wild wales-第94节

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Book　out　of　my　satchel；　and　also　my　single　white　shirt；　which　I　put　
on。

Having　dressed　myself　I　went　to　the　coffee…room　and　sat　down　to　
breakfast。　　What　a　breakfast！　…　pot　of　hare；　ditto　of　trout；　pot　of　
prepared　shrimps；　dish　of　plain　shrimps；　tin　of　sardines；　beautiful　
beef…steak；　eggs；　muffin；　large　loaf；　and　butter；　not　forgetting　
capital　tea。　　There's　a　breakfast　for　you！

As　the　little　freckled　maid　was　removing　the　breakfast　things　I　
asked　her　how　old　she　was。

〃Eighteen；　sir；　last　Candlemas；〃　said　the　freckled　maid。

〃Are　your　parents　alive？〃

〃My　mother　is；　sir；　but　my　father　is　dead。〃

〃What　was　your　father？〃

〃He　was　an　Irishman；　sir！　and　boots　to　this　inn。〃

〃Is　your　mother　Irish？〃

〃No；　sir；　she　is　of　this　place；　my　father　married　her　shortly　after　
he　came　here。〃

〃Of　what　religion　are　you？〃

〃Church；　sir；　Church。〃

〃Was　your　father　of　the　Church？〃

〃Not　always；　sir；　he　was　once　what　is　called　a　Catholic。　　He　turned　
to　the　Church　after　he　came　here。〃

〃A'n't　there　a　great　many　Methodists　in　Bala？〃

〃Plenty；　sir；　plenty。〃

〃How　came　your　father　not　to　go　over　to　the　Methodists　instead　of　
the　Church？〃

〃'Cause　he　didn't　like　them；　sir；　he　used　to　say　they　were　a　
trumpery；　cheating　set；　that　they　wouldn't　swear；　but　would　lie　
through　a　three…inch　board。〃

〃I　suppose　your　mother　is　a　Church…woman？〃

〃She　is　now；　sir；　but　before　she　knew　my　father　she　was　a　
Methodist。〃

〃Of　what　religion　is　the　master　of　the　house？〃

〃Church；　sir；　Church；　so　is　all　the　family。〃

〃Who　is　the　clergyman　of　the　place？〃

〃Mr　Pugh；　sir！〃

〃Is　he　a　good　preacher？〃

〃Capital；　sir！　and　so　is　each　of　his　curates；　he　and　they　are　
converting　the　Methodists　left　and　right。〃

〃I　should　like　to　hear　him。〃

〃Well；　sir！　that　you　can　do。　　My　master；　who　is　going　to　church　
presently；　will　be　happy　to　accommodate　you　in　his　pew。〃

I　went　to　church　with　the　landlord；　a　tall　gentlemanly　man　of　the　
name　of　Jones　…　Oh　that　eternal　name　of　Jones！　　Rain　was　falling　
fast；　and　we　were　glad　to　hold　up　our　umbrellas。　　We　did　not　go　to　
the　church　at　Bala；　at　which　there　was　no　service　that　morning；　but　
to　that　of　a　little　village　close　by；　on　the　side　of　the　lake；　the　
living　of　which　is　incorporated　with　that　of　Bala。　　The　church　
stands　low　down　by　the　lake　at　the　bottom　of　a　little　nook。　　Its　
name　which　is　Llan　uwch　Llyn；　is　descriptive　of　its　position；　
signifying　the　Church　above　the　Lake。　　It　is　a　long；　low；　ancient　
edifice；　standing　north…east　by　south…west。　　The　village　is　just　
above　it　on　a　rising　ground；　behind　which　are　lofty　hills　
pleasantly　dotted　with　groves；　trees；　and　houses。　　The　interior　of　
the　edifice　has　a　somewhat　dilapidated　appearance。　　The　service　was　
in　Welsh。　　The　clergyman　was　about　forty　years　of　age；　and　had　a　
highly…intelligent　look。　　His　voice　was　remarkably　clear　and　
distinct。　　He　preached　an　excellent　practical　sermon；　text；　14th　
chapter；　22nd　verse　of　Luke；　about　sending　out　servants　to　invite　
people　to　the　supper。　　After　the　sermon　there　was　a　gathering　for　
the　poor。

