wild wales-第71节

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pool　of　the　river　is　always　the　stillest　in　the　summer　and　of　the　
softest　sound；　but　a　howling　turbid　gulf；　in　which　branches　of　
trees；　dead　animals　and　rubbish　were　whirling　about　in　the　wildest　
confusion。　　The　nights　were　generally　less　rainy　than　the　days；　and　
sometimes　by　the　pallid　glimmer　of　the　moon　I　would　take　a　stroll　
along　some　favourite　path　or　road。　　One　night　as　I　was　wandering　
slowly　along　the　path　leading　through　the　groves　of　Pen　y　Coed　I　
was　startled　by　an　unearthly　cry　…　it　was　the　shout　of　the　dylluan　
or　owl；　as　it　flitted　over　the　tops　of　the　trees　on　its　nocturnal　
business。

Oh；　that　cry　of　the　dylluan！　what　a　strange　wild　cry　it　is；　how　
unlike　any　other　sound　in　nature！　a　cry　which　no　combination　of　
letters　can　give　the　slightest　idea　of。　　What　resemblance　does　
Shakespear's　to…whit…to…whoo　bear　to　the　cry　of　the　owl？　none　
whatever；　those　who　hear　it　for　the　first　time　never　know　what　it　
is；　however　accustomed　to　talk　of　the　cry　of　the　owl　and　to…whit…
to…whoo。　　A　man　might　be　wandering　through　a　wood　with　Shakespear's　
owl…chorus　in　his　mouth；　but　were　he　then　to　hear　for　the　first　
time　the　real　shout　of　the　owl　he　would　assuredly　stop　short　and　
wonder　whence　that　unearthly　cry　could　proceed。

Yet　no　doubt　that　strange　cry　is　a　fitting　cry　for　the　owl；　the　
strangest　in　its　habits　and　look　of　all　birds；　the　bird　of　whom　by　
all　nations　the　strangest　tales　are　told。　　Oh；　what　strange　tales　
are　told　of　the　owl；　especially　in　connection　with　its　long…
lifedness；　but　of　all　the　strange　wild　tales　connected　with　the　age　
of　the　owl；　strangest　of　all　is　the　old　Welsh　tale。　　When　I　heard　
the　owl's　cry　in　the　groves　of　Pen　y　Coed　that　tale　rushed　into　my　
mind。　　I　had　heard　it　from　the　singular　groom　who　had　taught　me　to　
gabble　Welsh　in　my　boyhood；　and　had　subsequently　read　it　in　an　old　
tattered　Welsh　story…book；　which　by　chance　fell　into　my　hands。　　The　
reader　will　perhaps　be　obliged　by　my　relating　it。

