wild wales-第6节

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be　true；　so　I　turned　quickly　round　and　said　…　〃Old　chap；　I　can　
scarcely　credit　that！〃

The　man；　whom　I　addressed；　a　rough…and…ready…looking　fellow　of　the　
lower　class；　seemed　half　disposed　to　return　me　a　savage　answer；　but　
an　Englishman　of　the　lower　class；　though　you　call　his　word　in　
question；　is　never　savage　with　you；　provided　you　call　him　old　chap；　
and　he　considers　you　by　your　dress　to　be　his　superior　in　station。　　
Now　I；　who　had　called　the　word　of　this　man　in　question；　had　called　
him　old　chap；　and　was　considerably　better　dressed　than　himself；　so；　
after　a　little　hesitation；　he　became　quite　gentle；　and　something　
more；　for　he　said　in　a　half…apologetic　tone　…　〃Well；　sir；　I　did　not　
exactly　see　him　myself；　but　a　particular　friend　of　mine　heer'd　a　
man　say；　that　he　heer'd　another　man　say；　that　he　was　told　that　a　
man　heer'd　that　that　fellow　…　〃

〃Come；　come！〃　said　I；　〃a　man　must　not　be　convicted　on　evidence　like　
that；　no　man　has　more　contempt　for　the　doctrine　which　that　man　
endeavours　to　inculcate　than　myself；　for　I　consider　it　to　have　been　
got　up　partly　for　fanatical；　partly　for　political　purposes；　but　I　
will　never　believe　that　he　was　lately　seen　coming　out　of　a　gin…
shop；　he　is　too　wise；　or　rather　too　cunning；　for　that。〃

I　stayed　listening　to　these　people　till　evening　was　at　hand。　　I　
then　left　them；　and　without　returning　to　the　inn　strolled　over　the　
bridge　to　the　green；　where　the　tents　stood。　　I　went　up　to　them：　　
two　women　sat　at　the　entrance　of　one；　a　man　stood　by　them；　and　the　
children；　whom　I　had　before　seen；　were　gambolling　near　at　hand。　　
One　of　the　women　was　about　forty；　the　other　some　twenty　years　
younger；　both　were　ugly。　　The　younger　was　a　rude；　stupid…looking　
creature；　with　red　cheeks　and　redder　hair；　but　there　was　a　dash　of　
intelligence　and　likewise　of　wildness　in　the　countenance　of　the　
elder　female；　whose　complexion　and　hair　were　rather　dark。　　The　man　
was　about　the　same　age　as　the　elder　woman；　he　had　rather　a　sharp　
look；　and　was　dressed　in　hat；　white　frock…coat；　corduroy　breeches；　
long　stockings　and　shoes。　　I　gave　them　the　seal　of　the　evening。

〃Good　evening　to　your　haner；〃　said　the　man　…　〃Good　evening　to　you；　
sir；〃　said　the　woman；　whilst　the　younger　mumbled　something；　
probably　to　the　same　effect；　but　which　I　did　not　catch。

〃Fine　weather；〃　said　I。

〃Very；　sir；〃　said　the　elder　female。　　〃Won't　you　please　to　sit　
down？〃　and　reaching　back　into　the　tent；　she　pulled　out　a　stool　
which　she　placed　near　me。

I　sat　down　on　the　stool。　　〃You　are　not　from　these　parts？〃　said　I；　
addressing　myself　to　the　man。

〃We　are　not；　your　haner；〃　said　the　man；　〃we　are　from　Ireland。〃

〃And　this　lady；〃　said　I；　motioning　with　my　head　to　the　elder　
female；　〃is；　I　suppose；　your　wife。〃

〃She　is；　your　haner；　and　the　children　which　your　haner　sees　are　my　
children。〃

〃And　who　is　this　young　lady？〃　said　I；　motioning　to　the　uncouth…
looking　girl。

〃The　young　lady；　as　your　haner　is　pleased　to　call　her；　is　a　
daughter　of　a　sister　of　mine　who　is　now　dead；　along　with　her　
husband。　　We　have　her　with　us；　your　haner；　because　if　we　did　not　
she　would　be　alone　in　the　world。〃

