’Getup!-getupyourself；whereareyou？whereisyour-Here，there，bebee，here’sthedoor；there，makehaste，theyarecoming。’
　　’He’llgetupyet，’saidMrs。Herne，recoveringherbreath；’thedocktellsmeso。’
　　’Nevermindhimorthedook；heisdrabbed；comeaway，orweshallbegrabbed-bothofus。’
　　’Onemoreblow，Iknowwherehisheadlies。’
　　’Youaremad，bebee；leavethefellow-gorgioavella。’
　　Andthereuponthefemaleshurriedaway。
　　Avehicleofsomekindwasevidentlydrawingnigh；inalittletimeitcamealongsideoftheplacewherelaythefallentent，andstoppedsuddenly。Therewasasilenceforamoment，andthenaparleyensuedbetweentwovoices，oneofwhichwasthatofawoman。
　　ItwasnotinEnglish，butinadeepgutturaltongue。
　　’Pethywhonosyddyngorweddynaaryddaear？’saidamasculinevoice。
　　’Ynwirionedd-Idonotknowwhatitcanbe，’saidthefemalevoice，inthesametongue。
　　’Hereisacart，andtherearetools；butwhatisthatontheground？’
　　’Somethingmovesbeneathit；andwhatwasthat-agroan？’
　　’ShallIgetdown？’
　　’Ofcourse，Peter，someonemaywantyourhelp？
　　’ThenIwillgetdown，thoughIdonotlikethisplace；itisfrequentedbyEgyptians，andIdonotliketheiryellowfaces，northeirclibbertyclabber，asMasterEllisWynsays。NowIamdown。
　　Itisatent，Winifred，andsee，hereisaboybeneathit。
　　Mercifulfather!whataface。’
　　Amiddle-agedman，withastronglymarkedandseriouscountenance，dressedinsober-colouredhabiliments，hadliftedupthestiflingfoldsofthetent，andwasbendingoverme。’Canyouspeak，mylad？’saidheinEnglish；’whatisthematterwithyou？ifyoucouldbuttellme，Icouldperhapshelpyou-’’Whatisthatyousay？Ican’thearyou。Iwillkneeldown’；andheflunghimselfontheground，andplacedhisearclosetomymouth。’Nowspeakifyoucan。Hey!what!no，sure，Godforbid!’thenstartingup，hecriedtoafemalewhosatinthecart，anxiouslylookingon-
　　’Gwenwyn!gwenwyn!ywygwaswedieigwenwynaw。Theoil!
　　Winifred，theoil!’
　　CHAPTERLXXII
　　Desiredeffect-Thethreeoaks-Winifred-Thingsoftime-WithGod’swill-Thepreacher-Creaturecomforts-Croesaw-WelshandEnglish-MayorofChester。
　　THEOIL，whichthestrangerscompelledmetotake，producedthedesiredeffect，though，duringatleasttwohours，itwasverydoubtfulwhetherornotmylifewouldbesaved。AttheendofthatperiodthemansaidthatwiththeblessingofGodhewouldanswerformylife。HethendemandedwhetherIthoughtIcouldbeartoberemovedfromtheplaceinwhichwewere；’forIlikeitnot，’hecontinued，’assomethingwithinmetellsmethatitisnotgoodforanyofustobehere。’Itoldhim，aswellasIwasable，thatI，too，shouldbegladtoleavetheplace；whereupon，aftercollectingmythings，heharnessedmypony，and，withtheassistanceofthewoman，hecontrivedtoplacemeinthecart；hethengavemeadraughtoutofasmallphial，andwesetforwardataslowpace，themanwalkingbythesideofthecartinwhichIlay。Itisprobablethatthedraughtconsistedofastrongopiate，forafterswallowingitIfellintoadeepslumber；onmyawaking，Ifoundthattheshadowsofnighthadenvelopedtheearth-wewerestillmovingon。Shortly，however，afterdescendingadeclivity，weturnedintoalane，attheentranceofwhichwasagate。Thislaneconductedtoameadow，throughthemiddleofwhichranasmallbrook；itstoodbetweentworisinggrounds；thatontheleft，whichwasonthefarthersideofthewater，wascoveredwithwood，whilsttheoneontheright，whichwasnotsohigh，wascrownedwiththewhitewallsofwhatappearedtobeafarmhouse。
　　Advancingalongthemeadow，wepresentlycametoaplacewheregrewthreeimmenseoaks，almostonthesideofthebrook，overwhichtheyflungtheirarms，soastoshadeitaswithacanopy；thegroundbeneathwasbareofgrass，andnearlyashardandsmoothasthefloorofabarn。Havingledhisowncartononesideofthemidmosttree，andmyownontheother，thestrangersaidtome，’Thisisthespotwheremywifeandmyselfgenerallytarryinthesummerseason，whenwecomeintotheseparts。Weareabouttopassthenighthere。Isupposeyouwillhavenoobjectiontodothesame？Indeed，Idonotseewhatelseyoucoulddounderpresentcircumstances。’Afterreceivingmyanswer，inwhichI，ofcourse，expressedmyreadinesstoassenttohisproposal，heproceededtounharnesshishorse，and，feelingmyselfmuchbetter，Igotdown，andbegantomakethenecessarypreparationsforpassingthenightbeneaththeoak。
