wild wales-第109节

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dank　and　wet　with　spray　and　mist；　are　distilling　drops　in　showers　
from　their　boughs。

But　where　is　the　bridge；　the　celebrated　bridge　of　the　Evil　Man？　　
From　the　bottom　of　the　first　flight　of　steps　leading　down　into　the　
hollow　you　see　a　modern…looking　bridge；　bestriding　a　deep　chasm　or　
cleft　to　the　south…east；　near　the　top　of　the　dingle　of　the　Monks'　
River；　over　it　lies　the　road　to　Pont　Erwyd。　　That；　however；　is　not　
the　Devil's　Bridge；　but　about　twenty　feet　below　that　bridge；　and　
completely　overhung　by　it；　don't　you　see　a　shadowy；　spectral　
object；　something　like　a　bow；　which　likewise　bestrides　the　chasm？　　
You　do！　　Well；　that　shadowy；　spectral　object　is　the　celebrated　
Devil's　Bridge；　or；　as　the　timorous　peasants　of　the　locality　call　
it；　the　Pont　y　Gwr　Drwg。　　It　is　now　merely　preserved　as　an　object　
of　curiosity；　the　bridge　above　being　alone　used　for　transit；　and　is　
quite　inaccessible　except　to　birds　and　the　climbing　wicked　boys　of　
the　neighbourhood；　who　sometimes　at　the　risk　of　their　lives　
contrive　to　get　upon　it　from　the　frightfully　steep　northern　bank；　
and　snatch　a　fearful　joy；　as；　whilst　lying　on　their　bellies；　they　
poke　their　heads　over　its　sides　worn　by　age；　without　parapet　to　
prevent　them　from　falling　into　the　horrid　gulf　below。　　But　from　the　
steps　in　the　hollow　the　view　of　the　Devil's　Bridge；　and　likewise　of　
the　cleft；　is　very　slight　and　unsatisfactory。　　To　view　it　properly；　
and　the　wonders　connected　with　it；　you　must　pass　over　the　bridge　
above　it；　and　descend　a　precipitous　dingle　on　the　eastern　side　till　
you　come　to　a　small　platform　in　a　crag。　　Below　you　now　is　a　
frightful　cavity；　at　the　bottom　of　which　the　waters　of　the　Monks'　
River；　which　comes　tumbling　from　a　glen　to　the　east；　whirl；　boil；　
and　hiss　in　a　horrid　pot　or　cauldron；　called　in　the　language　of　the　
country　Twll　yn　y　graig；　or　the　hole　in　the　rock；　in　a　manner　truly　
tremendous。　　On　your　right　is　a　slit；　probably　caused　by　volcanic　
force；　through　which　the　waters　after　whirling　in　the　cauldron　
eventually　escape。　　The　slit　is　wonderfully　narrow；　considering　its　
altitude　which　is　very　great　…　considerably　upwards　of　a　hundred　
feet。　　Nearly　above　you；　crossing　the　slit；　which　is　partially　
wrapt　in　darkness；　is　the　far…famed　bridge；　the　Bridge　of　the　Evil　
Man；　a　work　which；　though　crumbling　and　darkly　grey；　does　much　
honour　to　the　hand　which　built　it；　whether　it　was　the　hand　of　Satan　
or　of　a　monkish　architect；　for　the　arch　is　chaste　and　beautiful；　
far　superior　in　every　respect；　except　in　safety　and　utility；　to　the　
one　above　it；　which　from　this　place　you　have　not　the　mortification　
of　seeing。　　Gaze　on　these　objects；　namely；　the　horrid　seething　pot　
or　cauldron；　the　gloomy　volcanic　slit；　and　the　spectral；　shadowy　
Devil's　Bridge　for　about　three　minutes；　allowing　a　minute　to　each；　
then　scramble　up　the　bank　and　repair　to　your　inn；　and　have　no　more　
sight…seeing　that　day；　for　you　have　seen　enough。　　And　if　pleasant　
recollections　do　not　haunt　you　through　life　of　the　noble　falls　and　
the　beautiful　wooded　dingles　to　the　west　of　the　bridge　of　the　Evil　
One；　and　awful　and　mysterious　ones　of　the　monks'　boiling　cauldron；　
the　long；　savage；　shadowy　cleft；　and　the　grey；　crumbling；　spectral　
bridge；　I　say　boldly　that　you　must　be　a　very　unpoetical　person　
indeed。



