wild wales-第47节

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more　a　pig…jobber　than　myself；　but　a　respectable　clergyman；　who　had　
been　dead　considerably　upwards　of　a　hundred　years；　and　that　also；　
notwithstanding　my　respect　for　Mr　Bos's　knowledge　of　history；　I　did　
not　believe　that　Owen　Tudor　was　buried　at　Penmynnydd；　when　I　was　
prevented　by　the　entrance　of　Mrs　Pritchard；　who　came　to　inform　me　
that　my　repast　was　ready　in　the　other　room；　whereupon　I　got　up　and　
went　into　the　parlour　to　〃box　Harry。〃

Having　dispatched　my　bacon　and　eggs；　tea　and　ale；　I　fell　into　deep　
meditation。　　My　mind　reverted　to　a　long　past　period　of　my　life；　
when　I　was　to　a　certain　extent　fixed　up　with　commercial　travellers；　
and　had　plenty　of　opportunities　of　observing　their　habits；　and　the　
terms　employed　by　them　in　conversation。　　I　called　up　several　
individuals　of　the　two　classes　into　which　they　used　to　be　divided；　
for　commercial　travellers　in　my　time　were　divided　into　two　classes；　
those　who　ate　dinners　and　drank　their　bottle　of　port；　and　those　who　
〃boxed　Harry。〃　　What　glorious　fellows　the　first　seemed！　　What　airs　
they　gave　themselves！　　What　oaths　they　swore！　and　what　influence　
they　had　with　hostlers　and　chambermaids！　and　what　a　sneaking…
looking　set　the　others　were！　shabby　in　their　apparel；　no　fine　
ferocity　in　their　countenances；　no　oaths　in　their　mouths；　except　
such　a　trumpery　apology　for　an　oath　as　an　occasional　〃confounded　
hard；〃　with　little　or　no　influence　at　inns；　scowled　at　by　hostlers；　
and　never　smiled　at　by　chambermaids　…　and　then　I　remembered　how　
often　I　had　bothered　my　head　in　vain　to　account　for　the　origin　of　
the　term　〃box　Harry；〃　and　how　often　I　had　in　vain　applied　both　to　
those　who　did　box　and　to　those　who　did　not　〃box　Harry；〃　for　a　clear　
and　satisfactory　elucidation　of　the　expression　…　and　at　last　found　
myself　again　bothering　my　head　as　of　old　in　a　vain　attempt　to　
account　for　the　origin　of　the　term　〃boxing　Harry。〃



CHAPTER　XXXIV



Northampton　…　Horse　…　Breaking　…　Snoring。


TIRED　at　length　with　my　vain　efforts　to　account　for　the　term　which　
in　my　time　was　so　much　in　vogue　amongst　commercial　gentlemen　I　left　
the　little　parlour；　and　repaired　to　the　common　room。　　Mr　Pritchard　
and　Mr　Bos　were　still　there　smoking　and　drinking；　but　there　was　now　
a　candle　on　the　table　before　them；　for　night　was　fast　coming　on。　　
Mr　Bos　was　giving　an　account　of　his　travels　in　England；　sometimes　
in　Welsh；　sometimes　in　English；　to　which　Mr　Pritchard　was　listening　
with　the　greatest　attention；　occasionally　putting　in　a　〃see　there　
now；〃　and　〃what　a　fine　thing　it　is　to　have　gone　about。〃　　After　some　
time　Mr　Bos　exclaimed：

〃I　think；　upon　the　whole；　of　all　the　places　I　have　seen　in　England　
I　like　Northampton　best。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　I；　〃you　found　the　men　of　Northampton　good…
tempered；　jovial　fellows？〃

