wild wales-第27节

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over　again　to　the　females；　with　amplifications。

〃Is　the　chair　really　here；〃　said　I；　〃or　has　it　been　destroyed？　if　
such　a　thing　has　been　done　it　is　a　disgrace　to　Wales。〃

〃The　chair　is　really　here；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃and　though　Huw　
Morus　was　no　prophet；　we　love　and　reverence　everything　belonging　to　
him。　　Get　on　Llances；　the　chair　can't　be　far　off；〃　the　girl　moved　
on；　and　presently　the　old　lady　exclaimed；　〃There's　the　chair；　
Diolch　i　Duw！〃

I　was　the　last　of　the　file；　but　I　now　rushed　past　John　Jones；　who　
was　before　me；　and　next　to　the　old　lady；　and　sure　enough　there　was　
the　chair；　in　the　wall；　of　him　who　was　called　in　his　day；　and　still　
is　called　by　the　mountaineers　of　Wales；　though　his　body　has　been　
below　the　earth　in　the　quiet　church…yard　one　hundred　and　forty　
years；　Eos　Ceiriog；　the　Nightingale　of　Ceiriog；　the　sweet　caroller　
Huw　Morus；　the　enthusiastic　partizan　of　Charles　and　the　Church　of　
England；　and　the　never…tiring　lampooner　of　Oliver　and　the　
Independents。　　There　it　was；　a　kind　of　hollow　in　the　stone　wall；　in　
the　hen　ffordd；　fronting　to　the　west；　just　above　the　gorge　at　the　
bottom　of　which　murmurs　the　brook　Ceiriog；　there　it　was；　something　
like　a　half　barrel　chair　in　a　garden；　a　mouldering　stone　slab　
forming　the　seat；　and　a　large　slate　stone；　the　back；　on　which　were　
cut　these　letters　…

H。　M。　B。


signifying　Huw　Morus　Bard。

〃Sit　down　in　the　chair；　Gwr　Boneddig；〃　said　John　Jones；　〃you　have　
taken　trouble　enough　to　get　to　it。〃

〃Do；　gentleman；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃but　first　let　me　wipe　it　with　
my　apron；　for　it　is　very　wet　and　dirty。〃

〃Let　it　be；〃　said　I；　then　taking　off　my　hat　I　stood　uncovered　
before　the　chair；　and　said　in　the　best　Welsh　I　could　command；　
〃Shade　of　Huw　Morus；　supposing　your　shade　haunts　the　place　which　
you　loved　so　well　when　alive　…　a　Saxon；　one　of　the　seed　of　the　
Coiling　Serpent；　has　come　to　this　place　to　pay　that　respect　to　true　
genius；　the　Dawn　Duw；　which　he　is　ever　ready　to　pay。　　He　read　the　
songs　of　the　Nightingale　of　Ceiriog　in　the　most　distant　part　of　
Lloegr；　when　he　was　a　brown…haired　boy；　and　now　that　he　is　a　grey…
haired　man　he　is　come　to　say　in　this　place　that　they　frequently　
made　his　eyes　overflow　with　tears　of　rapture。〃

I　then　sat　down　in　the　chair；　and　commenced　repeating　verses　of　Huw　
Morris。　　All　which　I　did　in　the　presence　of　the　stout　old　lady；　the　
short；　buxom　and　bare…armed　damsel；　and　of　John　Jones　the　
Calvinistic　weaver　of　Llangollen；　all　of　whom　listened　patiently　
and　approvingly；　though　the　rain　was　pouring　down　upon　them；　and　
the　branches　of　the　trees　and　the　tops　of　the　tall　nettles；　
agitated　by　the　gusts　from　the　mountain　hollows；　were　beating　in　
their　faces；　for　enthusiasm　is　never　scoffed　at　by　the　noble　
simple…minded；　genuine　Welsh；　whatever　treatment　it　may　receive　
from　the　coarse…hearted；　sensual；　selfish　Saxon。

