wild wales-第101节

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Asking　about　his　dwelling　fair；
Tell　him　it　under　the　bank　doth　lie；
And　its　brow　the　mark　of　the　coal　doth　bear。〃


Dafydd　remained　confined　till　the　fall　of　Glendower；　shortly　after　
which　event　he　followed　Henry　the　Fifth　to　France；　where　he　
achieved　that　glory　which　will　for　ever　bloom；　dying；　covered　with　
wounds；　on　the　field　of　Agincourt　after　saving　the　life　of　the　
king；　to　whom　in　the　dreadest　and　most　critical　moment　of　the　fight　
he　stuck　closer　than　a　brother；　not　from　any　abstract　feeling　of　
loyalty；　but　from　the　consideration　that　King　Henry　the　Fifth　was　
the　son　of　King　Henry　the　Fourth；　who　was　the　son　of　the　man　who　
received　and　comforted　him　in　his　house；　after　his　own　countrymen　
had　hunted　him　from　house　and　land。

Connected　with　Machynlleth　is　a　name　not　so　widely　celebrated　as　
those　of　Glendower　and　Dafydd　Gam；　but　well　known　to　and　cherished　
by　the　lovers　of　Welsh　song。　　It　is　that　of　Lawdden；　a　Welsh　bard　
in　holy　orders；　who　officiated　as　priest　at　Machynlleth　from　1440　
to　1460。　　But　though　Machynlleth　was　his　place　of　residence　for　
many　years；　it　was　not　the　place　of　his　birth；　Lychwr　in　
Carmarthenshire　being　the　spot　where　he　first　saw　the　light。　　He　
was　an　excellent　poet；　and　displayed　in　his　compositions　such　
elegance　of　language；　and　such　a　knowledge　of　prosody；　that　it　was　
customary；　long　after　his　death；　when　any　masterpiece　of　vocal　song　
or　eloquence　was　produced；　to　say　that　it　bore　the　traces　of　
Lawdden's　hatchet。　　At　the　request　of　Griffith　ap　Nicholas；　a　
powerful　chieftain　of　South　Wales；　and　a　great　patron　of　the　Muse；　
he　drew　up　a　statute　relating　to　poets　and　poetry；　and　at　the　great　
Eisteddfodd；　or　poetical　congress；　held　at　Carmarthen　in　the　year　
1450；　under　the　auspices　of　Griffith；　which　was　attended　by　the　
most　celebrated　bards　of　the　north　and　south；　he　officiated　as　
judge；　in　conjunction　with　the　chieftain；　upon　the　compositions　of　
the　bards　who　competed　for　the　prize　…　a　little　silver　chair。　　Not　
without　reason；　therefore；　do　the　inhabitants　of　Machynlleth　
consider　the　residence　of　such　a　man　within　their　walls；　though　at　
a　far　by…gone　period；　as　conferring　a　lustre　on　their　town；　and　
Lewis　Meredith　has　probability　on　his　side　when；　in　his　pretty　poem　
on　Glen　Dyfi；　he　says：…


〃Whilst　fair　Machynlleth　decks　thy　quiet　plain；
Conjoined　with　it　shall　Lawdden's　name　remain。〃



CHAPTER　LXXX



The　Old　Ostler　…　Directions　…　Church　of　England　Man　…　The　Deep　
Dingle　…　The　Two　Women　…　The　Cutty　Pipe　…　Waen　y　Bwlch　　…　The　Deaf　
and　Dumb　…　The　Glazed　Hat。


I　ROSE　on　the　morning　of　the　2nd　of　November　intending　to　proceed　
to　the　Devil's　Bridge；　where　I　proposed　halting　a　day　or　two；　in　
order　that　I　might　have　an　opportunity　of　surveying　the　far…famed　
scenery　of　that　locality。　　After　paying　my　bill　I　went　into　the　
yard　to　my　friend　the　old　ostler；　to　make　inquiries　with　respect　to　
the　road。

〃What　kind　of　road；〃　said　I；　〃is　it　to　the　Devil's　Bridge？〃

〃There　are　two　roads；　sir；　to　the　Pont　y　Gwr　Drwg；　which　do　you　
mean　to　take？〃

〃Why　do　you　call　the　Devil's　Bridge　the　Pont　y　Gwr　Drwg；　or　the　
bridge　of　the　evil　man？〃