CHAPTER　LXXXV



Dinner　at　the　Hospice　…　Evening　Gossip　…　A　Day　of　Rain　…　A　Scanty　
Flock　…　The　Bridge　of　the　Minister　…　Legs　in　Danger。


I　DINED　in　a　parlour　of　the　inn　commanding　an　excellent　view　of　the　
hollow　and　the　Rheidol　fall。　　Shortly　after　I　had　dined；　a　fierce　
storm　of　rain　and　wind　came　on。　　It　lasted　for　an　hour；　and　then　
everything　again　became　calm。　　Just　before　evening　was　closing　in　I　
took　a　stroll　to　a　village　which　stands　a　little　way　to　the　west　of　
the　inn。　　It　consists　only　of　a　few　ruinous　edifices；　and　is　
chiefly　inhabited　by　miners　and　their　families。　　I　saw　no　men；　but　
plenty　of　women　and　children。　　Seeing　a　knot　of　women　and　girls　
chatting　I　went　up　and　addressed　them。　　Some　of　the　girls　were　very　
good…looking；　none　of　the　party　had　any　English；　all　of　them　were　
very　civil。　　I　first　talked　to　them　about　religion；　and　found　that；　
without　a　single　exception；　they　were　Calvinistic…Methodists。　　I　
next　talked　to　them　about　the　Plant　de　Bat。　　They　laughed　heartily　
at　the　first　mention　of　their　name；　but　seemed　to　know　very　little　
about　their　history。　　After　some　twenty　minutes'　discourse　I　bade　
them　good…night　and　returned　to　my　inn。

The　night　was　very　cold；　the　people　of　the　house；　however；　made　up　
for　me　a　roaring　fire　of　turf；　and　I　felt　very　comfortable。　　About　
ten　o'clock　I　went　to　bed；　intending　next　morning　to　go　and　see　
Plynlimmon；　which　I　had　left　behind　me　on　entering　Cardiganshire。　　
When　the　morning　came；　however；　I　saw　at　once　that　I　had　entered　
upon　a　day　by　no　means　adapted　for　excursions　of　any　considerable　
length；　for　it　rained　terribly；　but　this　gave　me　very　little　
concern；　my　time　was　my　own；　and　I　said　to　myself：　　〃If　I　can't　go　
to…day　I　can　perhaps　go　to…morrow。〃　　After　breakfast　I　passed　some　
hours　in　a　manner　by　no　means　disagreeable；　sometimes　meditating　
before　my　turf　fire；　with　my　eyes　fixed　upon　it；　and　sometimes　
sitting　by　the　window；　with　my　eyes　fixed　upon　the　cascade　of　the　
Rheidol；　which　was　every　moment　becoming　more　magnificent。　　At　
length　about　twelve　o'clock；　fearing　that　if　I　stayed　within　I　
should　lose　my　appetite　for　dinner；　which　has　always　been　one　of　
the　greatest　of　my　enjoyments；　I　determined　to　go　and　see　the　
Minister's　Bridge　which　my　friend　the　old　mining　captain　had　spoken　
to　me　about。　　I　knew　that　I　should　get　a　wetting　by　doing　so；　for　
the　weather　still　continued　very　bad；　but　I　don't　care　much　for　a　
wetting　provided　I　have　a　good　roof；　a　good　fire；　and　good　fare　to　
betake　myself　to　afterwards。