After　some　time；　our　party　returned　to　the　house　…　which　put　me　
very　much　in　mind　of　the　farm…houses　of　the　substantial　yeomen　of　
Cornwall；　particularly　that　of　my　friends　at　Penquite；　a　
comfortable　fire　blazed　in　the　kitchen　grate；　the　floor　was　
composed　of　large　flags　of　slate。　　In　the　kitchen　the　old　lady　
pointed　to　me　the　ffon；　or　walking…stick；　of　Huw　Morris；　it　was　
supported　against　a　beam　by　three　hooks；　I　took　it　down　and　walked　
about　the　kitchen　with　it；　it　was　a　thin　polished　black　stick；　with　
a　crome　cut　in　the　shape　of　an　eagle's　head；　at　the　end　was　a　brass　
fence。　　The　kind　creature　then　produced　a　sword　without　a　scabbard；　
this　sword　was　found　by　Huw　Morris　on　the　mountain　…　it　belonged　to　
one　of　Oliver's　officers　who　was　killed　there。　　I　took　the　sword；　
which　was　a　thin　two…edged　one；　and　seemed　to　be　made　of　very　good　
steel；　it　put　me　in　mind　of　the　blades　which　I　had　seen　at　Toledo　…　
the　guard　was　very　slight　like　those　of　all　rapiers；　and　the　hilt　
the　common　old…fashioned　English　officer's　hilt　…　there　was　no　rust　
on　the　blade；　and　it　still　looked　a　dangerous　sword。　　A　man　like　
Thistlewood　would　have　whipped　it　through　his　adversary　in　a　
twinkling。　　I　asked　the　old　lady　if　Huw　Morris　was　born　in　this　
house；　she　said　no；　but　a　little　farther　on　at　Pont　y　Meibion；　she　
said；　however；　that　the　ground　had　belonged　to　him；　and　that　they　
had　some　of　his　blood　in　their　veins。　　I　shook　her　by　the　hand；　and　
gave　the　chubby　bare…armed　damsel　a　shilling；　pointing　to　the　marks　
of　the　nettle　stings　on　her　fat　bacon…like　arms。　　She　laughed；　made　
me　a　curtsey；　and　said：　　〃Llawer　iawn　o　diolch。〃

John　Jones　and　I　then　proceeded　to　the　house　at　Pont　y　Meibion；　
where　we　saw　two　men；　one　turning　a　grind…stone；　and　the　other　
holding　an　adze　to　it。　　We　asked　if　we　were　at　the　house　of　Huw　
Morris；　and　whether　they　could　tell　us　anything　about　him；　they　
made　us　no　answer　but　proceeded　with　their　occupation；　John　Jones　
then　said　that　the　Gwr　Boneddig　was　very　fond　of　the　verses　of　Huw　
Morris；　and　had　come　a　great　way　to　see　the　place　where　he　was　
born。　　The　wheel　now　ceased　turning；　and　the　man　with　the　adze　
turned　his　face　full　upon　me　…　he　was　a　stern…looking；　dark　man；　
with　black　hair；　of　about　forty；　after　a　moment　or　two　he　said　that　
if　I　chose　to　walk　into　the　house　I　should　be　welcome。　　He　then　
conducted　us　into　the　house；　a　common…looking　stone　tenement；　and　
bade　us　be　seated。　　I　asked　him　if　he　was　a　descendant　of　Huw　
Morus；　he　said　he　was；　I　asked　him　his　name；　which　he　said　was　Huw　
…　。　　〃Have　you　any　of　the　manuscripts　of　Huw　Morus？〃　said　I。

〃None；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　have　one　of　the　printed　copies　of　his　
works。〃

