wild wales-第52节

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Inn　at　L…　　The　Handmaid　…　The　Decanter　…　Religious　Gentleman　…　
Truly　Distressing　…　Sententiousness　…　Way　to　Pay　Bills。


I　PROCEEDED　on　my　way　in　high　spirits　indeed；　having　now　seen　not　
only　the　tomb　of　the　Tudors；　but　one　of　those　sober　poets　for　which　
Anglesey　has　always　been　so　famous。　　The　country　was　pretty；　with　
here　and　there　a　hill；　a　harvest…field；　a　clump　of　trees　or　a　
grove。

I　soon　reached　L…；　a　small　but　neat　town。　　〃Where　is　the　…　Arms？〃　
said　I　to　a　man　whom　I　met。

〃Yonder；　sir；　yonder；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　a　magnificent　structure　
on　the　left。

I　went　in　and　found　myself　in　a　spacious　hall。　　A　good…looking　
young　woman　in　a　white　dress　with　a　profusion　of　pink　ribbons　
confronted　me　with　a　curtsey。　　〃A　pint　and　a　chop！〃　I　exclaimed；　
with　a　flourish　of　my　hand　and　at　the　top　of　my　voice。　　The　damsel　
gave　a　kind　of　start；　and　then；　with　something　like　a　toss　of　the　
head；　led　the　way　into　a　very　large　room；　on　the　left；　in　which　
were　many　tables；　covered　with　snowy…white　cloths；　on　which　were　
plates；　knives　and　forks；　the　latter　seemingly　of　silver；　tumblers；　
and　wine…glasses。

〃I　think　you　asked　for　a　pint　and　a　chop；　sir？〃　said　the　damsel；　
motioning　me　to　sit　down　at　one　of　the　tables。

〃I　did；〃　said　I；　as　I　sat　down；　〃let　them　be　brought　with　all　
convenient　speed；　for　I　am　in　something　of　a　hurry。〃

〃Very　well；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　and　then　with　another　kind　of　
toss　of　the　head；　she　went　away；　not　forgetting　to　turn　half　round；　
to　take　a　furtive　glance　at　me；　before　she　went　out　of　the　door。

〃Well；〃　said　I；　as　I　looked　at　the　tables；　with　their　snowy…white　
cloths；　tumblers；　wine…glasses　and　what　not；　and　at　the　walls　of　
the　room　glittering　with　mirrors；　〃surely　a　poet　never　kept　so　
magnificent　an　inn　before；　there　must　be　something　in　this　fellow　
besides　the　awen；　or　his　house　would　never　exhibit　such　marks　of　
prosperity　and　good　taste　…　there　must　be　something　in　this　fellow；　
though　he　pretends　to　be　a　wild　erratic　son　of　Parnassus；　he　must　
have　an　eye　to　the　main　chance；　a　genius　for　turning　the　penny；　or　
rather　the　sovereign；　for　the　accommodation　here　is　no　penny　
accommodation；　as　I　shall　probably　find。　　Perhaps；　however；　like　
myself；　he　has　an　exceedingly　clever　wife　who；　whilst　he　is　making　
verses；　or　running　about　the　country　swigging　ale　with　people　in　
bulged　shoes；　or　buying　pigs　or　glandered　horses；　looks　after　
matters　at　home；　drives　a　swinging　trade；　and　keeps　not　only　
herself；　but　him　respectable　…　but　even　in　that　event　he　must　have　
a　good　deal　of　common…sense　in　him；　even　like　myself；　who　always　
allows　my　wife　to　buy　and　sell；　carry　money　to　the　bank；　draw　
cheques；　inspect　and　pay　tradesmen's　bills；　and　transact　all　my　
real　business；　whilst　I　myself　pore　over　old　books；　walk　about　
shires；　discoursing　with　gypsies；　under　hedgerows；　or　with　sober　
bards　…　in　hedge　ale…houses。〃　　I　continued　musing　in　this　manner　
until　the　handmaid　made　her　appearance　with　a　tray；　on　which　were　
covers　and　a　decanter；　which　she　placed　before　me。　　〃What　is　that？〃　
said　I；　pointing　to　a　decanter。

