wild wales-第131节

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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　excellent；
Where　hosts　to　hail　thee　shall　upstand；
Where　lads　are　bold　and　lasses　bland；
A　land　I　oft　from　hill　that's　high
Have　gazed　upon　with　raptur'd　eye；
Where　maids　are　trained　in　virtue's　school；
Where　duteous　wives　spin　dainty　wool；
A　country　with　each　gift　supplied；
Confronting　Cornwall's　cliffs　of　pride。〃


Came　to　Llanguick；　a　hamlet　situated　near　a　tremendous　gorge；　the　
sides　of　which　were　covered　with　wood。　　Thence　to　the　village　of　
Tawy　Bridge；　at　the　bottom　of　a　beautiful　valley；　through　which　
runs　the　Tawy；　which；　after　the　Taf；　is　the　most　considerable　river　
in　Glamorganshire。　　Continuing　my　course；　I　passed　by　an　enormous　
edifice　which　stood　on　my　right　hand。　　It　had　huge　chimneys；　which　
were　casting　forth　smoke；　and　from　within　I　heard　the　noise　of　a　
steam…engine　and　the　roar　of　furnaces。

〃What　place　is　this？〃　said；　I　to　a　boy。

〃Gwaith　haiarn；　sir；　ym　perthyn　i　Mr　Pearson。　　Mr　Pearson's　iron　
works；　sir。〃

I　proceeded；　and　in　about　half…an…hour　saw　a　man　walking　before　me　
in　the　same　direction　in　which　I　was。　　He　was　going　very　briskly；　
but　I　soon　came　up　to　him。　　He　was　a　small；　well…made　fellow；　with　
reddish　hair　and　ruddy；　determined　countenance；　somewhat　tanned。　　
He　wore　a　straw　hat；　checkered　shirt；　open　at　the　neck；　canvas　
trousers　and　blue　jacket。　　On　his　feet　were　shoes　remarkably　thin；　
but　no　stockings；　and　in　his　hand　he　held　a　stout　stick；　with　
which；　just　before　I　overtook　him；　he　struck　a　round　stone　which　
lay　on　the　ground；　sending　it　flying　at　least　fifty　yards　before　
him　on　the　road；　and　following　it　in　its　flight　with　a　wild　and　
somewhat　startling　halloo。

〃Good…day；　my　friend；〃　said　I；　〃you　seem　to　be　able　to　use　a　
stick。〃

〃And　sure　I　ought　to　be；　your　honour；　seeing　as　how　my　father　
taught　me；　who　was　the　best　fighting　man　with　a　stick　that　the　
Shanavests　ever　had。　　Many　is　the　head　of　a　Caravaut　that　he　has　
broken　with　some　such　an　Alpeen　wattle　as　the　one　I　am　carrying　
with　me　here。〃

〃A　good　thing；〃　said　I；　〃that　there　are　no　Old　Waist…coats　and　
Cravats　at　present；　at　least　bloody　factions　bearing　those　names。〃

〃Your　honour　thinks　so！　　Faith！　　I　am　clane　of　a　contrary　opinion。　　
I　wish　the　ould　Shanavests　and　Caravauts　were　fighting　still；　and　I　
among　them。　　Faith！　there　was　some　life　in　Ireland　in　their　days。〃

〃And　plenty　of　death　too；〃　said　I。　　〃How　fortunate　it　is　that　the　
Irish　have　the　English　among　them　to　prevent　their　cutting　each　
other's　throats。〃

〃The　English　prevent　the　Irish　from　cutting　each　other's　throats！　　
Well；　if　they　do；　it　is　only　that　they　may　have　the　pleasure　of　
cutting　them　themselves。　　The　bloody　tyrants！　too　long　has　their　
foot　been　upon　the　neck　of　poor　old　Ireland。〃

〃How　do　the　English　tyrannise　over　Ireland？〃

〃How　do　they　tyrannise　over　her？　　Don't　they　prevent　her　from　
having　the　free　exercise　of　her　Catholic　religion；　and　make　her　
help　to　support　their　own　Protestant　one？〃

