wild wales-第72节

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Park　of　Biddulph。〃

〃There　is　plenty　of　game　in　this　wood；〃　said　he；　〃pheasant　cocks　
and　pheasant　hens；　to　say　nothing　of　hares　and　coneys；　and　in　the　
midst　of　it　there　is　a　space　sown　with　a　particular　kind　of　corn　
for　the　support　of　the　pheasant　hens　and　pheasant　cocks；　which　in　
the　shooting…season　afford　pleasant　sport　for　Biddulph　and　his　
friends。〃

Near　the　foot　of　the　descent；　just　where　the　road　made　a　turn　to　
the　east；　we　passed　by　a　building　which　stood　amidst　trees；　with　a　
pond　and　barns　near　it。

〃This；〃　said　John　Jones；　〃is　the　house　where　the　bailiff　lives　who　
farms　and　buys　and　sells　for　Biddulph；　and　fattens　the　beeves　and　
swine；　and　the　geese；　ducks；　and　other　poultry　which　Biddulph　
consumes　at　his　table。〃

The　scenery　was　now　very　lovely；　consisting　of　a　mixture　of　hill　
and　dale；　open　space　and　forest；　in　fact　the　best　kind　of　park　
scenery。　　We　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　lake　in　which　John　Jones　said　
there　were　generally　plenty　of　swans；　and　presently　saw　the　castle；　
which　stands　on　a　green　grassy　slope；　from　which　it　derives　its　
Welsh　name　of　Castell　y　Waen；　gwaen　in　the　Cumrian　language　
signifying　a　meadow　or　uninclosed　place。　　It　fronts　the　west；　the　
direction　from　which　we　were　coming；　on　each　side　it　shows　five　
towers；　of　which　the　middlemost；　which　protrudes　beyond　the　rest；　
and　at　the　bottom　of　which　is　the　grand　gate；　is　by　far　the　
bulkiest。　　A　noble　edifice　it　looked；　and　to　my　eye　bore　no　slight　
resemblance　to　Windsor　Castle。

Seeing　a　kind　of　ranger；　we　inquired　of　him　what　it　was　necessary　
for　us　to　do；　and　by　his　direction　proceeded　to　the　southern　side　
of　the　castle；　and　rung　the　bell　at　a　small　gate。　　The　southern　
side　had　a　far　more　antique　appearance　than　the　western；　huge　
towers　with　small　windows；　and　partly　covered　with　ivy；　frowned　
down　upon　us。　　A　servant　making　his　appearance；　I　inquired　whether　
we　could　see　the　house；　he　said　we　could；　and　that　the　housekeeper　
would　show　it　to　us　in　a　little　time　but　that　at　present　she　was　
engaged。　　We　entered　a　large　quadrangular　court：　　on　the　left…hand　
side　was　a　door　and　staircase　leading　into　the　interior　of　the　
building；　and　farther　on　was　a　gateway；　which　was　no　doubt　the　
principal　entrance　from　the　park。　　On　the　eastern　side　of　the　
spacious　court　was　a　kennel；　chained　to　which　was　an　enormous　dog；　
partly　of　the　bloodhound；　partly　of　the　mastiff　species；　who　
occasionally　uttered　a　deep　magnificent　bay。　　As　the　sun　was　hot；　
we　took　refuge　from　it　under　the　gateway；　the　gate　of　which；　at　the　
further　end；　towards　the　park；　was　closed。　　Here　my　wife　and　
daughter　sat　down　on　a　small　brass　cannon；　seemingly　a　six…pounder；　
which　stood　on　a　very　dilapidated　carriage；　from　the　appearance　of　
the　gun；　which　was　of　an　ancient　form；　and　very　much　battered；　and　
that　of　the　carriage；　I　had　little　doubt　that　both　had　been　in　the　
castle　at　the　time　of　the　siege。　　As　my　two　loved　ones　sat；　I　
walked　up　and　down；　recalling　to　my　mind　all　I　had　heard　and　read　
in　connection　with　this　castle。　　I　thought　of　its　gallant　defence　
against　the　men　of　Oliver；　I　thought　of　its　roaring　hospitality　in　
the　time　of　the　fourth　Sir　Thomas；　and　I　thought　of　the　many　
beauties　who　had　been　born　in　its　chambers；　had　danced　in　its　
halls；　had　tripped　across　its　court；　and　had　subsequently　given　
heirs　to　illustrious　families。

