wild wales-第114节

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plenty　of　gold　about　the　neighbourhood。〃

We　now　bent　our　steps　homeward；　bearing　slightly　to　the　north；　
going　over　hills　and　dales　covered　with　gorse　and　ling。　　My　guide　
walked　with　a　calm　and　deliberate　gait；　yet　I　had　considerable　
difficulty　in　keeping　up　with　him。　　There　was；　however；　nothing　
surprising　in　this；　he　was　a　shepherd　walking　on　his　own　hill；　and　
having　first…rate　wind；　and　knowing　every　inch　of　the　ground；　made　
great　way　without　seeming　to　be　in　the　slightest　hurry：　　I　would　
not　advise　a　road…walker；　even　if　he　be　a　first…rate　one；　to　
attempt　to　compete　with　a　shepherd　on　his　own；　or　indeed　any　hill；　
should　he　do　so；　the　conceit　would　soon　be　taken　out　of　him。

After　a　little　time　we　saw　a　rivulet　running　from　the　west。

〃This　ffrwd；〃　said　my　guide；　〃is　called　Frennig。　　It　here　divides　
shire　Trefaldwyn　from　Cardiganshire；　one　in　North　and　the　other　in　
South　Wales。〃

Shortly　afterwards　we　came　to　a　hillock　of　rather　a　singular　shape。

〃This　place；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃is　called　Eisteddfa。〃

〃Why　is　it　called　so？〃　said　I。　　〃Eisteddfa　means　the　place　where　
people　sit　down。〃

〃It　does　so；〃　said　the　guide；　〃and　it　is　called　the　place　of　
sitting　because　three　men　from　different　quarters　of　the　world　once　
met　here；　and　one　proposed　that　they　should　sit　down。〃

〃And　did　they？〃　said　I。

〃They　did；　sir；　and　when　they　had　sat　down　they　told　each　other　
their　histories。〃

〃I　should　be　glad　to　know　what　their　histories　were；〃　said　I。

〃I　can't　exactly　tell　you　what　they　were；　but　I　have　heard　say　that　
there　was　a　great　deal　in　them　about　the　Tylwyth　Teg　or　fairies。〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　fairies？〃　said　I。

〃I　do；　sir；　but　they　are　very　seldom　seen；　and　when　they　are　they　
do　no　harm　to　anybody。　　I　only　wish　there　were　as　few　corpse…
candles　as　there　are　Tylwith　Teg；　and　that　they　did　as　little　
harm。〃

〃They　foreshow　people's　deaths；　don't　they？〃　said　I。

〃They　do；　sir；　but　that's　not　all　the　harm　they　do。　　They　are　very　
dangerous　for　anybody　to　meet　with。　　If　they　come　bump　up　against　
you　when　you　are　walking　carelessly　it's　generally　all　over　with　
you　in　this　world。　　I'll　give　you　an　example：　　A　man　returning　from　
market　from　Llan　Eglos　to　Llan　Curig；　not　far　from　Plynlimmon；　was　
struck　down　dead　as　a　horse　not　long　ago　by　a　corpse…candle。　　It　
was　a　rainy；　windy　night；　and　the　wind　and　rain　were　blowing　in　his　
face；　so　that　he　could　not　see　it；　or　get　out　of　its　way。　　And　yet　
the　candle　was　not　abroad　on　purpose　to　kill　the　man。　　The　business　
that　it　was　about　was　to　prognosticate　the　death　of　a　woman　who　
lived　near　the　spot；　and　whose　husband　dealt　in　wool　…　poor　thing！　
she　was　dead　and　buried　in　less　than　a　fortnight。　　Ah；　master；　I　
wish　that　corpse…candles　were　as　few　and　as　little　dangerous　as　the　
Tylwith　Teg　or　fairies。〃

