wild wales-第49节

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In　Penmynnydd　of　Anglesey。〃


I　reached　Penmynnydd；　a　small　village　consisting　of　a　few　white　
houses　and　a　mill。　　The　meaning　of　Penmynnydd　is　literally　the　top　
of　a　hill。　　The　village　does　not　stand　on　a　hill；　but　the　church　
which　is　at　some　distance；　stands　on　one；　or　rather　on　a　hillock。　　
And　it　is　probable　from　the　circumstance　of　the　church　standing　on　
a　hillock；　that　the　parish　derives　its　name。　　Towards　the　church　
after　a　slight　glance　at　the　village；　I　proceeded　with　hasty　steps；　
and　was　soon　at　the　foot　of　the　hillock。　　A　house；　that　of　the　
clergyman；　stands　near　the　church；　on　the　top　of　the　hill。　　I　
opened　a　gate；　and　entered　a　lane　which　seemed　to　lead　up　to　the　
church。

As　I　was　passing　some　low　buildings；　probably　offices　pertaining　to　
the　house；　a　head　was　thrust　from　a　doorway；　which　stared　at　me。　　
It　was　a　strange　hirsute　head；　and　probably　looked　more　strange　and　
hirsute　than　it　naturally　was；　owing　to　its　having　a　hairy　cap　upon　
it。

〃Good　day；〃　said　I。

〃Good　day；　sar；〃　said　the　head；　and　in　a　moment　more　a　man　of　
middle　stature；　about　fifty；　in　hairy　cap；　shirt…sleeves；　and　green　
apron　round　his　waist；　stood　before　me。　　He　looked　the　beau…ideal　
of　a　servant　of　all　work。

〃Can　I　see　the　church？〃　said　I。

〃Ah；　you　want　to　see　the　church；〃　said　honest　Scrub。　　〃Yes；　sar！　
you　shall　see　the　church。　　You　go　up　road　there　past　church　…　come　
to　house；　knock　at　door　…　say　what　you　want　…　and　nice　little　girl　
show　you　church。　　Ah；　you　quite　right　to　come　and　see　church　…　fine　
tomb　there　and　clebber　man　sleeping　in　it　with　his　wife；　clebber　
man　that　…　Owen　Tiddir；　married　great　queen　…　dyn　clebber　iawn。〃

Following　the　suggestions　of　the　man　of　the　hairy　cap　I　went　round　
the　church　and　knocked　at　the　door　of　the　house；　a　handsome　
parsonage。　　A　nice　little　servant…girl　presently　made　her　
appearance　at　the　door；　of　whom　I　inquired　whether　I　could　see　the　
church。

〃Certainly；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　go　for　the　key　and　accompany　
you。〃

She　fetched　the　key　and　away　we　went　to　the　church。　　It　is　a　
venerable　chapel…like　edifice；　with　a　belfry　towards　the　west；　the　
roof　sinking　by　two　gradations；　is　lower　at　the　eastern　or　altar　
end；　than　at　the　other。　　The　girl；　unlocking　the　door；　ushered　me　
into　the　interior。

〃Which　is　the　tomb　of　Tudor？〃　said　I　to　the　pretty　damsel。

〃There　it　is；　sir；〃　said　she；　pointing　to　the　north　side　of　the　
church；　〃there　is　the　tomb　of　Owen　Tudor。〃

Beneath　a　low…roofed　arch　lay　sculptured　in　stone　on　an　altar　tomb；　
the　figures　of　a　man　and　woman；　that　of　the　man　in　armour；　that　of　
the　woman　in　graceful　drapery。　　The　male　figure　lay　next　the　wall。

〃And　you　think；〃　said　I　to　the　girl；　〃that　yonder　figure　is　that　of　
Owen　Tudor？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　girl；　〃yon　figure　is　that　of　Owen　Tudor；　the　
other　is　that　of　his　wife；　the　great　queen；　both　their　bodies　rest　
below。〃

