wild wales-第20节

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blame　what　was　done　at　that　time；　under　the　name　of　Rebecca。　　You　
have　no　idea　how　the　poor　Welsh　were　oppressed　by　those　gates；　aye；　
and　the　rich　too。　　The　little　people　and　farmers　could　not　carry　
their　produce　to　market　owing　to　the　exactions　at　the　gates；　which　
devoured　all　the　profit　and　sometimes　more。　　So　that　the　markets　
were　not　half　supplied；　and　people　with　money　could　frequently　not　
get　what　they　wanted。　　Complaints　were　made　to　government；　which　
not　being　attended　to；　Rebecca　and　her　byddinion　made　their　
appearance　at　night；　and　broke　the　gates　to　pieces　with　sledge…
hammers；　and　everybody　said　it　was　gallant　work；　everybody　save　the　
keepers　of　the　gates　and　the　proprietors。　　Not　only　the　poor　but　
the　rich；　said　so。　　Aye；　and　I　have　heard　that　many　a　fine　young　
gentleman　had　a　hand　in　the　work；　and　went　about　at　night　at　the　
head　of　a　band　dressed　as　Rebecca。　　Well；　sir；　those　breakings　were　
acts　of　violence；　I　don't　deny；　but　they　did　good；　for　the　system　
is　altered；　such　impositions　are　no　longer　practised　at　gates　as　
were　before　the　time　of　Rebecca。〃

〃Were　any　people　ever　taken　up　and　punished　for　those　nocturnal　
breakings？〃　said　I。

〃No；　sir；　and　I　have　heard　say　that　nobody's　being　taken　up　was　a　
proof　that　the　rich　approved　of　the　work　and　had　a　hand　in　it。〃

Night　had　come　on　by　the　time　we　reached　the　foot　of　the　huge　hills　
we　had　crossed　in　the　morning。　　We　toiled　up　the　ascent；　and　after　
crossing　the　level　ground　on　the　top；　plunged　down　the　bwlch　
between　walking　and　running；　occasionally　stumbling；　for　we　were　
nearly　in　complete　darkness；　and　the　bwlch　was　steep　and　stony。　　We　
more　than　once　passed　people　who　gave　us　the　n's　da；　the　hissing　
night　salutation　of　the　Welsh。　　At　length　I　saw　the　Abbey　looming　
amidst　the　darkness；　and　John　Jones　said　that；　we　were　just　above　
the　fountain。　　We　descended；　and　putting　my　head　down　I　drank　
greedily　of　the　dwr　santaidd；　my　guide　following　my　example。　　We　
then　proceeded　on　our　way；　and　in　about　half…an…hour　reached　
Llangollen。　　I　took　John　Jones　home　with　me。　　We　had　a　cheerful　cup　
of　tea。　　Henrietta　played　on　the　guitar；　and　sang　a　Spanish　song；　
to　the　great　delight　of　John　Jones；　who　at　about　ten　o'clock　
departed　contented　and　happy　to　his　own　dwelling。



CHAPTER　XVII



John　Jones　and　his　Bundle　…　A　Good　Lady　…　The　Irishman's　Dingle　…　
Ab　Gwilym　and　the　Mist　…　The　Kitchen　…　The　Two　Individuals　…　The　
Horse…Dealer　…　I　can　manage　him　…　The　Mist　Again。


THE　following　day　was　gloomy。　　In　the　evening　John　Jones　made　his　
appearance　with　a　bundle　under　his　arm；　and　an　umbrella　in　his　
hand。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　going　across　the　mountain　with　it　piece　of　
weaving　work；　for　the　man　on　the　other　side；　who　employs　me。　　
Perhaps　you　would　like　to　go　with　me；　as　you　are　fond　of　walking。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　I；　〃you　wish　to　have　my　company　for　fear　of　
meeting　Gwyddelians　on　the　hill。〃

John　smiled。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　do　meet　them　I　would　sooner　be　with　
company　than　without。　　But　I　dare　venture　by　myself；　trusting　in　
the　Man　on　High；　and　perhaps　I　do　wrong　to　ask　you　to　go；　as　you　
must　be　tired　with　your　walk　of　yesterday。〃

