wild wales-第105节

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much　ale　as　you　can　drink。　　Pray；〃　said　I　to　the　landlord；　〃let　
this　young　man　have　some　bread　and　cheese　and　a　large　quart　of　
ale。〃

The　landlord　looked　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　turning　to　the　lad　he　
said：

〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　Shon？　　It　is　some　time　since　you　had　a　
quart　of　ale　to　your　own　cheek。〃

〃Cheek；〃　said　I　…　〃cheek！　　Is　that　a　Welsh　word？　　Surely　it　is　an　
importation　from　the　English；　and　not　a　very　genteel　one。〃

〃Oh　come；　sir！〃　said　the　landlord；　〃we　can　dispense　with　your　
criticisms。　　A　pretty　thing　indeed　for　you；　on　the　strength　of　
knowing　half…a…dozen　words　of　Welsh；　to　set　up　for　a　Welsh　critic　
in　the　house　of　a　person　who　knows　the　ancient　British　language　
perfectly。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃how　fortunate　I　am！　a　person　thoroughly　versed　
in　the　ancient　British　language　is　what　I　have　long　wished　to　see。　　
Pray　what　is　the　meaning　of　Darfel　Gatherel？〃

〃Oh　sir！〃　said　the　landlord；　〃you　must　answer　that　question　
yourself；　I　don't　pretend　to　understand　gibberish！〃

〃Darfel　Gatherel；〃　said　I；　〃is　not　gibberish；　it　was　the　name　of　
the　great　wooden　image　at　Ty　Dewi；　or　Saint　David's；　in　
Pembrokeshire；　to　which　thousands　of　pilgrims　in　the　days　of　popery　
used　to　repair　for　the　purpose　of　adoring　it；　and　which　at　the　time　
of　the　Reformation　was　sent　up　to　London　as　a　curiosity；　where　it　
eventually　served　as　firewood　to　burn　the　monk　Forrest　upon；　who　
was　sentenced　to　the　stake　by　Henry　the　Eighth　for　denying　his　
supremacy。　　What　I　want　to　know　is；　the　meaning　of　the　name；　which　
I　could　never　get　explained；　but　which　you　who　know　the　ancient　
British　language　perfectly　can　doubtless　interpret。〃

〃Oh；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃when　I　said　I　knew　the　British　
language　perfectly；　I　perhaps　went　too　far　there　are；　of　course；　
some　obsolete　terms　in　the　British　tongue；　which　I　don't　
understand。　　Dar；　Dar　…　what　is　it？　　Darmod　Cotterel　amongst　the　
rest；　but　to　a　general　knowledge　of　the　Welsh　language　I　think　I　
may　lay　some　pretensions；　were　I　not　well　acquainted　with　it；　I　
should　not　have　carried　off　the　prize　at　various　eisteddfodau；　as　I　
have　done。　　I　am　a　poet；　sir　…　a　prydydd。〃

〃It　is　singular　enough；〃　said　I；　〃that　the　only　two　Welsh　poets　I　
have　seen　have　been　innkeepers　…　one　is　yourself；　the　other　a　
person　I　met　in　Anglesey。　　I　suppose　the　Muse　is　fond　of　cwrw　da。〃

〃You　would　fain　be　pleasant；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃but　I　beg　
leave　to　inform　you　that　I　am　not　fond　of　pleasantries；　and　now；　as　
my　wife　and　the　servant　are　returned；　I　will　have　the　pleasure　of　
conducting　you　to　the　parlour。〃

