wild wales-第46节

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〃I　can　scarcely　tell　you　how　it　was；　sir；〃　said　the　man　scratching　
his　head；　〃but　I　thought　I　would　speak　to　you　in　Spanish。〃

〃And　why　not　English？〃　said　I。

〃Why；　I　heard　you　speaking　Welsh；〃　said　the　man；　〃and　as　for　an　
Englishman　speaking　Welsh　…〃

〃But　why　not　answer　me　in　Welsh？〃　said　I。

〃Why；　I　saw　it　was　not　your　language；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃and　as　I　
had　picked　up　some　Spanish　I　thought　it　would　be　but　fair　to　answer　
you　in　it。〃

〃But　how　did　you　know　that　I　could　speak　Spanish？〃　said　I。

〃I　don't　know　indeed；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　I　looked　at　you；　and　
something　seemed　to　tell　me　that　you　could　speak　Spanish。　　I　can't　
tell　you　how　it　was　sir；〃　said　he；　looking　me　very　innocently　in　
the　face；　〃but　I　was　forced　to　speak　Spanish　to　you。　　I　was　
indeed！〃

〃The　long　and　the　short　of　it　was；〃　said　I；　〃that　you　took　me　for　a　
foreigner；　and　thought　that　it　would　be　but　polite　to　answer　me　in　
a　foreign　language。〃

〃I　daresay　it　was　so；　sir；〃　said　the　man。　　〃I　daresay　it　was　just　
as　you　say。〃

〃How　did　you　fare　in　California？〃　said　I。

〃Very　fairly　indeed；　sir；〃　said　the　man。　　〃I　made　some　money　there；　
and　brought　it　home；　and　with　part　of　it　I　am　building　this　house。〃

〃I　am　very　happy　to　hear　it；〃　said　I；　〃you　are　really　a　remarkable　
man　…　few　return　from　California　speaking　Spanish　as　you　do；　and　
still　fewer　with　money　in　their　pockets。〃

The　poor　fellow　looked　pleased　at　what　I　said；　more　especially　at　
that　part　of　the　sentence　which　touched　upon　his　speaking　Spanish　
well。　　Wishing　him　many　years　of　health　and　happiness　in　the　house　
he　was　building；　I　left　him；　and　proceeded　on　my　path　towards　
Pentraeth　Goch。

After　walking　some　way；　I　turned　round　in　order　to　take　a　last　look　
of　the　place　which　had　so　much　interest　for　me。　　The　mill　may　be　
seen　from　a　considerable　distance；　so　may　some　of　the　scattered　
houses；　and　also　the　wood　which　surrounds　the　house　of　the　
illustrious　Gronwy。　　Prosperity　to　Llanfair！　and　may　many　a　
pilgrimage　be　made　to　it　of　the　same　character　as　my　own。



CHAPTER　XXXIII



Boxing　Harry　…　Mr　Bos　…　Black　Robin　…　Drovers　…　Commercial　
Travellers。


I　ARRIVED　at　the　hostelry　of　Mr　Pritchard　without　meeting　any　
adventure　worthy　of　being　marked　down。　　I　went　into　the　little　
parlour；　and；　ringing　the　bell；　was　presently　waited　upon　by　Mrs　
Pritchard；　a　nice　matronly　woman；　whom　I　had　not　before　seen；　of　
whom　I　inquired　what　I　could　have　for　dinner。

〃This　is　no　great　place　for　meat；〃　said　Mrs　Pritchard；　〃that　is　
fresh　meat；　for　sometimes　a　fortnight　passes　without　anything　being　
killed　in　the　neighbourhood。　　I　am　afraid　at　present　there　is　not　a　
bit　of　fresh　meat　to　be　had。　　What　we　can　get　you　for　dinner　I　do　
not　know；　unless　you　are　willing　to　make　shift　with　bacon　and　
eggs。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；〃　said　I；　〃I　will　have　the　bacon　and　
eggs　with　tea　and　bread…and…butter；　not　forgetting　a　pint　of　ale　…　
in　a　word；　I　will　box　Harry。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　a　commercial　gent；〃　said　Mrs　Pritchard。

