wild wales-第116节

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which　I　found　vacant；　and　said　in　English　to　an　old　woman　who　sat　
knitting　by　the　window：　　〃Bring　me　a　pint　of　ale！〃

〃Dim　Saesneg！〃　said　the　old　woman。

〃I　told　you　to　bring　me　a　pint　of　ale；〃　said　I　to　her　in　her　own　
language。

〃You　shall　have　it　immediately；　sir；〃　said　she；　and　going　to　a　
cask；　she　filled　a　jug　with　ale；　and　after　handing　it　to　me　resumed　
her　seat　and　knitting。

〃It　is　not　very　bad　ale；〃　said　I；　after　I　had　tasted　it。

〃It　ought　to　be　very　good；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃for　I　brewed　it　
myself。〃

〃The　goodness　of　ale；〃　said　I；　〃does　not　so　much　depend　on　who　
brews　it　as　on　what　it　is　brewed　of。　　Now　there　is　something　in　
this　ale　which　ought　not　to　be。　　What　is　it　made　of？〃

〃Malt　and　hop。〃

〃It　tastes　very　bitter；〃　said　I。　　〃Is　there　no　chwerwlys　（13）　in　
it？〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　chwerwlys　is；〃　said　the　old　woman。

〃It　is　what　the　Saxons　call　wormwood；〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　wermod。　　No；　there　is　no　wermod　in　my　beer；　at　least　not　
much。〃

〃Oh；　then　there　is　some；　I　thought　there　was。　　Why　do　you　put　such　
stuff　into　your　ale？〃

〃We　are　glad　to　put　it　in　sometimes　when　hops　are　dear；　as　they　are　
this　year。　　Moreover；　wermod　is　not　bad　stuff；　and　some　folks　like　
the　taste　better　than　that　of　hops。〃

〃Well；　I　don't。　　However；　the　ale　is　drinkable。　　What　am　I　to　give　
you　for　the　pint？〃

〃You　are　to　give　me　a　groat。〃

〃That　is　a　great　deal；〃　said　I；　〃for　a　groat　I　ought　to　have　a　pint　
of　ale　made　of　the　best　malt　and　hops。〃

〃I　give　you　the　best　I　can　afford。　　One　must　live　by　what　one　
sells。　　I　do　not　find　that　easy　work。〃

〃Is　this　house　your　own？〃

〃Oh　no！　　I　pay　rent　for　it；　and　not　a　cheap　one。〃

〃Have　you　a　husband？

〃I　had；　but　he　is　dead。〃

〃Have　you　any　children？〃

〃I　had　three；　but　they　are　dead　too；　and　buried　with　my　husband　at　
the　monastery。〃

〃Where　is　the　monastery？〃

〃A　good　way　farther　on；　at　the　strath　beyond　Rhyd　Fendigaid。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　the　little　river　by　the　house？〃

〃Avon　Marchnad　（Market　River）。〃

〃Why　is　it　called　Avon　Marchnad？〃

〃Truly；　gentleman；　I　cannot　tell　you。〃

I　went　on　sipping　my　ale　and　finding　fault　with　its　bitterness　till　
I　had　finished　it；　when　getting　up　I　gave　the　old　lady　her　groat；　
bade　her　farewell；　and　departed。



CHAPTER　XCI



Pont　y　Rhyd　Fendigaid　…　Strata　Florida　…　The　Yew…Tree　…　Idolatry　…　
The　Teivi　…　The　Llostlydan。


