第 29 节
作者:随便看看      更新:2021-02-25 00:46      字数:9322
  chair came and sat down by me; when I forthwith called for a quart
  of cwrw da。  The landlady bustled about on her wooden leg and
  presently brought us the ale with two glasses; which I filled; and
  taking one drank to the health of the company who returned us
  thanks; the man of the settle in English rather broken。  Presently
  one of his companions getting up paid his reckoning and departed;
  the other remained; a stout young fellow dressed something like a
  stone…mason; which indeed I soon discovered that he was … he was
  far advanced towards a state of intoxication and talked very
  incoherently about the war; saying that he hoped it would soon
  terminate; for that if it continued he was afraid he might stand a
  chance of being shot; as he was a private in the Denbighshire
  Militia。  I told him that it was the duty of every gentleman in the
  militia to be willing at all times to lay down his life in the
  service of the Queen。  The answer which he made I could not exactly
  understand; his utterance being very indistinct and broken; it was;
  however; made with some degree of violence; with two or three Myn
  Diawls; and a blow on the table with his clenched fist。  He then
  asked me whether I thought the militia would be again called out。
  〃Nothing more probable;〃 said I。
  〃And where would they be sent to?〃
  〃Perhaps to Ireland;〃 was my answer; whereupon he started up with
  another Myn Diawl; expressing the greatest dread of being sent to
  Iwerddon。
  〃You ought to rejoice in your chance of going there;〃 said I;
  〃Iwerddon is a beautiful country; and abounds with whisky。〃
  〃And the Irish?〃 said he。
  〃Hearty; jolly fellows;〃 said I; 〃if you know how to manage them;
  and all gentlemen。〃
  Here he became very violent; saying that I did not speak truth; for
  that he had seen plenty of Irish camping amidst the hills; that the
  men were half naked and the women were three parts so; and that
  they carried their children on their backs。  He then said that he
  hoped somebody would speedily kill Nicholas; in order that the war
  might be at an end and himself not sent to Iwerddon。  He then asked
  if I thought Cronstadt could be taken。  I said I believed it could;
  provided the hearts of those who were sent to take it were in the
  right place。
  〃Where do you think the hearts of those are who are gone against
  it?〃 said he … speaking with great vehemence。
  I made no other answer than by taking my glass and drinking。
  His companion now looking at our habiliments which were in rather a
  dripping condition asked John Jones if we had come from far。
  〃We have been to Pont y Meibion;〃 said Jones; 〃to see the chair of
  Huw Morris;〃 adding that the Gwr Boneddig was a great admirer of
  the songs of the Eos Ceiriog。
  He had no sooner said these words than the intoxicated militiaman
  started up; and striking the table with his fist said:  〃I am a
  poor stone…cutter … this is a rainy day and I have come here to
  pass it in the best way I can。  I am somewhat drunk; but though I
  am a poor stone…mason; a private in the militia; and not so sober
  as I should be; I can repeat more of the songs of the Eos than any
  man alive; however great a gentleman; however sober … more than Sir
  Watkin; more than Colonel Biddulph himself。〃
  He then began to repeat what appeared to be poetry; for I could
  distinguish the rhymes occasionally; though owing to his broken
  utterance it was impossible for me to make out the sense of the
  words。  Feeling a great desire to know what verses of Huw Morris
  the intoxicated youth would repeat; I took out my pocket…book and
  requested Jones; who was much better acquainted with Welsh
  pronunciation; under any circumstances; than myself; to endeavour
  to write down from the mouth of the young fellow any verses
  uppermost in his mind。  Jones took the pocket…book and pencil and
  went to the window; followed by the young man scarcely able to
  support himself。  Here a curious scene took place; the drinker
  hiccuping up verses; and Jones dotting them down; in the best
  manner he could; though he had evidently great difficulty to
  distinguish what was said to him。  At last; methought; the young
  man said … 〃There they are; the verses of the Nightingale; on his
  death…bed。〃
  I took the book and read aloud the following lines beautifully
  descriptive of the eagerness of a Christian soul to leave its
  perishing tabernacle; and get to Paradise and its Creator:…
  〃Myn'd i'r wyl ar redeg;
  I'r byd a beryi chwaneg;
  I Beradwys; y ber wiw deg;
  Yn Enw Duw yn union deg。〃