〃Hardly　more　than　yourself；〃　said　I。　　〃Come；　I　shall　be　glad　to　go。　　
What　I　said　about　the　Gwyddelians　was　only　in　jest。〃

As　we　were　about　to　depart　John　said：

〃It　does　not　rain　at　present；　sir；　but　I　think　it　will。　　You　had　
better　take　an　umbrella。〃

I　did　so；　and　away　we　went。　　We　passed　over　the　bridge；　and　turning　
to　the　right　went　by　the　back　of　the　town　through　a　field。　　As　we　
passed　by　the　Plas　Newydd　John　Jones　said：

〃No　one　lives　there　now；　sir；　all　dark　and　dreary；　very　different　
from　the　state　of　things　when　the　ladies　lived　there　…　all　gay　then　
and　cheerful。　　I　remember　the　ladies；　sir；　particularly　the　last；　
who　lived　by　herself　after　her　companion　died。　　She　was　a　good　
lady；　and　very　kind　to　the　poor；　when　they　came　to　her　gate　they　
were　never　sent　away　without　something　to　cheer　them。　　She　was　a　
grand　lady　too　…　kept　grand　company；　and　used　to　be　drawn　about　in　
a　coach　by　four　horses。　　But　she　too　is　gone；　and　the　house　is　cold　
and　empty；　no　fire　in　it；　sir；　no　furniture。　　There　was　an　auction　
after　her　death；　and　a　grand　auction　it　was　and　lasted　four　days。　　
Oh；　what　a　throng　of　people　there　was；　some　of　whom　came　from　a　
great　distance　to　buy　the　curious　things；　of　which　there　were　
plenty。〃

We　passed　over　a　bridge；　which　crosses　a　torrent；　which　descends　
from　the　mountain　on　the　south　side　of　Llangollen；　which　bridge　
John　Jones　told　me　was　called　the　bridge　of　the　Melin　Bac；　or　mill　
of　the　nook；　from　a　mill　of　that　name　close　by。　　Continuing　our　way　
we　came　to　a　glen；　down　which　the　torrent　comes　which　passes　under　
the　bridge。　　There　was　little　water　in　the　bed　of　the　torrent；　and　
we　crossed　easily　enough　by　stepping…stones。　　I　looked　up　the　glen；　
a　wild　place　enough；　its　sides　overgrown　with　trees。　　Dreary　and　
dismal　it　looked　in　the　gloom　of　the　closing　evening。　　John　Jones　
said　that　there　was　no　regular　path　up　it；　and　that　one　could　only　
get　along　by　jumping　from　stone　to　stone；　at　the　hazard　of　breaking　
one's　legs。　　Having　passed　over　the　bed　of　the　torrent；　we　came　to　
a　path；　which　led　up　the　mountain。　　The　path　was　very　steep　and　
stony；　the　glen　with　its　trees　and　darkness　on　our　right。　　We　
proceeded　some　way。　　At　length　John　Jones　pointed　to　a　hollow　lane　
on　our　right；　seemingly　leading　into　the　glen。

〃That　place；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃is　called　Pant　y　Gwyddel　…　the　
Irishman's　dingle；　and　sometimes　Pant　Paddy；　from　the　Irish　being　
fond　of　taking　up　their　quarters　there。　　It　was　just　here；　at　the　
entrance　of　the　pant；　that　the　tribe　were　encamped；　when　I　passed　
two　months　ago　at　night；　in　returning　from　the　other　side　of　the　
hill　with　ten　shillings　in　my　pocket；　which　I　had　been　paid　for　a　
piece　of　my　work；　which　I　had　carried　over　the　mountain　to　the　very　
place　where　I　am　now　carrying　this。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　
fright　I　was　in；　both　on　account　of　my　life；　and　my　ten　shillings。　　
I　ran　down　what　remained　of　the　hill　as　fast　as　I　could；　not　
minding　the　stones。　　Should　I　meet　a　tribe　now　on　my　return　I　shall　
not　run；　you　will　be　with　me；　and　I　shall　not　fear　for　my　life　nor　
for　my　money；　which　will　be　now　more　than　ten　shillings；　provided　
the　man　over　the　hills　pays　me；　as　I　have　no　doubt　he　will。〃