〃And　what　trade　or　profession　do　you　follow？〃　said　I。

〃We　do　a　bit　in　the　tinkering　line；　your　haner。〃

〃Do　you　find　tinkering　a　very　profitable　profession？〃　said　I。

〃Not　very；　your　haner；　but　we　contrive　to　get　a　crust　and　a　drink　
by　it。〃

〃That's　more　than　I　ever　could；〃　said　I。

〃Has　your　haner　then　ever　followed　tinkering？〃　said　the　man。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　soon　left　off。〃

〃And　became　a　minister；〃　said　the　elder　female；　〃Well；　your　honour　
is　not　the　first　indifferent　tinker　that's　turned　out　a　shining　
minister。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　me　a　minister？〃

〃Because　your　honour　has　the　very　look　and　voice　of　one。　　Oh；　it　
was　kind　in　your　honour　to　come　to　us　here　in　the　Sabbath　evening；　
in　order　that　you　might　bring　us　God。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　bringing　you　God？〃　said　I。

〃Talking　to　us　about　good　things；　sir；　and　instructing　us　out　of　
the　Holy　Book。〃

〃I　am　no　minister；〃　said　I。

〃Then　you　are　a　priest；　I　am　sure　you　are　either　a　minister　or　a　
priest；　and　now　that　I　look　on　you；　sir；　I　think　you　look　more　like　
a　priest　than　a　minister。　　Yes；　I　see　you　are　a　priest。　　Oh；　your　
Reverence；　give　us　God！　　Pull　out　the　crucifix　from　your　bosom；　and　
let　us　kiss　the　face　of　God！〃

〃Of　what　religion　are　you？〃　said　I。

〃Catholics；　your　Reverence；　Catholics　are　we　all。〃

〃I　am　no　priest。〃

〃Then　you　are　a　minister；　I　am　sure　you　are　either　a　priest　or　a　
minister。　　Oh　sir；　pull　out　the　Holy　Book；　and　instruct　us　from　it　
this　blessed　Sabbath　evening。　　Give　us　God；　sir；　give　us　God！〃

〃And　would　you；　who　are　Catholics；　listen　to　the　voice　of　a　
minister？〃

〃That　would　we；　sir；　at　least　I　would。　　If　you　are　a　minister；　and　
a　good　minister；　I　would　as　soon　listen　to　your　words　as　those　of　
Father　Toban　himself。〃

〃And　who　is　Father　Toban？〃

〃A　powerful　priest　in　these　parts；　sir；　who　has　more　than　once　
eased　me　of　my　sins；　and　given　me　God　upon　the　cross。　　Oh；　a　
powerful　and　comfortable　priest　is　Father　Toban。〃

〃And　what　would　he　say　if　he　were　to　know　that　you　asked　for　God　
from　a　minister？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　and　do　not　much　care；　if　I　get　God；　I　do　not　care　
whether　I　get　Him　from　a　minister　or　a　priest；　both　have　Him；　no　
doubt；　only　give　Him　in　different　ways。　　Oh　sir；　do　give　us　God；　we　
need　Him　sir；　for　we　are　sinful　people；　we　call　ourselves　tinkers；　
but　many　is　the　sinful　thing　…　〃

〃Bi…do…hosd；〃　said　the　man：　　Irish　words　tantamount　to　〃Be　silent！〃

〃I　will　not　be　hushed；〃　said　the　woman；　speaking　English。　　〃The　man　
is　a　good　man；　and　he　will　do　us　no　harm。　　We　are　tinkers；　sir；　but　
we　do　many　things　besides　tinkering；　many　sinful　things；　especially　
in　Wales；　whither　we　are　soon　going　again。　　Oh；　I　want　to　be　eased　
of　some　of　my　sins　before　I　go　into　Wales　again；　and　so　do　you；　
Tourlough；　for　you　know　how　you　are　sometimes　haunted　by　devils　at　
night　in　those　dreary　Welsh　hills。　　Oh　sir；　give　us　comfort　in　some　
shape　or　other；　either　as　priest　or　minister；　give　us　God！　　Give　us　
God！〃

