wild wales-第64节

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such　chair　a　long　time　ago；　but　could　give　me　no　information　as　to　
where　it　stood。　　I　know　not　how　it　happened　that　he　came　to　speak　
about　my　landlady；　but　speak　about　her　he　did。　　He　said　that　she　
was　a　good　kind　of　woman；　but　totally　unqualified　for　business；　as　
she　knew　not　how　to　charge。　　On　my　observing　that　that　was　a　piece　
of　ignorance　with　which　few　landladies　or　landlords　either　were　
taxable；　he　said　that　however　other　publicans　might　overcharge；　
undercharging　was　her　foible；　and　that　she　had　brought　herself　very　
low　in　the　world　by　it　…　that　to　his　certain　knowledge　she　might　
have　been　worth　thousands　instead　of　the　trifle　which　she　was　
possessed　of；　and　that　she　was　particularly　notorious　for　
undercharging　the　English；　a　thing　never　before　dreamt　of　in　Wales。　　
I　told　him　that　I　was　very　glad　that　I　had　come　under　the　roof　of　
such　a　landlady；　the　old　barber；　however；　said　that　she　was　setting　
a　bad　example；　that　such　goings　on　could　not　last　long；　that　he　
knew　how　things　would　end；　and　finally　working　himself　up　into　a　
regular　tiff　left　me　abruptly　without　wishing　me　good…night。

I　returned　to　the　inn；　and　called　for　lights；　the　lights　were　
placed　upon　the　table　in　the　old…fashioned　parlour；　and　I　was　left　
to　myself。　　I　walked　up　and　down　the　room　some　time。　　At　length；　
seeing　some　old　books　lying　in　a　corner；　I　laid　hold　of　them；　
carried　them　to　the　table；　sat　down　and　began　to　inspect　them；　they　
were　the　three　volumes　of　Scott's　〃Cavalier〃　…　I　had　seen　this　work　
when　a　youth；　and　thought　it　a　tiresome　trashy　publication。　　
Looking　over　it　now　when　I　was　grown　old　I　thought　so　still；　but　I　
now　detected　in　it　what　from　want　of　knowledge　I　had　not　detected　
in　my　early　years；　what　the　highest　genius；　had　it　been　manifested　
in　every　page；　could　not　have　compensated　for；　base　fulsome　
adulation　of　the　worthless　great；　and　most　unprincipled　libelling　
of　the　truly　noble　ones　of　the　earth；　because　they　the　sons　of　
peasants　and　handycraftsmen；　stood　up　for　the　rights　of　outraged　
humanity；　and　proclaimed　that　it　is　worth　makes　the　man　and　not　
embroidered　clothing。　　The　heartless；　unprincipled　son　of　the　
tyrant　was　transformed　in　that　worthless　book　into　a　slightly…
dissipated；　it　is　true；　but　upon　the　whole　brave；　generous　and　
amiable　being；　and　Harrison；　the　English　Regulus；　honest；　brave；　
unflinching　Harrison；　into　a　pseudo…fanatic；　a　mixture　of　the　rogue　
and　fool。　　Harrison；　probably　the　man　of　the　most　noble　and　
courageous　heart　that　England　ever　produced；　who　when　all　was　lost　
scorned　to　flee；　like　the　second　Charles　from　Worcester；　but；　
braved　infamous　judges　and　the　gallows；　who　when　reproached　on　his　
mock　trial　with　complicity　in　the　death　of　the　king；　gave　the　noble　
answer　that　〃It　was　a　thing　not　done　in　a　corner；〃　and　when　in　the　
cart　on　the　way　to　Tyburn；　on　being　asked　jeeringly　by　a　lord's　
bastard　in　the　crowd；　〃Where　is　the　good　old　cause　now？〃　thrice　
struck　his　strong　fist　on　the　breast　which　contained　his　courageous　
heart；　exclaiming；　〃Here；　here；　here！〃　　Yet　for　that　〃Cavalier；〃　
that　trumpery　publication；　the　booksellers　of　England；　on　its　first　
appearance；　gave　an　order　to　the　amount　of　six　thousand　pounds。　　
But　they　were　wise　in　their　generation；　they　knew　that　the　book　
would　please　the　base；　slavish　taste　of　the　age；　a　taste　which　the　
author　of　the　work　had　had　no　slight　share　in　forming。

