the doom of the griffiths-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



It　was　busy　work　to　Martha　Thomas；　yet　her　smile　never　flagged；　and

when　Owen　Griffiths　had　finished　his　evening　meal　she　was　there；

ready　with　a　hope　that　it　had　done　him　good；　and　was　to　his　mind；　and

a　word　of　intelligence　that　the　wedding…folk　were　about　to　dance　in

the　kitchen；　and　the　harper　was　the　famous　Edward　of　Corwen。



Owen；　partly　from　good…natured　compliance　with　his　hostess's　implied

wish；　and　partly　from　curiosity；　lounged　to　the　passage　which　led　to

the　kitchennot　the　every…day；　working；　cooking　kitchen；　which　was

behind；　but　a　good…sized　room；　where　the　mistress　sat；　when　her　work

was　done；　and　where　the　country　people　were　commonly　entertained　at

such　merry…makings　as　the　present。　　The　lintels　of　the　door　formed　a

frame　for　the　animated　picture　which　Owen　saw　within；　as　he　leaned

against　the　wall　in　the　dark　passage。　　The　red　light　of　the　fire；

with　every　now　and　then　a　falling　piece　of　turf　sending　forth　a　fresh

blaze；　shone　full　upon　four　young　men　who　were　dancing　a　measure

something　like　a　Scotch　reel；　keeping　admirable　time　in　their　rapid

movements　to　the　capital　tune　the　harper　was　playing。　　They　had　their

hats　on　when　Owen　first　took　his　stand；　but　as　they　grew　more　and

more　animated　they　flung　them　away；　and　presently　their　shoes　were

kicked　off　with　like　disregard　to　the　spot　where　they　might　happen　to

alight。　　Shouts　of　applause　followed　any　remarkable　exertion　of

agility；　in　which　each　seemed　to　try　to　excel　his　companions。　　At

length；　wearied　and　exhausted；　they　sat　down；　and　the　harper

gradually　changed　to　one　of　those　wild；　inspiring　national　airs　for

which　he　was　so　famous。　　The　thronged　audience　sat　earnest　and

breathless；　and　you　might　have　heard　a　pin　drop；　except　when　some

maiden　passed　hurriedly；　with　flaring　candle　and　busy　look；　through

to　the　real　kitchen　beyond。　　When　he　had　finished　his　beautiful　theme

on　〃The　March　of　the　men　of　Harlech；〃　he　changed　the　measure　again　to

〃Tri　chant　o'　bunnan〃　（Three　hundred　pounds）；　and　immediately　a　most

unmusical…looking　man　began　chanting　〃Pennillion；〃　or　a　sort　of

recitative　stanzas；　which　were　soon　taken　up　by　another；　and　this

amusement　lasted　so　long　that　Owen　grew　weary；　and　was　thinking　of

retreating　from　his　post　by　the　door；　when　some　little　bustle　was

occasioned；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room；　by　the　entrance　of　a

