wild wales-第130节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


immense　field　of　tulips　of　various　dyes；　for　the　colours　of　the　
dresses；　of　the　banners　and　the　plumes；　were　as　gorgeous　and　
manifold　as　the　hues　of　those　queenly　flowers。〃

〃Bravo！〃　said　twenty　voices；　〃the　gentleman　speaks　like　an　
areithiwr。　　Have　you　been　in　other　countries　besides　Russia？〃

〃Oh　yes！　　I　have　been　in　Turkey；　the　people　of　which　are　not　
Christians；　but　frequently　put　Christians　to　shame　by　their　good　
faith　and　honesty。　　I　have　been　in　the　land　of　the　Maugrabins；　or　
Moors　…　a　people　who　live　on　a　savoury　dish　called　couscousoo；　and　
have　the　gloomiest　faces　and　the　most　ferocious　hearts　under　
heaven。　　I　have　been　in　Italy；　whose　people；　though　the　most　clever　
in　the　world；　are　the　most　unhappy；　owing　to　the　tyranny　of　a　being　
called　the　Pope；　who；　when　I　saw　him；　appeared　to　be　under　the　
influence　of　strong　drink。　　I　have　been　in　Portugal；　the　people　of　
which　supply　the　whole　world　with　wine；　and　drink　only　water　
themselves。　　I　have　been　in　Spain；　a　very　fine　country；　the　people　
of　which　are　never　so　happy　as　when　paying　other　folks'　reckonings。　　
I　have　been　…　but　the　wind　is　blowing　wildly　without；　and　the　rain　
pelting　against　the　windows；　this　is　a　capital　night　for　a　ghost　
story；　shall　I　tell　you　a　ghost　story　which　I　learnt　in　Spain？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　pray　do；　we　all　love　ghost　stories。　　Do　tell　us　the　
ghost　story　of　Spain。〃

Thereupon　I　told　the　company　Lope　de　Vega's　ghost　story；　which　is　
decidedly　the　best　ghost　story　in　the　world。

Long　and　loud　was　the　applause　which　followed　the　conclusion　of　the　
grand　ghost　story　of　the　world；　in　the　midst　of　which　I　got　up；　
bade　the　company　good…night；　and　made　my　exit。　　Shortly　afterwards　
I　desired　to　be　shown　to　my　sleeping　apartment。　　It　was　a　very　
small　room　upstairs；　in　the　back　part　of　the　house；　and　I　make　no　
doubt　was　the　chamber　of　the　two　poor　girls；　the　landlady's　
daughters；　as　I　saw　various　articles　of　female　attire　lying　about。　　
The　spirit　of　knight…errantry　within　me　was　not；　however；　
sufficiently　strong　to　prevent　me　taking　possession　of　the　female　
dormitory；　so；　forthwith　divesting　myself　of　every　portion　of　my　
habiliments；　which　were　steaming　like　a　boiling　tea…kettle；　I　got　
into　bed　between　the　blankets；　and　in　a　minute　was　fast　in　the　arms　
of　Morpheus。



CHAPTER　C



Morning　…　A　Cheerless　Scene　…　The　Carter　…　Ode　to　Glamorgan　…　
Startling　Halloo　…　One…sided　Liberty　…　Clerical　Profession　…　De　
Courcy　…　Love　of　the　Drop　…　Independent　Spirit　…　Another　People。


