wild wales-第96节

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nearly　at　the　bottom　of　the　descent　I　stood　still　to　look　around　
me。　　Grand　and　wild　was　the　scenery。　　On　my　left　were　noble　green　
hills；　the　tops　of　which　were　beautifully　gilded　by　the　rays　of　the　
setting　sun。　　On　my　right　a　black；　gloomy；　narrow　valley　or　glen　
showed　itself；　two　enormous　craggy　hills　of　immense　altitude；　one　
to　the　west　and　the　other　to　the　east　of　the　entrance；　that　to　the　
east　terminating　in　a　peak。　　The　background　to　the　north　was　a　wall　
of　rocks　forming　a　semicircle；　something　like　a　bent　bow　with　the　
head　downward；　behind　this　bow；　just　in　the　middle；　rose　the　black　
loaf　of　Arran。　　A　torrent　tumbled　from　the　lower　part　of　the　
semicircle；　and　after　running　for　some　distance　to　the　south　turned　
to　the　west；　the　way　I　was　going。

Observing　a　house　a　little　way　within　the　gloomy　vale　I　went　
towards　it；　in　the　hope　of　finding　somebody　in　it　who　could　give　me　
information　respecting　this　wild　locality。　　As　I　drew　near　the　door　
two　tall　men　came　forth；　one　about　sixty；　and　the　other　about　half　
that　age。　　The　elder　had　a　sharp；　keen　look；　the　younger　a　lumpy　
and　a　stupid　one。　　They　were　dressed　like　farmers。　　On　my　saluting　
them　in　English　the　elder　returned　my　salutation　in　that　tongue；　
but　in　rather　a　gruff　tone。　　The　younger　turned　away　his　head　and　
said　nothing。

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　house？〃　said　I；　pointing　to　the　building。

〃The　name　of　it；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃is　Ty　Mawr。〃

〃Do　you　live　in　it？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　I　live　in　it。〃

〃What　waterfall　is　that？〃　said　I；　pointing　to　the　torrent　tumbling　
down　the　crag　at　the　farther　end　of　the　gloomy　vale。

〃The　fountain　of　the　Royal　Dyfi。〃

〃Why　do　you　call　the　Dyfy　royal？〃　said　I。

〃Because　it　is　the　king　of　the　rivers　in　these　parts。〃

〃Does　the　fountain　come　out　of　a　rock？〃

〃It　does　not；　it　comes　out　of　a　lake；　a　llyn。〃

〃Where　is　the　llyn？〃

〃Over　that　crag　at　the　foot　of　Aran　Vawr。〃

〃Is　it　a　large　lake？〃

〃It　is　not；　it　is　small。〃

〃Deep？〃

〃Very。〃

〃Strange　things　in　it？〃

〃I　believe　there　are　strange　things　in　it。〃　　His　English　now　became　
broken。

〃Crocodiles？〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　cracadailes　be。〃

〃Efync？〃

〃Ah！　　No；　I　do　not　tink　there　be　efync　dere。　　Hu　Gadarn　in　de　old　
time　kill　de　efync　dere　and　in　all　de　lakes　in　Wales。　　He　draw　them　
out　of　the　water　with　his　ychain　banog　his　humpty　oxen；　and　when　he　
get　dem　out　he　burn　deir　bodies　on　de　fire；　he　good　man　for　dat。〃

〃What　do　you　call　this　allt？〃　said　I；　looking　up　to　the　high　
pinnacled　hill　on　my　right。

〃I　call　that　Tap　Nyth　yr　Eryri。〃

〃Is　not　that　the　top　nest　of　the　eagles？〃

〃I　believe　it　is。　　Ha！　　I　see　you　understand　Welsh。〃

〃A　little；〃　said　I。　　〃Are　there　eagles　there　now？〃

〃No；　no　eagle　now。〃

〃Gone　like　avanc？〃

〃Yes；　gone　like　avanc；　but　not　so　long。　　My　father　see　eagle　on　Tap　
Nyth；　but　my　father　never　see　avanc　in　de　llyn。〃

