“More than enough, sir,” said the lad; “I did not expect half as much. Farewell!”
He was then about to depart, but I prevented him saying:
“You must not go till you have eaten and drunk. What will you have?”
“Merely a cup of ale, sir,” said the lad.
“That won’t do,” said I; “you shall have bread and cheese and as much ale as you can drink. Pray,” said I to the landlord, “let this young man have some bread and cheese and a large quart of ale.”
The landlord looked at me for a moment, then turning to the lad he said:
“What do you think of that, Shon? It is some time since you had a quart of ale to your own cheek.”
“Cheek,” said I—“cheek! Is that a Welsh word? Surely it is an importation from the English, and not a very genteel one.”
“Oh come, sir!” said the landlord, “we can dispense with your criticisms. A pretty thing indeed for you, on the strength of knowing half-a-dozen words of Welsh, to set up for a Welsh critic in the house of a person who knows the ancient British language perfectly.”
“Dear me!” said I, “how fortunate I am! a person thoroughly versed in the ancient British language is what I have long wished to see. Pray what is the meaning of Darfel Gatherel?”