wild wales-第99节

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for　the　repairing　of　the　road　I　thought　I　would　inquire　of　him。　　I　
did　so；　but　the　village　was　then　out　of　sight；　and　though　I　pointed　
in　its　direction　and　described　its　situation　I　could　not　get　its　
name　out　of　him。　　At　last　I　said　hastily；　〃Can　you　tell　me　your　own　
name？〃

〃Dafydd　Tibbot；　sir；〃　said　he。

〃Tibbot；　Tibbot；〃　said　I；　〃why；　you　are　a　Frenchman。〃

〃Dearie　me；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　looking　very　pleased；　〃am　I；　
indeed？〃

〃Yes；　you　are；〃　said　I；　rather　repenting　of　my　haste；　and　giving　
him　sixpence；　I　left　him。

〃I'd　bet　a　trifle；〃　said　I　to　myself；　as　I　walked　away；　that　this　
poor　creature　is　the　descendant　of　some　desperate　Norman　Tibault　
who　helped　to　conquer　Powisland　under　Roger　de　Montgomery　or　Earl　
Baldwin。　　How　striking　that　the　proud　old　Norman　names　are　at　
present　only　borne　by　people　in　the　lowest　station。　　Here's　a　
Tibbot　or　Tibault　harrowing　stones　on　a　Welsh　road；　and　I　have　
known　a　Mortimer　munching　poor　cheese　and　bread　under　a　hedge　on　an　
English　one。　　How　can　we　account　for　this　save　by　the　supposition　
that　the　descendants　of　proud；　cruel；　and　violent　men　…　and　who　so　
proud；　cruel　and　violent；　as　the　old　Normans　…　are　doomed　by　God　to　
come　to　the　dogs？〃

Came　to　Pont　Velin　Cerrig；　the　bridge　of　the　mill　of　the　Cerrig；　a　
river　which　comes　foaming　down　from　between　two　rocky　hills。　　This　
bridge　is　about　a　mile　from　Machynlleth；　at　which　place　I　arrived　
at　about　five　o'clock　in　the　evening　…　a　cool；　bright　moon　shining　
upon　me。　　I　put　up　at　the　principal　inn；　which　was　of　course　called　
the　Wynstay　Arms。



CHAPTER　LXXVIII



Welsh　Poems　…　Sessions　Business　…　The　Lawyer　and　his　Client　…　The　
Court　…　The　Two　Keepers　…　The　Defence。


DURING　supper　I　was　waited　upon　by　a　brisk；　buxom　maid　who　told　me　
that　her　name　was　Mary　Evans。　　The　repast　over；　I　ordered　a　glass　
of　whiskey　and　water；　and　when　it　was　brought　I　asked　the　maid　if　
she　could　procure　me　some　book　to　read。　　She　said　she　was　not　aware　
of　any　book　in　the　house　which　she　could　lay　her　hand　on　except　one　
of　her　own；　which　if　I　pleased　she　would　lend　me。　　I　begged　her　to　
do　so。　　Whereupon　she　went　out　and　presently　returned　with　a　very　
small　volume；　which　she　laid　on　the　table　and　then　retired。　　After　
taking　a　sip　of　my　whiskey　and　water　I　proceeded　to　examine　it。　　It　
turned　out　to　be　a　volume　of　Welsh　poems　entitled　〃Blodau　Glyn　
Dyfi〃；　or；　Flowers　of　Glyn　Dyfi；　by　one　Lewis　Meredith；　whose　
poetical　name　is　Lewis　Glyn　Dyfi。　　The　author　indites　his　preface　
from　Cemmaes；　June；　1852。　　The　best　piece　is　called　Dyffryn　Dyfi；　
and　is　descriptive　of　the　scenery　of　the　vale　through　which　the　
Dyfi　runs。　　It　commences　thus：