AND　now　for　the　resting…place　of　Dafydd　Ab　Gwilym！　　After　wandering　
for　some　miles　towards　the　south　over　a　bleak　moory　country　I　came　
to　a　place　called　Fair　Rhos；　a　miserable　village；　consisting　of　a　
few　half…ruined　cottages；　situated　on　the　top　of　a　hill。　　From　the　
hill　I　looked　down　on　a　wide　valley　of　a　russet　colour；　along　which　
a　river　ran　towards　the　south。　　The　whole　scene　was　cheerless。　　
Sullen　hills　were　all　around。　　Descending　the　hill　I　entered　a　
large　village　divided　into　two　by　the　river；　which　here　runs　from　
east　to　west；　but　presently　makes　a　turn。　　There　was　much　mire　in　
the　street；　immense　swine　lay　in　the　mire；　who　turned　up　their　
snouts　at　me　as　I　passed。　　Women　in　Welsh　hats　stood　in　the　mire；　
along　with　men　without　any　hats　at　all；　but　with　short　pipes　in　
their　mouths；　they　were　talking　together；　as　I　passed；　however；　
they　held　their　tongues；　the　women　leering　contemptuously　at　me；　
the　men　glaring　sullenly　at　me；　and　causing　tobacco　smoke　curl　in　
my　face；　on　my　taking　off　my　hat；　however　and　inquiring　the　way　to　
the　Monachlog；　everybody　was　civil　enough；　and　twenty　voices　told　
me　the　way　the　Monastery。　　I　asked　the　name　of　the　river：

〃The　Teivi；　sir：　　the　Teivi。〃

〃The　name　of　the　bridge？〃

〃Pony　y　Rhyd　Fendigaid　…　the　Bridge　of　the　Blessed　Ford；　sir。〃

I　crossed　the　Bridge　of　the　Blessed　Ford；　and　presently　leaving　the　
main　road；　I　turned　to　the　east　by　a　dung…hill；　up　a　narrow　lane　
parallel　with　the　river。　　After　proceeding　a　mile　up　the　lane；　
amidst　trees　and　copses；　and　crossing　a　little　brook；　which　runs　
into　the　Teivi；　out　of　which　I　drank；　I　saw　before　me　in　the　midst　
of　a　field；　in　which　were　tombstones　and　broken　ruins；　a　rustic…
looking　church；　a　farm…house　stood　near　it；　in　the　garden　of　which　
stood　the　framework　of　a　large　gateway。　　I　crossed　over　into　the　
churchyard；　ascended　a　green　mound；　and　looked　about　me。　　I　was　now　
in　the　very　midst　of　the　Monachlog　Ystrad　Flur；　the　celebrated　
monastery　of　Strata　Florida；　to　which　in　old　times　Popish　pilgrims　
from　all　parts　of　the　world　repaired。　　The　scene　was　solemn　and　
impressive：　　on　the　north　side　of　the　river　a　large　bulky　hill　
looked　down　upon　the　ruins　and　the　church；　and　on　the　south　side；　
some　way　behind　the　farm…house；　was　another　which　did　the　same。　　
Rugged　mountains　formed　the　background　of　the　valley　to　the　east；　
down　from　which　came　murmuring　the　fleet　but　shallow　Teivi。　　Such　
is　the　scenery　which　surrounds　what　remains　of　Strata　Florida：　　
those　scanty　broken　ruins　compose　all　which　remains　of　that　
celebrated　monastery；　in　which　saints　and　mitred　abbots　were　
buried；　and　in　which；　or　in　whose　precincts；　was　buried　Dafydd　Ab　
Gwilym；　the　greatest　genius　of　the　Cimbric　race　and　one　of　the　
first　poets　of　the　world。

After　standing　for　some　time　on　the　mound　I　descended；　and　went　up　
to　the　church。　　I　found　the　door　fastened；　but　obtained　through　a　
window　a　tolerable　view　of　the　interior；　which　presented　an　
appearance　of　the　greatest　simplicity。　　I　then　strolled　about　the　
churchyard　looking　at　the　tombstones；　which　were　humble　enough　and　
for　the　most　part　modern。　　I　would　give　something；　said　I；　to　know　
whereabouts　in　this　neighbourhood　Ab　Gwilym　lies。　　That；　however；　
is　a　secret　that　no　one　can　reveal　to　me。　　At　length　I　came　to　a　
yew…tree　which　stood　just　by　the　northern　wall；　which　is　at　a　
slight　distance　from　the　Teivi。　　It　was　one　of　two　trees；　both　of　
the　same　species；　which　stood　in　the　churchyard；　and　appeared　to　be　
the　oldest　of　the　two。　　Who　knows；　said　I；　but　this　is　the　tree　
that　was　planted　over　Ab　Gwilym's　grave；　and　to　which　Gruffydd　Gryg　
wrote　an　ode？　　I　looked　at　it　attentively；　and　thought　that　there　
was　just　a　possibility　of　its　being　the　identical　tree。　　If　it　was；　
however；　the　benison　of　Gruffydd　Gryg　had　not　had　exactly　the　
effect　which　he　intended；　for　either　lightning　or　the　force　of　wind　
had　splitten　off　a　considerable　part　of　the　head　and　trunk；　so　that　
though　one　part　of　it　looked　strong　and　blooming；　the　other　was　
white　and　spectral。　　Nevertheless；　relying　on　the　possibility　of　
its　being　the　sacred　tree；　I　behaved　just　as　I　should　have　done　had　
I　been　quite　certain　of　the　fact。　　Taking　off　my　hat　I　knelt　down　
and　kissed　its　root；　repeating　lines　from　Gruffydd　Gryg；　with　which　
I　blended　some　of　my　own　in　order　to　accommodate　what　I　said　to　
present　circumstances：…