Tired　after　a　while　with　turning　over　the　pages　of　the　trashy　
〃Cavalier〃　I　returned　the　volumes　to　their　place　in　the　corner；　
blew　out　one　candle；　and　taking　the　other　in　my　hand　marched　off　to　
bed。



CHAPTER　XLVIII



The　Bill　…　The　Two　Mountains　…　Sheet　of　Water　…　The　Afanc…Crocodile　
…　The　Afanc…Beaver　…　Tai　Hirion　…　Kind　Woman　…　Arenig　Vawr　…　The　
Beam　and　Mote　…　Bala。


AFTER　breakfasting　I　demanded　my　bill。　　I　was　curious　to　see　how　
little　the　amount　would　be；　for　after　what　I　had　heard　from　the　old　
barber　the　preceding　evening　about　the　utter　ignorance　of　the　
landlady　in　making　a　charge；　I　naturally　expected　that　I　should　
have　next　to　nothing　to　pay。　　When　it　was　brought；　however；　and　the　
landlady　brought　it　herself；　I　could　scarcely　believe　my　eyes。　　
Whether　the　worthy　woman　had　lately　come　to　a　perception　of　the　
folly　of　undercharging；　and　had　determined　to　adopt　a　different　
system；　whether　it　was　that　seeing　me　the　only　guest　in　the　house　
she　had　determined　to　charge　for　my　entertainment　what　she　usually　
charged　for　that　of　two　or　three　…　strange　by…the…bye　that　I　should　
be　the　only　guest　in　a　house　notorious　for　undercharging　…　I　know　
not；　but　certain　it　is　the　amount　of　the　bill　was　far；　far　from　the　
next　to　nothing　which　the　old　barber　had　led　me　to　suppose　I　should　
have　to　pay；　who　perhaps　after　all　had　very　extravagant　ideas　with　
respect　to　making　out　a　bill　for　a　Saxon。　　It　was；　however；　not　a　
very　unconscionable　bill；　and　merely　amounted　to　a　trifle　more　than　
I　had　paid　at　Beth　Gelert　for　somewhat　better　entertainment。

Having　paid　the　bill　without　demur　and　bidden　the　landlady　
farewell；　who　displayed　the　same　kind　of　indifferent　bluntness　
which　she　had　manifested　the　day　before；　I　set　off　in　the　direction　
of　the　east；　intending　that　my　next　stage　should　be　Bala。　　Passing　
through　a　tollgate　I　found　myself　in　a　kind　of　suburb　consisting　of　
a　few　cottages。　　Struck　with　the　neighbouring　scenery；　I　stopped　to　
observe　it。　　A　mighty　mountain　rises　in　the　north　almost　abreast　of　
Festiniog；　another　towards　the　east　divided　into　two　of　unequal　
size。　　Seeing　a　woman　of　an　interesting　countenance　seated　at　the　
door　of　a　cottage　I　pointed　to　the　hill　towards　the　north；　and　
speaking　the　Welsh　language；　inquired　its　name。

〃That　hill；　sir；〃　said　she；　〃is　called　Moel　Wyn。〃

Now　Moel　Wyn　signifies　the　white；　bare　hill。

〃And　how　do　you　call　those　two　hills　towards　the　east？〃

〃We　call　one；　sir；　Mynydd　Mawr；　the　other　Mynydd　Bach。〃

Now　Mynydd　Mawr　signifies　the　great　mountain　and　Mynydd　Bach　the　
little　one。

〃Do　any　people　live　in　those　hills？〃

〃The　men　who　work　the　quarries；　sir；　live　in　those　hills。　　They　and　
their　wives　and　their　children。　　No　other　people。〃

