almost shunned as a churlish, unsociable being, and paused much of
his time in solitude.

About this time, he had to appear in some case that was tried at the
Caernarvon assizes; and while there, was a guest at the house of his
agent, a shrewd, sensible Welsh attorney, with one daughter, who had
charms enough to captivate Robert Griffiths. Though he remained only
a few days at her father's house, they were sufficient to decide his
affections, and short was the period allowed to elapse before he
brought home a mistress to Bodowen. The new Mrs. Griffiths was a
gentle, yielding person, full of love toward her husband, of whom,
nevertheless, she stood something in awe, partly arising from the
difference in their ages, partly from his devoting much time to
studies of which she could understand nothing.

She soon made him the father of a blooming little daughter, called
Augharad after her mother. Then there came several uneventful years
in the household of Bodowen; and when the old women had one and all
declared that the cradle would not rock again, Mrs. Griffiths bore
the son and heir. His birth was soon followed by his mother's death:
she had been ailing and low-spirited during her pregnancy, and she
seemed to lack the buoyancy of body and mind requisite to bring her
round after her time of trial. Her husband, who loved her all the
more from having few other claims on his affections, was deeply
grieved by her early death, and his only comforter was the sweet
little boy whom she had left behind. That part of the squire's
character, which was so tender, and almost feminine, seemed called
forth by the helpless situation of the little infant, who stretched
out his arms to his father with the same earnest cooing that happier
children make use of to their mother alone. Augharad was almost