wild wales-第86节

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her。　　I　told　her　that　she　was　quite　right　in　her　supposition。

〃Ah；〃　said　she；　〃you　should　have　gone　straight　forward。〃

〃If　I　had　gone　straight　forward；〃　said　I；　〃I　must　have　gone　over　a　
hedge；　at　the　corner　of　a　field　which　separated　two　roads；　instead　
of　bidding　me　go　straight　forward　you　should　have　told　me　to　follow　
the　left…hand　road。〃

〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃be　sure　you　keep　straight　forward　now。〃

I　asked　her　who　the　man　was　standing　near　her。

〃It　is　my　husband；〃　said　she。

〃Has　he　much　English？〃　said　I。

〃None　at　all；〃　said　she；　〃for　his　mother　was　not　English；　like　
mine。〃　　I　bade　her　good…night　and　went　forward。　　Presently　I　came　
to　a　meeting　of　roads；　and　to　go　straight　forward　it　was　necessary　
to　pass　through　a　quagmire；　remembering；　however；　the　words　of　my　
friend　the　beldame　I　went　straight　forward；　though　in　so　doing　I　
was　sloughed　up　to　the　knees。　　In　a　little　time　I　came　to　rapid　
descent；　and　at　the　bottom　of　it　to　a　bridge。　　It　was　now　very　
dark；　only　the　corner　of　the　moon　was　casting　a　faint　light。　　After　
crossing　the　bridge　I　had　one　or　two　ascents　and　descents。　　At　last　
I　saw　lights　before　me　which　proved　to　be　those　of　Llan　Rhyadr。　　I　
soon　found　myself　in　a　dirty　little　street；　and；　inquiring　for　the　
inn；　was　kindly　shown　by　a　man　to　one　which　he　said　was　the　best；　
and　which　was　called　the　Wynstay　Arms。



CHAPTER　LXV



Inn　at　Llan　Rhyadr　…　A　low　Englishman　…　Enquiries　…　The　Cook　…　A　
Precious　Couple。


THE　inn　seemed　very　large；　but　did　not　look　very　cheerful。　　No　
other　guest　than　myself　seemed　to　be　in　it；　except　in　the　kitchen；　
where　I　heard　a　fellow　talking　English　and　occasionally　yelling　an　
English　song：　　the　master　and　the　mistress　of　the　house　were　civil；　
and　lighted　me　a　fire　in　what　was　called　the　Commercial　Room；　and　
putting　plenty　of　coals　in　the　grate　soon　made　the　apartment　warm　
and　comfortable。　　I　ordered　dinner　or　rather　supper；　which　in　about　
half…an…hour　was　brought　in　by　the　woman。　　The　supper　whether　good　
or　bad　I　despatched　with　the　appetite　of　one　who　had　walked　twenty　
miles　over　hill　and　dale。

Occasionally　I　heard　a　dreadful　noise　in　the　kitchen；　and　the　woman　
told　me　that　the　fellow　there　was　making　himself　exceedingly　
disagreeable；　chiefly　she　believed　because　she　had　refused　to　let　
him　sleep　in　the　house。　　She　said　that　he　was　a　low　fellow　that　
went　about　the　country　with　fish；　and　that　he　was　the　more　ready　to　
insult　her　as　the　master　of　the　house　was　now　gone　out。　　I　asked　if　
he　was　an　Englishman；　〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃a　low　Englishman。〃

〃Then　he　must　be　low　indeed；〃　said　I。　　〃A　low　Englishman　is　the　
lowest　of　the　low。〃　　After　a　little　time　I　heard　no　more　noise；　and　
was　told　that　the　fellow　was　gone　away。　　I　had　a　little　whisky　and　
water；　and　then　went　to　bed；　sleeping　in　a　tolerable　chamber　but　
rather　cold。　　There　was　much　rain　during　the　night　and　also　wind；　
windows　rattled；　and　I　occasionally　heard　the　noise　of　falling　
tiles。