  〃Do you understand those verses?〃 said the man on the settle; a
  dark swarthy fellow with an oblique kind of vision; and dressed in
  a pepper…and…salt coat。
  〃I will translate them;〃 said I; and forthwith put them into
  English … first into prose and then into rhyme; the rhymed version
  running thus:…
  〃Now to my rest I hurry away;
  To the world which lasts for ever and aye;
  To Paradise; the beautiful place;
  Trusting alone in the Lord of Grace〃 …
  〃Well;〃 said he of the pepper…and…salt; 〃if that isn't capital I
  don't know what is。〃
  A scene in a public…house; yes! but in a Welsh public…house。  Only
  think of a Suffolk toper repeating the death…bed verses of a poet;
  surely there is a considerable difference between the Celt and the
  Saxon。
  CHAPTER XXII
  Llangollen Fair … Buyers and Sellers … The Jockey … The Greek Cap。
  ON the twenty…first was held Llangollen Fair。  The day was dull
  with occasional showers。  I went to see the fair about noon。  It
  was held in and near a little square in the south…east quarter of
  the town; of which square the police…station is the principal
  feature on the side of the west; and an inn; bearing the sign of
  the Grapes; on the east。  The fair was a little bustling fair;
  attended by plenty of people from the country; and from the English
  border; and by some who appeared to come from a greater distance
  than the border。  A dense row of carts extended from the police…
  station half across the space; these carts were filled with pigs;
  and had stout cord…nettings drawn over them; to prevent the animals
  escaping。  By the sides of these carts the principal business of
  the fair appeared to be going on … there stood the owners male and
  female; higgling with Llangollen men and women; who came to buy。
  The pigs were all small; and the price given seemed to vary from
  eighteen to twenty…five shillings。  Those who bought pigs generally
  carried them away in their arms; and then there was no little
  diversion; dire was the screaming of the porkers; yet the purchaser
  invariably appeared to know how to manage his bargain; keeping the
  left arm round the body of the swine and with the right hand fast
  gripping the ear … some few were led away by strings。  There were
  some Welsh cattle; small of course; and the purchasers of these
  seemed to be Englishmen; tall burly fellows in general; far
  exceeding the Welsh in height and size。
  Much business in the cattle…line did not seem; however; to be going
  on。  Now and then a big fellow made an offer; and held out his hand
  for a little Pictish grazier to give it a slap … a cattle bargain
  being concluded by a slap of the hand … but the Welshman generally
  turned away; with a half resentful exclamation。  There were a few
  horses and ponies in the street leading into the fair from the
  south。
  I saw none sold; however。  A tall athletic figure was striding
  amongst them; evidently a jockey and a stranger; looking at them
  and occasionally asking a slight question of one or another of
  their proprietors; but he did not buy。  He might in age be about
  eight…and…twenty; and about six feet and three…quarters of an inch
  in height; in build he was perfection itself; a better built man I
  never saw。  He wore a cap and a brown jockey coat; trowsers;
  leggings and high…lows; and sported a single spur。  He had whiskers
  … all jockeys should have whiskers … but he had what I did not
  like; and what no genuine jockey should have; a moustache; which
  looks coxcombical and Frenchified … but most things have terribly
  changed since I was young。  Three or four hardy…looking fellows;
  policemen; were gliding about in their blue coats and leather hats;
  holding their thin walking…sticks behind them; conspicuous amongst
  whom was the leader; a tall lathy North Briton with a keen eye and
  hard features。  Now if I add there was much gabbling of Welsh round
  about; and here and there some slight sawing of English … that in
  the street leading from the north there were some stalls of
  gingerbread and a table at which a queer…looking being with a red
  Greek…looking cap on his head; sold rhubarb; herbs; and phials
  containing the Lord knows what; and who spoke a low vulgar English
  dialect … I repeat; if I add this; I think I have said all that is
  necessary about Llangollen Fair。
  CHAPTER XXIII
  An Expedition … Pont y Pandy … The Sabbath … Glendower's Mount …
  Burial Place of Old … Corwen … The Deep Glen … The Grandmother …
  The Roadside Chapel。
  I WAS now about to leave Llangollen; for a short time; and to set
  out on an expedition to Bangor; Snowdo