〃That　we　may　not　bring　a　certain　gentleman　upon　us；　sir；　who　
doesn't　like　to　have　his　name　taken　in　vain。〃

〃Is　their　much　difference　between　the　roads？〃

〃A　great　deal；　sir；　one　is　over　the　hills；　and　the　other　round　by　
the　valleys。〃

〃Which　is　the　shortest？〃

〃Oh；　that　over　the　hills；　sir；　it　is　about　twenty　miles　from　here　
to　the　Pont　y　Gwr　Drwg　over　the　hills；　but　more　than　twice　that　by　
the　valleys。〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　you　would　advise　me　to　go　by　the　hills？〃

〃Certainly；　sir　…　that　is；　if　you　wish　to　break　your　neck；　or　to　
sink　in　a　bog；　or　to　lose　your　way；　or　perhaps；　if　night　comes　on；　
to　meet　the　Gwr　Drwg　himself　taking　a　stroll。　　But　to　talk　soberly。　　
The　way　over　the　hills　is　an　awful　road；　and；　indeed；　for　the　
greater　part　is　no　road　at　all。〃

〃Well；　I　shall　go　by　it。　　Can't　you　give　me　some　directions？〃

〃I'll　do　my　best；　sir；　but　I　tell　you　again　that　the　road　is　a　
horrible　one；　and　very　hard　to　find。〃

He　then　went　with　me　to　the　gate　of　the　inn；　where　he　began　to　give　
me　directions；　pointing　to　the　south；　and　mentioning　some　names　of　
places　through　which　I　must　pass；　amongst　which　were　Waen　y　Bwlch　
and　Long　Bones。　　At　length　he　mentioned　Pont　Erwyd；　and　said：　　〃If　
you　can　but　get　there；　you　are　all　right；　for　from　thence　there　is　
a　very　fair　road　to　the　bridge　of　the　evil　man；　though　I　dare　say　
if　you　get　to　Pont　Erwyd　…　and　I　wish　you　may　get　there　…　you　will　
have　had　enough　of　it　and　will　stay　there　for　the　night；　more　
especially　as　there　is　a　good　inn。〃

Leaving　Machynlleth；　I　ascended　a　steep　hill　which　rises　to　the　
south　of　it。　　From　the　top　of　this　hill　there　is　a　fine　view　of　the　
town；　the　river；　and　the　whole　valley　of　the　Dyfi。　　After　stopping　
for　a　few　minutes　to　enjoy　the　prospect　I　went　on。　　The　road　at　
first　was　exceedingly　good；　though　up　and　down；　and　making　frequent　
turnings。　　The　scenery　was　beautiful　to　a　degree：　　lofty　hills　were　
on　either　side；　clothed　most　luxuriantly　with　trees　of　various　
kinds；　but　principally　oaks。　　〃This　is　really　very　pleasant；〃　said　
I；　〃but　I　suppose　it　is　too　good　to　last　long。〃　　However；　I　went　on　
for　a　considerable　way；　the　road　neither　deteriorating　nor　the　
scenery　decreasing　in　beauty。　　〃Surely　I　can't　be　in　the　right　
road；〃　said　I；　〃I　wish　I　had　an　opportunity　of　asking。〃　　Presently　
seeing　an　old　man　working　with　a　spade　in　a　field　near　a　gate；　I　
stopped　and　said　in　Welsh：　　〃Am　I　in　the　road　to　the　Pont　y　Gwr　
Drwg？〃　　The　old　man　looked　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　shouldering　his　
spade　he　came　up　to　the　gate；　and　said　in　English：　　〃In　truth；　sir；　
you　are。〃

〃I　was　told　that　the　road　thither　was　a　very　bad　one；〃　said　I；　〃but　
this　is　quite　the　contrary。〃

〃This　road　does　not　go　much　farther；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃it　was　made　to　
accommodate　grand　folks　who　live　about　here。〃

〃You　speak　very　good　English；〃　said　I；　〃where　did　you　get　it？〃

He　looked　pleased；　and　said　that　in　his　youth　he　had　lived　some　
years　in　England。

