wild wales-第85节

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sullen　unsocial　disposition；　I　said　nothing　to　him；　but　proceeded　
on　my　way。　　As　I　advanced　the　valley　widened；　the　hills　on　the　west　
receding　to　some　distance　from　the　river。　　Came　to　Tregeiriog　a　
small　village；　which　takes　its　name　from　the　brook；　Tregeiriog　
signifying　the　hamlet　or　village　on　the　Ceiriog。　　Seeing　a　bridge　
which　crossed　the　rivulet　at　a　slight　distance　from　the　road；　a　
little　beyond　the　village；　I　turned　aside　to　look　at　it。　　The　
proper　course　of　the　Ceiriog　is　from　south　to　north；　where　it　is　
crossed　by　the　bridge；　however；　it　runs　from　west　to　east；　
returning　to　its　usual　course；　a　little　way　below　the　bridge。　　The　
bridge　was　small　and　presented　nothing　remarkable　in　itself：　　I　
obtained；　however；　as　I　looked　over　its　parapet　towards　the　west　a　
view　of　a　scene；　not　of　wild　grandeur；　but　of　something　which　I　
like　better；　which　richly　compensated　me　for　the　slight　trouble　I　
had　taken　in　stepping　aside　to　visit　the　little　bridge。　　About　a　
hundred　yards　distant　was　a　small　water…mill；　built　over　the　
rivulet；　the　wheel　going　slowly；　slowly　round；　large　quantities　of　
pigs；　the　generality　of　them　brindled；　were　either　browsing　on　the　
banks　or　lying　close　to　the　sides　half　immersed　in　the　water；　one　
immense　white　hog；　the　monarch　seemingly　of　the　herd；　was　standing　
in　the　middle　of　the　current。　　Such　was　the　scene　which　I　saw　from　
the　bridge；　a　scene　of　quiet　rural　life　well　suited　to　the　brushes　
of　two　or　three　of　the　old　Dutch　painters；　or　to　those　of　men　
scarcely　inferior　to　them　in　their　own　style；　Gainsborough；　
Moreland；　and　Crome。　　My　mind　for　the　last　half…hour　had　been　in　a　
highly　excited　state；　I　had　been　repeating　verses　of　old　Huw　
Morris；　brought　to　my　recollection　by　the　sight　of　his　dwelling…
place；　they　were　ranting　roaring　verses；　against　the　Roundheads。　　I　
admired　the　vigour　but　disliked　the　principles　which　they　
displayed；　and　admiration　on　the　one　hand　and　disapproval　on　the　
other；　bred　a　commotion　in　my　mind　like　that　raised　on　the　sea　when　
tide　runs　one　way　and　wind　blows　another。　　The　quiet　scene　from　the　
bridge；　however；　produced　a　sedative　effect　on　my　mind；　and　when　I　
resumed　my　journey　I　had　forgotten　Huw；　his　verses；　and　all　about　
Roundheads　and　Cavaliers。

I　reached　Llanarmon；　another　small　village；　situated　in　a　valley　
through　which　the　Ceiriog　or　a　river　very　similar　to　it　flows。　　It　
is　half…way　between　Llangollen　and　Llan　Rhyadr；　being　ten　miles　
from　each。　　I　went　to　a　small　inn　or　public…house；　sat　down　and　
called　for　ale。　　A　waggoner　was　seated　at　a　large　table　with　a　
newspaper　before　him　on　which　he　was　intently　staring。

〃What　news？〃　said　I　in　English。

〃I　wish　I　could　tell　you；〃　said　he　in　very　broken　English；　〃but　I　
cannot　read。〃

〃Then　why　are　you　looking　at　the　paper？〃　said　I。

〃Because；〃　said　he；　〃by　looking　at　the　letters　I　hope　in　time　to　
make　them　out。〃

〃You　may　look　at　them；〃　said　I；　〃for　fifty　years　without　being　able　
to　make　out　one。　　You　should　go　to　an　evening　school。〃

〃I　am　too　old；〃　said　he；　〃to　do　so　now；　if　I　did　the　children　would　
laugh　at　me。〃

