wild wales-第60节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


The　evening　was　calm　and　still；　and　no　noise　came　upon　my　ear　save　
the　sound　of　a　cascade　falling　into　the　lake　from　a　black　mountain；　
which　frowned　above　it　on　the　south；　and　cast　a　gloomy　shadow　far　
over　it。

This　cataract　was　in　the　neighbourhood　of　a　singular…looking　rock；　
projecting　above　the　lake　from　the　mountain's　side。　　I　wandered　a　
considerable　way　without　meeting　or　seeing　a　single　human　being。　　
At　last　when　I　had　nearly　gained　the　eastern　end　of　the　valley　I　
saw　two　men　seated　on　the　side　of　the　hill；　on　the　verge　of　the　
road；　in　the　vicinity　of　a　house　which　stood　a　little　way　up　the　
hill。　　The　lake　here　was　much　wider　than　I　had　hitherto　seen　it；　
for　the　huge　mountain　on　the　south　had　terminated　and　the　lake　
expanded　considerably　in　that　quarter；　having　instead　of　the　black　
mountain　a　beautiful　hill　beyond　it。

I　quickened　my　steps　and　soon　came　up　to　the　two　individuals。　　One　
was　an　elderly　man；　dressed　in　a　smock　frock　and　with　a　hairy　cap　
on　his　head。　　The　other　was　much　younger；　wore　a　hat；　and　was　
dressed　in　a　coarse　suit　of　blue　nearly　new；　and　doubtless　his　
Sunday's　best。　　He　was　smoking　a　pipe。　　I　greeted　them　in　English　
and　sat　down　near　them。　　They　responded　in　the　same　language；　the　
younger　man　with　considerable　civility　and　briskness；　the　other　in　
a　tone　of　voice　denoting　some　reserve。

〃May　I　ask　the　name　of　this　lake？〃　said　I；　addressing　myself　to　the　
young　man　who　sat　between　me　and　the　elderly　one。

〃Its　name　is　Llyn　Cwellyn；　sir；〃　said　he；　taking　the　pipe　out　of　
his　mouth。　　〃And　a　fine　lake　it　is。〃

〃Plenty　of　fish　in　it？〃　I　demanded。

〃Plenty；　sir；　plenty　of　trout　and　pike　and　char。〃

〃Is　it　deep？〃　said　I。

〃Near　the　shore　it　is　shallow；　sir；　but　in　the　middle　and　near　the　
other　side　it　is　deep；　so　deep　that　no　one　knows　how　deep　it　is。〃

〃What　is　the　name；〃　said　I；　〃of　the　great　black　mountain　there　on　
the　other　side？〃

〃It　is　called　Mynydd　Mawr　or　the　Great　Mountain。　　Yonder　rock；　
which　bulks　out　from　it；　down　the　lake　yonder；　and　which　you　passed　
as　you　came　along；　is　called　Castell　Cidwm；　which　means　Wolf's　rock　
or　castle。〃

〃Did　a　wolf　ever　live　there？〃　I　demanded。

〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　the　man；　〃for　I　have　heard　say　that　there　were　
wolves　of　old　in　Wales。〃

〃And　what　is　the　name　of　the　beautiful　hill　yonder；　before　us　
across　the　water？〃

〃That；　sir；　is　called　Cairn　Drws　y　Coed；〃　said　the　man。

〃The　stone　heap　of　the　gate　of　the　wood；〃　said　I。

〃Are　you　Welsh；　sir？〃　said　the　man。

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　know　something　of　the　language　of　Wales。　　I　
suppose　you　live　in　that　house？〃

〃Not　exactly；　sir；　my　father…in…law　here　lives　in　that　house；　and　
my　wife　with　him。　　I　am　a　miner；　and　spend　six　days　in　the　week　at　
my　mine；　but　every　Sunday　I　come　here　and　pass　the　day　with　my　wife　
and　him。〃

〃And　what　profession　does　he　follow？〃　said　I；　〃is　he　a　fisherman？〃

〃Fisherman！〃　said　the　elderly　man　contemptuously；　〃not　I。　　I　am　the　
Snowdon　Ranger。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃　said　I。

