A hue and cry after Twm. He conceals himself in a wood. Ventures to
Cadwgan’s house and is kindly received. Sought there by Parson Evans.
Escapes, disguised as a woman. Affectionate parting with Cadwgan and his
daughter.
NO sooner was Marmaduke Graspacre taken home, and the affair made known
by him to his father, with some little exaggeration against the
assailant, such as the trifling mis-statement that the blows inflicted on
him were by the butt end of the fowling-piece, instead of the fist, than
the squire’s indignation was roused. “As this is not his first offence,
and my forbearance has encouraged his atrocious conduct, I am now
determined to make an example of him,” said he, and immediately sent a
servant for Parson Evans, who, in his capacity of magistrate, was ordered
to take cognizance of the affair, and send constables in all directions
to arrest the culprit. This was an office that well accorded with the
feelings of this malignant man, and well pleased was he to set the
myrmidons of justice abroad to hunt an unfortunate young man, whom he
hated for the trifling offences of youth, that at a distant period, it
seems, stung his consequence. The hue and cry instantly was raised and
spread abroad, and excited as great a commotion throughout the country,
as if a convicted murderer was chased through the land. All Twm’s known
haunts were searched, especially his mother’s and Farmer Cadwgan’s; in
each of which places there was heaviness and wailing for his misfortunes;
and Parson Evans, who went there in person, took care to assure them,
that when caught, all the world could not save him from the gallows, as
he had attempted to murder the young squire of Graspacre Hall. But with
all the vigilance of his enemies, Twm’s retreat remained undiscovered,
and those who were friendly disposed towards him, began to wonder among
themselves what could have become of him. Some thought that in a fit of
despondency he had drowned himself, and others that he had escaped into
the neighbouring counties of Pembroke, Carmarthen, or Brecon, or shipped
himself in some vessel at Aberaeron or Aberystwyth, and got off in
safety. The constables, however, had visited each of these places, and
at length, like heavy war-ships that vainly chaced a smart privateer,
returned without any further intelligence than that their journey had
been in vain.
While the search had been most hot, our hero had concealed himself in a
small patch of marshy underwood, a spot on which the keen eye of
suspicion had never glanced, his pursuers having passed the edge of it
several times, without a thought occurring of seeking him there. In this
retreat he fed himself on nuts and blackberries, and in the night roved
about for recreation, but returned to his green-wood shelter before
daylight. This continued four days, when exceedingly tired of his
solitude, he one midnight ventured to Cadwgan’s door, and both surprised
and gratified the kind farmer and his kinder daughter, when they heard
the lost one’s voice once more. They rose and let him in immediately,
made a fire, gave every necessary refreshment, and then persuaded him to
go to bed.
Twm remained hidden here a week, when suspicion fixed upon Cadwgan’s
house, although searched before, as the probable place of his
concealment. One day, Gwenny, in a fright ran in to tell her father to
conceal Twm immediately, as the constables, headed by Parson Evans were
coming. Twm started up and said, “Bolt the door for ten minutes, and I
shall be safe.” Gwenny said they could not be there in that time, as
they were then descending the opposite side of the Cwm, which was three
long fields off, and they approached slowly, with fox-like cunning, so as
to excite no suspicion of their purpose. With that, at Twm’s request,
they both went up stairs with him, for a purpose he was there to explain
to them, as neither of them could conceive in what manner he was going to
preserve himself. They all remained above, till the loud summons of
authority, in the raven voice of old Evans, brought Cadwgan down, when
the cleric magistrate told him, in no gentle terms, that there was a
suspicion attached to his house, as the place where the young villain,
Twm Shôn Catti was concealed. The farmer replied, “I must say this is
very hard usage, as I have nobody with me but my daughter and my eldest
sister, who has come on a few week’s visit. But as you are come, you may
search and welcome.” After a brief scrutiny below, they all went up
stairs, where sat, busily employed at their needles, the fair Gwenny
Cadwgan and the ingenious Twm Shôn Catti, excellently disguised in the
dress of Cadwgan’s late wife, which, having been the property of a tall
woman, fitted him very well; his face was slightly coloured with the
juice of blackberries; beneath his chin was pinned a dowdyish cap, which,
in the scant light of a small window, by the aid of a pair of spectacles
he appeared a complete old granny. On the entrance of these amiable
visitors, he turned his full spectacled face on Parson Evans, muttering
in the tone of an old woman, which he mimicked well “lack a day! lack a
day! this is sad usage,” then whispered Gwenny, who took his hint, and
while they were searching, laid some hog’s-lard on different part of the
stairs, so that on their descent the precious party, with their rascally
leader, fell headlong down from top to bottom, to the great amusement of
those above. On being charged of this contrivance, each denied all
knowledge of it, and the quick-witted Gwenny, accounted for the cause of
their accident by saying they had been carrying butter and lard to the
store, up stairs, the whole morning.
They were no sooner gone than Twm assured Cadwgan, that he saw there was
no safety for him, except in flight, which must take place that very
night. His plan, he said, was matured, that he had no fear but he should
do well, and that his only regret was in parting with them. He purposed,
he said, to make his way towards Carmarthenshire, or perhaps further, and
seek employment among the farmers; or what was more agreeable to him, he
might, perhaps, get to some village, where he might set up a school: so
that after saving a sum of money, to begin life with, he might return,
and make Gwenny his wife. With tearful eyes Cadwgan expressed his
admiration of this plan, while poor Gwenny wept herself almost into fits,
at the thought of his perils, and sudden departure. “At any rate, my
boy, thou shalt not go pennyless to wander the wide world,” said Cadwgan,
and put an old pocket book containing three guineas and near twenty
shillings in silver, which Twm reluctantly took, promising its return
doubly, when fortune favored him. “I have two favors more to ask,” said
he, “the first is, that you will make the best of my affair when you tell
my poor mother and the worthy Mr. Rhys of my flight, and my future plans
in life; and my next request is, that you will give me this old woman’s
dress, with the red cloak belonging to it, as it will answer for a
disguise, should I be troubled before I get far enough off.” Cadwgan
kindly acquiesced, though he smiled at the latter whimsical fancy. At
length, thus attired, to avoid observation, with his own clothes in a
bundle, he took an affectionate and affecting leave of them, and made a
hasty departure from their friendly door.