wild wales-第43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！


〃Who　owns　this　wood？〃　said　I　in　Welsh　to　two　men　who　were　limbing　a　
felled　tree　by　the　road…side。

〃Lord　Vivian；〃　answered　one；　touching　his　hat。

〃The　gentleman　is　our　countryman；〃　said　he　to　the　other　after　I　had　
passed。

I　was　now　descending　the　side　of　a　pretty　valley；　and　soon　found　
myself　at　Pentraeth　Coch。　　The　part　of　the　Pentraeth　where　I　now　
was　consisted　of　a　few　houses　and　a　church；　or　something　which　I　
judged　to　be　a　church；　for　there　was　no　steeple；　the　houses　and　
church　stood　about　a　little　open　spot　or　square；　the　church　on　the　
east；　and　on　the　west　a　neat　little　inn　or　public…house　over　the　
door　of　which　was　written　〃The　White　Horse。　　Hugh　Pritchard。〃　　By　
this　time　I　had　verified　in　part　the　prediction　of　the　old　Welsh　
poet　of　the　post…office。　　Though　I　was　not　yet　arrived　at　Llanfair；　
I　was；　if　not　tired；　very　thirsty；　owing　to　the　burning　heat　of　the　
weather；　so　I　determined　to　go　in　and　have　some　ale。　　On　entering　
the　house　I　was　greeted　in　English　by　Mr　Hugh　Pritchard　himself；　a　
tall　bulky　man　with　a　weather…beaten　countenance；　dressed　in　a　
brown　jerkin　and　corduroy　trowsers；　with　a　broad　low…crowned　buff…
coloured　hat　on　his　head；　and　what　might　he　called　half　shoes　and　
half　high…lows　on　his　feet。　　He　had　a　short　pipe　in　his　mouth；　
which　when　he　greeted　me　he　took　out；　but　replaced　as　soon　as　the　
greeting　was　over；　which　consisted　of　〃Good…day；　sir；〃　delivered　in　
a　frank；　hearty　tone。　　I　looked　Mr　Hugh　Pritchard　in　the　face　and　
thought　I　had　never　seen　a　more　honest　countenance。　　On　my　telling　
Mr　Pritchard　that　I　wanted　a　pint　of　ale；　a　buxom　damsel　came　
forward　and　led　me　into　a　nice　cool　parlour　on　the　right…hand　side　
of　the　door；　and　then　went　to　fetch　the　ale。

Mr　Pritchard　meanwhile　went　into　a　kind　of　tap…room；　fronting　the　
parlour；　where　I　heard　him　talking　in　Welsh　about　pigs　and　cattle　
to　some　of　his　customers。　　I　observed　that　he　spoke　with　some　
hesitation；　which　circumstance　I　mention　as　rather　curious；　he　
being　the　only　Welshman　I　have　ever　known　who；　when　speaking　his　
native　language；　appeared　to　be　at　a　loss　for　words。　　The　damsel　
presently　brought　me　the　ale；　which　I　tasted　and　found　excellent；　
she　was　going　away　when　I　asked　her　whether　Mr　Pritchard　was　her　
father；　on　her　replying　in　the　affirmative　I　inquired　whether　she　
was　born　in　that　house。

〃No！〃　said　she；　〃I　was　born　in　Liverpool；　my　father　was　born　in　
this　house；　which　belonged　to　his　fathers　before　him；　but　he　left　
it　at　an　early　age　and　married　my　mother　in　Liverpool；　who　was　an　
Anglesey　woman；　and　so　I　was　born　in　Liverpool。〃

〃And　what　did　you　do　in　Liverpool？〃　said　I。

〃My　mother　kept　a　little　shop；〃　said　the　girl；　〃whilst　my　father　
followed　various　occupations。〃

〃And　how　long　have　you　been　here？〃　said　I。

〃Since　the　death　of　my　grandfather；〃　said　the　girl；　〃which　happened　
about　a　year　ago。　　When　he　died　my　father　came　here　and　took　
possession　of　his　birth…right。〃