　　Whilstthusengaged，Ifeltmyselftouchedontheshoulder，and，lookinground，perceivedthewoman，whomthestrangercalledWinifred，standingclosetome。Themoonwasshiningbrightlyuponher，andIobservedthatshewasverygood-looking，withacomposedyetcheerfulexpressionofcountenance；herdresswasplainandprimitive，verymuchresemblingthatofaQuaker。Sheheldastrawbonnetinherhand。’Iamgladtoseetheemovingabout，youngman，’saidshe，inasoft，placidtone；’Icouldscarcelyhaveexpectedit。Thoumustbewondrousstrong；many，afterwhatthouhastsuffered，wouldnothavestoodontheirfeetforweeksandmonths。WhatdoIsay？-Peter，myhusband，whoisskilledinmedicine，justnowtoldmethatnotoneinfivehundredwouldhavesurvivedwhatthouhastthisdayundergone；butallowmetoasktheeonething，HastthoureturnedthankstoGodforthydeliverance？’Imadenoanswer，andthewoman，afterapause，said，’Excuseme，youngman，butdoyouknowanythingofGod？’
　　’Verylittle，’Ireplied，’butIshouldsayHemustbeawondrousstrongperson，ifHemadeallthosebigbrightthingsupabovethere，tosaynothingofthegroundonwhichwestand，whichbearsbeingsliketheseoaks，eachofwhichisfiftytimesasstrongasmyself，andwilllivetwentytimesaslong。’Thewomanwassilentforsomemoments，andthensaid，’Iscarcelyknowinwhatspiritthywordsareuttered。Ifthouartserious，however，IwouldcautiontheeagainstsupposingthatthepowerofGodismoremanifestedinthesetrees，oreveninthosebrightstarsaboveus，thaninthyself-theyarethingsoftime，butthouartabeingdestinedtoaneternity；itdependsuponthyselfwhetherthyeternityshallbeoneofjoyorsorrow。’
　　Hereshewasinterruptedbytheman，whoexclaimedfromtheothersideofthetree，’Winifred，itisgettinglate，youhadbettergouptothehouseonthehilltoinformourfriendsofourarrival，ortheywillhaveretiredforthenight。’’True，’saidWinifred，andforthwithwendedherwaytothehouseinquestion，returningshortlywithanotherwoman，whomtheman，speakinginthesamelanguagewhichIhadheardhimfirstuse，greetedbythenameofMary；thewomanrepliedinthesametongue，butalmostimmediatelysaid，inEnglish，’Wehopedtohaveheardyouspeakto-night，Peter，butwecannotexpectthatnow，seeingthatitissolate，owingtoyourhavingbeendetainedbytheway，asWinifredtellsme；nothingremainsforyoutodonowbuttosup-to-morrow，withGod’swill，weshallhearyou。’’Andto-night，also，withGod’swill，providedyoubesodisposed。Letthoseofyourfamilycomehither。’’Theywillbehitherpresently，’saidMary，’forknowingthatthouartarrived，theywill，ofcourse，comeandbidtheewelcome。’Andscarcelyhadshespoke，whenIbeheldapartyofpeopledescendingthemoonlitsideofthehill。Theysoonarrivedattheplacewherewewere；theymightamountinalltotwelveindividuals。Theprincipalpersonwasatall，athleticman，ofaboutforty，dressedlikeaplaincountryfarmer；thiswas，Isoonfound，thehusbandofMary；therestofthegroupconsistedofthechildrenofthesetwo，andtheirdomesticservants。OneafteranothertheyallshookPeterbythehand，menandwomen，boysandgirls，andexpressedtheirjoyatseeinghim。Afterwhichhesaid，’Now，friends，ifyouplease，Iwillspeakafewwordstoyou。’A
　　stoolwasthenbroughthimfromthecart，whichhesteppedon，andthepeoplearrangingthemselvesroundhim，somestanding，someseatedontheground，heforthwithbegantoaddresstheminaclear，distinctvoice；andthesubjectofhisdiscoursewasthenecessity，inallhumanbeings，ofachangeofheart。
　　Thepreacherwasbetterthanhispromise，for，insteadofspeakingafewwords，hepreachedforatleastthree-quartersofanhour；