As　I　returned　to　the　inn　I　had　a　good　deal　of　conversation　with　the　
landlord　on　religious　subjects。　　He　told　me　that　the　Church　of　
England；　which　for　a　long　time　had　been　a　down…trodden　Church　in　
Wales；　had　of　late　begun　to　raise　its　head；　and　chiefly　owing　to　
the　zeal　and　activity　of　its　present　ministers；　that　the　former　
ministers　of　the　Church　were　good　men；　but　had　not　energy　enough　to　
suit　the　times　in　which　they　lived；　that　the　present　ministers　
fought　the　Methodist　preachers　with　their　own　weapons；　namely；　
extemporary　preaching；　and　beat　them；　winning　shoals　from　their　
congregations。　　He　seemed　to　think　that　the　time　was　not　far　
distant　when　the　Anglican　Church　would　be　the　popular　as　well　as　
the　established　Church　of　Wales。

Finding　myself　rather　dull　in　the　inn；　I　went　out　again；　
notwithstanding　that　it　rained。　　I　ascended　the　toman　or　mound　
which　I　had　visited　on　a　former　occasion。　　Nothing　could　be　more　
desolate　and　dreary　than　the　scene　around。　　The　woods　were　stripped　
of　their　verdure　and　the　hills　were　half　shrouded　in　mist。　　How　
unlike　was　this　scene　to　the　smiling；　glorious　prospect　which　had　
greeted　my　eyes　a　few　months　before。　　The　rain　coming　down　with　
redoubled　violence；　I　was　soon　glad　to　descend　and　regain　the　inn。

Shortly　before　dinner　I　was　visited　by　the　landlady；　a　fine　tall　
woman　of　about　fifty；　with　considerable　remains　of　beauty　in　her　
countenance。　　She　came　to　ask　me　if　I　was　comfortable。　　I　told　her　
that　it　was　my　own　fault　if　I　was　not。　　We　were　soon　in　very　
friendly　discourse。　　I　asked　her　her　maiden　name。

〃Owen；〃　said　she；　laughing；　〃which；　after　my　present　name　of　Jones；　
is　the　most　common　name　in　Wales。〃

〃They　were　both　one　and　the　same　originally；〃　said　I；　〃Owen　and　
Jones　both　mean　John。〃

She　too　was　a　staunch　member　of　the　Church　of　England；　which　she　
said　was　the　only　true　Church。　　She　spoke　in　terms　of　high　respect　
and　admiration　of　her　minister；　and　said　that　a　new　church　was　
being　built；　the　old　one　not　being　large　enough　to　accommodate　the　
numbers　who　thronged　to　hear　him。

I　had　a　noble　goose　for　dinner；　to　which　I　did　ample　justice。　　
About　four　o'clock；　the　weather　having　cleared　up；　I　took　a　stroll。　　
It　was　a　beautiful　evening；　though　rain　clouds　still　hovered　about。　　
I　wandered　to　the　northern　end　of　Llyn　Tegid；　which　I　had　passed　in　
the　preceding　evening。　　The　wind　was　blowing　from　the　south；　and　
tiny　waves　were　beating　against　the　shore；　which　consisted　of　small　
brown　pebbles。　　The　lake　has　certainly　not　its　name；　which　
signifies　Lake　of　Beauty；　for　nothing。　　It　is　a　beautiful　sheet　of　
water；　and　beautifully　situated。　　It　is　oblong　and　about　six　miles　
in　length。　　On　all　sides；　except　to　the　north；　it　is　bounded　by　
hills。　　Those　at　the　southern　end　are　very　lofty；　the　tallest　of　
which　is　Arran；　which　lifts　its　head　to　the　clouds　like　a　huge　
loaf。　　As　I　wandered　on　the　strand　I　thought　of　a　certain　British　
prince　and　poet；　who　in　the　very　old　time　sought　a　refuge　in　the　
vicinity　of　the　lake　from　the　rage　of　the　Saxons。　　His　name　was　
Llewarch　Hen；　of　whom　I　will　now　say　a　few　words。