I　SLEPT　soundly　through　the　night。　　At　about　eight　o'clock　on　the　
following　morning　I　got　up　and　looked　out　of　the　window　of　my　room；　
which　fronted　the　north。　　A　strange　scene　presented　itself：　　a　
roaring　brook　was　foaming　along　towards　the　west；　just　under　the　
window。　　Immediately　beyond　it　was　a　bank；　not　of　green　turf；　grey　
rock；　or　brown　mould；　but　of　coal　rubbish；　coke　and　cinders；　on　the　
top　of　this　bank　was　a　fellow　performing　some　dirty　office　or　
other；　with　a　spade　and　barrow；　beyond　him；　on　the　side　of　a　hill；　
was　a　tramway；　up　which　a　horse　was　straining；　drawing　a　load　of　
something　towards　the　north…west。　　Beyond　the　tramway　was　a　grove　
of　yellow…looking　firs；　beyond　the　grove　a　range　of　white　houses　
with　blue　roofs；　occupied；　I　suppose；　by　miners　and　their　families；　
and　beyond　these　I　caught　a　sight　of　the　mountain　on　the　top　of　
which　I　had　been　the　night　before　…　only　a　partial　one；　however；　as　
large　masses　of　mist　were　still　hanging　about　it。　　The　morning　was　
moist　and　dripping；　and　nothing　could　look　more　cheerless　and　
uncomfortable　than　the　entire　scene。

I　put　on　my　things；　which　were　still　not　half　dry；　and　went　down　
into　the　little　parlour；　where　I　found　an　excellent　fire　awaiting　
me；　and　a　table　spread　for　breakfast。　　The　breakfast　was　delicious；　
consisting　of　excellent　tea；　buttered　toast；　and　Glamorgan　
sausages；　which　I　really　think　are　not　a　whit　inferior　to　those　of　
Epping。　　After　breakfast　I　went　into　the　kitchen；　which　was　now　
only　occupied　by　two　or　three　people。　　Seeing　a　large　brush　on　a　
dresser；　I　took　it　up；　and　was　about　to　brush　my　nether　
habiliments；　which　were　terribly　bespattered　with　half…dried　mire。　　
Before；　however；　I　could　begin；　up　started　one　of　the　men；　a　wild；　
shock…headed　fellow　dressed　like　a　carter；　in　rough　blue　frieze　

coat；　yellow；　broad　corduroy　trowsers；　grey　woollen　stockings　and　
highlows；　and　snatching　the　brush　out　of　my　hand；　fell　to　brushing　
me　most　vigorously；　puffing　and　blowing　all　the　time　in　a　most　
tremendous　manner。　　I　did　not　refuse　his　services；　but　let　him　go　
on；　and　to　reward　him　as　I　thought；　spoke　kindly　to　him；　asking　him　
various　questions。　　〃Are　you　a　carter？〃　said　I。　　No　answer。　　〃One　
of　Twm　O'r　Nant's　people？〃　　No　answer。　　〃Famous　fellow　that　Twm　O'r　
Nant；　wasn't　he？　　Did　you　ever　hear　how　he　got　the　great　tree　in　at　
Carmarthen　Gate？　　What　is　wood　per　foot　at　present？　　Whom　do　you　
cart　for？　　Or　are　you　your　own　master？　　If　so；　how　many　horses　do　
you　keep？〃

To　not　one　of　these　questions；　nor　to　a　dozen　others　which　I　put；　
both　in　English　and　Welsh；　did　my　friend　with　the　brush　return　any　
verbal　answer；　though　I　could　occasionally　hear　a　kind　of　stifled　
giggle　proceeding　from　him。　　Having　at　length　thoroughly　brushed　
not　only　my　clothes；　but　my　boots　and　my　hat；　which　last　article　he　
took　from　my　head；　and　placed　it　on　again　very　dexterously；　after　
brushing　it；　he　put　the　brush　down　on　the　dresser；　and　then　
advancing　to　me　made　me　a　bow；　and　waving　his　forefinger　backwards　
and　forwards　before　my　face；　he　said；　with　a　broad　grin：　　〃Nice　
gentleman　…　will　do　anything　for　him　but　answer　questions；　and　let　
him　hear　my　discourse。　　Love　to　listen　to　his　pleasant　stories　of　
foreign　lands；　ghosts　and　tylwith　teg；　but　before　him；　deem　it　wise　
to　be　mum；　quite　mum。　　Know　what　he　comes　about。　　Wants　to　hear　
discourse　of　poor　man；　that　he　may　learn　from　it　poor　man's　little　
ways　and　infirmities；　and　mark　them　down　in　one　small；　little　book　
to　serve　for　fun　to　Lord　Palmerston　and　the　other　great　gentlefolks　
in　London。　　Nice　man；　civil　man；　I　don't　deny；　and　clebber　man　too；　
for　he　knows　Welsh；　and　has　been　everywhere　…　but　fox　…　old　fox　…　
lives　at　Plas　y　Cadno。〃　（18）