　　noneoftheaudience，however，showedtheslightestsymptomofweariness；onthecontrary，thehopeofeachindividualappearedtohanguponthewordswhichproceededfromhismouth。AttheconclusionofthesermonordiscoursethewholeassemblyagainshookPeterbythehand，andreturnedtotheirhouse，themistressofthefamilysaying，asshedeparted，’Ishallsoonbeback，Peter；Igobuttomakearrangementsforthesupperofthyselfandcompany’；and，ineffect，shepresentlyreturned，attendedbyayoungwoman，whoboreatrayinherhands。’Setitdown，Jessy，’
　　saidthemistresstothegirl，’andthenbetakethyselftothyrest，Ishallremainhereforalittletimetotalkwithmyfriends。’Thegirldeparted，andthepreacherandthetwofemalesplacedthemselvesonthegroundaboutthetray。Themangavethanks，andhimselfandhiswifeappearedtobeabouttoeat，whenthelattersuddenlyplacedherhanduponhisarm，andsaidsomethingtohiminalowvoice，whereuponheexclaimed，’Ay，truly，wewerebothforgetful’；andthengettingup，hecametowardsme，whostoodalittlewayoff，leaningagainstthewheelofmycart；and，takingmebythehand，hesaid，’Pardonus，youngman，wewerebothsoengagedinourowncreature-comforts，thatweforgotthee，butitisnottoolatetorepairourfault；wiltthounotjoinus，andtasteourbreadandmilk？’’Icannoteat，’I
　　replied，’butIthinkIcoulddrinkalittlemilk’；whereuponheledmetotherest，andseatingmebyhisside，hepouredsomemilkintoahorncup，saying，’“Croesaw。“That，’addedhe，withasmile，’isWelshforwelcome。’
　　Thefareuponthetraywasofthesimplestdescription，consistingofbread，cheese，milk，andcurds。Mytwofriendspartookwithagoodappetite。’Mary，’saidthepreacher，addressinghimselftothewomanofthehouse，’everytimeIcometovisitthee，IfindtheelessinclinedtospeakWelsh。Isuppose，inalittletime，thouwiltentirelyhaveforgottenit；hastthoutaughtittoanyofthychildren？’’Thetwoeldestunderstandafewwords，’saidthewoman，’butmyhusbanddoesnotwishthemtolearnit；hesayssometimes，jocularly，thatthoughitpleasedhimtomarryaWelshwife，itdoesnotpleasehimtohaveWelshchildren。Who，Ihaveheardhimsay，wouldbeaWelshman，ifhecouldbeanEnglishman？’
　　’Iforone，’saidthepreacher，somewhathastily；’nottobekingofallEnglandwouldIgiveupmybirthrightasaWelshman。Yourhusbandisanexcellentperson，Mary，butIamafraidheissomewhatprejudiced。’’Youdohimjustice，Peter，insayingthatheisanexcellentperson，’sailthewoman；’astobeingprejudiced，Iscarcelyknowwhattosay，buthethinksthattwolanguagesinthesamekingdomarealmostasbadastwokings。’
　　’That’snobadobservation，’saidthepreacher，’anditisgenerallythecase；yet，thankGod，theWelshandEnglishgoonverywell，sidebyside，andIhopewilldosotilltheAlmightycallsallmentotheirlongaccount。’’Theyjogonverywellnow，’
　　saidthewoman；’butIhaveheardmyhusbandsaythatitwasnotalwaysso，andthattheWelsh，inoldtimes，wereaviolentandferociouspeople，forthatoncetheyhangedthemayorofChester。’
　　’Ha，ha!’saidthepreacher，andhiseyesflashedinthemoonlight；
　　’hetoldyouthat，didhe？’’Yes，’saidMary；’once，whenthemayorofChester，withsomeofhispeople，waspresentatoneofthefairsovertheborder，aquarrelarosebetweentheWelshandtheEnglish，andtheWelshbeattheEnglish，andhangedthemayor。’
　　’Yourhusbandisacleverman，’saidPeter，’andknowsagreatdeal；didhetellyouthenameoftheleaderoftheWelsh？No!
　　thenIwill：theleaderoftheWelshonthatoccasionwas。Hewasapowerfulchieftain，andtherewasanoldfeudbetweenhimandthemenofChester。Afterwards，whentwohundredofthemenofChesterinvadedhiscountrytotakerevengefortheirmayor，heenticedthemintoatower，setfiretoit，andburntthemall。
　　That-wasaveryfine，noble-Godforgiveme，whatwasIabouttosay-averybad，violentman；but，Mary，thisisverycarnalandunprofitableconversation，andinholdingitwesetaverybadexampletotheyoungmanhere-letuschangethesubject。’
　　Theythenbegantotalkonreligiousmatters。AtlengthMarydepartedtoherabode，andthepreacherandhiswiferetiredtotheirtiltedcart。
　　’Poorfellow，heseemstobealmostbrutallyignorant，’saidPeter，addressinghiswifeintheirnativelanguage，aftertheyhadbiddenmefarewellforthenight。