The　elderly　man　tossed　his　head　proudly；　and　made　no　reply。

〃A　ranger　means　a　guide；　sir；〃　said　the　younger　man；　〃my　father…in…
law　is　generally　termed　the　Snowdon　Ranger　because　he　is　a　tip…top　
guide；　and　he　has　named　the　house　after　him　the　Snowdon　Ranger。　　He　
entertains　gentlemen　in　it　who　put　themselves　under　his　guidance　in　
order　to　ascend　Snowdon　and　to　see　the　country。〃

〃There　is　some　difference　in　your　professions；〃　said　〃he　deals　in　
heights；　you　in　depths；　both；　however；　are　break…necky　trades。〃

〃I　run　more　risk　from　gunpowder　than　anything　else；〃　said　the　
younger　man。　　〃I　am　a　slate…miner；　and　am　continually　blasting。　　I　
have；　however；　had　my　falls。　　Are　you　going　far　to…night；　sir？〃

〃I　am　going　to　Beth　Gelert；〃　said　I。

〃A　good　six　miles；　sir；　from　here。　　Do　you　come　from　Caernarvon？〃

〃Farther　than　that；〃　said　I。　　〃I　come　from　Bangor。〃

〃To…day；　sir；　and　walking？〃

〃To…day；　and　walking。〃

〃You　must　be　rather　tired；　sir；　you　came　along　the　valley　very　
slowly。〃

〃I　am　not　in　the　slightest　degree　tired；〃　said　I；　〃when　I　start　
from　here；　I　shall　put　on　my　best　pace；　and　soon　get　to　Beth　
Gelert。〃

〃Anybody　can　get　along　over　level　ground；〃　said　the　old　man；　
laconically。

〃Not　with　equal　swiftness；〃　said　I。　　〃I　do　assure　you；　friend；　to　
be　able　to　move　at　a　good　swinging　pace　over　level　ground　is　
something　not　to　be　sneezed　at。　　Not；〃　said　I；　lifting　up　my　voice；　
〃that　I　would　for　a　moment　compare　walking　on　the　level　ground　to　
mountain　ranging；　pacing　along　the　road　to　springing　up　crags　like　
a　mountain　goat；　or　assert　that　even　Powell　himself；　the　first　of　
all　road　walkers；　was　entitled　to　so　bright　a　wreath　of　fame　as　the　
Snowdon　Ranger。〃

〃Won't　you　walk　in；　sir？〃　said　the　elderly　man。

〃No；　I　thank　you；〃　said　I；　〃I　prefer　sitting　out　here　gazing　on　the　
lake　and　the　noble　mountains。〃

〃I　wish　you　would；　sir；〃　said　the　elderly　man；　〃and　take　a　glass　of　
something；　I　will　charge　you　nothing。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　in　want　of　nothing；　and　shall　presently　
start。　　Do　many　people　ascend　Snowdon　from　your　house？〃

〃Not　so　many　as　I　could　wish；〃　said　the　ranger；　〃people　in　general　
prefer　ascending　Snowdon　from　that　trumpery　place　Beth　Gelert；　but　
those　who　do　are　fools　…　begging　your　honour's　pardon。　　The　place　
to　ascend　Snowdon　from　is　my　house。　　The　way　from　my　house　up　
Snowdon　is　wonderful　for　the　romantic　scenery　which　it　affords；　
that　from　Beth　Gelert　can't　be　named　in　the　same　day　with　it　for　
scenery；　moreover；　from　my　house　you　may　have　the　best　guide　in　
Wales；　whereas　the　guides　of　Beth　Gelert　…　but　I　say　nothing。　　If　
your　honour　is　bound　for　the　Wyddfa；　as　I　suppose　you　are；　you　had　
better　start　from　my　house　to…morrow　under　my　guidance。〃

〃I　have　already　been　up　the　Wyddfa　from　Llanberis；〃　said　I；　〃and　am　
now　going　through　Beth　Gelert　to　Llangollen；　where　my　family　are；　
were　I　going　up　Snowdon　again　I　should　most　certainly　start　from　
your　house　under　your　guidance；　and　were　I　not　in　a　hurry　at　
present；　I　would　certainly　take　up　my　quarters　here　for　a　week；　and　
every　day　snake　excursions　with　you　into　the　recesses　of　Eryri。　　I　
suppose　you　are　acquainted　with　all　the　secrets　of　the　hills？〃

