wild wales-第11节

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him　that　the　Pope　was　far　worse　than　either　the　Turk　or　the　
Russian；　that　his　religion　was　the　vilest　idolatry；　and　that　he　
would　let　no　one　alone。　　That　it　was　the　Pope　who　drove　his　fellow　
religionists　the　Anabaptists　out　of　the　Netherlands。　　He　asked　me　
how　long　ago　that　was。　　Between　two　and　three　hundred　years　I　
replied。　　He　asked　me　the　meaning　of　the　word　Anabaptist；　I　told　
him；　whereupon　he　expressed　great　admiration　for　my　understanding；　
and　said　that　he　hoped　he　should　see　me　again。

I　inquired　of　him　to　what　place　the　bridge　led；　he　told　me　that　if　
I　passed　over　it；　and　ascended　a　high　bank　beyond；　I　should　find　
myself　on　the　road　from　Llangollen　to　Corwen　and　that　if　I　wanted　
to　go　to　Llangollen　I　must　turn　to　the　left。　　I　thanked　him；　and　
passing　over　the　bridge；　and　ascending　the　bank；　found　myself　upon　
a　broad　road。　　I　turned　to　the　left；　and　walking　briskly　in　about　
half　an　hour　reached　our　cottage　in　the　northern　suburb；　where　I　
found　my　family　and　dinner　awaiting　me。



CHAPTER　IX



The　Dinner　…　English　Foibles　…　Pengwern　…　The　Yew…Tree　…　Carn…
Lleidyr　…　Applications　of　a　Term。


FOR　dinner　we　had　salmon　and　leg　of　mutton；　the　salmon　from　the　
Dee；　the　leg　from　the　neighbouring　Berwyn。　　The　salmon　was　good　
enough；　but　I　had　eaten　better；　and　here　it　will　not　be　amiss　to　
say；　that　the　best　salmon　in　the　world　is　caught　in　the　Suir；　a　
river　that　flows　past　the　beautiful　town　of　Clonmel　in　Ireland。　　As　
for　the　leg　of　mutton　it　was　truly　wonderful；　nothing　so　good　had　I　
ever　tasted　in　the　shape　of　a　leg　of　mutton。　　The　leg　of　mutton　of　
Wales　beats　the　leg　of　mutton　of　any　other　country；　and　I　had　never　
tasted　a　Welsh　leg　of　mutton　before。　　Certainly　I　shall　never　
forget　that　first　Welsh　leg　of　mutton　which　I　tasted；　rich　but　
delicate；　replete　with　juices　derived　from　the　aromatic　herbs　of　
the　noble　Berwyn；　cooked　to　a　turn；　and　weighing　just　four　pounds。


〃O　its　savoury　smell　was　great；
Such　as　well　might　tempt；　I　trow；
One　that's　dead　to　lift　his　brow。〃


Let　any　one　who　wishes　to　eat　leg　of　mutton　in　perfection　go　to　
Wales；　but　mind　you　to　eat　leg　of　mutton　only。　　Welsh　leg　of　mutton　
is　superlative；　but　with　the　exception　of　the　leg；　the　mutton　of　
Wales　is　decidedly　inferior　to　that　of　many　other　parts　of　Britain。

Here；　perhaps；　as　I　have　told　the　reader　what　we　ate　for　dinner；　it　
will　be　as　well　to　tell　him　what　we　drank　at　dinner。　　Let　him　know　
then；　that　with　our　salmon　we　drank　water；　and　with　our　mutton　ale；　
even　ale　of　Llangollen；　but　not　the　best　ale　of　Llangollen；　it　was　
very　fair；　but　I　subsequently　drank　far　better　Llangollen　ale　than　
that　which　I　drank　at　our　first　dinner　in　our　cottage　at　
Llangollen。