〃The　eagle　of　the　alder　grove；　after　being　long　married　and　having　
had　many　children　by　his　mate；　lost　her　by　death；　and　became　a　
widower。　　After　some　time　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　marry　the　owl　
of　the　Cowlyd　Coomb；　but　fearing　he　should　have　issue　by　her；　and　
by　that　means　sully　his　lineage；　he　went　first　of　all　to　the　oldest　
creatures　in　the　world　in　order　to　obtain　information　about　her　
age。　　First　he　went　to　the　stag　of　Ferny…side　Brae；　whom　he　found　
sitting　by　the　old　stump　of　an　oak；　and　inquired　the　age　of　the　
owl。　　The　stag　said：　　'I　have　seen　this　oak　an　acorn　which　is　now　
lying　on　the　ground　without　either　leaves　or　bark：　　nothing　in　the　
world　wore　it　up　but　my　rubbing　myself　against　it　once　a　day　when　I　
got　up；　so　I　have　seen　a　vast　number　of　years；　but　I　assure　you　
that　I　have　never　seen　the　owl　older　or　younger　than　she　is　to…day。　　
However；　there　is　one　older　than　myself；　and　that　is　the　salmon…
trout　of　Glyn　Llifon。'　　To　him　went　the　eagle　and　asked　him　the　age　
of　the　owl　and　got　for　answer：　　'I　have　a　year　over　my　head　for　
every　gem　on　my　skin　and　for　every　egg　in　my　roe；　yet　have　I　always　
seen　the　owl　look　the　same；　but　there　is　one　older　than　myself；　and　
that　is　the　ousel　of　Cilgwry。'　　Away　went　the　eagle　to　Cilgwry；　and　
found　the　ousel　standing　upon　a　little　rock；　and　asked　him　the　age　
of　the　owl。　　Quoth　the　ousel：　　'You　see　that　the　rock　below　me　is　
not　larger　than　a　man　can　carry　in　one　of　his　hands：　　I　have　seen　
it　so　large　that　it　would　have　taken　a　hundred　oxen　to　drag　it；　and　
it　has　never　been　worn　save　by　my　drying　my　beak　upon　it　once　every　
night；　and　by　my　striking　the　tip　of　my　wing　against　it　in　rising　
in　the　morning；　yet　never　have　I　known　the　owl　older　or　younger　
than　she　is　to…day。　　However；　there　is　one　older　than　I；　and　that　
is　the　toad　of　Cors　Fochnod；　and　unless　he　knows　her　age　no　one　
knows　it。'　　To　him　went　the　eagle　and　asked　the　age　of　the　owl；　and　
the　toad　replied：　　'I　have　never　eaten　anything　save　what　I　have　
sucked　from　the　earth；　and　have　never　eaten　half　my　fill　in　all　the　
days　of　my　life；　but　do　you　see　those　two　great　hills　beside　the　
cross？　　I　have　seen　the　place　where　they　stand　level　ground；　and　
nothing　produced　those　heaps　save　what　I　discharged　from　my　body；　
who　have　ever　eaten　so　very　little　…　yet　never　have　I　known　the　owl　
anything　else　but　an　old　hag　who　cried　Too…hoo…hoo；　and　scared　
children　with　her　voice　even　as　she　does　at　present。'　　So　the　eagle　
of　Gwernabwy；　the　stag　of　Ferny…side　Brae；　the　salmon　trout　of　Glyn　
Llifon；　the　ousel　of　Cilgwry；　the　toad　of　Cors　Fochnod；　and　the　owl　
of　Coomb　Cowlyd　are　the　oldest　creatures　in　the　world；　the　oldest　
of　them　all　being　the　owl。〃



CHAPTER　LIV



Chirk　…　The　Middleton　Family　…　Castell　y　Waen　…　The　Park　…　The　
Court　Yard　…　The　Young　Housekeeper　…　The　Portraits　…　Melin　y　
Castell　…　Humble　Meal　…　Fine　Chests　for　the　Dead　…　Hales　and　
Hercules。


THE　weather　having　become　fine；　myself　and　family　determined　to　go　
and　see　Chirk　Castle；　a　mansion　ancient　and　beautiful；　and　
abounding　with　all　kinds　of　agreeable　and　romantic　associations。　　
It　was　founded　about　the　beginning　of　the　fifteenth　century　by　a　St　
John；　Lord　of　Bletsa；　from　a　descendant　of　whom　it　was　purchased　in　
the　year　1615　by　Sir　Thomas　Middleton；　the　scion　of　an　ancient　
Welsh　family　who；　following　commerce；　acquired　a　vast　fortune；　and　
was　Lord　Mayor　of　London。　　In　the　time　of　the　great　civil　war　it　
hoisted　the　banner　of　the　king；　and　under　Sir　Thomas；　the　son　of　
the　Lord　Mayor；　made　a　brave　defence　against　Lambert；　the　
Parliamentary　General；　though　eventually　compelled　to　surrender。　　
It　was　held　successively　by　four　Sir　Thomas　Middletons；　and　if　it　
acquired　a　war…like　celebrity　under　the　second；　it　obtained　a　
peculiarly　hospitable　one　under　the　fourth；　whose　daughter；　the　
fruit　of　a　second　marriage；　became　Countess　of　Warwick　and　
eventually　the　wife　of　the　poet　and　moralist　Addison。　　In　his　time　
the　hospitality　of　Chirk　became　the　theme　of　many　a　bard；　
particularly　of　Huw　Morris；　who；　in　one　of　his　songs；　has　gone　so　
far　as　to　say　that　were　the　hill　Cefn　Uchaf　turned　into　beef　and　
bread；　and　the　rill　Ceiriog　into　beer　or　wine；　they　would　be　
consumed　in　half　a　year　by　the　hospitality　of　Chirk。　　Though　no　
longer　in　the　hands　of　one　of　the　name　of　Middleton；　Chirk　Castle　
is　still　possessed　by　one　of　the　blood；　the　mother　of　the　present　
proprietor　being　the　eldest　of　three　sisters；　lineal　descendants　of　
the　Lord　Mayor；　between　whom　in　default　of　an　heir　male　the　wide　
possessions　of　the　Middleton　family　were　divided。　　This　gentleman；　
who　bears　the　name　of　Biddulph；　is　Lord　Lieutenant　of　the　county　of　
Denbigh；　and　notwithstanding　his　war…breathing　name；　which　is　
Gothic；　and　signifies　Wolf　of　Battle；　is　a　person　of　highly　amiable　
disposition；　and　one　who　takes　great　interest　in　the　propagation　of　
the　Gospel　of　peace　and　love。