〃You　speak　very　good　English；〃　said　I；　〃have　you　any　Welsh？〃

〃Oh　yes；　plenty；〃　said　the　girl；　〃we　always　speak　Welsh　together；　
but　being　born　at　Liverpool；　I　of　course　have　plenty　of　English。〃

〃And　which　language　do　you　prefer？〃　said　I。

〃I　think　I　like　English　best；〃　said　the　girl；　〃it　is　the　most　
useful　language。〃

〃Not　in　Anglesey；〃　said　I。

〃Well；〃　said　the　girl；　〃it　is　the　most　genteel。〃

〃Gentility；〃　said　I；　〃will　be　the　ruin　of　Welsh；　as　it　has　been　of　
many　other　things　…　what　have　I　to　pay　for　the　ale？〃

〃Three　pence；〃　said　she。

I　paid　the　money　and　the　girl　went　out。　　I　finished　my　ale；　and　
getting　up　made　for　the　door；　at　the　door　I　was　met　by　Mr　Hugh　
Pritchard；　who　came　out　of　the　tap…room　to　thank　me　for　my　custom；　
and　to　bid　me　farewell。　　I　asked　him　whether　I　should　have　any　
difficulty　in　finding　the　way　to　Llanfair。

〃None　whatever；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　only　to　pass　over　the　bridge　of　
the　Traeth；　and　to　go　due　north　for　about　four　miles；　and　you　will　
find　yourself　in　Llanfair。〃

〃What　kind　of　place　is　it？〃　said　I。

〃A　poor　straggling　village；〃　said　Mr　Pritchard。

〃Shall　I　be　able　to　obtain　a　lodging　there　for　the　night？〃　said　I。

〃Scarcely　one　such　as　you　would　like；〃　said　Hugh。

〃And　where　had　I　best　pass　the　night？〃　I　demanded。

〃We　can　accommodate　you　comfortably　here；〃　said　Mr　Pritchard；　
〃provided　you　have　no　objection　to　come　back。〃

I　told　him　that　I　should　be　only　too　happy；　and　forthwith　departed；　
glad　at　heart　that　I　had　secured　a　comfortable　lodging　for　the　
night。



CHAPTER　XXXII



Leave　Pentraeth　…　Tranquil　Scene　…　The　Knoll　…　The　Miller　and　his　
Wife　…　Poetry　of　Gronwy　…　Kind　Offer　…　Church　of　Llanfair　…　No　
English　…　Confusion　of　Ideas　…　The　Gronwy　…　Notable　Little　Girl　…　
The　Sycamore　Leaf　…　Home　from　California。


THE　village　of　Pentraeth　Goch　occupies　two　sides　of　a　romantic　dell　
…　that　part　of　it　which　stands　on　the　southern　side；　and　which　
comprises　the　church　and　the　little　inn；　is　by　far　the　prettiest；　
that　which　occupies　the　northern　is　a　poor　assemblage　of　huts；　a　
brook　rolls　at　the　bottom　of　the　dell；　over　which　there　is　a　little　
bridge：　　coming　to　the　bridge　I　stopped；　and　looked　over　the　side　
into　the　water　running　briskly　below。　　An　aged　man　who　looked　like　
a　beggar；　but　who　did　not　beg　of　me；　stood　by。

〃To　what　place　does　this　water　run？〃　said　I　in　English。

〃I　know　no　Saxon；〃　said　he　in　trembling　accents。

I　repeated　my　question　in　Welsh。

〃To　the　sea；〃　he　said；　〃which　is　not　far　off；　indeed　it　is　so　near；　
that　when　there　are　high　tides；　the　salt　water　comes　up　to　this　
bridge。〃

〃You　seem　feeble？〃　said　I。

〃I　am　so；〃　said　he；　〃for　I　am　old。〃

〃How　old　are　you？〃　said　I。

〃Sixteen　after　sixty；〃　said　the　old　man　with　a　sigh；　〃and　I　have　
nearly　lost　my　sight　and　my　hearing。〃

〃Are　you　poor？〃　said　I。

〃Very；〃　said　the　old　man。

I　gave　him　a　trifle　which　he　accepted　with　thanks。

〃Why　is　this　sand　called　the　red　sand？〃　said　I。

〃I　cannot　tell　you；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃I　wish　I　could；　for　you　
have　been　kind　to　me。〃