In　the　evening　I　went　across　the　bridge　and　strolled　along　in　a　
south…east　direction。　　Just　as　I　had　cleared　the　suburb　a　man　
joined　me　from　a　cottage；　on　the　top　of　a　high　bank；　whom　I　
recognised　as　the　mower　with　whom　I　had　held　discourse　in　the　
morning。　　He　saluted　me　and　asked　me　if　I　were　taking　a　walk；　I　
told　him　I　was；　whereupon　he　said　that　if　I　were　not　too　proud　to　
wish　to　be　seen　walking　with　a　poor　man　like　himself；　he　should　
wish　to　join　me。　　I　told　him　I　should　be　glad　of　his　company；　and　
that　I　was　not　ashamed　to　be　seen　walking　with　any　person；　however　
poor；　who　conducted　himself　with　propriety。　　He　replied　that　I　must　
be　very　different　from　my　countrymen　in　general；　who　were　ashamed　
to　be　seen　walking　with　any　people；　who　were　not；　at　least；　as　
well…dressed　as　themselves。　　I　said　that　my　country…folk　in　general　
had　a　great　many　admirable　qualities；　but　at　the　same　time　a　great　
many　foibles；　foremost　amongst　which　last　was　a　crazy　admiration　
for　what　they　called　gentility；　which　made　them　sycophantic　to　
their　superiors　in　station；　and　extremely　insolent　to　those　whom　
they　considered　below　them。　　He　said　that　I　had　spoken　his　very　
thoughts；　and　then　asked　me　whether　I　wished　to　be　taken　the　most　
agreeable　walk　near　Llangollen。

On　my　replying　by　all　means；　he　led　me　along　the　road　to　the　south…
east。　　A　pleasant　road　it　proved：　　on　our　right　at　some　distance　
was　the　mighty　Berwyn；　close　on　our　left　the　hill　called　Pen　y　
Coed。　　I　asked　him　what　was　beyond　the　Berwyn？

〃A　very　wild　country；　indeed；〃　he　replied；　〃consisting　of　wood；　
rock；　and　river；　in　fact；　an　anialwch。〃

He　then　asked　if　I　knew　the　meaning　of　anialwch。

〃A　wilderness；〃　I　replied；　〃you　will　find　the　word　in　the　Welsh　
Bible。〃

〃Very　true；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃it　was　there　I　met　it；　but　I　did　not　
know　the　meaning　of　it；　till　it　was　explained　to　me　by　one　of　our　
teachers。〃

On　my　inquiring　of　what　religion　he　was；　he　told　me　he　was　a　
Calvinistic…Methodist。

We　passed　an　ancient　building　which　stood　on　our　right。　　I　turned　
round　to　look　at　it。　　Its　back　was　to　the　road：　　at　its　eastern　end　
was　a　fine　arched　window　like　the　oriel　window　of　a　church

〃That　building；〃　said　my　companion；　〃is　called　Pengwern　Hall。　　It　
was　once　a　convent　of　nuns；　a　little　time　ago　a　farm…house；　but　is　
now　used　as　a　barn；　and　a　place　of　stowage。　　Till　lately　it　
belonged　to　the　Mostyn　family；　but　they　disposed　of　it；　with　the　
farm　on　which　it　stood；　together　with　several　other　farms；　to　
certain　people　from　Liverpool；　who　now　live　yonder；〃　pointing　to　a　
house　a　little　way　farther　on。　　I　still　looked　at　the　edifice。

〃You　seem　to　admire　the　old　building；〃　said　my　companion。

〃I　was　not　admiring　it；〃　said　I；　〃I　was　thinking　of　the　difference　
between　its　present　and　former　state。　　Formerly　it　was　a　place　
devoted　to　gorgeous　idolatry　and　obscene　lust；　now　it　is　a　quiet　
old　barn　in　which　hay　and　straw　are　placed；　and　broken　tumbrels　
stowed　away：　　surely　the　hand　of　God　is　visible　here？〃

〃It　is　so；　sir；〃　said　the　man　in　a　respectful　tone；　〃and　so　it　is　
in　another　place　in　this　neighbourhood。　　About　three　miles　from　
here；　in　the　north…west　part　of　the　valley；　is　an　old　edifice。　　It　
is　now　a　farm…house；　but　was　once　a　splendid　abbey；　and　was　called　
…　〃