Llewarch　Hen；　or　Llewarch　the　Aged；　was　born　about　the　commencement　
of　the　sixth　and　died　about　the　middle　of　the　seventh　century；　
having　attained　to　the　prodigious　age　of　one　hundred　and　forty　or　
fifty　years；　which　is　perhaps　the　lot　of　about　forty　individuals　in　
the　course　of　a　millennium。　　If　he　was　remarkable　for　his　years　he　
was　no　less　so　for　the　number　of　his　misfortunes。　　He　was　one　of　
the　princes　of　the　Cumbrian　Britons；　but　Cumbria　was　invaded　by　the　
Saxons；　and　a　scene　of　horrid　war　ensued。　　Llewarch　and　his　sons；　
of　whom　he　had　twenty…four；　put　themselves　at　the　head　of　their　
forces；　and　in　conjunction　with　the　other　Cumbrian　princes　made　a　
brave　but　fruitless　opposition　to　the　invaders。　　Most　of　his　sons　
were　slain；　and　he　himself　with　the　remainder　sought　shelter　in　
Powys；　in　the　hall　of　Cynddylan；　its　prince。　　But　the　Saxon　bills　
and　bows　found　their　way　to　Powys　too。　　Cynddylan　was　slain；　and　
with　him　the　last　of　the　sons　of　Llewarch；　who；　reft　of　his　
protector；　retired　to　a　hut　by　the　side　of　the　lake　of　Bala；　where　
he　lived　the　life　of　a　recluse；　and　composed　elegies　on　his　sons　
and　slaughtered　friends；　and　on　his　old　age；　all　of　which　abound　
with　so　much　simplicity　and　pathos　that　the　heart　of　him　must　be　
hard　indeed　who　can　read　them　unmoved。　　Whilst　a　prince　he　was　
revered　for　his　wisdom　and　equity；　and　he　is　said　in　one　of　the　
historical　triads　to　have　been　one　of　the　three　consulting　warriors　
of　Arthur。

In　the　evening　I　attended　service　in　the　old　church　at　Bala。　　The　
interior　of　the　edifice　was　remarkably　plain；　no　ornament　of　any　
kind　was　distinguishable；　the　congregation　was　overflowing；　amongst　
whom　I　observed　the　innkeeper　and　his　wife；　the　little　freckled　
maid　and　the　boots。　　The　entire　service　was　in　Welsh。　　Next　to　the　
pew　in　which　I　sat　was　one　filled　with　young　singing　women；　all　of　
whom　seemed　to　have　voices　of　wonderful　power。　　The　prayers　were　
read　by　a　strapping　young　curate　at　least　six　feet　high。　　The　
sermon　was　preached　by　the　rector；　and　was　a　continuation　of　the　
one　which　I　had　heard　him　preach　in　the　morning。　　It　was　a　very　
comforting　discourse；　as　the　preacher　clearly　proved　that　every　
sinner　will　be　pardoned　who　comes　to　Jesus。　　I　was　particularly　
struck　with　one　part。　　The　preacher　said　that　Jesus'　arms　being　
stretched　out　upon　the　cross　was　emblematic　of　His　surprising　love　
and　His　willingness　to　receive　anybody。　　The　service　concluded　with　
the　noble　anthem　Teyrnasa　Jesu　Mawr；　〃May　Mighty　Jesus　reign！〃

The　service　over　I　returned　to　the　parlour　of　the　inn。　　There　I　sat　
for　a　long…time；　lone　and　solitary；　staring　at　the　fire　in　the　
grate。　　I　was　the　only　guest　in　the　house；　a　great　silence　
prevailed　both　within　and　without；　sometimes　five　minutes　elapsed　
without　my　hearing　a　sound；　and　then；　perhaps；　the　silence　would　be　
broken　by　a　footstep　at　a　distance　in　the　street。　　At　length；　
finding　myself　yaw