As　we　ascended　higher　we　gradually　diverged　from　the　glen；　though　
we　did　not　lose　sight　of　it　till　we　reached　the　top　of　the　
mountain。　　The　top　was　nearly　level。　　On　our　right　were　a　few　
fields　enclosed　with　stone　walls。　　On　our　left　was　an　open　space　
where　whin；　furze　and　heath　were　growing。　　We　passed　over　the　
summit；　and　began　to　descend　by　a　tolerably　good；　though　steep　
road。　　But　for　the　darkness　of　evening　and　a　drizzling　mist；　which；　
for　some　time　past；　had　been　coming　on；　we　should　have　enjoyed　a　
glorious　prospect　down　into　the　valley；　or　perhaps　I　should　say　
that　I　should　have　enjoyed　a　glorious　prospect；　for　John　Jones；　
like　a　true　mountaineer；　cared　not　a　brass　farthing　for　prospects。　　
Even　as　it　was；　noble　glimpses　of　wood　and　rock　were　occasionally　
to　be　obtained。　　The　mist　soon　wetted　us　to　the　skin　
notwithstanding　that　we　put　up　our　umbrellas。　　It　was　a　regular　
Welsh　mist；　a　niwl；　like　that　in　which　the　great　poet　Ab　Gwilym　
lost　his　way；　whilst　trying　to　keep　an　assignation　with　his　beloved　
Morfydd；　and　which　he　abuses　in　the　following　manner：…


〃O　ho！　thou　villain　mist；　O　ho！
What　plea　hast　thou　to　plague　me　so？
I　scarcely　know　a　scurril　name；
But　dearly　thou　deserv'st　the　same；
Thou　exhalation　from　the　deep
Unknown；　where　ugly　spirits　keep！
Thou　smoke　from　hellish　stews　uphurl'd
To　mock　and　mortify　the　world！
Thou　spider…web　of　giant　race；
Spun　out　and　spread　through　airy　space！
Avaunt；　thou　filthy；　clammy　thing；
Of　sorry　rain　the　source　and　spring！
Moist　blanket　dripping　misery　down；
Loathed　alike　by　land　and　town！
Thou　watery　monster；　wan　to　see；
Intruding　'twixt　the　sun　and　me；
To　rob　me　of　my　blessed　right；
To　turn　my　day　to　dismal　night。
Parent　of　thieves　and　patron　best；
They　brave　pursuit　within　thy　breast！
Mostly　from　thee　its　merciless　snow
Grim　January　doth　glean；　I　trow。
Pass　off　with　speed；　thou　prowler　pale；
Holding　along　o'er　hill　and　dale；
Spilling　a　noxious　spittle　round；
Spoiling　the　fairies'　sporting　ground！
Move　off　to　hell；　mysterious　haze；
Wherein　deceitful　meteors　blaze；
Thou　wild　of　vapour；　vast；　o'ergrown；
Huge　as　the　ocean　of　unknown。〃


As　we　descended；　the　path　became　more　steep；　it　was　particularly　so　
at　a　part　where　it　was　overshadowed　with　trees　on　both　sides。　　
Here；　finding　walking　very　uncomfortable；　my　knees　suffering　much；　
I　determined　to　run。　　So　shouting　to　John　Jones；　〃Nis　gallav　
gerdded　rhaid　rhedeg；〃　I　set　off　running　down　the　pass。　　My　
companion　followed　close　behind；　and　luckily　meeting　no　mischance；　
we　presently　found　ourselves　on　level　ground；　amongst　a　collection　
of　small　houses。　　On　our　turning　a　corner　a　church　appeared　on　our　
left　hand　on　the　slope　of　the　hill。　　In　the　churchyard；　and　c