〃Only　a　pint　of　sherry；　sir；〃　said　she　of　the　white　dress　and　
ribbons。

〃Dear　me；〃　said　I；　〃I　ordered　no　sherry；　I　wanted　some　ale　…　a　pint　
of　ale。〃

〃You　called　for　a　pint；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid；　〃but　you　mentioned　
no　ale；　and　I　naturally　supposed　that　a　gentleman　of　your　
appearance〃　…　here　she　glanced　at　my　dusty　coat　…　〃and　speaking　in　
the　tone　you　did；　would　not　condescend　to　drink　ale　with　his　chop；　
however；　as　it　seems　I　have　been　mistaken；　I　can　take　away　the　
sherry　and　bring　you　the　ale。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　I；　〃you　can　let　the　sherry　remain；　I　do　not　like　
sherry；　and　am　very　fond　of　ale；　but　you　can　let　the　wine　remain；　
upon　the　whole　I　am　glad　you　brought　it　…　indeed　I　merely　came　to　
do　a　good　turn　to　the　master　of　the　house。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid。

〃Are　you　his　daughter？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　no；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid　reverently；　〃only　his　waiter。〃

〃You　may　be　proud　to　wait　on　him；〃　said　I。

〃I　am；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid；　casting　down　her　eyes。

〃I　suppose　he　is　much　respected　in　the　neighbourhood？〃　said　I。

〃Very　much　so；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃especially　amidst　the　
connection。〃

〃The　connection；〃　said　I。　　〃Ah；　I　see；　he　has　extensive　
consanguinity；　most　Welsh　have。　　But；〃　I　continued；　〃there　is　such　
a　thing　as　envy　in　the　world；　and　there　are　a　great　many　malicious　
people　in　the　world；　who　speak　against　him。〃

〃A　great　many；　sir；　but　we　take　what　they　say　from　whence　it　
comes。〃

〃You　do　quite　right；〃　said　I。　　〃Has　your　master　written　any　poetry　
lately？〃

〃Sir！〃　said　the　damsel　staring　at　me。

〃Any　poetry；〃　said　I；　〃any　pennillion？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃my　master　is　a　respectable　man；　and　
would　scorn　to　do　anything　of　the　kind。〃

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃is　not　your　master　a　bard　as　well　as　an　innkeeper？〃

〃My　master；　sir；　is　an　innkeeper；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃but　as　for　the　
other；　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃

〃A　bard；〃　said　I；　〃is　a　prydydd；　a　person　who　makes　verses　…　
pennillion；　does　not　your　master　make　them？〃

〃My　master　make　them？　　No；　sir；　my　master　is　a　religious　gentleman；　
and　would　scorn　to　make　such　profane　stuff。〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃he　told　me　he　did　within　the　last　two　hours。　　I　
met　him　at　Dyffrin　Gaint；　along　with　another　man；　and　he　took　me　
into　the　public…house；　where　we　had　a　deal　of　discourse。〃

〃You　met　my　master　at　Dyffryn　Gaint？〃　said　the　damsel。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃and　he　treated　me　with　ale；　told　me　that　he　was　a　
poet；　and　that　he　was　going　to　Bangor　to　buy　a　horse　or　a　pig。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　that　could　be；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃my　master　
is　at　present　in　the　house；　rather　unwell；　and　has　not　been　out　for　
the　last　three　days　…　there　must　be　some　mistake。〃

〃Mistake；〃　said　I。　　〃Isn't　this　the　…　Arms？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　it　is。〃

〃And　isn't　your　master's　name　W…？〃

〃No；　sir；　my　master's　name　is　H…；　and　a　more　respectable　man　…　〃

〃Well；〃　said　I　interrupting　her　…　〃all　I　can　say　is　that　I　met　a　
man　in　Dyffryn　Gaint；　who　treated　me　with　ale；　told　me　that　his　
name　was　W…；　that　he　was　a　prydydd　and　kept　the　…　Arms　at　L…。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃now　I　remember；　there　is　a　person　of　that　
name　in　L…；　and　he　also　keeps　a　house　which　he　calls　the　…　Arms；　
but　it　is　only　a　public…house。〃