〃Well；　and　don't　the　Roman　Catholics　prevent　the　Protestants　from　
having　the　free　exercise　of　their　religion；　whenever　they　happen　to　
be　the　most　numerous；　and　don't　they　make　them　help　to　support　the　
Roman　Catholic　religion？〃

〃Of　course　they　do；　and　quite　right！　　Had　I　my　will；　there　
shouldn't　be　a　place　of　Protestant　worship　left　standing；　or　a　
Protestant　churl　allowed　to　go　about　with　a　head　unbroken。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　blame　the　Protestants　for　keeping　the　Romans　a　
little　under？〃

〃Why　do　I　blame　them？　　A　purty　question！　　Why；　an't　they　wrong；　and　
an't　we　right？〃

〃But　they　say　that　they　are　right　and　you　wrong。〃

〃They　say！　who　minds　what　they　say？　　Haven't　we　the　word　of　the　
blessed　Pope　that　we　are　right？〃

〃And　they　say　that　they　have　the　word　of　the　blessed　Gospel　that　
you　are　wrong。〃

〃The　Gospel！　who　cares　for　the　Gospel？　　Surely　you　are　not　going　to　
compare　the　Gospel　with　the　Pope？〃

〃Well；　they　certainly　are　not　to　be　named　in　the　same　day。〃

〃They　are　not？　　Then　good　luck　to　you！　　We　are　both　of　the　same　
opinion。　　Ah；　I　thought　your　honour　was　a　rale　Catholic。　　Now；　tell　
me　from　what　kingdom　of　Ireland　does　your　honour　hail？〃

〃Why；　I　was　partly　educated　in　Munster。〃

〃In　Munster！　　Hoorah！　　Here's　the　hand　of　a　countryman　to　your　
honour。　　Ah；　it　was　asy　to　be　seen　from　the　learning；　which　your　
honour　shows；　that　your　honour　is　from　Munster。　　There's　no　spot　in　
Ireland　like　Munster　for　learning。　　What　says　the　old　song？


〃'Ulster　for　a　soldier；
Connaught　for　a　thief；
Munster　for　learning；
And　Leinster　for　beef。'


〃Hoorah　for　learned　Munster！　and　down　with　beggarly；　thievish　
Connaught！　　I　would　that　a　Connaught　man　would　come　athwart　me　now；　
that　I　might　break　his　thief's　head　with　my　Alpeen。〃

〃You　don't　seem　to　like　the　Connaught　men；〃　said　I。

〃Like　them！　who　can　like　them？　a　parcel　of　beggarly　thievish　
blackguards。　　So　your　honour　was　edicated　in　Munster　…　I　mane　
partly　edicated。　　I　suppose　by　your　saying　that　you　were　partly　
edicated；　that　your　honour　was　intended　for　the　clerical　
profession；　but　being　over　fond　of　the　drop　was　forced　to　lave　
college　before　your　edication　was　quite　completed；　and　so　for　want　
of　a　better　profession　took　up　with　that　of　merchandise。　　Ah；　the　
love　of　the　drop　at　college　has　prevented　many　a　clever　young　
fellow　from　taking　holy　orders。　　Well；　it's　a　pity　but　it　can't　be　
helped。　　I　am　fond　of　a　drop　myself；　and　when　we　get　to　…　shall　be　
happy　to　offer　your　honour　a　glass　of　whiskey。　　I　hope　your　honour　
and　I　shall　splice　the　mainbrace　together　before　we　part。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　I；　〃by　your　talking　of　splicing　the　mainbrace　
that　you　are　a　sailor。〃

〃I　am；　your　honour；　and　hail　from　the　Cove　of　Cork　in　the　kingdom　
of　Munster。〃

〃I　know　it　well；〃　said　I；　〃it　is　the　best　sea…basin　in　the　world。　　
Well；　how　came　you　into　these　parts？〃

〃I'll　tell　your　honour；　my　ship　is　at　Swansea；　and　having　a　
relation　working　at　the　foundry　behind　us　I　came　to　see　him。〃