〃Never　mind　their　laughing　at　you；〃　said　I；　〃provided　you　learn　to　
read；　let　them　laugh　who　win！〃

〃You　give　good　advice；　mester；〃　said　he；　〃I　think　I　shall　follow　
it。〃

〃Let　me　look　at　the　paper；〃　said　I。

He　handed　it　to　me。　　It　was　a　Welsh　paper；　and　full　of　dismal　
accounts　from　the　seat　of　war。

〃What　news；　mester？〃　said　the　waggoner。

〃Nothing　but　bad；〃　said　I；　〃the　Russians　are　beating　us　and　the　
French　too。〃

〃If　the　Rusiaid　beat　us；〃　said　the　waggoner；　〃it　is　because　the　
Francod　are　with　us。　　We　should　have　gone　alone。〃

〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　said　I；　〃at　any　rate　we　could　not　have　
fared　worse　than　we　are　faring　now。〃

I　presently　paid　for　what　I　had　had；　inquired　the　way　to　Llan　
Rhyadr；　and　departed。

The　village　of　Llanarmon　takes　its　name　from　its　church；　which　is　
dedicated　to　Garmon；　an　Armorican　bishop；　who　with　another　called　
Lupus　came　over　into　Britain　in　order　to　preach　against　the　heresy　
of　Pelagius。　　He　and　his　colleague　resided　for　some　time　in　
Flintshire；　and　whilst　there　enabled　in　a　remarkable　manner　the　
Britons　to　achieve　a　victory　over　those　mysterious　people　the　
Picts；　who　were　ravaging　the　country　far　and　wide。　　Hearing　that　
the　enemy　were　advancing　towards　Mold；　the　two　bishops　gathered　
together　a　number　of　the　Britons；　and　placed　them　in　ambush　in　a　
dark　valley　through　which　it　was　necessary　for　the　Picts　to　pass　in　
order　to　reach　Mold；　strictly　enjoining　them　to　remain　quiet　till　
all　their　enemies　should　have　entered　the　valley　and　then　do　
whatever　they　should　see　them；　the　two　bishops；　do。　　The　Picts　
arrived；　and　when　they　were　about　half…way　through　the　valley　the　
two　bishops　stepped　forward　from　a　thicket　and　began　crying　aloud；　
〃Alleluia！〃　　The　Britons　followed　their　example；　and　the　wooded　
valley　resounded　with　cries　of　〃Alleluia！　Alleluia！〃　　The　shouts　
and　the　unexpected　appearance　of　thousands　of　men　caused　such　
terror　to　the　Picts　that　they　took　to　flight　in　the　greatest　
confusion；　hundreds　were　trampled　to　death　by　their　companions；　and　
not　a　few　were　drowned　in　the　river　Alan　（8）　which　runs　through　the　
valley。

There　are　several　churches　dedicated　to　Garmon　in　Wales；　but　
whether　there　are　any　dedicated　to　Lupus　I　am　unable　to　say。　　After　
leaving　Llanarmon　I　found　myself　amongst　lumpy　hills　through　which　
the　road　led　in　the　direction　of　the　south。　　Arriving　where　several　
roads　met　I　followed　one　and　became　bewildered　amidst　hills　and　
ravines。　　At　last　I　saw　a　small　house　close　by　a　nant　or　dingle；　
and　turned　towards　it　for　the　purpose　of　inquiring　my　way。　　On　my　
knocking　at　the　door　a　woman　made　her　appearance；　of　whom　I　asked　
in　Welsh　whether　I　was　in　the　road　to　Llan　Rhyadr。　　She　said　that　I　
was　out　of　it；　but　that　if　I　went　towards　the　south　I　should　see　a　
path　on　my　left　which　would　bring　me　to　it。　　I　asked　her　how　far　it　
was　to　Llan　Rhyadr。

