wild wales-第55节

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in　those　cognate　dialects　of　the　Welsh　…　the　Cornish；　Armoric；　
Highland　Gaelic　and　Irish。　　He　was　likewise　well　acquainted　with　
Hebrew；　Greek　and　Latin；　had　studied　Anglo…Saxon　with　some　success；　
and　was　a　writer　of　bold　and　vigorous　English。　　He　was　besides　a　
good　general　antiquary；　and　for　knowledge　of　ancient　Welsh　customs；　
traditions；　and　superstitions；　had　no　equal。　　Yet　all　has　not　been　
said　which　can　be　uttered　in　his　praise；　he　had　qualities　of　mind　
which　entitled　him　to　higher　esteem　than　any　accomplishment　
connected　with　intellect　or　skill。　　Amongst　these　were　his　noble　
generosity　and　sacrifice　of　self　for　the　benefit　of　others。　　Weeks　
and　months　he　was　in　the　habit　of　devoting　to　the　superintendence　
of　the　affairs　of　the　widow　and　fatherless：　　one　of　his　principal　
delights　was　to　assist　merit；　to　bring　it　before　the　world　and　to　
procure　for　it　its　proper　estimation：　　it　was　he　who　first　
discovered　the　tuneful　genius　of　blind　Parry；　it　was　he　who　first　
put　the　harp　into　his　hand；　it　was　he　who　first　gave　him　scientific　
instruction；　it　was　he　who　cheered　him　with　encouragement　and　
assisted　him　with　gold。　　It　was　he　who　instructed　the　celebrated　
Evan　Evans　in　the　ancient　language　of　Wales；　enabling　that　talented　
but　eccentric　individual　to　read　the　pages　of　the　Red　Book　of　
Hergest　as　easily　as　those　of　the　Welsh　Bible；　it　was　he　who　
corrected　his　verses　with　matchless　skill；　refining　and　polishing　
them　till　they　became　well　worthy　of　being　read　by　posterity；　it　
was　he　who　gave　him　advice；　which；　had　it　been　followed；　would　have　
made　the　Prydydd　Hir；　as　he　called　himself；　one　of　the　most　
illustrious　Welshmen　of　the　last　century；　and　it　was　he　who　first　
told　his　countrymen　that　there　was　a　youth　of　Anglesey　whose　
genius；　if　properly　encouraged；　promised　fair　to　rival　that　of　
Milton：　　one　of　the　most　eloquent　letters　ever　written　is　one　by　
him；　in　which　he　descants　upon　the　beauties　of　certain　poems　of　
Gronwy　Owen；　the　latent　genius　of　whose　early　boyhood　he　had　
observed；　whom　he　had　clothed；　educated　and　assisted　up　to　the　
period　when　he　was　ordained　a　minister　of　the　Church；　and　whom　he　
finally　rescued　from　a　state　bordering　on　starvation　in　London；　
procuring　for　him　an　honourable　appointment　in　the　New　World。　　
Immortality　to　Lewis　Morris！　　But　immortality　he　has　won；　even　as　
his　illustrious　pupil　has　said；　who　in　his　elegy　upon　his　
benefactor；　written　in　America；　in　the　four…and…twenty　measures；　at　
a　time　when　Gronwy　had　not　heard　the　Welsh　language　spoken　for　more　
than　twenty　years；　has　words　to　the　following　effect：…


〃As　long　as　Bardic　lore　shall　last；　science　and　learning　be　
cherished；　the　language　and　blood　of　the　Britons　undefiled；　song　be　
heard　on　Parnassus；　heaven　and　earth　be　in　existence；　foam　be　on　
the　surge；　and　water　in　the　river；　the　name　of　Lewis　of　Mon　shall　
be　held　in　grateful　remembrance。〃



CHAPTER　XLI



The　Pier　…　Irish　Reapers　…　Wild　Irish　Face　…　Father　Toban　…　The　
Herd　of　Swine　…　Latin　Blessing。


THE　day　was　as　hot　as　the　preceding　one。　　I　walked　slowly　towards　
the　west；　and　presently　found　myself　upon　a　pier；　or　breakwater；　at　
the　mouth　of　the　harbour。　　A　large　steamer　lay　at　a　little　distance　
within　the　pier。　　There　were　fishing…boats　on　both　sides；　the　
greater　number　on　the　outer　side；　which　lies　towards　the　hill　of　
Holy　Head。　　On　the　shady　side　of　the　breakwater　under　the　wall　were　
two　or　three　dozen　of　Irish　reapers；　some　were　lying　asleep；　others　
in　parties　of　two　or　three　were　seated　with　their　backs　against　the　
wall；　and　were　talking　Irish；　these　last　all　appeared　to　be　well…
made　middle…sized　young　fellows；　with　rather　a　ruffianly　look；　they　
stared　at　me　as　I　passed。　　The　whole　party　had　shillealahs　either　
in　their　hands　or　by　their　sides。　　I　went　to　the　extremity　of　the　
pier；　where　was　a　little　lighthouse；　and　then　turned　back。　　As　I　
again　drew　near　the　Irish；　I　heard　a　hubbub　and　observed　a　great　
commotion　amongst　them。　　All；　whether　those　whom　I　had　seen　
sitting；　or　those　whom　I　had　seen　reclining；　had　got；　or　were　
getting　on　their　legs。　　As　I　passed　them　they　were　all　standing　up；　
and　their　eyes　were　fixed　upon　me　with　a　strange　kind　of　
expression；　partly　of　wonder；　methought；　partly　of　respect。　　〃Yes；　
'tis　he；　sure　enough；〃　I　heard　one　whisper。　　On　I　went；　and　at　
about　thirty　yards　from　the　last　I　stopped；　turned　round　and　leaned　
against　the　wall。　　All　the　Irish　were　looking　at　me　…　presently　
they　formed　into　knots　and　began　to　discourse　very　eagerly　in　
Irish；　though　in　an　undertone。　　At　length　I　observed　a　fellow　going　
from　one　knot　to　the　other；　exchanging　a　few　words　with　each。　　
After　he　had　held　communication　with　all　he　nodded　his　head；　and　
came　towards　me　with　a　quick　step；　the　rest　stood　silent　and　
motionless　with　their　eyes　turned　in　the　direction　in　which　I　was；　
and　in　which　he　was　advancing。　　He　stopped　within　a　yard　of　me　and　
took　off　his　hat。　　He　was　an　athletic　fellow　of　about　twenty…eight；　
dressed　in　brown　frieze。　　His　features　were　swarthy；　and　his　eyes　
black；　in　every　lineament　of　his　countenance　was　a　jumble　of　
savagery　and　roguishness。　　I　never　saw　a　more　genuine　wild　Irish　
face　…　there　he　stood　looking　at　me　full　in　the　face；　his　hat　in　
one　hand　and　his　shillealah　in　the　other。

