I was so disappointed and embittered that I
sought consolation in the legends of our beloved country and
in Scriptural exegesis. You were rather a naughty boy at
Swansea Grammar School and somewhat of a scamp at Malvern
College--Well! we won't go over all that again. I quite
understand your reticence about the past. Once again I think
the blame was mine as much as yours. I ought to have
interested myself more in your pursuits and games ... what a
pity, by the bye, that you seem to have lost your gift of
drawing and painting! I do remember how at one time we were
drawn together over the old Welsh legends and the very
clever drawings you made of national heroes and
heroines--they seemed to come on you as quite a surprise
when I took them out of the old portfolio.
But about your mother--for it is necessary you should know
all I can tell you in case you have to answer questions as
to your parentage. Your mother's name was, as you know, Mary
Vavasour. It is a common name in South Wales though it seems
to be Norman French. She came to our Pontystrad school as a
teacher in 1873. Her father was something to do with mining
at Merthyr. I fell in love with her--she had a sweet
face--and married her in 1874. You were born two years
afterwards.
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