Having　been　informed　that　there　was　a　considerable　iron　foundry　
close　by；　I　thought　it　would　be　worth　my　while　to　go　and　see　it。　　I　
entered　the　premises；　and　was　standing　and　looking　round；　when　a　
man　with　the　appearance　of　a　respectable　mechanic　came　up　and　
offered　to　show　me　over　the　place。　　I　gladly　accepted　his　offer；　
and　he　showed　me　all　about　the　iron　foundry。　　I　saw　a　large　steam…
engine　at　full　play；　terrible　furnaces；　and　immense　heaps　of　
burning；　crackling　cinders；　and　a　fiery　stream　of　molten　metal　
rolling　along。　　After　seeing　what　there　was　to　be　seen；　I　offered　a　
piece　of　silver　to　my　kind　conductor；　which　he　at　once　refused。　　On　
my　asking　him；　however；　to　go　to　the　inn　and　have　a　friendly　glass；　
he　smiled；　and　said　he　had　no　objection。　　So　we　went　to　the　inn；　
and　had　two　friendly　glasses　of　whiskey…and…water　together；　and　
also　some　discourse。　　I　asked　him　if　there　were　any　English　
employed　on　the　premises。　　〃None；〃　said　he；　〃nor　Irish　either；　we　
are　all　Welsh。〃　　Though　he　was　a　Welshman；　his　name　was　a　very　
common　English　one。

After　paying　the　reckoning；　which　only　amounted　to　three　and　
sixpence；　I　departed　for　Swansea；　distant　about　thirteen　miles。　　
Gutter　Vawr　consists　of　one　street；　extending　for　some　little　way　
along　the　Swansea　road；　the　foundry；　and　a　number　of　huts　and　
houses　scattered　here　and　there。　　The　population　is　composed　almost　
entirely　of　miners；　the　workers　at　the　foundry；　and　their　families。　　
For　the　first　two　or　three　miles　the　country　through　which　I　passed　
did　not　at　all　prepossess　me　in　favour　of　Glamorganshire：　　it　
consisted　of　low；　sullen；　peaty　hills。　　Subsequently；　however；　it　
improved　rapidly；　becoming　bold；　wild；　and　pleasantly　wooded。　　The　
aspect　of　the　day　improved；　also；　with　the　appearance　of　the　
country。　　When　I　first　started　the　morning　was　wretched　and　
drizzly；　but　in　less　than　an　hour　it　cleared　up　wonderfully；　and　
the　sun　began　to　flash　out。　　As　I　looked　on　the　bright　luminary　I　
thought　of　Ab　Gwilym's　ode　to　the　sun　and　Glamorgan；　and　with　
breast　heaving　and　with　eyes　full　of　tears；　I　began　to　repeat　parts　
of　it；　or　rather　of　a　translation　made　in　my　happy　boyish　years：…


〃Each　morn；　benign　of　countenance；
Upon　Glamorgan's　pennon　glance！
Each　afternoon　in　beauty　clear
Above　my　own　dear　bounds　appear！
Bright　outline　of　a　blessed　clime；
Again；　though　sunk；　arise　sublime　…
Upon　my　errand；　swift　repair；
And　unto　green　Glamorgan　bear
Good　days　and　terms　of　courtesy
From　my　dear　country　and　from　me！
Move　round　…　but　need　I　thee　command？　…
Its　chalk…white　halls；　which　cheerful　stand　…
Pleasant　thy　own　pavilions　too　…
Its　fields　and　orchards　fair　to　view。

〃O；　pleasant　is　thy　task　and　high
In　radiant　warmth　to　roam　the　sky；
To　keep　from　ill　that　kindly　ground；
Its　meads　and　farms；　where　mead　is　found；
A　land　whose　commons　live　content；
Where　each　man's　lot　is