〃Can't　say　I　did；〃　said　Mr　Bos；　〃they　are　all　shoe…makers；　and　of　
course　quarrelsome　and　contradictory；　for　where　was　there　ever　a　
shoemaker　who　was　not　conceited　and　easily　riled？　　No；　I　have　
little　to　say　in　favour　of　Northampton　as　far　as　the　men　are　
concerned。　　It's　not　the　men　but　the　women　that　make　me　speak　in　
praise　of　Northampton。　　The　men　all　are　ill…tempered；　but　the　women　
quite　the　contrary。　　I　never　saw　such　a　place　for　merched　anladd　as　
Northampton。　　I　was　a　great　favourite　with　them；　and　could　tell　you　
such　tales。〃

And　then　Mr　Bos；　putting　his　hat　rather　on　one　side　of　his　head；　
told　us　two　or　three　tales　of　his　adventures　with　the　merched　
anladd　of　Northampton；　which　brought　powerfully　to　my　mind　part　of　
what　Ellis　Wynn　had　said　with　respect　to　the　practices　of　drovers　
in　his　day；　detestation　for　which　had　induced　him　to　put　the　whole　
tribe　into　Hell。

All　of　a　sudden　I　heard　a　galloping　down　the　road；　and　presently　a　
mighty　plunging；　seemingly　of　a　horse；　before　the　door　of　the　inn。　　
I　rushed　out　followed　by　my　companions；　and　lo；　on　the　open　space　
before　the　inn　was　a　young　horse；　rearing　and　kicking；　with　a　young　
man　on　his　back。　　The　horse　had　neither　bridle　nor　saddle；　and　the　
young　fellow　merely　rode　him　with　a　rope　passed　about　his　head　…　
presently　the　horse　became　tolerably　quiet；　and　his　rider　jumping　
off　led　him　into　the　stable；　where　he　made　him　fast　to　the　rack　and　
then　came　and　joined　us；　whereupon　we　all　went　into　the　room　from　
which　I　and　the　others　had　come　on　hearing　the　noise　of　the　
struggle。

〃How　came　you　on　the　colt's　back；　Jenkins？〃　said　Mr　Pritchard；　
after　we　had　all　sat　down　and　Jenkins　had　called　for　some　cwrw。　　〃I　
did　not　know　that　he　was　broke　in。〃

〃I　am　breaking　him　in　myself；〃　said　Jenkins　speaking　Welsh。　　〃I　
began　with　him　to…night。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say；〃　said　I；　〃that　you　have　begun　breaking　him　in　
by　mounting　his　back？〃

〃I　do；〃　said　the　other。

〃Then　depend　upon　it；〃　said　I；　〃that　it　will　not　be　long　before　he　
will　either　break　his　neck　or　knees　or　he　will　break　your　neck　or　
crown。　　You　are　not　going　the　right　way　to　work。〃

〃Oh；　myn　Diawl！〃　said　Jenkins；　〃I　know　better。　　In　a　day　or　two　I　
shall　have　made　him　quite　tame；　and　have　got　him　into　excellent　
paces　and　shall　have　saved　the　money　I　must　have　paid　away；　had　I　
put　him　into　a　jockey's　hands。〃

Time　passed；　night　came　on；　and　other　guests　came　in。　　There　was　
much　talking　of　first…rate　Welsh　and　very　indifferent　English；　Mr　
Bos　being　the　principal　speaker　in　both　languages；　his　discourse　
was　chiefly　on　the　comparative　merits　of　Anglesey　runts　and　Scotch　
bullocks；　and　those　of　the　merched　anladd　of　Northampton　and　the　
lasses　of　Wrexham。　　He　preferred　his　own　country　runts　to　the　
Scotch　kine；　but　said　upon　the　whole；　though　a　Welshman；　he　must　
give　the　preference　to　the　merched　of　Northampton　over　those　of　
Wrexham；　for　free　and　easy　demeanour；　notwithstanding　that　in　that　
point　which　he　said　was　the　most　desirable　point　in　females；　the　
lasses　of　Wrexham　were　generally　considered　out…and…outers。