〃Before　I　go；〃　said　I；　〃I　should　like　to　see　my　guide　provided　with　
what　I　ordered。〃　　I　stayed　till　the　lad　was　accommodated　with　bread　
and　cheese　and　a　foaming　tankard　of　ale；　and　then　bidding　him　
farewell；　I　followed　the　landlord　into　the　parlour；　where　I　found　a　
fire　kindled；　which；　however；　smoked　exceedingly。　　I　asked　my　host　
what　I　could　have　for　supper；　and　was　told　that　he　did　not　know；　
but　that　if　I　would　leave　the　matter　to　him　he　would　send　the　best　
he　could。　　As　he　was　going　away；　I　said：　　〃So　you　are　a　poet？　　
Well；　I　am　very　glad　to　hear　it；　for　I　have　been　fond　of　Welsh　
poetry　from　my　boyhood。　　What　kind　of　verse　do　you　employ　in　
general？　　Did　you　ever　write　an　awdl　in　the　four…and…twenty　
measures？　　What　are　the　themes　of　your　songs？　　The　deeds　of　the　
ancient　heroes　of　South　Wales；　I　suppose；　and　the　hospitality　of　
the　great　men　of　the　neighbourhood　who　receive　you　as　an　honoured　
guest　at　their　tables。　　I'll　bet　a　guinea　that　however　clever　a　
fellow　you　may　be　you　never　sang　anything　in　praise　of　your　
landlord's　housekeeping　equal　to　what　Dafydd　Nanmor　sang　in　praise　
of　that　of　Ryce　of　Twyn　four　hundred　years　ago：


'For　Ryce　if　hundred　thousands　plough'd
The　lands　around　his　fair　abode；
Did　vines　of　thousand　vineyards　bleed；
Still　corn　and　wine　great　Ryce　would　need；
If　all　the　earth　had　bread's　sweet　savour；
And　water　all　had　cyder's　flavour；
Three　roaring　feasts　in　Ryce's　hall
Would　swallow　earth　and　ocean　all。'


Hey？〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I　don't　know　how　to　reply　to　
you；　for　the　greater　part　of　your　discourse　is　utterly　
unintelligible　to　me。　　Perhaps　you　are　a　better　Welshman　than　
myself；　but　however　that　may　be；　I　shall　take　the　liberty　of　
retiring　in　order　to　give　orders　about　your　supper。〃

In　about　half…an…hour　the　supper　made　its　appearance　in　the　shape　
of　some　bacon　and　eggs。　　On　tasting　them　I　found　them　very　good；　
and　calling　for　some　ale　I　made　a　very　tolerable　supper。　　After　the　
things　had　been　removed　I　drew　near　to　the　fire；　but　as　it　still　
smoked；　I　soon　betook　myself　to　the　kitchen。　　My　guide　had　taken　
his　departure；　but　the　others　whom　I　had　left　were　still　there。　　
The　landlord　was　talking　in　Welsh　to　a　man　in　a　rough　great…coat；　
about　sheep。　　Setting　himself　down　near　the　fire　I　called　for　a　
glass　of　whiskey　and　water；　and　then　observing　that　the　landlord　
and　his　friend　had　suddenly　become　silent；　I　said：　　〃Pray　go　on　
with　your　discourse；　don't　let　me　be　any　hindrance　to　you。〃

〃Yes；　sir！〃　said　the　landlord　snappishly；　〃go　on　with　our　discourse　
for　your　edification；　I　suppose？〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃suppose　it　is　for　my　edification；　surely　you　don't　
grudge　a　stranger　a　little　edification　which　will　cost　you　
nothing？〃

〃I　don't　know　that；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I　don't　know　that。　　
Really；　sir；　the　kitchen　is　not　the　place　for　a　gentleman。〃

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　said　I；　〃provided　the　parlour　smokes。　　Come；　come；　I　
am　going　to　have　a　glass　of　whiskey　and　water；　perhaps　you　will　
take　one　with　me。〃

〃Well；　sir！〃　said　the　landlord；　in　rather　a　softened　tone；　〃I　have　
no　objection　to　take　a　glass　with　you。〃

Two　glasses　of　whiskey　and　water　were　presently　brought；　and　the　
landlord　and　I　drank　to　each　other's　health。

〃Is　this　a　sheep　district？〃　said　I；　after　a　pause　of　a　minute　or　
two。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃it　may　to　a　certain　extent　be　
called　a　sheep　district。〃

〃I　suppose　the　Southdown　and　Norfolk　breeds　would　not　do　for　these　
here　parts；〃　said　I；　with　a　regular　Norfolk　whine。

