Instead he wrote to Pontystrad explaining how important it was he should get admitted as a Student in time to commence work in Hilary term.  Did his father know any such luminary of the law or any two such luminaries?  His father regretted that he only knew of one such barrister of over five years’ standing:  the distinguished son of an old Cambridge chum.  To him he wrote, venturing to recall himself, the more eagerly since this son of an old friend was himself a Welshman and already distinguished by his having entered Parliament, served with the Welsh Party, written a book on Welsh history, and married a lady of considerable wealth.

Next David applied to Rossiter with the result—­as we have seen—­that he got an introduction to Mr. Stansfield.  So he obtained from Mr. Price and Mr. Stansfield the two certificates to the effect that “David Vavasour Williams has been introduced to me by letter of introduction from the Revd.  Howel Williams” (or “Professor Michael Rossiter, F.R.S.”) “and has been seen by me; and that I, Mark Stansfield, Barrister-at-law, King’s Counsel” (or “John Price, Barrister-at-law, Member of Parliament”) “believe the said David Vavasour Williams to be a gentleman of respectability and a proper person to be admitted a Student of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple with a view to being called to the Bar.”

Copies of the letters of introduction accompanied the two certificates.  These of course were not obtained without several visits to the unsuspicious guarantors; or at least one to Mr. Price in Paper Buildings, for whom it was enough that David claimed to be Welsh and showed a very keen interest in the Welsh tongue and its Indo-German affinities, and three or four to Mr. Mark Stansfield, K.C., one of the nicest, kindliest and most learned persons David had ever met, whom he grieved deeply at deceiving.  Stansfield had a high opinion of Rossiter.  The fact that he recommended David was quite sufficient to secure his “guarantee.”  But apart from that, he felt himself greatly drawn towards this rather shy, grave, nice-looking young fellow with the steady eyes and the keen intelligence.  He had him to dine and to lunch; drew him out—­as far as David thought it prudent to go—­and was surprised David had never been to a University ("Only to Malvern—­and then I studied with an architect in London—­Who?  Mr. Praed, A.R.A.—­but then I travelled for a bit, and after that I felt more than ever I wanted to go in for the Bar”—­said David, with a charming smile which lit up his young face ordinarily so staid).  Stansfield consented that David should come and read with him, and in many ways facilitated his progress so materially and so kindly that more than once the compunctious young Welshman thought of discarding the impersonation; and might have done so had not this most estimable Stansfield died of pneumonia in the last year of David’s studenthood.