〃Have　you　any　English？〃

〃I　have　not；　sir。　　No　people　who　live　on　this　side　the　talcot　
（tollgate）　for　a　long　way　have　any　English。〃

I　proceeded　on　my　journey。　　The　country　for　some　way　eastward　of　
Festiniog　is　very　wild　and　barren；　consisting　of　huge　hills　without　
trees　or　verdure。　　About　three　miles'　distance；　however；　there　is　a　
beautiful　valley；　which　you　look　down　upon　from　the　southern　side　
of　the　road；　after　having　surmounted　a　very　steep　ascent。　　This　
valley　is　fresh　and　green　and　the　lower　parts　of　the　hills　on　its　
farther　side　are；　here　and　there；　adorned　with　groves。　　At　the　
eastern　end　is　a　deep；　dark　gorge；　or　ravine；　down　which　tumbles　a　
brook　in　a　succession　of　small　cascades。　　The　ravine　is　close　by　
the　road。　　The　brook　after　disappearing　for　a　time　shows　itself　
again　far　down　in　the　valley；　and　is　doubtless　one　of　the　
tributaries　of　the　Tan　y　Bwlch　river；　perhaps　the　very　same　brook　
the　name　of　which　I　could　not　learn　the　preceding　day　in　the　vale。

As　I　was　gazing　on　the　prospect　an　old　man　driving　a　peat　cart　came　
from　the　direction　in　which　I　was　going。　　I　asked　him　the　name　of　
the　ravine　and　he　told　me　it　was　Ceunant　Coomb　or　hollow…dingle　
coomb。　　I　asked　the　name　of　the　brook；　and　he　told　me　that　it　was　
called　the　brook　of　the　hollow…dingle　coomb；　adding　that　it　ran　
under　Pont　Newydd；　though　where　that　was　I　knew　not。　　Whilst　he　was　
talking　with　me　he　stood　uncovered。　　Yes；　the　old　peat　driver　stood　
with　his　hat　in　his　hand　whilst　answering　the　questions　of　the　
poor；　dusty　foot…traveller。　　What　a　fine　thing　to　be　an　Englishman　
in　Wales！

In　about　an　hour　I　came　to　a　wild　moor；　the　moor　extended　for　miles　
and　miles。　　It　was　bounded　on　the　east　and　south　by　immense　hills　
and　moels。　　On　I　walked　at　a　round　pace；　the　sun　scorching　me　sore；　
along　a　dusty；　hilly　road；　now　up；　now　down。　　Nothing　could　be　
conceived　more　cheerless　than　the　scenery　around。　　The　ground　on　
each　side　of　the　road　was　mossy　and　rushy　…　no　houses　…　instead　of　
them　were　neat　stacks；　here　and　there；　standing　in　their　blackness。　　
Nothing　living　to　be　seen　except　a　few　miserable　sheep　picking　the　
wretched　herbage；　or　lying　panting　on　the　shady　side　of　the　peat　
clumps。　　At　length　I　saw　something　which　appeared　to　be　a　sheet　of　
water　at　the　bottom　of　a　low　ground　on　my　right。　　It　looked　far　off　
…　〃Shall　I　go　and　see　what　it　is？〃　thought　I　to　myself。　　〃No；〃　
thought　I。　　〃It　is　too　far　off〃　…　so　on　I　walked　till　I　lost　sight　
of　it；　when　I　repented　and　thought　I　would　go　and　see　what　it　was。　　
So　I　dashed　down　the　moory　slope　on　my　right；　and　presently　saw　the　
object　again　…　and　now　I　saw　that　it　was　water。　　I　sped　towards　it　
through　gorse　and　heather；　occasionally　leaping　a　deep　drain。　　At　
last　I　reached　it。　　It　was　a　small　lake。　　Wearied　and　panting　I　
flung　myself　on　its　bank　and　gazed　upon　it。

There　lay　the　lake　in　the　low　bottom；　surrounded　by　the　heathery　
hillocks；　there　it　lay　quite　still；　the　hot　sun　r