〃How　far　to　Dinas？〃

〃About　three　mile。〃

〃Any　thieves　about？〃

〃No；　no　thieves　here；　but　what　come　from　England；〃　and　he　looked　at　
me　with　a　strange；　grim　smile。

〃What　is　become　of　the　red…haired　robbers　of　Mawddwy？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　old　man；　staring　at　me；　〃I　see　you　are　a　Cumro。　　The　
red…haired　thieves　of　Mawddwy！　　I　see　you　are　from　these　parts。〃

〃What's　become　of　them？〃

〃Oh；　dead；　hung。　　Lived　long　time　ago；　long　before　eagle　left　Tap　
Nyth。〃

He　spoke　true。　　The　red…haired　banditti　of　Mawddwy　were　
exterminated　long　before　the　conclusion　of　the　sixteenth　century；　
after　having　long　been　the　terror　not　only　of　these　wild　regions　
but　of　the　greater　part　of　North　Wales。　　They　were　called　the　red…
haired　banditti　because　certain　leading　individuals　amongst　them　
had　red　foxy　hair。

〃Is　that　young　man　your　son？〃　said　I；　after　a　little　pause。

〃Yes；　he　my　son。〃

〃Has　he　any　English？〃

〃No；　he　no　English；　but　he　plenty　of　Welsh　…　that　is　if　he　see　
reason。〃

I　spoke　to　the　young　man　in　Welsh；　asking　him　if　he　had　ever　been　
up　to　the　Tap　Nyth；　but　he　made　no　answer。

〃He　no　care　for　your　question；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃ask　him　price　of　
pig。〃　　I　asked　the　young　fellow　the　price　of　hogs；　whereupon　his　
face　brightened　up；　and　he　not　only　answered　my　question；　but　told　
me　that　he　had　fat　hog　to　sell。　　〃Ha；　ha；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃he　
plenty　of　Welsh　now；　for　he　see　reason。　　To　other　question　he　no　
Welsh　at　all；　no　more　than　English；　for　he　see　no　reason。　　What　
business　he　on　Tap　Nyth　with　eagle？　　His　business　down　below　in　sty　
with　pig。　　Ah；　he　look　lump；　but　he　no　fool；　know　more　about　pig　
than　you　or　I；　or　any　one　'twixt　here　and　Mahuncleth。〃

He　now　asked　me　where　I　came　from；　and　on　my　telling　him　from　Bala；　
his　heart　appeared　to　warm　towards　me；　and　saying　that　I　must　be　
tired；　he　asked　me　to　step　in　and　drink　buttermilk；　but　I　declined　
his　offer　with　thanks；　and　bidding　the　two　adieu；　returned　to　the　
road。

I　hurried　along　and　soon　reached　a　valley　which　abounded　with　trees　
and　grass；　I　crossed　a　bridge　over　a　brook；　not　what　the　old　man　
had　called　the　Dyfi；　but　the　stream　whose　source　I　had　seen　high　up　
the　bwlch；　and　presently　came　to　a　place　where　the　two　waters　
joined。　　Just　below　the　confluence　on　a　fallen　tree　was　seated　a　
man　decently　dressed；　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　rushing　stream。　　I　
stopped　and　spoke　to　him。

He　had　no　English；　but　I　found　him　a　very　sensible　man。　　I　talked　
to　him　about　the　source　of　the　Dyfi。　　He　said　it　was　a　disputed　
point　which　was　the　source。　　He　himself　was　inclined　to　believe　
that　it　was　the　Pistyll　up　the　bwlch。　　I　asked　him　of　what　religion　
he　was。　　He　said　he　was　of　the　Church　of　England；　which　was　the　
Church　of　his　father　and　his　grandfather；　and　which　he　believed　to　
be　the　only　true　Church。　　I　inquired　if　it　flourished。　　He　said　it　
did；　but　that　it　was　dreadfully　persecuted　by　all　classes　of　
dissenters；　who；　though　they　were　continually　quarrelling　with　one　
another；　agreed　in　one　thing；　namely；　to　persecute　the　Church。　　I　
asked　him　if　he　ever　read。　　He　said　he　read　a　great　deal；　
especially　the　works　of　Huw　Morris；　and　that　reading　them　had　given　
him　a　love　for　the　sights　of　nature。　　He　added　that　his　greatest　
delight　was　to　come　to　the　place　where　he　then　was　of　an　evening；　
and　look　at　the　waters　and　hills。　　I　asked　him　what　trade　he　was。　　
〃The　trade　of　Joseph；〃　said　he；　smiling。　　〃Saer。〃　　〃Farewell；　
brother；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　not　a　carpenter；　but　like　you　I　read　the　
works　of　Huw　Morris　and　am　of　the　Church　of　England。〃　　I　then　shook　
him　by　the　hand　and　departed。

