wild wales-第127节

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house；　on　one　side　of　which　was　a　wheel　turned　round　by　a　flush　of　
water　running　in　a　little　artificial　canal；　close　by　it　were　two　
small　cascades；　the　waters　of　which；　and　also　those　of　the　canal；　
passed　under　the　bridge　in　the　direction　of　the　west。　　Seeing　a　
decent…looking　man　engaged　in　sawing　a　piece　of　wood　by　the　
roadside；　I　asked　him　in　Welsh　whether　the　house　with　the　wheel　was　
a　flour　mill。

〃Nage；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　a　pandy；　fulling　mill。〃

〃Can　you　tell　me　the　name　of　a　river；〃　said　I；　〃which　I　have　left　
about　a　mile　behind　me。　　Is　it　the　Sawdde？'

〃Nage；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　the　Lleidach。〃

Then　looking　at　me　with　great　curiosity；　he　asked　if　I　came　from　
the　north　country。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　certainly　come　from　there。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　he；　〃for　I　have　long　wished　to　see　a　
man　from　the　north　country。〃

〃Did　you　never　see　one　before？〃　said　I。

〃Never　in　my　life；〃　he　replied；　〃men　from　the　north　country　seldom　
show　themselves　in　these　parts。〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　not　ashamed　to　say　that　I　come　from　the　
north。〃

〃Ain't　you？　　Well；　I　don't　know　that　you　have　any　particular　reason　
to　be　ashamed；　for　it　is　rather　your　misfortune　than　your　fault；　
but　the　idea　of　any　one　coming　from　the　north　…　ho；　ho！〃

〃Perhaps　in　the　north；〃　said　I；　〃they　laugh　at　a　man　from　the　
south。〃

〃Laugh　at　a　man　from　the　south！　　No；　no；　they　can't　do　that。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　I；　〃why　shouldn't　the　north　laugh　at　the　south　as　
well　as　the　south　at　the　north？〃

〃Why　shouldn't　it？　why；　you　talk　like　a　fool。　　How　could　the　north　
laugh　at　the　south　as　long　as　the　south　remains　the　south　and　the　
north　the　north？　　Laugh　at　the　south！　you　talk　like　a　fool；　David；　
and　if　you　go　on　in　that　way　I　shall　be　angry　with　you。　　However；　
I'll　excuse　you；　you　are　from　the　north；　and　what　can　one　expect　
from　the　north　but　nonsense？　　Now　tell　me；　do　you　of　the　north　eat　
and　drink　like　other　people？　　What　do　you　live　upon？〃

〃Why；　as　for　myself；〃　said　I；　〃I　generally　live　on　the　best　I　can　
get。〃

〃Let's　hear　what　you　eat；　bacon　and　eggs？

〃Oh　yes；　I　eat　bacon　and　eggs　when　I　can　get　nothing　better。〃

〃And　what　do　you　drink？　　Can　you　drink　ale？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　very　fond　of　ale　when　it's　good。　　Perhaps　
you　will　stand　a　pint？〃

〃Hm；〃　said　the　man　looking　somewhat　blank；　〃there　is　no　ale　in　the　
Pandy　and　there　is　no　public…house　near　at　hand；　otherwise　…　Where　
are　you　going　to…night？〃

〃To　Gutter　Vawr。〃

〃Well；　then；　you　had　better　not　loiter；　Gutter　Vawr　is　a　long　way　
off　over　the　mountain。　　It　will　be　dark；　I　am　afraid；　long　before　
you　get　to　Gutter　Vawr。　　Good　evening；　David！　　I　am　glad　to　have　
seen　you；　for　I　have　long　wished　to　see　a　man　from　the　north　
country。　　Good　evening！　you　will　find　plenty　of　good　ale　at　Gutter　
Vawr。〃

