“I say, Mr., you are a cute one, and know a thing or two. I suppose Welsh was the first language you learnt, like myself?”
“No, it wasn’t—I like to speak the truth—never took to either speaking or reading the Welsh language till I was past sixteen.”
“’Stonishing! but see the force of blood at last. In any line of business?”
“No, Mr., can’t say I am.”
“Have money in your pocket, and travel for pleasure. Come to see father’s land.”
“Come to see old Wales. And what brings you here, Hiraeth?”
“That’s longing. No, not exactly. Came over to England to see what I could do. Got in with house at Liverpool in the drapery business. Travel for it hereabouts, having connections and speaking the language. Do branch business here for a banking-house besides. Manage to get on smartly.”
“You look a smart un. But don’t you find it sometimes hard to compete with English travellers in the drapery line?”
“I guess not. English travellers! set of nat’rals. Don’t know the language and nothing else. Could whip a dozen any day. Regularly flummox them.”
“You do, Mr.? Ah, I see you’re a cute un. Glad to have met you.”