〃I　am　neither　priest　nor　minister；〃　said；　I；　〃and　can　only　say：　　
Lord　have　mercy　upon　you！〃　　Then　getting　up　I　flung　the　children　
some　money　and　departed。

〃We　do　not　want　your　money；　sir；〃　screamed　the　woman　after　me；　〃we　
have　plenty　of　money。　　Give　us　God！　　Give　us　God！〃

〃Yes；　your　haner；〃　said　the　man；　〃give　us　God！　we　do　not　want　
money；〃　and　the　uncouth　girl　said　something；　which　sounded　much　
like　Give　us　God！　but　I　hastened　across　the　meadow；　which　was　now　
quite　dusky；　and　was　presently　in　the　inn　with　my　wife　and　
daughter。



CHAPTER　V



Welsh　Book　Stall　…　Wit　and　Poetry　…　Welsh　of　Chester　…　Beautiful　
Morning　…　Noble　Fellow　…　The　Coiling　Serpent　…　Wrexham　Church　…　
Welsh　or　English？　…　Codiad　yr　Ehedydd。


ON　the　afternoon　of　Monday　I　sent　my　family　off　by　the　train　to　
Llangollen；　which　place　we　had　determined　to　make　our　head…quarters　
during　our　stay　in　Wales。　　I　intended　to　follow　them　next　day；　not　
in　train；　but　on　foot；　as　by　walking　I　should　be　better　able　to　see　
the　country；　between　Chester　and　Llangollen；　than　by　making　the　
journey　by　the　flying　vehicle。　　As　I　returned　to　the　inn　from　the　
train　I　took　refuge　from　a　shower　in　one　of　the　rows　or　covered　
streets；　to　which；　as　I　have　already　said；　one　ascends　by　flights　
of　steps；　stopping　at　a　book…stall　I　took　up　a　book　which　chanced　
to　be　a　Welsh　one。　　The　proprietor；　a　short　red…faced　man；　
observing　me　reading　the　book；　asked　me　if　I　could　understand　it。　　
I　told　him　that　I　could。

〃If　so；〃　said　he；　〃let　me　hear　you　translate　the　two　lines　on　the　
title…page。〃

〃Are　you　a　Welshman？〃　said　I。

〃I　am！〃　he　replied。

〃Good！〃　said　I；　and　I　translated　into　English　the　two　lines　which　
were　a　couplet　by　Edmund　Price；　an　old　archdeacon　of　Merion；　
celebrated　in　his　day　for　wit　and　poetry。

The　man　then　asked　me　from　what　part　of　Wales　I　came；　and　when　I　
told　him　that　I　was　an　Englishman　was　evidently　offended；　either　
because　he　did　not　believe　me；　or；　as　I　more　incline　to　think；　did　
not　approve　of　an　Englishman's　understanding　Welsh。

The　book　was　the　life　of　the　Rev。　Richards；　and　was　published　at　
Caerlleon；　or　the　city　of　the　legion；　the　appropriate　ancient　
British　name　for　the　place　now　called　Chester；　a　legion　having　been　
kept　stationed　there　during　the　occupation　of　Britain　by　the　
Romans。

I　returned　to　the　inn　and　dined；　and　then　yearning　for　society；　
descended　into　the　kitchen　and　had　some　conversation　with　the　Welsh　
maid。　　She　told　me　that　there　were　a　great　many　Welsh　in　Chester　
from　all　parts　of　Wales；　but　chiefly　from　Denbighshire　and　
Flintshire；　which　latter　was　her　own　country。　　That　a　great　many　
children　were　born　in　Chester　of　Welsh　parents；　and　brought　up　in　
the　fear　of　God　and　love　of　the　Welsh　tongue。　　That　there　were　some　
who　had　never　been　in　Wales；　who　spoke　as　good　Welsh　as　herself；　or　
better。　　That　the　Welsh　of　Chester　were　of　various　religious　
persuasions；　that　some　were　Baptists；　some　Independents；　but　that　
the　greater　part　were　Calvinistic…Methodists