wild，beautiful，solitarynature-hermountainsandcascades，herforestsandstreams，herbirds，fishes，andwildanimals。Goto，AbGwilym，withthypseudo-amatoryodes，toMorfydd，orthisorthatotherlady，fairorugly；littledidstthoucareforanyofthem，DameNaturewasthylove，howeverthoumayestseektodisguisethetruth。Yes，yes，sendthylove-messagetoMorfydd，thefairwanton。Bywhomdostthousendit，Iwouldknow？bythesalmonforsooth，whichhauntstherushingstream!theglorioussalmonwhichboundsandgambolsintheflashingwater，andwhosewaysandcircumstancesthousowelldescribest-see，therehehurriesupwardsthroughtheflashingwater。Halloo!whataglimpseofglory-butwhereisMorfyddthewhile？What，anothermessagetothewifeofBwaBach？Ay，truly；andbywhom？-thewind!theswiftwind，therideroftheworld，whosecourseisnottobestayed；whogallopso’erthemountain，and，whenhecomestobroadestriver，asksneitherforboatnorferry；whohasdescribedthewindsowell-hisspeedandpower？ButwhereisMorfydd？AndnowthouartawaitingMorfydd，thewanton，thewifeoftheBwaBach；thouartawaitingherbeneaththetalltrees，amidsttheunderwood；butshecomesnot；noMorfyddisthere。Quiteright，AbGwilym；whatwantestthouwithMorfydd？Butanotherformisnighathand，thatofredReynard，who，seateduponhischineatthemouthofhiscave，looksverycomposedlyatthee；thoustartest，bendestthybow，thycross-bow，intendingtohitReynardwiththeboltjustaboutthejaw；butthebowbreaks，Reynardbarksanddisappearsintohiscave，whichbythineownaccountreacheshell-andthenthouravestatthemisfortuneofthybow，andthenon-appearanceofMorfydd，andabusestReynard。Goto，thoucarestneitherforthybownorforMorfydd，thoumerelyseekestanopportunitytospeakofReynard；andwhohasdescribedhimlikethee？thebrutewiththesharpshrillcry，theblackreverseofmelody，whosefacesometimeswearsasmilelikethedevil’sintheEvangile。ButnowthouartactuallywithMorfydd；yes，shehasstolenfromthedwellingoftheBwaBachandhasmettheebeneaththoserocks-sheisactuallywiththee，AbGwilym；butsheisnotlongwiththee，forastormcomeson，andthundershatterstherocks-Morfyddflees!Quiteright，AbGwilym；thouhadstnoneedofher，abetterthemeforsongisthevoiceoftheLord-therock-shatterer-thanthefrailwifeoftheBwaBach。Goto，AbGwilym，thouwastawiserandabettermanthanthouwouldstfainhavehadpeoplebelieve。
　　Butenoughoftheeandthysongs!Thosetimespassedrapidly；withAbGwilyminmyhand，Iwasinthemidstofenchantedground，inwhichIexperiencedsensationsakintothoseIhadfeltofyorewhilstspellingmywaythroughthewonderfulbook-thedelightofmychildhood。Isayakin，forperhapsonlyonceinourlivesdoweexperienceunmixedwonderanddelight；andtheseIhadalreadyknown。
　　CHAPTERXX
　　Silvergray-Goodwordforeverybody-Aremarkableyouth-
　　Clients-Gradesinsociety-Thearchdeacon-ReadingtheBible。
　　’IAMafraidthatIhavenotactedverywiselyinputtingthisboyofourstothelaw，’saidmyfathertomymother，astheysattogetheronesummereveningintheirlittlegarden，beneaththeshadeofsometallpoplars。
　　Yes，theresatmyfatherinthegardenchairwhichleanedagainstthewallofhisquiethome，thehaveninwhichhehadsoughtrest，and，praisebetoGod，foundit，aftermanyayearofpoorly-