Fond　as　I　am　of　listening　to　public…house　conversation；　from　which　
I　generally　contrive　to　extract　both　amusement　and　edification；　I　
became　rather　tired　of　this；　and　getting　up；　strolled　about　the　
little　village　by　moonlight　till　I　felt　disposed　to　retire　to　rest；　
when　returning　to　the　inn；　I　begged　to　be　shown　the　room　in　which　I　
was　to　sleep。　　Mrs　Pritchard　forthwith　taking　a　candle　conducted　me　
to　a　small　room　upstairs。　　There　were　two　beds　in　it。　　The　good　
lady　pointing　to　one；　next　the　window；　in　which　there　were　nice　
clean　sheets；　told　me　that　was　the　one　which　I　was　to　occupy；　and　
bidding　me　good…night；　and　leaving　the　candle；　departed。　　Putting　
out　the　light　I　got　into　bed；　but　instantly　found　that　the　bed　was　
not　long　enough　by　at　least　a　foot。　　〃I　shall　pass　an　uncomfortable　
night；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　never　yet　could　sleep　comfortably　in　a　bed　
too　short。　　However；　as　I　am　on　my　travels；　I　must　endeavour　to　
accommodate　myself　to　circumstances。〃　　So　I　endeavoured　to　compose　
myself　to　sleep；　before；　however；　I　could　succeed；　I　heard　the　
sound　of　stumping　steps　coming　upstairs；　and　perceived　a　beam　of　
light　through　the　crevices　of　the　door；　and　in　a　moment　more　the　
door　opened　and　in　came　two　loutish　farming　lads　whom　I　had　
observed　below；　one　of　them　bearing　a　rushlight　stuck　into　an　old　
blacking…bottle。　　Without　saying　a　word　they　flung　off　part　of　
their　clothes；　and　one　of　them　having　blown　out　the　rushlight；　they　
both　tumbled　into　bed；　and　in　a　moment　were　snoring　most　
sonorously。　　〃I　am　in　a　short　bed；〃　said　I；　〃and　have　snorers　close　
by　me；　I　fear　I　shall　have　a　sorry　night　of　it。〃　　I　determined；　
however；　to　adhere　to　my　resolution　of　making　the　best　of　
circumstances；　and　lay　perfectly　quiet；　listening　to　the　snorings　
as　they　rose　and　fell；　at　last　they　became　more　gentle　and　I　fell　
asleep；　notwithstanding　my　feet　were　projecting　some　way　from　the　
bed。　　I　might　have　lain　ten　minutes　or　a　quarter　of　an　hour　when　I　
suddenly　started　up　in　the　bed　broad　awake。　　There　was　a　great　
noise　below　the　window　of　plunging　and　struggling　interspersed　with　
Welsh　oaths。　　Then　there　was　a　sound　as　if　of　a　heavy　fall；　and　
presently　a　groan。　　〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　said　I；　〃if　that　fellow　
with　the　horse　has　verified　my　words；　and　has　either　broken　his　
horse's　neck　or　his　own。　　However；　if　he　has；　he　has　no　one　to　
blame　but　himself。　　I　gave　him　fair　warning；　and　shall　give　myself　
no　further　trouble　about　the　matter；　but　go　to　sleep；〃　and　so　I　
did。



CHAPTER　XXXV



Brilliant　Morning　…　Travelling　with　Edification　…　A　Good　Clergyman　
…　Gybi。


I　AWOKE　about　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　having　passed　the　night　
much　better　than　I　anticipated。　　The　sun　was　shining　bright　and　
gloriously　into　the　apartment。　　On　looking　into　the　other　bed　I　
found　that　my　chums；　the　young　farm…labourers；　had　deserted　it。　　
They　were　probably　already　in　the　field　busy　at　labour。　　After　
lying　a　little　time　longer　I　arose；　dressed　myself　and　went　down。　　
I　found　my　friend　honest　Pritchard　smoking　his　morning　pipe　at　the　
front　door；　and　after　giving　him　the　sele　of　the　day；　I　inquired　of　
him　the　cause　of　the　disturbance　beneath　my　window　the　night　
before；　and　learned　that　the　man　of　the　horse　had　been　t