So　I　set　out。　　As　I　passed　over　the　bridge　of　the　Mynach　River　I　
looked　down　over　the　eastern　balustrade。　　The　Bridge　of　the　Evil　
One；　which　is　just　below　it；　was　quite　invisible。　　I　could　see；　
however；　the　pot　or　crochan　distinctly　enough；　and　a　horrible　sight　
it　presented。　　The　waters　were　whirling　round　in　a　manner　to　
describe　which　any　word　but　frenzied　would　be　utterly　powerless。　　
Half…an…hour's　walking　brought　me　to　the　little　village　through　
which　I　had　passed　the　day　before。　　Going　up　to　a　house　I　knocked　
at　the　door；　and　a　middle…aged　man　opening　it；　I　asked　him　the　way　
to　the　Bridge　of　the　Minister。　　He　pointed　to　the　little　chapel　to　
the　west；　and　said　that　the　way　lay　past　it；　adding　that　he　would　
go　with　me　himself；　as　he　wanted　to　go　to　the　hills　on　the　other　
side　to　see　his　sheep。

We　got　presently　into　discourse。　　He　at　first　talked　broken　
English；　but　soon　began　to　speak　his　native　language。　　I　asked　him　
if　the　chapel　belonged　to　the　Methodists。

〃It　is　not　a　chapel；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　a　church。〃

〃Do　many　come　to　it？〃　said　I。

〃Not　many；　sir；　for　the　Methodists　are　very　powerful　here。　　Not　
more　than　forty　or　fifty　come。〃

〃Do　you　belong　to　the　Church？〃　said　I。

〃I　do；　sir　…　thank　God！〃

〃You　may　well　be　thankful；〃　said　I；　〃for　it　is　a　great　privilege　to　
belong　to　the　Church　of　England。〃

〃It　is　so；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　'though　few；　alas！　think　so。〃

I　found　him　a　highly…intelligent　person。　　On　my　talking　to　him　
about　the　name　of　the　place；　he　said　that　some　called　it　Spytty　
Cynfyn；　and　others　Spytty　Cynwyl；　and　that　both　Cynwyl　and　Cynfyn　
were　the　names　of　people；　to　one　or　other　of　which　the　place　was　
dedicated；　and　that；　like　the　place　farther　on　called　Spytty　
Ystwyth；　it　was　in　the　old　time　a　hospital　or　inn　for　the　
convenience　of　the　pilgrims　going　to　the　great　monastery　of　Ystrad　
Flur　or　Strata　Florida。

Passing　through　a　field　or　two　we　came　to　the　side　of　a　very　deep　
ravine；　down　which　there　was　a　zigzag　path　leading　to　the　bridge。　　
The　path　was　very　steep；　and；　owing　to　the　rain；　exceedingly　
slippery。　　For　some　way　it　led　through　a　grove　of　dwarf　oaks；　by　
grasping　the　branches　of　which　I　was　enabled　to　support　myself　
tolerably　well；　nearly　at　the　bottom；　however；　where　the　path　was　
most　precipitous；　the　trees　ceased　altogether。　　Fearing　to　trust　my　
legs；　I　determined　to　slide　down；　and　put　my　resolution　in　
practice；　arriving　at　a　little　shelf　close　by　the　bridge　without　
any　accident。　　The　man；　accustomed　to　the　path；　went　down　in　the　
usual　manner。　　The　bridge　consisted　of　a　couple　of　planks　and　a　
pole　flung　over　a　chasm　about　ten　feet　wide；　on　the　farther　side　of　
which　was　a　precipice　with　a　path　at　least　quite　as　steep　as　the　
one　down　which　I　had　come；　and　without　any　trees　or　shrubs　by　which　
those　who　used　it　might　support　themselves。　　The　torrent　rolled　
about　nine　feet　below　the　bridge；　its　channel　was　tortuous；　on　the　
south…east　side　of　the　bridge　was　a　cauldron；　like　that　on　which　I　
had　looked　down　from　the　bridge　over　the　river　of　the　monks。　　The　
man　passed　over　the　bridge　and　I　followed　him；　on　the　other　side　we　
stopped　and　turned　round。　　The　river　was　rushing　and　surging；　the　
pot　was　boiling　and　roaring；　and　everything　looked　wild　and　savage；　
but　the　locality；　for