He　then　went　to　a　drawer；　and　taking　out　a　book；　put　it　into　my　
hand；　and　seated　himself　in　a　blunt；　careless　manner。　　The　book　was　
the　first　volume　of　the　common　Wrexham　edition　of　Huw's　works；　it　
was　much　thumbed　…　I　commenced　reading　aloud　a　piece　which　I　had　
much　admired　in　my　boyhood。　　I　went　on　for　some　time；　my　mind　quite　
occupied　with　my　reading；　at　last　lifting　my　eyes　I　saw　the　man　
standing　bolt　upright　before　me；　like　a　soldier　of　the　days　of　my　
childhood；　during　the　time　that　the　adjutant　read　prayers；　his　hat　
was　no　longer　upon　his　head；　but　on　the　ground；　and　his　eyes　were　
reverently　inclined　to　the　book。　　After　all　what　a　beautiful　thing　
it　is；　not　to　be；　but　to　have　been　a　genius。　　Closing　the　book；　I　
asked　him　whether　Huw　Morris　was　born　in　the　house　where　we　were；　
and　received　for　answer　that　he　was　born　about　where　we　stood；　but　
that　the　old　house　had　been　pulled　down；　and　that　of　all　the　
premises　only　a　small　out…house　was　coeval　with　Huw　Morris。　　I　
asked　him　the　name　of　the　house；　and　he　said　Pont　y　Meibion。

〃But　where　is　the　bridge？〃　said　I。

〃The　bridge；〃　he　replied；　〃is　close　by；　over　the　Ceiriog。　　If　you　
wish　to　see　it；　you　must　go　down　yon　field；　the　house　is　called　
after　the　bridge。〃　　Bidding　him　farewell；　we　crossed　the　road　and　
going　down　the　field　speedily　arrived　at　Pont　y　Meibion。　　The　
bridge　is　a　small　bridge　of　one　arch　which　crosses　the　brook　
Ceiriog　…　it　is　built　of　rough　moor　stone；　it　is　mossy；　broken；　and　
looks　almost　inconceivably　old；　there　is　a　little　parapet　to　it　
about　two　feet　high。　　On　the　right…hand　side　it　is　shaded　by　an　
ash。　　The　brook　when　we　viewed　it；　though　at　times　a　roaring　
torrent；　was　stealing　along　gently；　on　both　sides　it　is　overgrown　
with　alders；　noble　hills　rise　above　it　to　the　east　and　west；　John　
Jones　told　me　that　it　abounded　with　trout。　　I　asked　him　why　the　
bridge　was　called　Pont　y　Meibion；　which　signifies　the　bridge　of　the　
children。　　〃It　was　built　originally　by　children；〃　said　he；　〃for　the　
purpose　of　crossing　the　brook。〃

〃That　bridge；〃　said　I；　〃was　never　built　by　children。〃

〃The　first　bridge；〃　said　he；　〃was　of　wood；　and　was　built　by　the　
children　of　the　houses　above。〃

Not　quite　satisfied　with　his　explanation；　I　asked　him　to　what　place　
the　little　bridge　led；　and　was　told　that　he　believed　it　led　to　an　
upland　farm。　　After　taking　a　long　and　wistful　view　of　the　bridge　
and　the　scenery　around　it；　I　turned　my　head　in　the　direction　of　
Llangollen。　　The　adventures　of　the　day　were；　however；　not　finished。



CHAPTER　XXI



The　Gloomy　Valley　…　The　Lonely　Cottage　…　Happy　Comparison　…　Clogs　…　
The　Alder　Swamp　…　The　Wooden　Leg　…　The　Militiaman　…　Death…bed　
Verses。


ON　reaching　the　ruined　village　where　the　Pandy　stood　I　stopped；　and　
looked　up　the　gloomy　valley　to　the　west；　down　which　the　brook　which　
joins　the　Ceiriog　at　this　place；　descends；　whereupon　John　Jones　
said；　that　if　I　wished　to　go　up　it　a　little　way　he　should　have　
great　pleasure　in　attending　me；　and　that　he　should　show　me　a　
cottage　built　in　the　hen　ddull；　or　old　fashion；　to　which　he　
frequently　went　to　ask　for　the　rent；　he　being　employed　by　various　
individuals　in　the　capacity　of　rent…gatherer。　　I　said　that　I　was　
afraid　that　if　he　was　a　rent…collector；　both　he　and　I　should　have　a　
sorry　welcome。　　〃No　fear；〃　he　replied；　〃the　people　are　very　good　
people；　and　pay　their　rent　very　regularly；〃　and　without　saying　
another　word　he　led　the　way　up　the　valley。　　At　the　end　of　the　
village；　seeing　a　woman　standing　at　the　door　of　one　of　the　ruinous　
cottages；　I　asked　her　the　nam