〃Are　you　in　the　royal　service？〃

〃I　am　not；　your　honour；　I　was　once　in　the　royal　service；　but　having　
a　dispute　with　the　boatswain　at　Spithead；　I　gave　him　a　wipe；　jumped　
overboard　and　swam　ashore。　　After　that　I　sailed　for　Cuba；　got　into　
the　merchants'　service　there；　and　made　several　voyages　to　the　Black　
Coast。　　At　present　I　am　in　the　service　of　the　merchants　of　Cork。〃

〃I　wonder　that　you　are　not　now　in　the　royal　service；〃　said　I；　
〃since　you　are　so　fond　of　fighting。　　There　is　hot　work　going　on　at　
present　up　the　Black　Sea；　and　brave　men；　especially　Irishmen；　are　
in　great　request。〃

〃Yes；　brave　Irishmen　are　always　in　great　request　with　England　when　
she　has　a　battle　to　fight。　　At　other　times　they　are　left　to　lie　in　
the　mud　with　the　chain　round　their　necks。　　It　has　been　so　ever　
since　the　time　of　De　Courcy；　and　I　suppose　always　will　be　so；　
unless　Irishmen　all　become　of　my　mind；　which　is　not　likely。　　Were　
the　Irish　all　of　my　mind；　the　English　would　find　no　Irish　champion　
to　fight　their　battles　when　the　French　or　the　Russians　come　to　
beard　them。〃

〃By　De　Courcy；〃　said　I；　〃you　mean　the　man　whom　the　King　of　England　
confined　in　the　Tower　of　London　after　taking　from　him　his　barony　in　
the　county　of　Cork。〃

〃Of　course；　your　honour；　and　whom　he　kept　in　the　Tower　till　the　
King　of　France　sent　over　a　champion　to　insult　and　beard　him；　when　
the　king　was　glad　to　take　De　Courcy　out　of　the　dungeon　to　fight　the　
French　champion；　for　divil　a　one　of　his　own　English　fighting　men　
dared　take　the　Frenchman　in　hand。〃

〃A　fine　fellow　that　De　Courcy；〃　said　I。

〃Rather　too　fond　of　the　drop　though；　like　your　honour　and　myself；　
for　after　he　had　caused　the　French　champion　to　flee　back　into　
France　he　lost　the　greater　part　of　the　reward　which　the　King　of　
England　promised　him；　solely　by　making　too　free　with　the　strong　
drink。　　Does　your　honour　remember　that　part　of　the　story？〃

〃I　think　I　do；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　should　be　very　glad　to　hear　you　
relate　it。〃

〃Then　your　honour　shall。　　Right　glad　was　the　King　of　England　when　
the　French　champion　fled　back　to　France；　for　no　sooner　did　the　
dirty　spalpeen　hear　that　they　were　going　to　bring　De　Courcy　against　
him；　the　fame　of　whose　strength　and　courage　filled　the　whole　world；　
than　he　betook　himself　back　to　his　own　country；　and　was　never　heard　
of　more。　　Right　glad；　I　say；　was　the　King　of　England；　and　gave　
leave　to　De　Courcy　to　return　to　Ireland。　　'And　you　shall　have；'　
said　he；　'of　the　barony　which　I　took　from　you　all　that　you　can　ride　
round　on　the　first　day　of　your　return。'　　So　De　Courcy　betook　
himself　to　Ireland　and　to　his　barony；　but　he　was　anything　but　a　
lucky　man；　this　De　Courcy；　for　his　friends　and　relations　and　
tenantry；　hearing　of　his　coming；　prepared　a　grand　festival　for　him；　
with　all　kinds　of　illigant　viands　and　powerful　liquors；　and　when　he　
arrived　there　it　was　waiting　for　him；　and　down　to　it　he　sat；　and　
ate；　and　drank；　and　for　joy　of　seeing　himself　once　more　amongst　his　
friends　and　tenantry　in　the　hall　of　his　forefathers；　and　for　love　
of　the　drop；　wh