〃Trust　the　old　ranger　for　that；　your　honour。　　I　would　show　your　
honour　the　black　lake　in　the　frightful　hollow　in　which　the　fishes　
have　monstrous　heads　and　little　bodies；　the　lake　on　which　neither　
swan；　duck　nor　any　kind　of　wildfowl　was　ever　seen　to　light。　　Then　I　
would　show　your　honour　the　fountain　of　the　hopping　creatures；　
where；　where　…　〃

〃Were　you　ever　at　that　Wolf's　crag；　that　Castell　y　Cidwm？〃　said　I。

〃Can't　say　I　ever　was；　your　honour。　　You　see　it　lies　so　close　by；　
just　across　the　lake；　that　…　〃

〃You　thought　you　could　see　it　any　day；　and　so　never　went；〃　said　I。　　
〃Can　you　tell　me　whether　there　are　any　ruins　upon　it？〃

〃I　can't；　your　honour。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　said　I；　〃if　in　old　times　it　was　the　
stronghold　of　some　robber…chieftain；　cidwm　in　the　old　Welsh　is　
frequently　applied　to　a　ferocious　man。　　Castell　Cidwm；　I　should　
think；　rather　ought　to　be　translated　the　robber's　castle　than　the　
wolf's　rock。　　If　I　ever　come　into　these　parts　again　you　and　I　will　
visit　it　together；　and　see　what　kind　of　place　it　is。　　Now　farewell！　　
It　is　getting　late。〃　　I　then　departed。

〃What　a　nice　gentleman！〃　said　the　younger　man；　when　I　was　a　few　
yards　distant。

〃I　never　saw　a　nicer　gentleman；〃　said　the　old　ranger。

I　sped　along；　Snowdon　on　my　left；　the　lake　on　my　right；　and　the　tip　
of　a　mountain　peak　right　before　me　in　the　east。　　After　a　little　
time　I　looked　back；　what　a　scene！　　The　silver　lake　and　the　shadowy　
mountain　over　its　southern　side　looking　now；　methought；　very　much　
like　Gibraltar。　　I　lingered　and　lingered；　gazing　and　gazing；　and　at　
last　only　by　an　effort　tore　myself　away。　　The　evening　had　now　
become　delightfully　cool　in　this　land　of　wonders。　　On　I　sped；　
passing　by　two　noisy　brooks　coming　from　Snowdon　to　pay　tribute　to　
the　lake。　　And　now　I　had　left　the　lake　and　the　valley　behind；　and　
was　ascending　a　hill。　　As　I　gained　its　summit；　up　rose　the　moon　to　
cheer　my　way。　　In　a　little　time；　a　wild　stony　gorge　confronted　me；　
a　stream　ran　down　the　gorge　with　hollow　roar；　a　bridge　lay　across　
it。　　I　asked　a　figure　whom　I　saw　standing　by　the　bridge　the　place's　
name。　　〃Rhyd　du〃　…　the　black　ford　…　I　crossed　the　bridge。　　The　
voice　of　the　Methodist　was　yelling　from　a　little　chapel　on　my　left。　　
I　went　to　the　door　and　listened：　　〃When　the　sinner　takes　hold　of　
God；　God　takes　hold　of　the　sinner。〃　　The　voice　was　frightfully　
hoarse。　　I　passed　on：　　night　fell　fast　around　me；　and　the　mountain　
to　the　south…east；　towards　which　I　was　tending；　looked　blackly　
grand。　　And　now　I　came　to　a　milestone　on　which　I　read　with　
difficulty：　　〃Three　miles　to　Beth　Gelert。〃　　The　way　for　some　time　
had　been　upward；　but　now　it　was　downward。　　I　reached　a　torrent；　
which　coming　from　the　north…west　rushed　under　a　bridge；　over　which　
I　passed。　　The　torrent　attended　me　on　my　right　hand　the　whole　way　
to　Beth　Gelert。　　The　descent　now　became　very　rapid。　　I　passed　a　
pine　wood　on　my　left；　and　pro