〃Well；　what　do　you　want？〃　said　I；　after　we　had　stared　at　each　other　
about　half　a　minute。

〃Sure；　I'm　just　come　on　the　part　of　the　boys　and　myself　to　beg　a　
bit　of　a　favour　of　your　reverence。〃

〃Reverence；〃　said　I；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　styling　me　reverence？〃

〃Och　sure；　because　to　be　styled　your　reverence　is　the　right　of　your　
reverence。〃

〃Pray　what　do　you　take　me　for？〃

〃Och　sure；　we　knows　your　reverence　very　well。〃

〃Well；　who　am　I？〃

〃Och；　why　Father　Toban　to　be　sure。〃

〃And　who　knows　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　a　boy　here　knows　your　reverence　to　be　Father　Toban。〃

〃Where　is　that　boy？〃

〃Here　he　stands；　your　reverence。〃

〃Are　you　that　boy？〃

〃I　am；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　you　told　the　rest　that　I　was　Father　Toban？〃

〃I　did；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　you　know　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃I　do；　your　reverence。〃

〃How　do　you　know　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　why　because　many's　the　good　time　that　I　have　heard　your　
reverence；　Father　Toban；　say　mass。〃

〃And　what　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃Why；　see　here；　your　reverence；　we　are　going　to　embark　in　the　dirty　
steamer　yonder　for　ould　Ireland；　which　starts　as　soon　as　the　tide　
serves；　and　we　want　your　reverence　to　bless　us　before　we　goes。〃

〃You　want　me　to　bless　you？〃

〃We　do；　your　reverence；　we　want　you　to　spit　out　a　little　bit　of　a　
blessing　upon　us　before　we　goes　on　board。〃

〃And　what　good　would　my　blessing　do　you？〃

〃All　kinds　of　good；　your　reverence；　it　would　prevent　the　dirty　
steamer　from　catching　fire；　your　reverence；　or　from　going　down；　
your　reverence；　or　from　running　against　the　blackguard　Hill　of　
Howth　in　the　mist；　provided　there　should　be　one。〃

〃And　suppose　I　were　to　tell　you　that　I　am　not　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　your　reverence；　will　never　think　of　doing　that。〃

〃Would　you　believe　me　if　I　did？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃If　I　were　to　swear　that　I　am　not　Father　Toban？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃On　the　evangiles？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃On　the　Cross？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　suppose　I　were　to　refuse　to　give　you　a　blessing？〃

〃Och；　your　reverence　will　never　refuse　to　bless　the　poor　boys。〃

〃But　suppose　I　were　to　refuse？〃

〃Why；　in　such　a　case；　which　by…the…bye　is　altogether　impossible；　we　
should　just　make　bould　to　give　your　reverence　a　good　big　bating。〃

〃You　would　break　my　head？〃

〃We　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃Kill　me？〃

〃We　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃You　would　really　put　me　to　death？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　what's　the　difference　between　killing　and　putting　to　death？〃

〃Och；　sure　there's　all　the　difference　in　the　world。　　Killing　manes　
only　a　good　big　bating；　such　as　every　Irishman　is　used　to；　and　
which　your　reverence　would　get　over　long　before　matins；　whereas　
putting　your　reverence　to　death　would　prevent　your　reverence　from　
saying　mass　for　ever　and　a　day。〃

〃And　you　are　determined　on　having　a　blessing？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃By　hook　or　by　crook？〃

〃By　crook　or　by　hook；　your　reverence。〃

〃Before　I　bless　you；　will　you　answer　me　a　question　or　two？〃

〃I　will；　your　reverence。〃

〃Are　you　not　a　set　of　great　big　blackguards？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃Without　one　good　quality？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃Would　it　not　be　quite　right　to　saddle　and　bridle　you　all；　and　ride　
you　violently　down　Holyhead　or　the　Giant's　Causeway　into　the　
waters；　causing　you　to　perish　there；　like　the　herd　of　swine　of　
old？〃

〃It　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　knowing　and　confessing　all　this；　you　have　the　cheek　to　come　
and　ask　me　for　a　blessing？〃

〃We　have；　your　reverence。〃

〃Well；　how　shall　I　give　the　blessing？〃

〃Och；　sure　your　reverence　knows　very　well　how　to　give　it。〃

〃Shall　I　give　it　in　Irish？〃

〃Och；　no；　your　reverence　…　a　blessing　in　Irish　is　no　blessing　at　
all。〃

〃In　English？〃