Chapters Eight and Nine Summary

Owen no longer loves Marged, now that the whole town knows about their kiss in the barn. Marged is heartbroken and her father becomes estranged from Mr. Morgan. Owen's brother Gwilym marries Marged, and they move to another valley without any financial support from her family.

This Christmas is quiet, and people gather the day after Christmas to listen to Mr. Gruffydd at the Morgans' home, where there is music, singing, dancing, eating and socializing. Elias the shop keeper bursts into the party and condemns them all, including Mr. Gruffydd, for having a party on a holy day. A seemingly unimportant event later becomes a "cause of misery" to all of them, according to Huw.

In Chapter Nine, Huw is in the present again for a time, observing the movement of the slag heap as it envelopes...