At　last　we　were　told　that　she　housekeeper　was　waiting　for　us。　　The　
housekeeper；　who　was　a　genteel；　good…looking　young　woman；　welcomed　
us　at　the　door　which　led　into　the　interior　of　the　house。　　After　we　
had　written　our　names；　she　showed　us　into　a　large　room　or　hall　on　
the　right…hand　side　on　the　ground　floor；　where　were　some　helmets　
and　ancient　halberts；　and　also　some　pictures　of　great　personages。　　
The　floor　was　of　oak；　and　so　polished　and　slippery；　that　walking　
upon　it　was　attended　with　some　danger。　　Wishing　that　John　Jones；　
our　faithful　attendant；　who　remained　timidly　at　the　doorway；　should　
participate　with　us　in　the　wonderful　sights　we　were　about　to　see；　I　
inquired　of　the　housekeeper　whether　he　might　come　with　us。　　She　
replied　with　a　smile　that　it　was　not　the　custom　to　admit　guides　
into　the　apartments；　but　that　he　might　come；　provided　he　chose　to　
take　off　his　shoes；　adding；　that　the　reason　she　wished　him　to　take　
off　his　shoes　was；　an　apprehension　that　if　he　kept　them　on　he　would　
injure　the　floors　with　their　rough　nails。　　She　then　went　to　John　
Jones；　and　told　him　in　English　that　he　might　attend　us；　provided　he　
took　off　his　shoes；　poor　John；　however；　only　smiled　and　said　〃Dim　
Saesneg！〃

〃You　must　speak　to　him　in　your　native　language；〃　said　I；　〃provided　
you　wish　him　to　understand　you　…　he　has　no　English。〃

〃I　am　speaking　to　him　in　my　native　language；〃　said　the　young　
housekeeper；　with　another　smile　…　〃and　if　he　has　no　English；　I　have　
no　Welsh。〃

〃Then　you　are　English？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃a　native　of　London。〃

〃Dear　me；〃　said　I。　　〃Well；　it's　no　bad　thing　to　be　English　after　
all；　and　as　for　not　speaking　Welsh；　there　are　many　in　Wales　who　
would　be　glad　to　have　much　less　Welsh　than　they　have。〃　　I　then　told　
John　Jones　the　condition　on　which　he　might　attend　us；　whereupon　he　
took　off　his　shoes　with　great　glee　and　attended　us；　holding　them　in　
his　hand。