I　passed　a　village　with　a　stupendous　mountain　just　behind　it　to　the　
north；　which　I　was　told　was　called　Moel　Vrith　or　the　party…coloured　
moel。　　I　was　now　drawing　near　to　the　western　end　of　the　valley。　　
Scenery　of　the　wildest　and　most　picturesque　description　was　rife　
and　plentiful　to　a　degree：　　hills　were　here；　hills　were　there；　some　
tall　and　sharp；　others　huge　and　humpy；　hills　were　on　every　side；　
only　a　slight　opening　to　the　west　seemed　to　present　itself。　　〃What　
a　valley！〃　I　exclaimed。　　But　on　passing　through　the　opening　I　found　
myself　in　another；　wilder　and　stranger；　if　possible。　　Full　to　the　
west　was　a　long　hill　rising　up　like　the　roof　of　a　barn；　an　enormous　
round　hill　on　its　north…east　side；　and　on　its　south…east　the　tail　
of　the　range　which　I　had　long　had　on　my　left　…　there　were　trees　and　
groves　and　running　waters；　but　all　in　deep　shadow；　for　night　was　
now　close　at　hand。

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　place？〃　I　shouted　to　a　man　on　horseback；　
who　came　dashing　through　a　brook　with　a　woman　in　a　Welsh　dress　
behind　him。

〃Aber　Cowarch；　Saxon！〃　said　the　man　in　a　deep　guttural　voice；　and　
lashing　his　horse　disappeared　rapidly　in　the　night。

〃Aber　Cywarch！〃　I　cried；　springing　half　a　yard　into　the　air。　　〃Why；　
that's　the　place　where　Ellis　Wynn　composed　his　immortal　'Sleeping　
Bard；'　the　book　which　I　translated　in　the　blessed　days　of　my　youth。　　
Oh；　no　wonder　that　the　'Sleeping　Bard'　is　a　wild　and　wondrous　work；　
seeing　that　it　was　composed　amidst　the　wild　and　wonderful　scenes　
which　I　here　behold。〃

I　proceeded　onwards　up　an　ascent；　after　some　time　I　came　to　a　
bridge　across　a　stream；　which　a　man　told　me　was　called　Avon　Gerres。　　
It　runs　into　the　Dyfi；　coming　down　with　a　rushing　sound　from　a　wild　
vale　to　the　north…east　between　the　huge　barn…like　hill　and　Moel　
Vrith。　　The　barn…like　hill　I　was　informed　was　called　Pen　Dyn。　　I　
soon　reached　Dinas　Mawddwy；　which　stands　on　the　lower　part　of　a　
high　hill　connected　with　the　Pen　Dyn。　　Dinas；　trough　at　one　time　a　
place　of　considerable　importance；　if　we　may　judge　from　its　name；　
which　signifies　a　fortified　city；　is　at　present　little　more　than　a　
collection　of　filthy　huts。　　But　though　a　dirty　squalid　place；　I　
found　it　anything　but　silent　and　deserted。　　Fierce…looking；　red…
haired　men；　who　seemed　as　if　they　might　be　descendants　of　the　red…
haired　banditti　of　old；　were　staggering　about；　and　sounds　of　
drunken　revelry　echoed　from　the　huts。　　I　subsequently　learned　that　
Dinas　was　the　head…quarters　of　miners；　the　neighbourhood　abounding　
with　mines　both　of　lead　and　stone。　　I　was　glad　to　leave　it　behind　
me。　　Mallwyd　is　to　the　south　of　Dinas　…　the　way　to　it　i