I　forbore　to　say　that　the　figures　were　not　those　of　Owen　Tudor　and　
the　great　queen；　his　wife；　and　I　forbore　to　say　that　their　bodies　
did　not　rest　in　that　church；　nor　anywhere　in　the　neighbourhood；　for　
I　was　unwilling　to　dispel　a　pleasing　delusion。　　The　tomb　is　
doubtless　a　tomb　of　one　of　the　Tudor　race；　and　of　a　gentle　partner　
of　his；　but　not　of　the　Rose　of　Mona　and　Catherine　of　France。　　Her　
bones　rest　in　some　corner　of　Westminster's　noble　abbey；　his　moulder　
amongst　those　of　thousands　of　others；　Yorkists　and　Lancastrians；　
under　the　surface　of　the　plain；　where　Mortimer's　Cross　once　stood；　
that　plain　on　the　eastern　side　of　which　meanders　the　murmuring　Lug；　
that　noble　plain；　where　one　of　the　hardest　battles　which　ever　
blooded　English　soil　was　fought；　where　beautiful　young　Edward　
gained　a　crown；　and　old　Owen　lost　a　head；　which　when　young　had　been　
the　most　beautiful　of　heads；　which　had　gained　for　him　the　
appellation　of　the　Rose　of　Anglesey；　and　which　had　captivated　the　
glances　of　the　fair　daughter　of　France；　the　widow　of　Monmouth's　
Harry；　the　immortal　victor　of　Agincourt。

Nevertheless；　long　did　I　stare　at　that　tomb　which　though　not　that　
of　the　Rose　of　Mona　and　his　queen；　is　certainly　the　tomb　of　some　
mighty　one　of　the　mighty　race　of　Theodore。　　Then　saying　something　
in　Welsh　to　the　pretty　damsel；　at　which　she　started；　and　putting　
something　into　her　hand；　at　which　she　curtseyed；　I　hurried　out　of　
the　church。



CHAPTER　XXXVII



Mental　Excitation　…　Land　of　Poets　…　The　Man　in　Grey　…　Drinking　
Healths　…　The　Greatest　Prydydd　…　Envy　…　Welshmen　not　Hogs　…　
Gentlemanly　Feeling　…　What　Pursuit？　…　Tell　him　to　Walk　Up　…　Editor　
of　the　TIMES　…　Careful　Wife　…　Departure。


I　REGAINED　the　high　road　by　a　short　cut；　which　I　discovered；　across　
a　field。　　I　proceeded　rapidly　along　for　some　time。　　My　mind　was　
very　much　excited：　　I　was　in　the　birthplace　of　the　mighty　Tudors　…　
I　had　just　seen　the　tomb　of　one　of　them；　I　was　also　in　the　land　of　
the　bard；　a　country　which　had　produced　Gwalchmai　who　sang　the　
triumphs　of　Owain；　and　him　who　had　sung　the　Cowydd　of　Judgment；　
Gronwy　Owen。　　So　no　wonder　I　was　excited。　　On　I　went　reciting　
bardic　snatches　connected　with　Anglesey。　　At　length　I　began　
repeating　Black　Robin's　ode　in　praise　of　the　island；　or　rather　my　
own　translation　of　it；　executed　more　than　thirty　years　before；　
which　amongst　others；　contains　the　following　lines：…


〃Twelve　sober　men　the　muses　woo；
Twelve　sober　men　in　Anglesey；
Dwelling　at　home；　like　patriots　true；
In　reverence　for　Anglesey。〃


〃Oh；〃　said　I；　after　I　had　recited　that　stanza；　〃what　would　I　not　
give　to　see　one　of　those　sober　patriotic　bards；　or　at　least　one　of　
their　legitimate　successors；　for　by　this　time　no　doubt；　the　sober　
poets；　mentioned　by　Black　Robin；　are　dead。　　That　they　left　
legitimate　successors　who　can　doubt？　for　Anglesey　is　never　to　be　
without　bards。　　Have　we　not　the　words；　not　of　Robin　the　Black；　but　
Huw　the　Red　to　that　effect？


〃'Brodir；　gnawd　ynddi　prydydd；
Heb　ganu　ni　bu　ni　bydd。'