〃Why　do　you　suppose　me　a　commercial　gent？〃　said　I。　　〃Do　I　look　
one？〃

〃Can't　say　you　do　much；〃　said　Mrs　Pritchard；　〃you　have　no　rings　on　
your　fingers；　nor　a　gilt　chain　at　your　waistcoat…pocket；　but　when　
you　said　'box　Harry；'　I　naturally　took　you　to　be　one　of　the　
commercial　gents；　for　when　I　was　at　Liverpool　I　was　told　that　that　
was　a　word　of　theirs。〃

〃I　believe　the　word　properly　belongs　to　them；〃　said　I。　　〃I　am　not　
one　of　them；　but　I　learnt　it　from　them；　a　great　many　years　ago；　
when　I　was　much　amongst　them。　　Those　whose　employers　were　in　a　
small　way　of　business；　or　allowed　them　insufficient　salaries；　
frequently　used　to　'box　Harry；'　that　is；　have　a　beaf…steak；　or　
mutton…chop；　or　perhaps　bacon　and　eggs；　as　I　am　going　to　have；　
along　with　tea　and　ale；　instead　of　the　regular　dinner　of　a　
commercial　gentleman；　namely；　fish；　hot　joint；　and　fowl；　pint　of　
sherry；　tart；　ale　and　cheese；　and　bottle　of　old　port；　at　the　end　of　
all。〃

Having　made　arrangements　for　〃boxing　Harry〃　I　went　into　the　tap…
room；　from　which　I　had　heard　the　voice　of　Mr　Pritchard　proceeding　
during　the　whole　of　my　conversation　with　his　wife。　　Here　I　found　
the　worthy　landlord　seated　with　a　single　customer；　both　were　
smoking。　　The　customer　instantly　arrested　my　attention。　　He　was　a　
man；　seemingly　about　forty　years　of　age　with　a　broad　red　face；　with　
certain　somethings；　looking　very　much　like　incipient　carbuncles；　
here　and　there；　upon　it。　　His　eyes　were　grey　and　looked　rather　as　
if　they　squinted；　his　mouth　was　very　wide；　and　when　it　opened　
displayed　a　set　of　strong；　white；　uneven　teeth。　　He　was　dressed　in　
a　pepper…and…salt　coat　of　the　Newmarket　cut；　breeches　of　corduroy　
and　brown　top　boots；　and　had　on　his　head　a　broad；　black；　coarse；　
low…crowned　hat。　　In　his　left　hand　he　held　a　heavy　whale…bone　whip　
with　a　brass　head。　　I　sat　down　on　a　bench　nearly　opposite　to　him　
and　the　landlord。

〃Well；〃　said　Mr　Pritchard；　〃did　you　find　your　way　to　Llanfair？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I。

〃And　did　you　execute　the　business　satisfactorily　which　led　you　
there？〃　said　Mr　Pritchard。

〃Perfectly；〃　said　I。

〃Well；　what　did　you　give　a　stone　for　your　live　pork？〃　said　his　
companion　glancing　up　at　me；　and　speaking　in　a　gruff　voice。

〃I　did　not　buy　any　live　pork；〃　said　I；　〃do　you　take　me　for　a　pig…
jobber？〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　the　man；　in　pepper…and…salt；　〃who　but　a　pig　
jobber　could　have　business　at　Llanfair？〃

〃Does　Llanfair　produce　nothing　but　pigs？〃　said　I。

〃Nothing　at　all；〃　said　the　man　in　the　pepper…and…salt；　〃that　is；　
nothing　worth　mentioning。　　You　wouldn't　go　there　for　runts；　that　
is；　if　you　were　in　your　right　senses；　if　you　were　in　want　of　runts　
you　would　have　gone　to　my　parish　and　have　applied　to　me；　Mr　Bos；　
that　is　if　you　were　in　your　senses。　　Wouldn't　he；　John　Pritchard？〃

Mr　Pritchard　thus　appealed　to　took　the　pipe　out　of　his　mouth；　and　
with　some　hesitations　said　that　he　believed　the　gentleman　neither　
went　to　Llanfair　for　pigs　nor　black　cattle　but　upon　some　particular　
business。

〃Well；〃　said　Mr　Bos；　〃it　may　be　so；　but　I　can't　conceive　how　any　
person；　either　gentle　or　simple；　could　have　any　business　in　
Anglesey　save　that　business　was　pigs　or　cattle。〃