　　requitedtoil；therehesat，withlocksofsilvergraywhichsetoffsonoblyhisfineboldbutbenevolentface，hisfaithfulconsortathisside，andhistrustydogathisfeet-aneccentricanimalofthegenuineregimentalbreed，who，bornamongstredcoats，hadnotyetbecomereconciledtothoseofanyotherhue，barkingandtearingatthemwhentheydrewnearthedoor，buttestifyinghisfondreminiscenceoftheformerbyhospitablewaggingsofthetailwheneverauniformmadeitsappearance-atpresentaveryunfrequentoccurrence。
　　’IamafraidIhavenotdonerightinputtinghimtothelaw，’saidmyfather，restinghischinuponhisgold-headedbamboocane。
　　’Why，whatmakesyouthinkso？’saidmymother。
　　’Ihavebeentakingmyusualeveningwalkuptheroad，withtheanimalhere，’saidmyfather；’and，asIwalkedalong，Iovertooktheboy’smaster，Mr。S。Weshookhands，and，afterwalkingalittlewayfarther，weturnedbacktogether，talkingaboutthisandthat；thestateofthecountry，theweather，andthedog，whichhegreatlyadmired；forheisagood-naturedman，andhasagoodwordforeverybody，thoughthedogallbutbithimwhenheattemptedtocoaxhishead；afterthedog，webegantalkingabouttheboy；itwasmyselfwhointroducedthatsubject：Ithoughtitwasagoodopportunitytolearnhowhewasgettingon，soIaskedwhathethoughtofmyson；hehesitatedatfirst，seemingscarcelytoknowwhattosay；atlengthhecameoutwith“Oh，averyextraordinaryyouth，amostremarkableyouthindeed，captain!““Indeed，“saidI，“Iamgladtohearit，butIhopeyoufindhimsteady？““Steady，steady，“saidhe，“why，yes，he’ssteady，Icannotsaythatheisnotsteady。““Come，come，“saidI，beginningtoberatheruneasy，“Iseeplainlythatyouarenotaltogethersatisfiedwithhim；I
　　wasafraidyouwouldnotbe，for，thoughheismyownson，Iamanythingbutblindtohisimperfections；butdotellmewhatparticularfaultyouhavetofindwithhim；andIwilldomybesttomakehimalterhisconduct。““Nofaulttofindwithhim，captain，Iassureyou，nofaultwhatever；theyouthisaremarkableyouth，anextraordinaryyouth，only-“AsItoldyoubefore，Mr。
　　S-isthebest-naturedmanintheworld，anditwasonlywiththegreatestdifficultythatIcouldgethimtosayasinglewordtothedisadvantageoftheboy，forwhomheseemstoentertainaverygreatregard。AtlastIforcedthetruthfromhim，andgrievedI
　　wastohearit；thoughImustconfessthatIwassomewhatpreparedforit。Itappearsthattheladhasatotalwantofdiscrimination。’
　　’Idon’tunderstandyou，’saidmymother。
　　’Youcanunderstandnothingthatwouldseemforamomenttoimpugntheconductofthatchild。Iamnot，however，soblind；wantofdiscriminationwastheword，anditbothsoundswell，andisexpressive。Itappearsthat，sincehehasbeenplacedwhereis，hehasbeenguiltyofthegrossestblunders；onlytheotherday，Mr。
　　S-toldme，ashewasengagedincloseconversationwithoneofhisprincipalclients，theboycametotellhimthatapersonwantedparticularlytospeakwithhim；and，ongoingout，hefoundalamentablefigurewithoneeye，whocametoaskforcharity；whom，nevertheless，theladhadusheredintoaprivateroom，andinstalledinanarm-chair，likeajusticeofthepeace，insteadoftellinghimtogoabouthisbusiness-nowwhatdidthatshow，butatotalwantofdiscrimination？’
　　’Iwishwemayneverhaveanythingworsetoreproachhimwith，’
　　saidmymother。
　　’Idon’tknowwhatworsewecouldreproachhimwith，’saidmyfather；’Imeanofcourseasfarashisprofessionisconcerned；
