'If he didn't be marrying beneath him, he 'ould be holding up his head,
and looking for a lady, who do be keeping him in his place. And Netta
Prothero so 'stravagant! ach a fi! and Prothero, Glanyfavon, who was
turning against him, and kicking me out of his house. Shame for you all,
Rowland Prothero! your own cousin and brother-in-law! and no one to be
saying a word to help him. Oh, anwyl! my boy! my Howels! What 'ould his
poor father be saying if he was knowing all! and how his money was going
and all mine too! I shall be going to the Eunion, and then you'll be
feeling satisfied, Rowland Prothero! and your mother, and that Gladys,
and all so grand! 'll be looking down upon me. And my Howels over the
sea! 'sported for fourteen years, and I 'ont be living to see him come
back again. Anwyl! anywyl!'
Here tears came, and Mrs Jenkins sank upon a chair, and covered her face
with her hands.
Rowland let them flow for a time, and then putting his hand kindly on
her shoulder said,--
'Aunt 'Lizbeth! you must try to keep up for Howel's sake. He will like
you to visit him now, perhaps,'
The kind tones touched a gentler chord in the poor woman's heart, and
she looked up at Rowland, like one awaking from a dream.
'Seure! Mr Rowland Prothero! I'm thinking you're too fine for us now. A
clergy and a rector! oh seure! you'll not be going to see my poor
Howels!'
'Yes, I will, if you will try to be calm. I will see him first, and
prepare him for your coming; I will not even ask his permission but go
to him. I can gain admittance at once, I know, both as a clergyman and
relation.'
'Now! go you directly! tell you my Howels--'
'I don't think I can go to-night. It is too late--but to-morrow I will
go, on condition that you compose yourself, and return with me to my
lodgings.'
'I 'ont be going to your lodgings, I 'ouldn't be leaving my Howels for
the world.'
'You cannot see him to-night, you must not stay with the people of this
house after what you said to-day, or they will take advantage of your
being alone, to make you say more. I cannot remain here to-night, and I
am the only friend you have in town to whom you could go.'
'Treue, for you, Rowland Prothero. There's my Lady Simpson was asking me
to stay with her, when my Howels and I was having money enough to buy
her presents, and her son and doater did go to Abertewey when they did
like--and now, not wan of all the fine folks do come and say, "How was
you, Mrs Jenkins?"'
Rowland ventured to repeat a few verses from Scripture, and to beg her
to turn her mind to better thoughts. Then he induced her to put on her
bonnet and cloak and go home with him, promising to bring her back the
following day, and retaining the lodging for another week.
They passed a miserable evening. It was in vain that Rowland strove to
comfort or advise his guest. She did nothing but abuse justice, and
lament her son's past grandeur.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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