I　arose　about　eight。　　Notwithstanding　the　night　had　been　so　
tempestuous　the　morning　was　sunshiny　and　beautiful。　　Having　ordered　
breakfast　I　walked　out　in　order　to　look　at　the　town。　　Llan　Rhyadr　
is　a　small　place；　having　nothing　remarkable　in　it　save　an　ancient　
church　and　a　strange　little　antique　market…house；　standing　on　
pillars。　　It　is　situated　at　the　western　end　of　an　extensive　valley　
and　at　the　entrance　of　a　glen。　　A　brook　or　rivulet　runs　through　it；　
which　comes　down　the　glen　from　the　celebrated　cataract；　which　is　
about　four　miles　distant　to　the　west。　　Two　lofty　mountains　form　the　
entrance　of　the　glen；　and　tower　above　the　town；　one　on　the　south　
and　the　other　on　the　north。　　Their　names；　if　they　have　any；　I　did　
not　learn。

After　strolling　about　the　little　place　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　
hour；　staring　at　the　things　and　the　people；　and　being　stared　at　by　
the　latter；　I　returned　to　my　inn；　a　structure　built　in　the　modern　
Gothic　style；　and　which　stands　nearly　opposite　to　the　churchyard。　　
Whilst　breakfasting　I　asked　the　landlady；　who　was　bustling　about　
the　room；　whether　she　had　ever　heard　of　Owen　Glendower。

〃In　truth；　sir；　I　have。　　He　was　a　great　gentleman　who　lived　a　long　
time　ago；　and；　and　…　〃

〃Gave　the　English　a　great　deal　of　trouble；〃　said　I。

〃Just　so；　sir；　at　least　I　daresay　it　is　so；　as　you　say　it。〃

〃And　do　you　know　where　he　lived？〃

〃I　do　not；　sir；　I　suppose　a　great　way　off；　somewhere　in　the　south。〃

〃Do　you　mean　South　Wales？〃

〃In　truth；　sir；　I　do。〃

〃There　you　are　mistaken；〃　said　I；　〃and　also　in　supposing　he　lived　a　
great　way　off。　　He　lived　in　North　Wales；　and　not　far　from　this　
place。〃

〃In　truth；　sir；　you　know　more　about　him　than　I。〃

〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　place　called　Sycharth？

〃Sycharth！　Sycharth！　　I　never　did；　sir。〃

〃It　is　the　place　where　Glendower　lived；　and　it　is　not　far　off。　　I　
want　to　go　there；　but　do　not　know　the　way。〃

〃Sycharth！　Sycharth！〃　said　the　landlady　musingly：　　〃I　wonder　if　it　
is　the　place　we　call　Sychnant。〃

〃Is　there　such　a　place？〃

〃Yes；　sure；　about　six　miles　from　here；　near　Langedwin。〃

〃What　kind　of　place　is　it？〃

〃In　truth；　sir；　I　do　not　know；　for　I　was　never　there。　　My　cook；　
however；　in　the　kitchen；　knows　all　about　it；　for　she　comes　from　
there。〃

〃Can　I　see　her？〃

〃Yes；　sure；　I　will　go　at　once　and　fetch　her。〃

She　then　left　the　room　and　presently　returned　with　the　cook；　a　
short；　thick　girl　with　blue　staring　eyes。

〃Here　she　is；　sir；〃　said　the　landlady；　〃but　she　has　no　English。〃

〃All　the　better；〃　said　I。　　〃So　you　come　from　a　place　called　
Sychnant？〃　said　I　to　the　cook　in　Welsh。

〃In　truth；　sir；　I　do；〃　said　the　cook。

〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　gwr　boneddig　called　Owen　Glendower？〃

〃Often；　sir；　often；　he　lived　in　our　place。〃

〃He　lived　in　a　place　called　Sycharth？〃　said　I。

〃Well；　sir；　and　we　of　the　place　call　it　Sycharth　as　often　as　
Sychnant；　nay；　oftener。〃

〃Is　his　house　standing？〃

〃It　is　not；　but　the　hill　on　which　it　stood　is　still　standing。〃

〃Is　it　a　high　hill？〃

〃It　is　not；　it　is　a　small；　light　hill。〃

〃A　light　hill！〃　said　I　to　myself。　　〃Old　Iolo　Goch；　Owen　Glendower's　
bard；　said　the　chieftain　dwelt　in　a　house　on　a　light　hill。


