wild wales-第98节

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suspicious　silence；　I　determined　to　comport　myself　in　a　manner　
which　should　to　a　certain　extent　afford　them　ground　for　suspicion。　　
I　therefore　slowly　and　deliberately　drew　my　note…book　out　of　my　
waistcoat　pocket；　unclasped　it；　took　my　pencil　from　the　loops　at　
the　side　of　the　book；　and　forthwith　began　to　dot　down　observations　

upon　the　room　and　company；　now　looking　to　the　left；　now　to　the　
right；　now　aloft；　now　alow；　now　skewing　at　an　object；　now　leering　
at　an　individual；　my　eyes　half　closed　and　my　mouth　drawn　
considerably　aside。　　Here　follow　some　of　my　dottings：…

〃A　very　comfortable　kitchen　with　a　chimney…corner　on　the　south　side　
…　immense　grate　and　brilliant　fire　…　large　kettle　hanging　over　it　
by　a　chain　attached　to　a　transverse　iron　bar　…　a　settle　on　the　
left…hand　side　of　the　fire　…　seven　fine　large　men　near　the　fire　…　
two　upon　the　settle；　two　upon　chairs；　one　in　the　chimney…corner　
smoking　a　pipe；　and　two　standing　up　…　table　near　the　settle　with　
glasses；　amongst　which　is　that　of　myself；　who　sit　nearly　in　the　
middle　of　the　room　a　little　way　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　fire。

〃The　floor　is　of　slate；　a　fine　brindled　greyhound　lies　before　it　on　
the　hearth；　and　a　shepherd's　dog　wanders　about；　occasionally　going　
to　the　door　and　scratching　as　if　anxious　to　get　out。　　The　company　
are　dressed　mostly　in　the　same　fashion；　brown　coats；　broad…brimmed　
hats；　and　yellowish　corduroy　breeches　with　gaiters。　　One　who　looks　
like　a　labouring　man　has　a　white　smock　and　a　white　hat；　patched　
trowsers；　and　highlows　covered　with　gravel　…　one　has　a　blue　coat。

〃There　is　a　clock　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　kitchen；　a　warming…
pan　hangs　close　by　it　on　the　projecting　side　of　the　chimney…corner。　　
On　the　same　side　is　a　large　rack　containing　many　plates　and　dishes　
of　Staffordshire　ware。　　Let　me　not　forget　a　pair　of　fire…irons　
which　hang　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　chimney…corner！〃

I　made　a　great　many　more　dottings；　which　I　shall　not　insert　here。　　
During　the　whole　time　I　was　dotting　the　most　marvellous　silence　
prevailed　in　the　room；　broken　only　by　the　occasional　scratching　of　
the　dog　against　the　inside　of　the　door；　the　ticking　of　the　clock；　
and　the　ruttling　of　the　smoker's　pipe　in　the　chimney…corner。　　After　
I　had　dotted　to　my　heart's　content　I　closed　my　book；　put　the　pencil　
into　the　loops；　then　the　book　into　my　pocket；　drank　what　remained　
of　my　ale；　got　up；　and；　after　another　look　at　the　apartment　and　its　
furniture；　and　a　leer　at　the　company；　departed　from　the　house　
without　ceremony；　having　paid　for　the　ale　when　I　received　it。　　
After　walking　some　fifty　yards　down　the　street　I　turned　half　round　
and　beheld；　as　I　knew　I　should；　the　whole　company　at　the　door　
staring　after　me。　　I　leered　sideways　at　them　for　about　half　a　
minute；　but　they　stood　my　leer　stoutly。　　Suddenly　I　was　inspired　by　
a　thought。　　Turning　round　I　confronted　them；　and　pulling　my　note…
book　out　of　my　pocket；　and　seizing　my　pencil；　I　fell　to　dotting　
vigorously。　　That　was　too　much　for　them。　　As　if　struck　by　a　panic；　
my　quondam　friends　turned　round　and　bolted　into　the　house；　the　
rustic…looking　man　with　the　smock…frock　and　gravelled　highlows　
nearly　falling　down　in　his　eagerness　to　get　in。