〃Can　you　read？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　he；　〃both　Welsh　and　English。〃

〃What　have　you　read　in　Welsh？〃　said　I。

〃The　Bible　and　Twm　O'r　Nant。〃

〃What　pieces　of　Twm　O'r　Nant　have　you　read？〃

〃I　have　read　two　of　his　interludes　and　his　life。〃

〃And　which　do　you　like　best　…　his　life　or　his　interludes？〃

〃Oh；　I　like　his　life　best。〃

〃And　what　part　of　his　life　do　you　like　best？〃

〃Oh；　I　like　that　part　best　where　he　gets　the　ship　into　the　water　at　
Abermarlais。〃

〃You　have　a　good　judgment；〃　said　I；　〃his　life　is　better　than　his　
interludes；　and　the　best　part　of　his　life　is　where　he　describes　his　
getting　the　ship　into　the　water。　　But　do　the　Methodists　about　here　
in　general　read　Twm　O'r　Nant？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　be；　〃I　am　no　Methodist。〃

〃Do　you　belong　to　the　Church？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃And　why　do　you　belong　to　the　Church？〃

〃Because　I　believe　it　is　the　best　religion　to　get　to　heaven　by。〃

〃I　am　much　of　your　opinion；〃　said　I。　　〃Are　there　many　Church　people　
about　here？〃

〃Not　many；〃　said　he；　〃but　more　than　when　I　was　young。〃

〃How　old　are　you？〃

〃Sixty…nine。〃

〃You　are　not　very　old；〃　said　I。

〃An't　I？　　I　only　want　one　year　of　fulfilling　my　proper　time　on　
earth。〃

〃You　take　things　very　easily；〃　said　I。

〃Not　so　very　easily；　sir；　I　have　often　my　quakings　and　fears；　but　
then　I　read　my　Bible；　say　my　prayers；　and　find　hope　and　comfort。〃

〃I　really　am　very　glad　to　have　seen　you；〃　said　I；　〃and　now　can　you　
tell　me　the　way　to　the　bridge？〃

〃Not　exactly；　sir；　for　I　have　never　been　there；　but　you　must　follow　
this　road　some　way　farther；　and　then　bear　away　to　the　right　along　
yon　hill〃　…　and　he　pointed　to　a　distant　mountain。

I　thanked　him；　and　proceeded　on　my　way。　　I　passed　through　a　deep　
dingle；　and　shortly　afterwards　came　to　the　termination　of　the　road；　
remembering；　however；　the　directions　of　the　old　man；；　I　bore　away　
to　the　right；　making　for　the　distant　mountain。　　My　course　lay　now　
over　very　broken　ground　where　there　was　no　path；　at　least　that　I　
could　perceive。　　I　wandered　on　for　some　time；　at　length　on　turning　
round　a　bluff　I　saw　a　lad　tending　a　small　herd　of　bullocks。　　〃Am　I　
in　the　road；〃　said　I；　〃to　the　Pont　y　Gwr　Drwg？〃

〃Nis　gwn！　　I　don't　know；〃　said　he　sullenly。　　〃I　am　a　hired　servant；　
and　have　only　been　here　a　little　time。〃

〃Where's　the　house；〃　said　I；　〃where　you　serve？〃

But　as　he　made　no　answer　I　left　him。　　Some　way　farther　on　I　saw　a　
house　on　my　left；　a　little　way　down　the　side　of　a　deep　dingle　which　
was　partly　overhung　with　trees；　and　at　the　bottom　of　which　a　brook　
murmured。　　Descending　a　steep　path；　I　knocked　at　the　door。　　After　a　
little　time　it　was　opened；　and　two　women　appeared；　one　behind　the　
other。　　The　first　was　about　sixty；　she　was　very　powerfully　made；　
had　stern　grey　eyes　and　harsh　features；　and　was　dressed　in　the　
ancient　Welsh　female　fashion；　having　a　kind　of　riding…habit　of　blue　
and　a　high　conical　hat　like　that　of　the　Tyrol。　　The　other　seemed　
about　twenty　years　younger；　she　had　dark　features；　was　dressed　like　
the　o