〃Four　long　miles；〃　she　replied。

〃And　what　is　the　name　of　the　place　where　we　are　now？〃　said　I。

〃Cae　Hir〃　（the　long　inclosure）；　said　she。

〃Are　you　alone　in　the　house？〃　said　I。

〃Quite　alone；〃　said　she；　〃but　my　husband　and　people　will　soon　be　
home　from　the　field；　for　it　is　getting　dusk。〃

〃Have　you　any　Saxon？〃　said　I。

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　she；　〃have　I　of　the　iaith　dieithr；　nor　has　my　
husband；　nor　any　one　of　my　people。〃

I　bade　her　farewell；　and　soon　reached　the　road；　which　led　south　and　
north。　　As　I　was　bound　for　the　south　I　strode　forward　briskly　in　
that　direction。　　The　road　was　between　romantic　hills；　heard　Welsh　
songs　proceeding　from　the　hill　fields　on　my　right；　and　the　murmur　
of　a　brook　rushing　down　a　deep　nant　on　my　left。　　I　went　on　till　I　
came　to　a　collection　of　houses　which　an　old　woman；　with　a　cracked　
voice　and　a　small　tin　milk…pail；　whom　I　assisted　in　getting　over　a　
stile　into　the　road；　told　me　was　called　Pen　Strit　…　probably　the　
head　of　the　street。　　She　spoke　English；　and　on　my　asking　her　how　
she　had　learnt　the　English　tongue；　she　told　me　that　she　had　learnt　
it　of　her　mother　who　was　an　English　woman。　　She　said　that　I　was　two　
miles　from　Llan　Rhyadr；　and　that　I　must　go　straight　forward。　　I　did　
so　till　I　reached　a　place　where　the　road　branched　into　two；　one　
bearing　somewhat　to　the　left；　and　the　other　to　the　right。　　After　
standing　a　minute　in　perplexity　I　took　the　right…hand　road；　but　
soon　guessed　that　I　had　taken　the　wrong　one；　as　the　road　dwindled　
into　a　mere　footpath。　　Hearing　some　one　walking　on　the　other　side　
of　the　hedge　I　inquired　in　Welsh　whether　I　was　going　right　for　Llan　
Rhyadr；　and　was　answered　by　a　voice　in　English；　apparently　that　of　
a　woman；　that　I　was　not；　and　that　I　must　go　back。　　I　did　so；　and　
presently　a　woman　came　through　a　gate　to　me。

〃Are　you　the　person；〃　said　I；　〃who　just　now　answered　me　in　English　
after　I　had　spoken　in　Welsh？〃

〃In　truth　I　am；〃　said　she；　with　a　half　laugh。

〃And　how　came　you　to　answer　me　in　English　after　I　had　spoken　to　you　
in　Welsh？〃

〃Because；〃　said　she；　〃it　was　easy　enough　to　know　by　your　voice　that　
you　were　an　Englishman。〃

〃You　speak　English　remarkably　well；〃　said　I。

〃And　so　do　you　Welsh；〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　had　no　idea　that　it　was　
possible　for　any　Englishman　to　speak　Welsh　half　so　well。〃

〃I　wonder；〃　thought　I　to　myself；　〃what　you　would　have　answered　if　I　
had　said　that　you　speak　English　execrably。〃　　By　her　own　account　she　
could　read　both　Welsh　and　English。　　She　walked　by　my　side　to　the　
turn；　and　then　up　the　left…hand　road；　which　she　said　was　the　way　to　
Llan　Rhyadr。　　Coming　to　a　cottage　she　bade　me　good…night　and　went　
in。　　The　road　was　horribly　miry：　　presently；　as　I　was　staggering　
through　a　slough；　just　after　I　had　passed　a　little　cottage；　I　heard　
a　cracked　voice　crying；　〃I　suppose　you　lost　your　way？〃　　I　
recognised　it　as　that　of　the　old　woman　whom　I　had　helped　over　the　
stile。　　She　was　now　standing　behind　a　little　gate　which　opened　into　
a　garden　before　the　cottage。　　The　figure　of　a　man　was　standing　near　
her。　　I　told　her　that　she　was　quite　right　in　her　supposition。

〃Ah；〃　said　she；　〃you　should　have　go