middle…aged　man；　and　a　young　girl；　apparently　his　daughter。　　The　man

advanced　to　the　bench　occupied　by　the　seniors　of　the　party；　who

welcomed　him　with　the　usual　pretty　Welsh　greeting；　〃Pa　sut　mae　dy

galon？〃　（〃How　is　thy　heart？〃）　and　drinking　his　health　passed　on　to

him　the　cup　of　excellent　cwrw。　　The　girl；　evidently　a　village　belle；

was　as　warmly　greeted　by　the　young　men；　while　the　girls　eyed　her

rather　askance　with　a　half…jealous　look；　which　Owen　set　down　to　the

score　of　her　extreme　prettiness。　　Like　most　Welsh　women；　she　was　of

middle　size　as　to　height；　but　beautifully　made；　with　the　most　perfect

yet　delicate　roundness　in　every　limb。　　Her　little　mob…cap　was

carefully　adjusted　to　a　face　which　was　excessively　pretty；　though　it

never　could　be　called　handsome。　　It　also　was　round；　with　the

slightest　tendency　to　the　oval　shape；　richly　coloured；　though

somewhat　olive　in　complexion；　with　dimples　in　cheek　and　chin；　and　the

most　scarlet　lips　Owen　had　ever　seen；　that　were　too　short　to　meet

over　the　small　pearly　teeth。　　The　nose　was　the　most　defective

feature；　but　the　eyes　were　splendid。　　They　were　so　long；　so　lustrous；

yet　at　times　so　very　soft　under　their　thick　fringe　of　eyelash！　　The

nut…brown　hair　was　carefully　braided　beneath　the　border　of　delicate

lace：　　it　was　evident　the　little　village　beauty　knew　how　to　make　the

most　of　all　her　attractions；　for　the　gay　colours　which　were　displayed

in　her　neckerchief　were　in　complete　harmony　with　the　complexion。



Owen　was　much　attracted；　while　yet　he　was　amused；　by　the　evident

coquetry　the　girl　displayed；　collecting　around　her　a　whole　bevy　of

young　fellows；　for　each　of　whom　she　seemed　to　have　some　gay　speech；

some　attractive　look　or　action。　　In　a　few　minutes　young　Griffiths　of

Bodowen　was　at　her　side；　brought　thither　by　a　variety　of　idle

motives；　and　as　her　undivided　attention　was　given　to　the　Welsh　heir；

her　admirers；　one　by　one；　dropped　off；　to　seat　themselves　by　some

less　fascinating　but　more　attentive　fair　one。　　The　more　Owen

conversed　with　the　girl；　the　more　he　was　taken；　she　had　more　wit　and

talent　than　he　had　fancied　possible；　a　self…abandon　and

thoughtfulness；　to　boot；　that　seemed　full　of　charms；　and　then　her

voice　was　so　clear　and　sweet；　and　her　actions　so　full　of　grace；　that

Owen　was　fascinated　before　he　was　well　aware；　and　kept　looking　into

her　bright；　blushing　face；　till　her　uplifted　flashing　eye　fell

beneath　his　earnest　gaze。



While　it　thus　happened　that　they　were　silentshe　from　confusion　at

the　unexpected　warmth　of　his　admiration；　he　from　an　unconsciousness

of　anything　but　the　beautiful　changes　in　her　flexile　countenancethe

man　whom　Owen　took　for　her　father　came　up　and　addressed　some

observation　to　his　daughter；　from　whence　he　glided　into　some

commonplace　though　respectful　remark　to　Owen；　and　at　length　engaging

him　in　some　slight；　local　conversation；　he　led　the　way　to　the　account

of　a　spot　on　the　peninsula　of　Penthryn；　where　teal　abounded；　and

concluded　with　begging　Owen　to　allow　him　to　show　him　the　exact　place；

saying　that　whenever　the　young　Squire　felt　so　inclined；　if　he　would

honour　him　by　a　call　at　his　house；　he　would　take　him　across　in　his

boat。　　While　Owen　listened；　his　attention　was　not　so　much　absorbed　as

to　be　unaware　that　the　little　beauty　at　his　side　was　refusing　one　or

two　who　endeavoured　to　draw　her　from　her　place　by　invitations　to

dance。　　Flattered　by　his　own　construction　of　her　refusals；　he　again

directed　all　his　attention　to　her；　till　she　was　called　away　by　her

father；　who　was　leaving　the　scene　of　festivity。　　Before　he　left　he

reminded　Owen　of　his　promise；　and　added　…



〃Perhaps；　sir；　you　do　not　know　me。　　My　name　is　Ellis　Pritchard；　and　I

live　at　Ty　Glas；　on　this　side　of　Moel　Gest；　anyone　can　point　it　out

to　you。〃



When　the　father　and　daughter　had　left；　Owen　slowly　prepared　for　his

ride　home；　but　encountering　the　hostess；　he　could　not　resist　asking　a

few　questions　relative　to　Ellis　Pritchard　and　his　pretty　daughter。

She　answered　shortly　but　respectfully；　and　then　said；　rather

hesitatingly　…



〃Master　Griffiths；　you　know　the　triad；　'Tri　pheth　tebyg　y　naill　i'r

llall；　ysgnbwr　heb　yd；　mail　deg　heb　ddiawd；　a　merch　deg　heb　ei

geirda'　（Three　things　are　alike：　　a　fine　barn　without　corn；　a　fine

cup　without　drink；　a　fine　woman　without　her　reputation）。〃　　She

hastily　quitted　him；　and　Owen　rode　slowly　to　his　unhappy　home。



Ellis　Pritchard；　half　farmer　and　half　fisherman；　was　shrewd；　and

keen；　and　worldly；　yet　he　was　good…natured；　and　sufficiently　generous

to　have　become　rather　a　popular　man　among　his　equals。　　He　had　been

struck　with　the　young　Squire's　attention　to　his　pretty　daughter；　and

was　not　insensible　to　the　advantages　to　be　derived　from　it。　　Nest

would　not　be　the　first　peasant　girl；　by　any　means；　who　had　been

transplanted　to　a　Welsh　manor…house　as　its　mistress；　and；

accordingly；　her　father　had　shrewdly　given　the　admiring　young　man

some　pretext　for　further　opportunities　of　seeing　her。



As　for　Nest　herself；　she　had　somewhat　of　her　father's　worldliness；

and　was　fully　alive　to　the　superior　station　of　her　new　admirer；　and

quite　prepared　to　slight　all　her　old　sweethearts　on　his　account。　　But

then　she　had　something　more　of　feeling　in　her　reckoning；　she　had　not

been　insensible　to　the　earnest　yet　comparatively　refined　homage　which

Owen　paid　her；　she　had　noticed　his　expressive　and　occasionally

handsome　countenance　with　admiration；　and　was　flattered　by　his　so

immediately　singling　her　out　from　her　companions。　　As　to　the　hint

which　Martha　Thomas　had　thrown　out；　it　is　enough　to　say　that　Nest　was

very　giddy；　and　that　she　was　motherless。　　She　had　high　spirits　and　a

great　love　of　admiration；　or；　to　use　a　softer　term；　she　loved　to

please；　men；　women；　and　children；　all；　she　delighted　to　gladden　with

her　smile　and　voice。　　She　coquetted；　and　flirted；　and　went　to　the

extreme　lengths　of　Welsh　courtship；　till　the　seniors　of　the　village

shook　their　heads；　and　cautioned　their　daughters　against　her

acquaintance。　　If　not　absolutely　guilty；　she　had　too　frequently　been

on　the　verge　of　guilt。



Even　at　the　time；　Martha　Thomas's　hint　made　but　little　impression　on

Owen；　for　his　senses　were　otherwise　occupied；　but　in　a　few　days　the

recollection　thereof　had　wholly　died　away；　and　one　warm　glorious

summer's　day；　he　bent　his　steps　toward　Ellis　Pritchard's　with　a

beating　heart；　for；　except　some　very　slight　flirtations　at　Oxford；

Owen　had　never　been　touched；　his　thoughts；　his　fancy；　had　been

otherwise　engaged。



Ty　Glas　was　built　against　one　of　the　lower　rocks　of　Moel　Gest；　which；

indeed；　f