〃The　truth　is；〃　said　I；　〃I　went　to　Llanfair　to　see　the　birth…place　
of　a　great　man　…　the　cleverest　Anglesey　ever　produced。〃

〃Then　you　went　wrong；〃　said　Mr　Bos；　〃you　went　to　the　wrong　parish；　
you　should　have　gone　to　Penmynnydd；　the　clebber　man　of　Anglesey　was　
born　and　buried　at　Penmynnydd；　you　may　see　his　tomb　in　the　church。〃

〃You　are　alluding　to　Black　Robin；〃　said　I；　〃who　wrote　the　ode　in　
praise　of　Anglesey　…　yes；　he　was　a　very　clever　young　fellow；　but　
excuse　me；　he　was　not　half　such　a　poet　as　Gronwy　Owen。〃

〃Black　Robin；〃　said　Mr　Bos；　〃and　Gronow　Owen；　who　the　Devil　were　
they？　　I　never　heard　of　either。　　I　wasn't　talking　of　them；　but　of　
the　clebberest　man　the　world　ever　saw。　　Did　you　never　hear　of　Owen　
Tiddir？　　If　you　didn't；　where　did　you　get　your　education？〃

〃I　have　heard　of　Owen　Tudor；〃　said　I；　〃but　never　understood　that　he　
was　particularly　clever；　handsome　he　undoubtedly　was　…　but　clever　…　
〃

〃How　not　clebber？〃　interrupted　Mr　Bos。　　〃If　he　wasn't　clebber；　who　
was　clebber？　　Didn't　he　marry　a　great　queen；　and　was　not　Harry　the　
Eighth　his　great　grandson？〃

〃Really；〃　said　I；　〃you　know　a　great　deal　of　history。〃

〃I　should　hope　I　do；〃　said　Mr　Bos。　　〃Oh；　I　wasn't　at　school　at　
Blewmaris　for　six　months　for　nothing；　and　I　haven't　been　in　
Northampton；　and　in　every　town　in　England；　without　learning　
something　of　history。　　With　regard　to　history　I　may　say　that　few　…　
Won't　you　drink？〃　said　he；　patronizingly；　as　he　pushed　a　jug　of　ale　
which　stood　before　him　on　a　little　table　towards　me。

Begging　politely　to　be　excused　on　the　plea　that　I　was　just　about　to　
take　tea；　I　asked　him　in　what　capacity　he　had　travelled　all　over　
England。

〃As　a　drover　to　be　sure；〃　said　Mr　Bos；　〃and　I　may　say　that　there　
are　not　many　in　Anglesey　better　known　in　England　than　myself　…　at　
any　rate　I　may　say　that　there　is　not　a　public…house　between　here　
and　Worcester　at　which　I　am　not　known。〃

〃Pray　excuse　me；〃　said　I；　〃but　is　not　droving　rather　a　low…lifed　
occupation？〃

〃Not　half　so　much　as　pig…jobbing；〃　said　Bos；　〃and　that　that's　your　
trade　I　am　certain；　or　you　would　never　have　gone　to　Llanfair。〃

〃I　am　no　pig…jobber；〃　said　I；　〃and　when　I　asked　you　that　question　
about　droving；　I　merely　did　so　because　one　Ellis　Wynn；　in　a　book　he　
wrote；　gives　the　drovers　a　very　bad　character；　and　puts　them　in　
Hell　for　their　mal…practices。〃

〃Oh；　he　does；〃　said　Mr　Bos；　〃well；　the　next　time　I　meet　him　at　
Corwen　I'll　crack　his　head　for　saying　so。　　Mal…practices　…　he　had　
better　look　at　his　own；　for　he　is　a　pig…jobber　too。　　Written　a　book　
has　he？　then　I　suppose　he　has　been　left　a　legacy；　and　gone　to　
school　after　middle…age；　for　when　I　last　saw　him；　which　is　four　
years　ago；　he　could　neither　read　nor　write。〃

I　was　about　to　tell　Mr　Bos　that　the　Ellis　Wynn　that　I　meant　was　no　
more　a　pig…jobber　than　myself；　but　a　respectable　clergyman；　who　had　
been　dead　considerably　upwards　of　a　hundred　years；　and　that　a