〃That　is：　　a　hospitable　country；　in　which　a　poet　is　a　thing　of　
course。　　It　has　never　been　and　will　never　be　without　song。〃

Here　I　became　silent；　and　presently　arrived　at　the　side　of　a　little　
dell　or　ravine；　down　which　the　road　led；　from　east　to　west。　　The　
northern　and　southern　sides　of　this　dell　were　precipitous。　　Beneath　
the　southern　one　stood　a　small　cottage。　　Just　as　I　began　to　descend　
the　eastern　side；　two　men　began　to　descend　the　opposite　one；　and　it　
so　happened　that　we　met　at　the　bottom　of　the　dingle；　just　before　
the　house；　which　bore　a　sign；　and　over　the　door　of　which　was　an　
inscription　to　the　effect　that　ale　was　sold　within。　　They　saluted　
me；　I　returned　their　salutation；　and　then　we　all　three　stood　still；　
looking　at　one　another。　　One　of　the　men　was　rather　a　tall　figure；　
about　forty；　dressed　in　grey；　or　pepper…and…salt；　with　a　cap　of　
some　kind　on　his　head；　his　face　was　long　and　rather　good…looking；　
though　slightly　pock…broken。　　There　was　a　peculiar　gravity　upon　it。　　
The　other　person　was　somewhat　about　sixty　…　he　was　much　shorter　
than　his　companion；　and　much　worse　dressed　…　he　wore　a　hat　that　had　
several　holes　in　it；　a　dusty　rusty　black　coat；　much　too　large　for　
him；　ragged　yellow　velveteen　breeches；　indifferent　fustian　gaiters；　
and　shoes；　cobbled　here　and　there；　one　of　which　had　rather　an　ugly　
bulge　by　the　side　near　the　toes。　　His　mouth　was　exceedingly　wide；　
and　his　nose　remarkably　long；　its　extremity　of　a　deep　purple；　upon　
his　features　was　a　half…simple　smile　or　leer；　in　his　hand　was　a　
long　stick。　　After　we　had　all　taken　a　full　view　of　one　another　I　
said　in　Welsh；　addressing　myself　to　the　man　in　grey；　〃Pray　may　I　
take　the　liberty　of　asking　the　name　of　this　place。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　an　Englishman；　sir；〃　said　the　man　in　grey；　
speaking　English；　〃I　will　therefore　take　the　liberty　of　answering　
your　question　in　the　English　tongue。　　The　name　of　this　place　is　
Dyffryn　Gaint。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　I；　〃you　are　quite　right　with　regard　to　my　being　
an　Englishman；　perhaps　you　are　one　yourself？〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　man　in　grey；　〃I　have　not　the　honour　to　be　so。　　I　am　
a　native　of　the　small　island　in　which　we　are。〃

〃Small；〃　said　I；　〃but　famous；　particularly　for　producing　
illustrious　men。〃

〃That's　very　true　indeed；　sir；〃　said　the　man　in　grey；　drawing　
himself　up；　〃it　is　particularly　famous　for　producing　illustrious　
men。〃

〃There　was　Owen　Tudor？〃　said　I。

〃Very　true；〃　said　the　man　in　grey；　〃his　tomb　is　in　the　church　a　
little　way　from　hence。〃

〃Then；〃　said　I；　〃there　was　Gronwy　Owen；　one　of　the　greatest　bards　
that　ever　lived。　　Out　of　reverence　to　his　genius　I　went　yesterday　
to　see　the　place　of　his　birth。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　man　in　grey；　〃I　should　be　sorry　to　leave　you　
without　enjoying　your　conversation　at　some　length。　　In　yonder　house　
they　sell　good　ale；　perhaps　you　will　not　be　offended　if　I　ask　you　
to　drink　some　with　me　and　my　friend？〃

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　fond　of　good　ale　and　fonder　
still　of　good　company　…　suppose　we　go　in？〃

We　went　into　the　cottage；　which　was　kept　by　a　man　and　his　wife；　
both　of　whom　seemed　to　be　perfectly　well　acquainted　with　my　two　new　
friends。　　We　sat　down　on　stools；　by　a　clean　white　tab