　　discriminationistheverykeystone；ifhetreatedallpeoplealike，hewouldsoonbecomeabeggarhimself；therearegradesinsocietyaswellasinthearmy；andaccordingtothosegradesweshouldfashionourbehaviour，elsetherewouldinstantlybeanendofallorderanddiscipline。Iamafraidthatthechildistoocondescendingtohisinferiors，whilsttohissuperiorsheisapttobeunbendingenough；Idon’tbelievethatwoulddointheworld；
　　Iamsureitwouldnotinthearmy。Hetoldmeanotheranecdotewithrespecttohisbehaviour，whichshockedmemorethantheotherhaddone。Itappearsthathiswife，whobythebye，isaveryfinewoman，andhighlyfashionable，gavehimpermissiontoasktheboytoteaoneevening，forsheisherselfratherpartialtothelad；
　　therehadbeenagreatdinnerpartytherethatday，andtherewereagreatmanyfashionablepeople，sotheboywentandbehavedverywellandmodestlyforsometime，andwasrathernoticed，till，unluckily，averygreatgentleman，anarchdeaconIthink，putsomequestionstohim，and，findingthatheunderstoodthelanguages，begantalkingtohimabouttheclassics。Whatdoyouthink？theboyhadtheimpertinencetosaythattheclassicsweremuchovervalued，andamongstotherthingsthatsomehorridfelloworother，someWelshmanIthinkthankGoditwasnotanIrishman，wasabetterpoetthanOvid；thecompanywereofcoursehorrified；
　　thearchdeacon，whoisseventyyearsofage，andhasseventhousandayear，tooksnuffandturnedaway。Mrs。S-turneduphereyes，Mr。S-，however，toldmewithhisusualgood-natureIsupposetosparemyfeelingsthatheratherenjoyedthething，andthoughtitacapitaljoke。’
　　’Ithinksotoo，’saidmymother。
　　’Idonot，’saidmyfather；’thataboyofhisyearsshouldentertainanopinionofhisown-Imeanonewhichmilitatesagainstallestablishedauthority-isastounding；aswellmightarawrecruitpretendtoofferanunfavourableopiniononthemanualandplatoonexercise；theideaispreposterous；theladistooindependentbyhalf。Ineveryetknewoneofanindependentspiritgetoninthearmy，thesecretofsuccessinthearmyisthespiritofsubordination。’
　　’Whichisapoorspiritafterall，’saidmymother；’butthechildisnotinthearmy。’
　　’Anditiswellforhimthatheisnot，’saidmyfather；’butyoudonottalkwisely，theworldisafieldofbattle，andhewholeavestheranks，whatcanheexpectbuttobecutdown？Icallhispresentbehaviourleavingtheranks，andgoingvapouringaboutwithoutorders；hisonlychanceliesinfallinginagainasquickaspossible；doeshethinkhecancarrythedaybyhimself？anopinionofhisownattheseyears-IconfessIamexceedinglyuneasyaboutthelad。’
　　’Youmakemeuneasytoo，’saidmymother；’butIreallythinkyouaretooharduponthechild；heisnotabadchild，afterall，thoughnot，perhaps，allyoucouldwishhim；heisalwaysreadytoreadtheBible。Letusgoin；heisintheroomaboveus；atleasthewastwohoursago，Ilefthimtherebendingoverhisbooks；I
　　wonderwhathehasbeendoingallthistime，itisnowgettinglate；letusgoin，andheshallreadtous。’
　　’Iamgettingold，’saidmyfather；’andIlovetoheartheBiblereadtome，formyownsightissomethingdim；yetIdonotwishthechildtoreadtomethisnight，IcannotsosoonforgetwhatI
　　haveheard；butIhearmyeldestson’svoice，heisnowenteringthegate；heshallreadtheBibletousthisnight。Whatsayyou？’
　　CHAPTERXXI
　　Theeldestson-SayingofwildFinland-Thecriticaltime-
　　Vauntingpolls-Onethingwanted-Afather’sblessing-Miracleofart-ThePope’shouse-Youngenthusiast-PicturesofEngland-Persistandwrestle-Thelittledarkman。