I　went　on　my　way。　　The　road　led　in　a　south…eastern　direction　
gradually　upward　to　very　lofty　regions。　　After　walking　about　half…
an…hour　I　saw　a　kind　of　wooden　house　on　wheels　drawn　by　two　horses　
coming　down　the　hill　towards　me。　　A　short　black…looking　fellow　in　
brown…top　boots；　corduroy　breeches；　jockey　coat　and　jockey　cap　sat　
on　the　box；　holding　the　reins　in　one　hand　and　a　long　whip　in　the　
other。　　Beside　him　was　a　swarthy　woman　in　a　wild　flaunting　dress。　　
Behind　the　box　out　of　the　fore　part　of　the　caravan　peered　two　or　
three　black　children's　heads。　　A　pretty　little　foal　about　four　
months　old　came　frisking　and　gambolling　now　before　now　beside　the　
horses；　whilst　a　colt　of　some　sixteen　months　followed　more　
leisurely　behind。　　When　the　caravan　was　about　ten　yards　distant　I　
stopped；　and　raising　my　left　hand　with　the　little　finger　pointed　
aloft；　I　exclaimed：

〃Shoon；　Kaulomengro；　shoon！　　In　Dibbel's　nav；　where　may　tu　be　
jawing　to？〃

Stopping　his　caravan　with　considerable　difficulty　the　small　black　
man　glared　at　me　for　a　moment　like　a　wild　cat；　and　then　said　in　a　
voice　partly　snappish；　partly　kind：

〃Savo　shan　tu？　　Are　you　one　of　the　Ingrines？〃

〃I　am　the　chap　what　certain　folks　calls　the　Romany　Rye。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　jiggered　if　I　wasn't　thinking　so　and　if　I　wasn't　
penning　so　to　my　juwa　as　we　were　welling　down　the　chong。〃

〃It　is　a　long　time　since　we　last　met；　Captain　Bosvile；　for　I　
suppose　I　may　call　you　Captain　now？〃

〃Yes！　the　old　man　has　been　dead　and　buried　this　many　a　year；　and　
his　sticks　and　titles　are　now　mine。　　Poor　soul；　I　hope　he　is　happy；　
indeed　I　know　he　is；　for　he　lies　in　Cockleshell　churchyard；　the　
place　he　was　always　so　fond　of；　and　has　his　Sunday　waistcoat　on　him　
with　the　fine　gold　buttons；　which　he　was　always　so　proud　of。　　Ah；　
you　may　well　call　it　a　long　time　since　we　met　…　why；　it　can't　be　
less　than　thirty　year。〃

〃Something　about　that　…　you　were　a　boy　then　of　about　fifteen。〃

〃So　I　was；　and　you　a　tall　young　slip　of　about　twenty；　well；　how　did　
you　come　to　jin　mande？〃

〃Why；　I　knew　you　by　your　fighting　mug　…　there　ain't　such　another　
mug　in　England。〃

〃No　more　there　an't　…　my　old　father　always　used　to　say　it　was　of　no　
use　hitting　it　for　it　always　broke　his　knuckles。　　Well；　it　was　kind　
of　you　to　jin　mande　after　so　many　years。　　The　last　time　I　think　I　
saw　you　was　near　Brummagem；　when　you　were　travelling　about　with　
Jasper　Petulengro　and　…　I　say；　what's　become　of　the　young　woman　you　
used　to　keep　company　with？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃You　don't？　　Well；　she　was　a　fine　young　woman　and　a　vartuous。　　I　
remember　her　knocking　down　and　giving　a　black　eye　to　my　old　mother；　
who　was　wonderfully　deep　in　Romany；　for　making　a　bit　of　a　gillie　
about　you　and　she。　　What　was　the　song？　　Lord；　how　my　memory　fails　
me！　　Oh；　here　it　is：…


〃'Ando　berkho　Rye　cano
Oteh　pivo　teh　khavo
Tu　lerasque　ando　berkho　piranee
Teh　corbatcha　por　pico。'〃


〃Have　you　seen　Jasper　Petulengro　lately？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　I　have　seen　him；　but　it　was　at　a　very　considerable　distance。　　
Jasper　Petulengro　doesn't　come　near　the　likes　of　we　now。　　Lord！　you　
can't　think　what　grand　folks　he　and　his　wife　have　become　of　late　
years；　and　all　along　of　a　trumpery　lil　which　somebody　has　written　
about　them。　　Why；　they　are　hand　and　glove　with　the　Queen　and　
Prince；　and　folks　say　that　his　wife　is　going　to　be　made　dame　of　
honour；　and　Jasper　Justice　of　the　Peace　and　Deputy　Ranger　of　
Windsor　Park。〃