〃O　tree　of　yew；　which　here　I　spy；
By　Ystrad　Flur's　blest　monast'ry；
Beneath　thee　lies；　by　cold　Death　bound；
The　tongue　for　sweetness　once　renown'd。
Better　for　thee　thy　boughs　to　wave；
Though　scath'd；　above　Ab　Gwilym's　grave；
Than　stand　in　pristine　glory　drest
Where　some　ignobler　bard　doth　rest；
I'd　rather　hear　a　taunting　rhyme
From　one　who'll　live　through　endless　time；
Than　hear　my　praises　chanted　loud
By　poets　of　the　vulgar　crowd。〃


I　had　left　the　churchyard；　and　was　standing　near　a　kind　of　garden；　
at　some　little　distance　from　the　farm…house；　gazing　about　me　and　
meditating；　when　a　man　came　up　attended　by　a　large　dog。　　He　had　
rather　a　youthful　look；　was　of　the　middle　size；　and　dark　
complexioned。　　He　was　respectably　dressed；　except　that　upon　his　
head　he　wore　a　common　hairy　cap。

〃Good　evening；〃　said　I　to　him　in　Welsh。

〃Good　evening；　gentleman；〃　said　he　in　the　same　language。

〃Have　you　much　English？〃　said　I。

〃Very　little；　I　can　only　speak　a　few　words。〃

〃Are　you　the　farmer？〃

〃Yes！　　I　farm　the　greater　part　of　the　Strath。〃

〃I　suppose　the　land　is　very　good　here？〃

〃Why　do　you　suppose　so？〃

〃Because　the　monks　built　their　house　here　in　the　old　time；　and　the　
monks　never　built　their　houses　except　on　good　land。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say　the　land　is　good；　indeed　I　do　not　think　there　is　
any　so　good　in　Shire　Aberteifi。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　surprised　to　see　me　here；　I　came　to　see　the　old　
Monachlog。〃

〃Yes；　gentleman；　I　saw　you　looking　about　it。〃

〃Am　I　welcome　to　see　it？〃

〃Croesaw！　gwr　boneddig；　croesaw！　many；　many　welcomes　to　you；　
gentleman！〃

〃Do　many　people　come　to　see　the　monastery？〃

FARMER。　…　Yes！　many　gentlefolks　come　to　see　it　in　the　summer　time。

MYSELF。　…　It　is　a　poor　place　now。

FARMER。　…　Very　poor；　I　wonder　any　gentlefolks　come　to　look　at　it。

MYSELF。　…　It　was　a　wonderful　place　once；　you　merely　see　the　ruins　
of　it　now。　　It　was　pulled　down　at　the　Reformation。

FARMER。　…　Why　was　it　pulled　down　then？

MYSELF。　…　Because　it　was　a　house　of　idolatry　to　which　people　used　
to　resort　by　hundreds　to　worship　images。　　Had　you　lived　at　that　
time　you　would　have　seen　people　down　on　their　knees　before　stocks　
and　stones；　worshipping　them；　kissing　them；　and　repeating　
pennillion　to　them。

FARMER。　…　What　fools！　　How　thankful　I　am　that　I　live　in　wiser　days。　　
If　such　things　were　going　o