Bidding　him　farewell　I　passed　through　the　northern　part　of　the　
village　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　　I　walked　a　little　way　forward　and　
then　stopped；　as　I　had　done　at　the　bridge　in　the　dale；　and　looked　
to　the　east；　over　a　low　stone　wall。

Before　me　lay　the　sea　or　rather　the　northern　entrance　of　the　Menai　
Straits。　　To　my　right　was　mountain　Lidiart　projecting　some　way　into　
the　sea；　to　my　left；　that　is　to　the　north；　was　a　high　hill；　with　a　
few　white　houses　near　its　base；　forming　a　small　village；　which　a　
woman　who　passed　by　knitting　told　me　was　called　Llan　Peder　Goch　or　
the　Church　of　Red　Saint　Peter。　　Mountain　Lidiart　and　the　Northern　
Hill　formed　the　headlands　of　a　beautiful　bay　into　which　the　waters　
of　the　Traeth　dell；　from　which　I　had　come；　were　discharged。　　A　
sandbank；　probably　covered　with　the　sea　at　high　tide；　seemed　to　
stretch　from　mountain　Lidiart　a　considerable　way　towards　the　
northern　hill。　　Mountain；　bay　and　sandbank　were　bathed　in　sunshine；　
the　water　was　perfectly　calm；　nothing　was　moving　upon　it；　nor　upon　
the　shore；　and　I　thought　I　had　never　beheld　a　more　beautiful　and　
tranquil　scene。

I　went　on。　　The　country　which　had　hitherto　been　very　beautiful；　
abounding　with　yellow　corn…fields；　became　sterile　and　rocky；　there　
were　stone　walls；　but　no　hedges。　　I　passed　by　a　moor　on　my　left；　
then　a　moory　hillock　on　my　right；　the　way　was　broken　and　stony；　all　
traces　of　the　good　roads　of　Wales　had　disappeared；　the　habitations　
which　I　saw　by　the　way　were　miserable　hovels　into　and　out　of　which　
large　sows　were　stalking；　attended　by　their　farrows。

〃Am　I　far　from　Llanfair？〃　said　I　to　a　child。

〃You　are　in　Llanfair；　gentleman；〃　said　the　child。

A　desolate　place　was　Llanfair。　　The　sea　in　the　neighbourhood　to　the　
south；　limekilns　with　their　stifling　smoke　not　far　from　me。　　I　sat　
down　on　a　little　green　knoll　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　road；　a　
small　house　was　near　me；　and　a　desolate…looking　mill　at　about　a　
furlong's　distance；　to　the　south。　　Hogs　came　about　me　grunting　and　
sniffing。　　I　felt　quite　melancholy。

〃Is　this　the　neighbourhood　of　the　birth…place　of　Gronwy　Owen？〃　said　
I　to　myself。　　〃No　wonder　that　he　was　unfortunate　through　life；　
springing　from　such　a　region　of　wretchedness。〃

Wretched　as　the　region　seemed；　however；　I　soon　found　there　were　
kindly　hearts　close　by　me。

As　I　sat　on　the　knoll　I　heard　some　one　slightly　cough　very　near　me；　
and　looking　to　the　left　saw　a　man　dressed　like　a　miller　looking　at　
me　from　the　garden　of　the　little　house；　which　I　have　already　
mentioned。

I　got　up　and　gave　him　the　sele　of　the　day　in　English。　　He　was　a　man　
about　thirty；　rather　tall　than　otherwise；　with　a　very　prepossessing　
countenance。　　He　shook　his　head　at　my　English。

〃What；〃　said　I；　addressing　him　in　the　language　of　the　country；　
〃have　you　no　English？　　Perhaps　you　have　Welsh？〃

〃Plenty；〃　said　he；　laughing　〃there　is　no　lack　of　Welsh　amongst　any　
of　us　here。　　Are　you　a　Welshman？〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃an　Englishman　from　the　far　east　of　Lloegr。〃

〃And　what　brings　you　here？〃　said　the　man。

〃A　strange　errand；〃　I　replied；　〃to　look　at　the　birth…place　of　a