〃No；　sir；　I　don't　think　they　would　exactly；〃　said　the　landlord；　
staring　at　me。　　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　sheep？〃

〃Plenty；　plenty；〃　said　I；　〃quite　as　much　indeed　as　about　Welsh　
words　and　poetry。〃　　Then　in　a　yet　more　whining　tone　than　before；　I　
said：　　〃Do　you　think　that　a　body　with　money　in　his　pocket　could　
hire　a　nice　comfortable　sheep　farm　hereabouts？〃

〃Oh；　sir！〃　said　the　landlord　in　a　furious　tone；　〃you　have　come　to　
look　out　for　a　farm；　I　see；　and　to　outbid　us　poor　Welshmen：　　it　is　
on　that　account　you　have　studied　Welsh；　but；　sir；　I　would　have　you　
know　…　〃

〃Come！〃　said　I；　〃don't　be　afraid；　I　wouldn't　have　all　the　farms　in　
your　country；　provided　you　would　tie　them　in　a　string　and　offer　
them　to　me。　　If　I　talked　about　a　farm；　it　was　because　I　am　in　the　
habit　of　talking　about　everything；　being　versed　in　all　matters；　do　
you　see；　or　affecting　to　be　so；　which　comes　much　to　the　same　thing。　　
My　real　business　in　this　neighbourhood　is　to　see　the　Devil's　Bridge　
and　the　scenery　about　it。〃

〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I　thought　so　at　first。　　A　
great　many　English　go　to　see　the　Devil's　Bridge　and　the　scenery　
near　it；　though　I　really　don't　know　why；　for　there　is　nothing　so　
very　particular　in　either。　　We　have　a　bridge　here　too；　quite　as　
good　as　the　Devil's　Bridge；　and　as　for　scenery；　I'll　back　the　
scenery　about　this　house　against　anything　of　the　kind　in　the　
neighbourhood　of　the　Devil's　Bridge。　　Yet　everybody　goes　to　the　
Devil's　Bridge　and　nobody　comes　here！〃

〃You　might　easily　bring　everybody　here；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　would　but　
employ　your　talent。　　You　should　celebrate　the　wonders　of　your　
neighbourhood　in　cowydds；　and　you　would　soon　have　plenty　of　
visitors；　but　you　don't　want　them；　you　know；　and　prefer　to　be　
without　them。〃

The　landlord　looked　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　taking　sip　of　his　
whiskey　and　water　he　turned　to　the　man　with　whom　he　had　previously　
been　talking　and　recommenced　the　discourse　about　sheep。　　I　make　no　
doubt；　however；　that　I　was　a　restraint　upon　them；　they　frequently　
glanced　at　me；　and　soon　fell　to　whispering。　　At　last　both　got　up　
and　left　the　room；　the　landlord　finishing　his　glass　of　whiskey　and　
water　before　he　went　away。

〃So　you　are　going　to　the　Devil's　Bridge；　sir！〃　said　an　elderly　man；　
dressed　in　a　grey　coat；　with　a　broad…brimmed　hat；　who　sat　on　the　
settle　smoking　a　pipe　in　company　with　another　elderly　man　with　a　
leather　hat；　with　whom　I　had　heard　him　discourse　sometimes　in　
Welsh；　sometimes　in　English；　the　Welsh　which　he　spoke　being　rather　
broken。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　going　to　have　a　sight　of　the　bridge　and　the　
neighbouring　scenery。〃

〃Well；　sir；　I　don't　think　you　will　be　disappointed；　for　both　are　
wonderful。〃

〃Are　you　a　Welshman？〃　said　I。

〃No；　sir；　I　am　not；　I　am　an　Englishman　from　Durham；　which　is　the　
best　county　in　England。〃

〃So　it　is；〃　said　I　…　〃for　some　things　at　any　rate。　　For　example；　
where　do　you　find　such　beef　as　in　Durham？〃

〃Ah；　where　indeed；　sir？　　I　have　always　said　that　neithe