The　name　of　the　place　where　this　adventure　occurred　was　Cemmaes。



CHAPTER　LXXVII



The　Deaf　Man　…　Funeral　Procession　…　The　Lone　Family　…　The　Welsh　and　
their　Secrets　…　The　Vale　of　the　Dyfi　…　The　Bright　Moon。


A　LITTLE　way　from　Cemmaes　I　saw　a　respectable…looking　old　man　like　
a　little　farmer；　to　whom　I　said：

〃How　far　to　Machynlleth？〃

Looking　at　me　in　a　piteous　manner　in　the　face　he　pointed　to　the　
side　of　his　head；　and　said　…　〃Dim　clywed。〃

It　was　no　longer　no　English；　but　no　hearing。

Presently　I　met　one　yet　more　deaf。　　A　large　procession　of　men　came　
along　the　road。　　Some　distance　behind　them　was　a　band　of　women　and　
between　the　two　bands　was　a　kind　of　bier　drawn　by　a　horse　with　
plumes　at　each　of　the　four　corners。　　I　took　off　my　hat　and　stood　
close　against　the　hedge　on　the　right…hand　side　till　the　dead　had　
passed　me　some　way　to　its　final　home。

Crossed　a　river；　which　like　that　on　the　other　side　of　Cemmaes　
streamed　down　from　a　gulley　between　two　hills　into　the　valley　of　
the　Dyfi。　　Beyond　the　bridge　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　road　was　
a　pretty　cottage；　just　as　there　was　in　the　other　locality。　　A　fine　
tall　woman　stood　at　the　door；　with　a　little　child　beside　her。　　I　
stopped　and　inquired　in　English　whose　body　it　was　that　had　just　
been　borne　by。

〃That　of　a　young　man；　sir；　the　son　of　a　farmer；　who　lives　a　mile　or　
so　up　the　road。〃

MYSELF。　…　He　seems　to　have　plenty　of　friends。

WOMAN。　…　Oh　yes；　sir；　the　Welsh　have　plenty　of　friends　both　in　life　
and　death。

MYSELF。　…　A'n't　you　Welsh；　then？

WOMAN。　…　Oh　no；　sir；　I　am　English；　like　yourself；　as　I　suppose。

MYSELF。　…　Yes；　I　am　English。　　What　part　of　England　do　you　come　
from？

WOMAN。　…　Shropshire；　sir。

MYSELF。　…　Is　that　little　child　yours？

WOMAN。　…　Yes；　sir；　it　is　my　husband's　child　and　mine。

MYSELF。　…　I　suppose　your　husband　is　Welsh。

WOMAN。　…　Oh　no；　sir；　we　are　all　English。

MYSELF。　…　And　what　is　your　husband？

WOMAN。　…　A　little　farmer；　sir；　he　farms　about　forty　acres　under　Mrs　
…。

MYSELF。　…　Well；　are　you　comfortable　here？

WOMAN。　…　Oh　dear　me；　no；　sir；　we　are　anything　but　comfortable。　　
Here　we　are　three　poor　lone　creatures　in　a　strange　land；　without　a　
soul　to　speak　to　but　one　another。　　Every　day　of　our　lives　we　wish　
we　had　never　left　Shropshire。

MYSELF。　…　Why　don't　you　make　friends　amongst　your　neighbours？

WOMAN。　…　Oh；　sir；　the　English　cannot　make　friends　amongst　the　
Welsh。　　The　Welsh　won't　neighbour　with　them；　or　have　anything　to　do　
with　them；　except　now　and　then　in　the　way　of　business。

MYSELF。　…　I　have　occasionally　found　the　Welsh　very　civil。

WOMAN。　…　Oh　yes；　sir；　they　can　be　civil　enough　to　passers…by；　
especially　those　who　they　think　want　nothing　from　them　…　but　if　you　
came　and　settled　amongst　them　you　would　find　them；　I'm　afraid；　
quite　the　contrary。

MYSELF。　…　Would　they　be　uncivil　to　me　if　I　could　speak　Welsh？

WOMAN。　…　Most　particularly；　sir；　the　Welsh　don't　like　any　
strangers；　but　least　of　all　those　who　speak　their　language。