〃The　abbey　of　the　vale　of　the　cross；〃　said　I；　〃I　have　read　a　deal　
about　it。　　Iolo　Goch；　the　bard　of　your　celebrated　hero；　Owen　
Glendower；　was　buried　somewhere　in　its　precincts。〃

We　went　on：　　my　companion　took　me　over　a　stile　behind　the　house　
which　he　had　pointed　out；　and　along　a　path　through　hazel　coppices。　　
After　a　little　time　I　inquired　whether　there　were　any　Papists　in　
Llangollen。

〃No；〃　said　he；　〃there　is　not　one　of　that　family　at　Llangollen；　but　
I　believe　there　are　some　in　Flintshire；　at　a　place　called　Holywell；　
where　there　is　a　pool　or　fountain；　the　waters　of　which　it　is　said　
they　worship。〃

〃And　so　they　do；〃　said　I；　〃true　to　the　old　Indian　superstition；　of　
which　their　religion　is　nothing　but　a　modification。　　The　Indians　
and　sepoys　worship　stocks　and　stones；　and　the　river　Ganges；　and　our　
Papists　worship　stocks　and　stones；　holy　wells　and　fountains。〃

He　put　some　questions　to　me　about　the　origin　of　nuns　and　friars。　　I　
told　him　they　originated　in　India；　and　made　him　laugh　heartily　by　
showing　him　the　original　identity　of　nuns　and　nautch…girls；　begging　
priests　and　begging　Brahmins。　　We　passed　by　a　small　house　with　an　
enormous　yew…tree　before　it；　I　asked　him　who　lived　there。

〃No　one；〃　he　replied；　〃it　is　to　let。　　It　was　originally　a　cottage；　
but　the　proprietors　have　furbished　it　up　a　little；　and　call　it　Yew…
tree　Villa。〃

〃I　suppose　they　would　let　it　cheap；〃　said　I。

〃By　no　means；〃　he　replied；　〃they　ask　eighty　pounds　a　year　for　it。〃

〃What　could　have　induced　them　to　set　such　a　rent　upon　it？〃　I　
demanded。

〃The　yew…tree；　sir；　which　is　said　to　be　the　largest　in　Wales。　　They　
hope　that　some　of　the　grand　gentry　will　take　the　house　for　the　
romance　of　the　yew…tree；　but　somehow　or　other　nobody　has　taken　it；　
though　it　has　been　to　let　for　three　seasons。〃

We　soon　came　to　a　road　leading　east　and　west。

〃This　way；〃　said　he；　pointing　in　the　direction　of　the　west；　〃leads　
back　to　Llangollen；　the　other　to　Offa's　Dyke　and　England。〃

We　turned　to　the　west。　　He　inquired　if　I　had　ever　heard　before　of　
Offa's　Dyke。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　I；　〃it　was　built　by　an　old　Saxon　king　called　Offa；　
against　the　incursions　of　the　Welsh。〃

〃There　was　a　time；〃　said　my　companion；　〃when　it　was　customary　for　
the　English　to　cut　off　the　ears　of　every　Welshman　who　was　found　to　
the　east　of　the　dyke；　and　for　the　Welsh　to　hang　every　Englishman　
whom　they　found　to　the　west　of　it。　　Let　us　be　thankful　that　we　are　
now　more　humane　to　each　other。　　We　are　now　on　the　north　side　of　Pen　
y　Coed。　　Do　you　know　the　meaning　of　Pen　y　Coed；　sir？〃

〃Pen　y　Coed；〃　said　I；　〃means　the　head　of　the　wood。　　I　suppose　that　
in　the　old　time　the　mountain　looked　over　some　extensive　forest；　
even　as　the　nunnery　of　Pengwern　looked　originally　over　an　alder…
swamp；　for　Pengwern　means　the　head　of　the　alder…swamp。〃

〃So　it　does；　sir；　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　you　could　tell　me　the　real　
meaning　of　a　word；　about　which　I　have　thought　a　good　deal；　and　
about　which　I　was　puzzling　my　head　last　night　as　I　lay　in　bed。〃

〃What　may　it　be？〃　said　I。

〃Carn…lleidyr；〃　he　replied：　　〃now；　sir；　do　you　know　the　meaning　of　
that　word？〃