〃'There　dwells　the　chief　we　all　extol
In　timber　house　on　lightsome　knoll。'


〃Is　there　a　little　river　near　it；〃　said　I　to　the　cook；　〃a　ffrwd？〃

〃There　is；　it　runs　just　under　the　hill。〃

〃Is　there　a　mill　upon　the　ffrwd？〃

〃There　is　not；　that　is；　now　…　but　there　was　in　the　old　time；　a　
factory　of　woollen　stands　now　where　the　mill　once　stood。〃


〃'A　mill　a　rushing　brook　upon
And　pigeon　tower　fram'd　of　stone。'


〃So　says　Iolo　Goch；〃　said　I　to　myself；　〃in　his　description　of　
Sycharth；　I　am　on　the　right　road。〃

I　asked　the　cook　to　whom　the　property　of　Sycharth　belonged　and　was　
told　of　course　to　Sir　Watkin；　who　appears　to　be　the　Marquis　of　
Denbighshire。　　After　a　few　more　questions　I　thanked　her　and　told　
her　she　might　go。　　I　then　finished　my　breakfast；　paid　my　bill；　and　
after　telling　the　landlady　that　I　should　return　at　night；　started　
for　Llangedwin　and　Sycharth。

A　broad　and　excellent　road　led　along　the　valley　in　the　direction　in　
which　I　was　proceeding。

The　valley　was　beautiful　and　dotted　with　various　farm…houses；　and　
the　land　appeared　to　be　in　as　high　a　state　of　cultivation　as　the　
soil　of　my　own　Norfolk；　that　county　so　deservedly　celebrated　for　
its　agriculture。　　The　eastern　side　is　bounded　by　lofty　hills；　and　
towards　the　north　the　vale　is　crossed　by　three　rugged　elevations；　
the　middlemost　of　which；　called；　as　an　old　man　told　me；　Bryn　Dinas；　
terminates　to　the　west　in　an　exceedingly　high　and　picturesque　crag。

After　an　hour's　walking　I　overtook　two　people；　a　man　and　a　woman　
laden　with　baskets　which　hung　around　them　on　every　side。　　The　man　
was　a　young　fellow　of　about　eight…and…twenty；　with　a　round　face；　
fair　flaxen　hair；　and　rings　in　his　ears；　the　female　was　a　blooming　
buxom　lass　of　about　eighteen。　　After　giving　them　the　sele　of　the　
day　I　asked　them　if　they　were　English。

〃Aye；　aye；　master；〃　said　the　man；　〃we　are　English。〃

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃　said　I。

〃From　Wrexham；〃　said　the　man。

〃I　thought　Wrexham　was　in　Wales；〃　said

〃If　it　be；〃　said　the　man；　〃the　people　are　not　Welsh；　a　man　is　not　a　
horse　because　he　happens　to　be　born　in　a　stable。〃

〃Is　that　young　woman　your　wife？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃after　a　fashion〃　…　and　then　he　leered　at　the　lass；　
and　she　leered　at　him。

〃Do　you　attend　any　place　of　worship？〃　said　I。

〃A　great　many；　master！〃

〃What　place　do　you　chiefly　attend？〃　said　I。

〃The　Chequers；　master！〃

〃Do　they　preach　the　best　sermons　there？〃　said　I。

〃No；　master！　but　they　sell　the　best　ale　there。〃

〃Do　you　worship　ale？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　master；　I　worships　ale。〃

〃Anything　else？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　master！　　I　and　my　mort　worships　something　besides　good　ale；　
don't　we；　Sue？〃　and　then　he　leered　at　the　mort；　who　leered　at　him；　
and　both　made　odd　motions　backwards　and　forwards；　causing　the　
baskets　which　hung　round　them　to　creak　and　rustle；　and　uttering　
loud　shouts　of　laughter；　which　roused　the　echoes　of　the　
neighbouring　hills。

〃Genuine　descendants；　no　doubt；〃　said　I　to　myself　as