〃Only　think；〃　said　I。　　〃And　now　tell　me；　what　brought　you　into　
Wales？〃

〃What　brought　me　into　Wales？　　I'll　tell　you；　my　own　fool's　head。　　I　
was　doing　nicely　in　the　Kaulo　Gav　and　the　neighbourhood；　when　I　
must　needs　pack　up　and　come　into　these　parts　with　bag　and　baggage；　
wife　and　childer。　　I　thought　that　Wales　was　what　it　was　some　thirty　
years　agone　when　our　foky　used　to　say　…　for　I　was　never　here　before　
…　that　there　was　something　to　be　done　in　it；　but　I　was　never　more　
mistaken　in　my　life。　　The　country　is　overrun　with　Hindity　mescrey；　
woild　Irish；　with　whom　the　Romany　foky　stand　no　chance。　　The　
fellows　underwork　me　at　tinkering；　and　the　women　outscream　my　wife　
at　telling　fortunes　…　moreover；　they　say　the　country　is　theirs　and　
not　intended　for　niggers　like　we；　and　as　they　are　generally　in　vast　
numbers　what　can　a　poor　little　Roman　family　do　but　flee　away　before　
them？　　A　pretty　journey　I　have　made　into　Wales。　　Had　I　not　
contrived　to　pass　off　a　poggado　bav　engro　…　a　broken…winded　horse　…　
at　a　fair；　I　at　this　moment　should　be　without　a　tringoruschee　piece　
in　my　pocket。　　I　am　now　making　the　best　of　my　way　back　to　
Brummagem；　and　if　ever　I　come　again　to　this　Hindity　country　may　
Calcraft　nash　me。〃

〃I　wonder　you　didn't　try　to　serve　some　of　the　Irish　out；〃　said　I。

〃I　served　one　out；　brother；　and　my　wife　and　childer　helped　to　wipe　
off　a　little　of　the　score。　　We　had　stopped　on　a　nice　green；　near　a　
village　over　the　hills　in　Glamorganshire；　when　up　comes　a　Hindity　
family；　and　bids　us　take　ourselves　off。　　Now　it　so　happened　that　
there　was　but　one　man　and　a　woman　and　some　childer；　so　I　laughed；　
and　told　them　to　drive　us　off。　　Well；　brother；　without　many　words；　
there　was　a　regular　scrimmage。　　The　Hindity　mush　came　at　me；　the　
Hindity　mushi　at　y　my　juwa；　and　the　Hindity　chaves　at　my　chai。　　It　
didn't　last　long；　brother。　　In　less　than　three　minutes　I　had　hit　
the　Hindity　mush；　who　was　a　plaguey　big　fellow；　but　couldn't　fight；　
just　under　the　point　of　the　chin；　and　sent　him　to　the　ground　with　
all　his　senses　gone。　　My　juwa　had　almost　scratched　an　eye　out　of　
the　Hindity　mushi；　and　my　chai　had　sent　the　Hindity　childer　
scampering　over　the　green。　　'Who　has　got　to　quit　now？'　said　I　to　
the　Hindity　mush　after　he　had　got　on　his　legs；　looking　like　a　man　
who　has　been　cut　down　after　hanging　just　a　minute　and　a　half。　　'Who　
has　got　notice　to　quit；　now；　I　wonder？'　　Well；　brother；　he　didn't　
say　anything；　nor　did　any　of　them；　but　after　a　little　time　they　all　
took　themselves　off；　with　a　cart　they　had；　to　the　south。　　Just　as　
they　got　to　the　edge　of　the　green；　however；　they　turned　round　and　
gave　a　yell　which　made　all　our　blood　run　cold。　　I　knew　what　it　
meant；　and　said；　'This　is　no　place　for　us。'　　So　we　got　everything　
together　and　came　away　and；　though　the　horses　were　tired；　never　
stopped　till　we　had　got　ten　miles　from　the　place；　and　well　it　was　
we　ac