MYSELF。　…　Have　you　picked　up　anything　of　their　language？

WOMAN。　…　Not　a　word；　sir；　nor　my　husband　neither。　　They　take　good　
care　that　we　shouldn't　pick　up　a　word　of　their　language。　　I　stood　
the　other　day　and　listened　whilst　two　women　were　talking　just　where　
you　stand　now；　in　the　hope　of　catching　a　word；　and　as　soon　as　they　
saw　me　they　passed　to　the　other　side　of　the　bridge；　and　began　
buzzing　there。　　My　poor　husband　took　it　into　his　head　that　he　might　
possibly　learn　a　word　or　two　at　the　public…house；　so　he　went　there；　
called　for　a　jug　of　ale　and　a　pipe；　and　tried　to　make　himself　at　
home　just　as　he　might　in　England；　but　it　wouldn't　do。　　The　company　
instantly　left　off　talking　to　one　another　and　stared　at　him；　and　
before　he　could　finish　his　pot　and　pipe　took　themselves　off　to　a　
man；　and　then　came　the　landlord；　and　asked　him　what　he　meant　by　
frightening　away　his　customers。　　So　my　poor　husband　came　home　as　
pale　as　a　sheet；　and　sitting　down　in　a　chair　said；　〃Lord；　have　
mercy　upon　me！〃

MYSELF。　…　Why　are　the　Welsh　afraid　that　strangers　should　pick　up　
their　language？

WOMAN。　…　Lest；　perhaps；　they　should　learn　their　secrets；　sir！

MYSELF。　…　What　secrets　have　they？

WOMAN。　…　The　Lord　above　only　knows；　sir！

MYSELF。　…　Do　you　think　they　are　hatching　treason　against　Queen　
Victoria？

WOMAN。　…　Oh　dear　no；　sir。

MYSELF。　…　Is　there　much　murder　going　on　amongst　them？

WOMAN。　…　Nothing　of　the　kind；　sir。

MYSELF。　…　Cattle…stealing？

WOMAN。　…　Oh　no；　sir！

MYSELF。　…　Pig…stealing？

WOMAN。　…　No；　sir！

MYSELF。　…　Duck　or　hen　stealing？

WOMAN。　…　Haven't　lost　a　duck　or　hen　since　I　have　been　here；　sir。

MYSELF。　　…　Then　what　secrets　can　they　possibly　have？

WOMAN。　…　I　don't　know；　sir！　perhaps　none　at　all；　or　at　most　only　a　
pack　of　small　nonsense　that　nobody　would　give　three　farthings　to　
know。　　However；　it　is　quite　certain　they　are　as　jealous　of　
strangers　hearing　their　discourse　as　if　they　were　plotting　
gunpowder　treason　or　something　worse。

MYSELF。　…　Have　you　been　long　here？

WOMAN。　…　Only　since　last　May；　sir！　and　we　hope　to　get　away　by　next；　
and　return　to　our　own　country；　where　we　shall　have　some　one　to　
speak　to。

MYSELF。　…　Good…bye！

WOMAN。　…　Good…bye；　sir；　and　thank　you　for　your　conversation；　I　
haven't　had　such　a　treat　of　talk　for　many　a　weary　day。

The　Vale　of　the　Dyfi　became　wider　and　more　beautiful　as　I　advanced。　　
The　river　ran　at　the　bottom　amidst　green　and　seemingly　rich　
meadows。　　The　hills　on　the　farther　side　were　cultivated　a　great　way　
up；　and　various　neat　farm…houses　were　scattered　here　and　there　on　
their　sides。　　At　the　foot　of　one　of　the　most　picturesque　of　these　
hills　stood　a　large　white　village。　　I　wished　very　much　to　know　its　
name；　but　saw　no　one　of　whom　I　could　inquire。　　I　proceeded　for　
about　a　mile；　and　then　perceiving　a　man　wheeling　stones　in　a　barrow　
for　the　repairing　of　the　road　I　thought　I　would　inquire　of　him。　　I　
did　so；　but　the　vil