To　view　this　place；　which；　though　in　English　called　Chirk　Castle；　
is　styled　in　Welsh　Castell　y　Waen；　or　the　Castle　of　the　Meadow；　we　
started　on　foot　about　ten　o'clock　of　a　fine　bright　morning；　
attended　by　John　Jones。　　There　are　two　roads　from　Llangollen　to　
Chirk；　one　the　low　or　post　road；　and　the　other　leading　over　the　
Berwyn。　　We　chose　the　latter。　　We　passed　by　the　Yew　Cottage；　which　
I　have　described　on　a　former　occasion；　and　began　to　ascend　the　
mountain；　making　towards　its　north…eastern　corner。　　The　road　at　
first　was　easy　enough；　but　higher　up　became　very　steep；　and　
somewhat　appalling；　being　cut　out　of　the　side　of　the　hill　which　
shelves　precipitously　down　towards　the　valley　of　the　Dee。　　Near　the　
top　of　the　mountain　were　three　lofty　beech…trees　growing　on　the　
very　verge　of　the　precipice。　　Here　the　road　for　about　twenty　yards　
is　fenced　on　its　dangerous　side　by　a　wall；　parts　of　which　are　built　
between　the　stems　of　the　trees。　　Just　beyond　the　wall　a　truly　noble　
prospect　presented　itself　to　our　eyes。　　To　the　north　were　bold　
hills；　their　sides　and　skirts　adorned　with　numerous　woods　and　white　
farm…houses；　a　thousand　feet　below　us　was　the　Dee　and　its　wondrous　
Pont　y　Cysultau。　　John　Jones　said　that　if　certain　mists　did　not　
intervene　we　might　descry　〃the　sea　of　Liverpool〃；　and　perhaps　the　
only　thing　wanting　to　make　the　prospect　complete；　was　that　sea　of　
Liverpool。　　We　were；　however；　quite　satisfied　with　what　we　saw；　and　
turning　round　the　corner　of　the　hill；　reached　its　top；　where　for　a　
considerable　distance　there　is　level　ground；　and　where；　though　at　a　
great　altitude；　we　found　ourselves　in　a　fair　and　fertile　region；　
and　amidst　a　scene　of　busy　rural　life。　　We　saw　fields　and　
inclosures；　and　here　and　there　corn…stacks；　some　made；　and　others　
not　yet　completed；　about　which　people　were　employed；　and　waggons　
and　horses　moving。　　Passing　over　the　top　of　the　hill；　we　began　to　
descend　the　southern　side；　which　was　far　less　steep　than　the　one　we　
had　lately　surmounted。　　After　a　little　way；　the　road　descended　
through　a　wood；　which　John　Jones　told　us　was　the　beginning　of　〃the　
Park　of　Biddulph。〃

〃There　is　plenty　of　game　in　this　wood；〃　said　he；　〃pheasant　cocks　
and　pheasant　hens；　to　say　nothing　of　ha