〃Heddychol　ddyffryn　tlws；〃
Peaceful；　pretty　vale；


and　contains　many　lines　breathing　a　spirit　of　genuine　poetry。

The　next　day　I　did　not　get　up　till　nine；　having　no　journey　before　
me；　as　I　intended　to　pass　that　day　at　Machynlleth。　　When　I　went　
down　to　the　parlour　I　found　another　guest　there；　breakfasting。　　He　
was　a　tall；　burly；　and　clever…looking　man　of　about　thirty…five。　　As　
we　breakfasted　together　at　the　same　table　we　entered　into　
conversation。　　I　learned　from　him　that　he　was　an　attorney　from　a　
town　at　some　distance；　and　was　come　over　to　Machynlleth　to　the　
petty　sessions；　to　be　held　that　day；　in　order　to　defend　a　person　
accused　of　spearing　a　salmon　in　the　river。　　I　asked　him　who　his　
client　was。

〃A　farmer；〃　said　he；　〃a　tenant　of　Lord　V…；　who　will　probably　
preside　over　the　bench　which　will　try　the　affair。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　I；　〃a　tenant　spearing　his　landlord's　fish　…　that's　bad。〃

〃No；〃　said　he；　〃the　fish　which　he　speared；　that　is；　which　he　is　
accused　of　spearing；　did　not　belong　to　his　landlord　but　to　another　
person；　he　hires　land　of　Lord　V…；　but　the　fishing　of　the　river　
which　runs　through　that　land　belongs　to　Sir　Watkin。〃

〃Oh；　then；〃　said　I；　〃supposing　he　did　spear　the　salmon　I　shan't　
break　my　heart　if　you　get　him　off：　　do　you　think　you　shall？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　he。　　〃There's　the　evidence　of　two　keepers　
against　him；　one　of　whom　I　hope；　however；　to　make　appear　a　
scoundrel；　in　whose　oath　the　slightest　confidence　is　not　to　be　
placed。　　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　I　make　my　client　appear　a　persecuted　
lamb。　　The　worst　is；　that　he　has　the　character　of　being　rather　fond　
of　fish；　indeed　of　having　speared　more　salmon　than　any　other　six　
individuals　in　the　neighbourhood。〃

〃I　really　should　like　to　see　him；〃　said　I；　〃what　kind　of　person　is　
he？　…　some　fine；　desperate…looking　fellow；　I　suppose？〃

〃You　will　see　him　presently；〃　said　the　lawyer；　〃he　is　in　the　
passage　waiting　till　I　call　him　in　to　take　some　instructions　from　
him；　and　I　think　I　had　better　do　so　now；　for　I　have　breakfasted；　
and　time　is　wearing　away。〃

He　then　got　up；　took　some　papers　out　of　a　carpet　bag；　sat　down；　and　
after　glancing　at　them　for　a　minute　or　two；　went　to　the　door　and　
called　to　somebody　in　Welsh　to　come　in。　　Forthwith　in　came　a　small；　
mean；　wizzened…faced　man　of　about　sixty；　dressed　in　a　black　coat　
and　hat；　drab　breeches　and　gaiters；　and　looking　more　like　a　decayed　
Methodist　preacher　than　a　spearer　of　imperial　salmon。

〃Well；〃　said　the　attorney；　〃This　is　my　client；　what　do　you　think　of　
him？〃

〃He　is　rather　a　different　person　from　what　I　had　expected　to　see；〃　
said　I；　〃but　let　us　mind　what　we　say　or　we　shall　offend　him。〃

〃Not　we；〃　said　the　attorney；　〃that　is；　unless　we　speak　Welsh；　for　
he　understands　not　a　word　of　any　other　language。〃

Then　sitting　down　at　the　further　table　he　said　to　his　client　in　
Welsh：　　〃Now；　Mr　So…and…so；　have　you　learnt　anything　more　about　
that　first　keeper？〃