〃But；〃　said　I；　〃is　he　not　a　prydydd；　an　illustrious　poet；　does　he　
not　write　pennillion　which　everybody　admires？〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃I　believe　he　does　write　things　which　he　
calls　pennillions；　but　everybody　laughs　at　them。〃

〃Come；　come；〃　said　I；　〃I　will　not　hear　the　productions　of　a　man　who　
treated　me　with　ale；　spoken　of　with　disrespect。　　I　am　afraid　that　
you　are　one　of　his　envious　maligners；　of　which　he　gave　me　to　
understand　that　he　had　a　great　many。〃

〃Envious；　sir！　not　I　indeed；　and　if　I　were　disposed　to　be　envious　
of　anybody　it　would　not　be　of　him；　oh　dear；　why　he　is　…　〃

〃A　bard　of　Anglesey；〃　said　I；　interrupting　her；　〃such　a　person　as　
Gronwy　Owen　describes　in　the　following　lines；　which　by…the…bye　were　
written　upon　himself：…


〃'Where'er　he　goes　he's　sure　to　find
Respectful　looks　and　greetings　kind。'


〃I　tell　you　that　it　was　out　of　respect　to　that　man　that　I　came　to　
this　house。　　Had　I　not　thought　that　he　kept　it；　I　should　not　have　
entered　it　and　called　for　a　pint　and　chop　…　how　distressing！　how　
truly　distressing！〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃if　there　is　anything　distressing　you　
have　only　to　thank　your　acquaintance　who　chooses　to　call　his　mug…
house　by　the　name　of　a　respectable　hotel；　for　I　would　have　you　know　
that　this　is　an　hotel；　and　kept　by　a　respectable　and　a　religious　
man；　and　not　kept　by　…　　However；　I　scorn　to　say　more；　especially　as　
I　might　be　misinterpreted。　　Sir；　there's　your　pint　and　chop；　and　if　
you　wish　for　anything　else　you　can　ring。　　Envious；　indeed；　of　such　
…　　Marry　come　up！〃　and　with　a　toss　of　her　head；　higher　than　any　she　
had　hitherto　given；　she　bounced　out　of　the　room。

Here　was　a　pretty　affair！　　I　had　entered　the　house　and　ordered　the　
chop　and　pint　in　the　belief　that　by　so　doing　I　was　patronising　the　
poet；　and　lo；　I　was　not　in　the　poet's　house；　and　my　order　would　
benefit　a　person　for　whom；　however　respectable　and　religious；　I　
cared　not　one　rush。　　Moreover；　the　pint　which　I　had　ordered　
appeared　in　the　guise　not　of　ale；　which　I　am　fond　of；　but　of　
sherry；　for　which　I　have　always　entertained　a　sovereign　contempt；　
as　a　silly；　sickly　compound；　the　use　of　which　will　transform　a　
nation；　however　bold　and　warlike　by　nature；　into　a　race　of　
sketchers；　scribblers；　and　punsters；　in　fact　into　what　Englishmen　
are　at　the　present　day。　　But　who　was　to　blame？　　Why；　who　but　the　
poet　and　myself？　　The　poet　ought　to　have　told　me　that　there　were　
two　houses　in　L…　bearing　the　sign　of　the　…　Arms；　and　that　I　must　
fight　shy　of　the　hotel　and　steer　for　the　pot…house；　and　when　I　gave　
the　order　I　certainly　ought　to　have　been　a　little　more　explicit；　
when　I　said　a　pint　I　ought　to　have　added　…　of　ale。　　Sententiousness　
is　a　fine　thing　sometimes；　but　not　always。　　By　being　sententious　
here；　I　got　sherry；　which　I　d