“I do not know sir; some people say that it is called so because its head is like that of a woman, others because a young girl in love leaped from the top of it and was killed.”
“And what is the name of this house?” said I.
“This house, sir, is called Plas Uchaf.”
“Is it called Plas Uchaf,” said I, “because it is the highest house in the valley?”
“It is, sir; it is the highest of three homesteads; the next below it is Plas Canol—and the one below that Plas Isaf.”
“Middle place and lower place,” said I. “It is very odd that I know in England three people who derive their names from places so situated. One is Houghton, another Middleton, and the third Lowdon; in modern English, Hightown, Middletown, and Lowtown.”
“You appear to be a person of great intelligence, sir.”
“No, I am not—but I am rather fond of analysing words, particularly the names of persons and places. Is the road to Wrexham hard to find?”
“Not very, sir; that is, in the day-time. Do you live at Wrexham?”
“No,” I replied, “I am stopping at Llangollen.”