The　client　bent　down；　and　placing　both　his　hands　upon　the　table　
began　to　whisper　in　Welsh　to　his　professional　adviser。　　Not　wishing　
to　hear　any　of　their　conversation　I　finished　my　breakfast　as　soon　
as　possible　and　left　the　room。　　Going　into　the　inn…yard　I　had　a　
great　deal　of　learned　discourse　with　an　old　ostler　about　the　
glanders　in　horses。　　From　the　inn…yard　I　went　to　my　own　private　
room　and　made　some　dottings　in　my　note…book；　and　then　went　down　
again　to　the　parlour；　which　I　found　unoccupied。　　After　sitting　some　
time　before　the　fire　I　got　up；　and　strolling　out；　presently　came　to　
a　kind　of　marketplace；　in　the　middle　of　which　stood　an　old…
fashioned…looking　edifice　supported　on　pillars。　　Seeing　a　crowd　
standing　round　it　I　asked　what　was　the　matter；　and　was　told　that　
the　magistrates　were　sitting　in　the　town…hall　above；　and　that　a　
grand　poaching　case　was　about　to　be　tried。　　〃I　may　as　well　go　and　
hear　it；〃　said　I。

Ascending　a　flight　of　steps　I　found　myself　in　the　hall　of　justice；　
in　the　presence　of　the　magistrates　and　amidst　a　great　many　people；　
amongst　whom　I　observed　my　friend　the　attorney　and　his　client。　　The　
magistrates；　upon　the　whole；　were　rather　a　fine　body　of　men。　　Lord　
V…　was　in　the　chair；　a　highly　intelligent…looking　person；　with　
fresh　complexion；　hooked　nose；　and　dark　hair。　　A　policeman　very　
civilly　procured　me　a　commodious　seat。　　I　had　scarcely　taken　
possession　of　it　when　the　poaching　case　was　brought　forward。　　The　
first　witness　against　the　accused　was　a　fellow　dressed　in　a　dirty　
snuff…coloured　suit；　with　a　debauched　look；　and　having　much　the　
appearance　of　a　town　shack。　　He　deposed　that　he　was　a　hired　keeper；　
and　went　with　another　to　watch　the　river　at　about　four　o'clock　in　
the　morning；　that　they　placed　themselves　behind　a　bush；　and　that　a　
little　before　day…light　they　saw　the　farmer　drive　some　cattle　
across　the　river。　　He　was　attended　by　a　dog。　　Suddenly　they　saw　him　
put　a　spear　upon　a　stick　which　he　had　in　his　hand；　run　back　to　the　
river；　and　plunging　the　spear　in；　after　a　struggle；　pull　out　a　
salmon；　that　they　then　ran　forward；　and　he　himself　asked　the　farmer　
what　he　was　doing；　whereupon　the　farmer　flung　the　salmon　and　spear　
into　the　river　and　said　that　if　he　did　not　take　himself　off　he　
would　fling　him　in　too。　　The　attorney　then　got　up　and　began　to　
cross…question　him。　　〃How　long　have　you　been　a　keeper？〃

〃About　a　fortnight。〃

〃What　do　you　get　a　week？〃

〃Ten　shillings。〃

〃Have　you　not　lately　been　in　London？〃

〃I　have。〃

〃What　induced　you　to　go　to　London？〃

〃The　hope　of　bettering　my　condition。〃

〃Were　you　not　driven　out　of　Machynlleth？〃

〃I　was　not。〃

〃Why　did　you　leave　London？〃

〃Because　I　could　get　no　work；　and　my　wife　did　not　like　the　place。〃

〃Did　you　obtain　possession　of　the　salmon　and　the　spear？〃

〃I　did　not。〃

〃Why　didn't　you？〃

〃The　pool　was　deep　where　the　salmon　was　struck；　and　I　was　not　going　
to　lose　my　life　by　going　into　it。〃

〃How　deep　was　it？〃

〃Over　the　tops　of　the　houses；〃　said　the　fellow；　lifting　up　his　
hands。

The　other　keeper　then　came　forward；　he　was　brother　to　the　former；　
but　had　much　more　the　appearance　of　a　keeper；　being　rather　a　fine　
fellow；　and　dressed　in　a　wholesome；　well…worn　suit　of　velveteen。　　
He　had　no　English；　and　what　he　said　was　translated　by　a　sworn　
interpreter。　　He　gave　the　same　evidence　as　his　brother　about　
watching　behind　the　bush；　and　seeing　the　farmer　strike　a　salmon。　　
When　cross…questioned；　however；　he　said　that　no　words　passed　
between　the　farmer　and　his　b