said the girl, what is the good of our going on like this it will be a weariness to thee to be always hiding thy thy my love for thee
no morver there's all the sweeter to me that nobody guesses it and nobody must guess it and that's what i want to speak to thee about when a man begins his life in earnest and takes his place in the outside world he must be careful morver careful of every step and must act very differently to those who mean to spend their lives in this dull corner of the world. Dull corner? said Morva.
To me it seems the one bright spot in the whole world, and as if no other place would have any consequence. I'm sure if I ever leave here, I will be pining for the old home, the lovely moor, and the sea and the cliffs.
Oh, I can never, never be happy anywhere else. tut tut said will thou art talking nonsense when i send for thee to come and live with me in a beautiful home thou will be happy but listen girl is thy love for me strong enough and true enough to bear what may look like neglect and forgetfulness for a time moreover i want to break away from thee lest any whispers of my love for thee should get abroad it would blast my success
in life, it would ruin my prospects if it were known that I courted my father's shepherdess. And so, for a time, I want to drop all outward connections with thee. Canst bear that, Morva, and still be true to me? I don't know, said the girl. Canst not believe that I shall love thee as much as ever, and more fervently perhaps than ever? I will try, said Morva, but I think thou art making a hard path for thyself and me.
It would be better for to drop me out of their life than thou couldst climb the uphill road without looking back. And leave thee free to marry another man? Never, Morver, I claim thy promise. Remember when thou wast a little girl
how I made thee point up to the North Star and promised to marry me some day? Indeed, the star is not there tonight, whatever. It is there, Morva, only the moonlight is too bright for thee to see it. It is there unchangeable, as thou hast promised to be to me.
Yes, I have promised. What more need be? Yes, more. Thou must tell me again tonight, Morva, that thou wilt be true to me whatever happens. Whatever thou mayst hear about me, that thou wilt still believe that in my heart I love thee and thee only. dost hear, girl, whatever thou dost hear. I will believe nothing I may hear against thee, Will, nothing at all, but when I see with my own eyes that thou art weary of me and art ashamed of me,
then remember I am free. But thine eyes may deceive thee. I will swear by them whatever, said morver with spirit will sighed sentimentally what a fate of mine is to be torn like this between my desire to rise in the world and my love for a girl in a in a humbler position than that to which i aspire will back thou art getting to talk so grand and to look so grand take my advice and drop poor mover of the moor? I will not, said Will. I will rise in the world, and I will have thee too.
Listen to me, lass. I am full of disquiet and anxiety, and thou must give me peace of mind, and confidence to go on my path bravely. Poor Will, said the girl, looking pensively out over the shimmering sea. Once more, Mover, dost love me? Oh, Will, once more, yes, I love thee with all my heart, thee and everyone at Garthawin. Well, said Will, we have been kind to thee ever since thou wast cast ashore by the storm. It would be cruel and ungrateful to return our kindness by
breaking my heart. Oh, I will never will. I would never do that. Be easy, have faith in me, and I will be true to my promise. Wilt seal it with a kiss then. Morva was very charry of her kisses, but tonight she let him draw her closer to him, while he pressed a passionate kiss upon her lips. There was no answering further on her part, but she went so far as to smooth back the thick hair which shaded his forehead, and to press a light kiss upon his brow.
Well done, said Will with a laugh. That is the first time thou hast ever given me a kiss of thine own accord. I must say, Morva, thou art as sparing of thy kisses as if there wert a princess. Well, lest, we must part. For tomorrow I am going to Claniego to see about my rooms, and there's lots to do tonight, so good-bye. and once more holding her hand in his, he kissed her,
and left her standing behind the broom bushes. She passed out into the moonlight, and walked slowly back over the moor, with her head drooping. An unusual thing for Morva, for from childhood she had had a habit of looking upwards.
Up there on the lonely moor, the vault of heaven with its galaxy of stars, its blue ethereal depths, its flood of silver moonlight, or its breath of sunlight blue seemed so closely to envelop and embrace her that it was impossible to ignore it.
But tonight she looked only at the gossamer spangles on her path. What did we mean by we must part? Whatever thou mayest hear. She sighed a little wearily as she lifted the latch of the cottage door. More they're saying, said Sarah, who sat reading her chapter by the fireside. Don't begin that, Myrhy, or I must do the same. I would never be happy, child, if thou wert not happy too, so we are too closely knit together.
And she took the girl's strong, firm hand in her own, so frail, so slender, and so soft. Morva's eyes filled with tears. Mother, I am happy, I think. Why should I not be? They are all so kind to me at Garth Owen, and I love them all so much. I would lay my life down for them, mother, and still be happy. Yes, child, I believe thou wouldst.
Come to supper, the cowl is ready. Tis the sinus tomorrow night, mother. Will I go? Yes, of course. I wouldn't have to go to the sinus of any other farm.
There is too much foolishness going on. Robin Davis the sailor is going to bring his fiddle, and it will be fun. But Anne will not allow any foolishness. no no said Sarah she's a sensible girl and going to be married to Quillam Morris too that will be a happy thing for her I think
Morva was silent following her own train of thoughts while she ate her barley bread and drank her cowl and when she broke the silence with a remark about Will to both women it came naturally as the sequence of their musings Will is going away tomorrow mother away tomorrow so soon only for a day or two i think oh was that the meaning of the sigh then mother i don't know said the girl pensively chasing a fly with her finger on the table oh mother i don't know it
is all a turmoil and unrest of thoughts here and she drew her hand over her forehead well never mind that, Mirky, if it is rest and happiness here. And Sarah laid her fingers on the region of Morva's heart. Tell me that, child. Is it rest and love there? Oh, I don't know, mother. I don't know indeed. Indeed. And then she did what Sarah had scarcely ever seen her do, since she had gone into long frocks and turned her hair up. She crossed her arms
on the table, and leaning her head upon them, she sobbed, and sobbed, and sobbed. End of chapter 9.