We　presently　went　upstairs；　to　what　the　housekeeper　told　us　was　the　
principal　drawing…room；　and　a　noble　room　it　was；　hung　round　with　
the　portraits　of　kings　and　queens；　and　the　mighty　of　the　earth。　　
Here；　on　canvas；　was　noble　Mary；　the　wife　of　William　of　Orange；　and　
her　consort　by　her　side；　whose　part　like　a　true　wife　she　always　
took。　　Here　was　wretched　Mary　of　Scotland；　the　murderess　of　her　own　
lord。　　Here　were　the　two　Charleses　and　both　the　Dukes　of　Ormond　…　
the　great　Duke　who　fought　stoutly　in　Ireland　against　Papist　and　
Roundhead；　and　the　Pretender's　Duke　who　tried　to　stab　his　native　
land；　and　died　a　foreign　colonel。　　And　here；　amongst　other　
daughters　of　the　house；　was　the　very　proud　daughter　of　the　house；　
the　Warwick　Dowager　who　married　the　Spectator；　and　led　him　the　life　
of　a　dog。　　She　looked　haughty　and　cold；　and　not　particularly　
handsome；　but　I　could　not　help　gazing　with　a　certain　degree　of　
interest　and　respect　on　the　countenance　of　the　vixen；　who　served　
out　the　gentility　worshipper　in　such　prime　style。　　Many　were　the　
rooms　which　we　entered；　of　which　I　shall　say　nothing；　save　that　
they　were　noble　in　size　and　rich　in　objects　of　interest。　　At　last　
we　came　to　what　was　called　the　picture　gallery。　　It　was　a　long　
panelled　room；　extending　nearly　the　whole　length　of　the　northern　
side。　　The　first　thing　which　struck　us　on　entering　was　the　huge　
skin　of　a　lion　stretched　out　upon　the　floor；　the　head；　however；　
which　was　towards　the　door；　was　stuffed；　and　with　its　monstrous　
teeth　looked　so　formidable　and　life…like；　that　we　were　almost　
afraid　to　touch　it。　　Against　every　panel　was　a　portrait；　amongst　
others　was　that　of　Sir　Thomas　Middleton；　the　stout　governor　of　the　
castle；　during　the　time　of　the　siege。　　Near　to　it　was　the　portrait　
of　his　rib；　Dame　Middleton。　　Farther　down　on　the　same　side　were　two　
portraits　of　Nell　Gwynn；　the　one　painted　when　she　was　a　girl；　the　
other　when　she　had　attained　a　more　mature　age。　　They　were　both　by　
Lely；　the　Apelles　of　the　Court　of　wanton　Charles。　　On　the　other　
side　was　one　of　the　Duke　of　Gloucester；　the　son　of　Queen　Anne；　who；　
had　he　lived；　would　have　kept　the　Georges　from　the　throne。　　In　this　
gallery　on　the　southern　side　was　a　cabinet　of　ebony　and　silver；　
presented　by　Charles　the　Second　to　the　brave　warrior　Sir　Thomas；　
and　which；　according　to　tradition；　cost　seven　thousand　pounds。　　
This　room；　which　was　perhaps　the　most　magnificent　in　the　castle；　
was　the　last　we　visited。　　The　candle　of　God；　whilst　we　wandered　
through　these　magnificent　halls；　was　flaming　in　the　firmament；　and　
its　rays；　penetrating　through　the　long　narrow　windows；　showed　them　
off；　and　all　the　gorgeous　things　which　they　contained　to　great　
advantage。　　When　we　left　the　castle　we　all　said；　not　excepting　John　
Jones；　that　we　had　never　seen　in　our　lives　anything　more　princely　
and　delightful　than　the　interior。

After　a　little　time；　my　wife　and　daughter　complaining　of　being　
rather　faint；　I　asked　John　Jones　whether　there　was　an　inn　in　the　
neighbourhood　where　some　refreshment　could　be　procured。　　He　said　
there　was；　and　that　he　would　conduct　us　to　it。　　We　directed　our　
course　towards　the　east；　rousing　successively；　and　setting　a…
scampering；　three　large　herds　of　deer　…　the　common　ones　were　yellow　
and　of　no　particular　size　…　but　at　the　head　of　each　herd　we　
observed　a　big　old　black　fellow　with　immense　antlers；　one　of　these　
was　particularly　large；　indeed　as　huge　as　a　bull。　　We　soon　came　to　
the　verge　of　a　steep　descent；　down　which　we　went；　not　without　some　
risk　of　falling。　　At　last　we　came　to　a　gate；　it　was　locked；　
however；　on　John　Jones　shouting；　an　elderly　man　with　his　right　hand　
bandaged；　came　and　opened　it。　　I　asked　him　what　was　the　matter　with　
his　hand；　and　he　told　me　that　he　had　lately　lost　three　fingers　
whilst　working　at　a　saw…mill　up　at　the　castle。　　On　my　inquiring　
about　the