We　returned　to　the　inn；　where　I　settled　with　the　honest　fellow；　
adding　a　trifle　to　what　I　had　agreed　to　give　him。　　Then　sitting　
down；　I　called　for　a　large　measure　of　ale；　and　invited　him　to　
partake　of　it。　　He　accepted　my　offer　with　many　thanks　and　bows；　and　
as　we　sat　and　drank　our　ale　we　had　a　great　deal　of　discourse　about　
the　places　we　had　visited。　　The　ale　being　finished；　I　got　up　and　
said：

〃I　must　now　be　off　for　the　Devil's　Bridge！〃

Whereupon　he　also　arose；　and　offering　me　his　hand；　said：

〃Farewell；　master；　I　shall　never　forget　you。　　Were　all　the　
gentlefolks　who　come　here　to　see　the　sources　like　you；　we　should　
indeed　feel　no　want　in　these　hills　of　such　a　gentleman　as　is　spoken　
of　in　the　pennillion。〃

The　sun　was　going　down　as　I　left　the　inn。　　I　recrossed　the　
streamlet　by　means　of　the　pole　and　rail。　　The　water　was　running　
with　much　less　violence　than　in　the　morning；　and　was　considerably　
lower。　　The　evening　was　calm　and　beautifully　cool；　with　a　slight　
tendency　to　frost。　　I　walked　along　with　a　bounding　and　elastic　
step；　and　never　remember　to　have　felt　more　happy　and　cheerful。

I　reached　the　hospice　at　about　six　o'clock；　a　bright　moon　shining　
upon　me；　and　found　a　capital　supper　awaiting　me；　which　I　enjoyed　
exceedingly。

How　one　enjoys　one's　supper　at　one's　inn　after　a　good　day's　walk；　
provided　one　has　the　proud　and　glorious　consciousness　of　being　able　
to　pay　one's　reckoning　on　the　morrow！



CHAPTER　LXXXIX



A　Morning　View　…　Hafod　Ychdryd　…　The　Monument　…　Fairy…looking　Place　
…　Edward　Lhuyd。


THE　morning　of　the　sixth　was　bright　and　glorious。　　As　I　looked　from　
the　window　of　the　upper　sitting…room　of　the　hospice　the　scene　which　
presented　itself　was　wild　and　beautiful　to　a　degree。　　The　oak…
covered　tops　of　the　volcanic　crater　were　gilded　with　the　brightest　
sunshine；　whilst　the　eastern　sides　remained　in　dark　shade　and　the　
gap　or　narrow　entrance　to　the　north　in　shadow　yet　darker；　in　the　
midst　of　which　shone　the　silver　of　the　Rheidol　cataract。　　Should　I　
live　a　hundred　years　I　shall　never　forget　the　wild　fantastic　beauty　
of　that　morning　scene。

I　left　the　friendly　hospice　at　about　nine　o'clock　to　pursue　my　
southern　journey。　　By　this　time　the　morning　had　lost　much　of　its　
beauty；　and　the　dull　grey　sky　characteristic　of　November　began　to　
prevail。　　The　way　lay　up　a　hill　to　the　south…east；　on　my　left　was　a　
glen　down　which　the　river　of　the　Monk　rolled　with　noise　and　foam。　　
The　country　soon　became　naked　and　dreary；　and　continued　so　for　some　
miles。　　At　length；　coming　to　the　top　of　a　hill；　I　saw　a　park　before　
me；　through　which　the　road　led　after　passing　under　a　stately　
gateway。　　I　had　reached　the　confines　of　the　domain　of　Hafod。

