’She is very ill, aunt.  We don’t know whether she can ever recover.  Her mind is wandering, and has been ever since that—­Howel left her; she thinks he is gone for debt, and if she knew the real state of the case, it would probably be the death of her.  If we could manage a meeting between you, could you speak only of Howel’s debts, and not of this terrible suspicion.’

’Seurely I could; but I ’ont go to Glanyravon; if your father was turning me out of doors then, what will he be doing now?’

’We must see, Aunt ’Lizbeth? poor Netta sends her love to you, and begs you to keep up; she says she is sure Howel will come back; I was to tell you this.’

‘Netta!  Netta! poor dear, poor dear.’

Mrs Jenkins began to rock herself to and fro in her chair violently, and to cry hysterically.

’He was very fond of her, Owen; you don’t think she’ll be dying?  I do be wishing all day long that she hadn’t gone off with him, and that my Griffey hadn’t left all that money—­and—­and—­tak you a glass of brandy and water, Owen, it will be warming you after your cold walk, and I do feel so poorly and wretched all over, that I’ll be having a drop along.’

‘No thank you, aunt, we must be going; what of the counsel for Howel?’

’Oh, I do be having the best in all London; Prince Albert or Queen Victoria ’ouldn’t be having a better; to think of him as was dining with them wanst.’

’Don’t believe such nonsense, Aunt ‘Lizbeth.’

’Was you thinking that my Howels is not telling the treuth?  But I am seure they ’ont be finding him; they was telling me that America, where they do think he is gone, is bigger than all Wales, and England, and London put together.  Oh, if I could be going to him, I ’ouldn’t be vexing shocking, as I was now.  All that money that my Griffey was putting by in pence and sixpences and shillings all gone, and he no better, and Howels no better, and I no better, ’scept that I did be seeing London.  Come you, Owen, tak you a drop of brandy and water.  I do tak it very kind of you to be coming to see me.’

’What message shall I give Netta, Aunt ‘Lizbeth?’

’Give you her my love, and I’ll be seeing her whenever she do like.  Tell you her that Howels shall be having every penny his poor old mother do own to set him right again; he’ll be seure to be proving himself right, come you.  Them Simpsons and Spendalls were always living upon him, and now to be turning against him.  Ach a fi! now do be taking a drop before you do go.’

’No thank you, Aunt ’Lizbeth; and I don’t think spirits good for you.  You had better be careful.’

’I don’t be drinking a wine glass full in a week, but when I am having the spasms, and now I am vexing so, they was coming oftener than they was eused to.’

Owen left Mrs Jenkins with a heavy heart, foreseeing her end; Minette said she didn’t like her because she smelt so of wine, and wasn’t a lady.