Hafod　Ychdryd；　or　the　summer　mansion　of　Uchtryd；　has　from　time　
immemorial　been　the　name　of　a　dwelling　on　the　side　of　a　hill　above　
the　Ystwyth；　looking　to　the　east。　　At　first　it　was　a　summer　boothie　
or　hunting　lodge　to　Welsh　chieftains；　but　subsequently　expanded　to　
the　roomy；　comfortable　dwelling　of　Welsh　squires；　where　hospitality　
was　much　practised　and　bards　and　harpers　liberally　encouraged。　　
Whilst　belonging　to　an　ancient　family　of　the　name　of　Johnes；　
several　members　of　which　made　no　inconsiderable　figure　in　
literature；　it　was　celebrated；　far　and　wide；　for　its　library；　in　
which　was　to　be　found；　amongst　other　treasures；　a　large　collection　
of　Welsh　manuscripts　on　various　subjects　…　history；　medicine；　
poetry　and　romance。　　The　house；　however；　and　the　library　were　both　
destroyed　in　a　dreadful　fire　which　broke　out。　　This　fire　is　
generally　called　the　great　fire　of　Hafod；　and　some　of　those　who　
witnessed　it　have　been　heard　to　say　that　its　violence　was　so　great　
that　burning　rafters　mixed　with　flaming　books　were　hurled　high　
above　the　summits　of　the　hills。　　The　loss　of　the　house　was　a　matter　
of　triviality　compared　with　that　of　the　library。　　The　house　was　
soon　rebuilt；　and　probably；　phoenix…like；　looked　all　the　better　for　
having　been　burnt；　but　the　library　could　never　be　restored。　　On　the　
extinction　of　the　family；　the　last　hope　of　which；　an　angelic　girl；　
faded　away　in　the　year　1811；　the　domain　became　the　property　of　the　
late　Duke　of　Newcastle；　a　kind　and　philanthrophic　nobleman；　and　a　
great　friend　of　agriculture；　who　held　it　for　many　years；　and　
considerably　improved　it。　　After　his　decease　it　was　purchased　by　
the　head　of　an　ancient　Lancashire　family；　who　used　the　modern　house　
as　a　summer　residence；　as　the　Welsh　chieftains　had　used　the　wooden　
boothie　of　old。

I　went　to　a　kind　of　lodge；　where　I　had　been　told　that　I　should　find　
somebody　who　would　admit　me　to　the　church；　which　stood　within　the　
grounds　and　contained　a　monument　which　I　was　very　desirous　of　
seeing；　partly　from　its　being　considered　one　of　the　masterpieces　of　
the　great　Chantrey；　and　partly　because　it　was　a　memorial　to　the　
lovely　child；　the　last　scion　of　the　old　family　who　had　possessed　
the　domain。　　A　good…looking　young　woman；　the　only　person　whom　I　
saw；　on　my　telling　my　errand；　forthwith　took　a　key　and　conducted　me　
to　the　church。　　The　church　was　a　neat　edifice　with　rather　a　modern　
look。　　It　exhibited　nothing　remarkable　without；　and　only　one　thing　
remarkable　within；　namely；　the　monument；　which　was　indeed　worthy　of　
notice；　and　which；　had　Chantrey　executed　nothing　else；　might　well　
have　entitled　him　to　be　considered；　what　the　world　has　long　
pronounced　him；　the　prince　of　British　sculptors。

This　monument；　which　is　of　the　purest　marble；　is　placed　on　the　
eastern　side　of　the　church；　below　a　window　of　stained　glass；　and　
represents　a　truly　affecting　scene：　　a　lady　and　gentleman　are　
standing　over　a　dying　girl　of　angelic　beauty；　who　is　extended　on　a　
couch；　and　from　whose　hand　a　volume；　the　Book　of　Life；　is　falling。　　
The　lady　is　weeping。

Beneath　is　the　following　inscription　…


To　the　Memory　of
MARY
The　only　child　of　THOMAS　and　JANE　JOHNES
Who　died　in　1811
After　a　few　days'　sickness
This　monument　is　dedicated
By　her　parents。


An　inscription　worthy；　by　its　simplicity　and　pathos；　to　stand　below　
such　a　monument。

After　presenting　a　trifle　to　the　woman；　who；　to　my　great　surprise；　
could　not　speak　a　word　of　English；　I　left　the　church；　and　descended　
the　side　of　the　hill；　near　the　top　of　which　it　stands。　　The　scenery　
was　exceedingly　beautiful。　　Below　me　was　a　bright　green　vall