第 6 节
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be true; so I turned quickly round and said … 〃Old chap; I can
scarcely credit that!〃
The man; whom I addressed; a rough…and…ready…looking fellow of the
lower class; seemed half disposed to return me a savage answer; but
an Englishman of the lower class; though you call his word in
question; is never savage with you; provided you call him old chap;
and he considers you by your dress to be his superior in station。
Now I; who had called the word of this man in question; had called
him old chap; and was considerably better dressed than himself; so;
after a little hesitation; he became quite gentle; and something
more; for he said in a half…apologetic tone … 〃Well; sir; I did not
exactly see him myself; but a particular friend of mine heer'd a
man say; that he heer'd another man say; that he was told that a
man heer'd that that fellow … 〃
〃Come; come!〃 said I; 〃a man must not be convicted on evidence like
that; no man has more contempt for the doctrine which that man
endeavours to inculcate than myself; for I consider it to have been
got up partly for fanatical; partly for political purposes; but I
will never believe that he was lately seen coming out of a gin…
shop; he is too wise; or rather too cunning; for that。〃
I stayed listening to these people till evening was at hand。 I
then left them; and without returning to the inn strolled over the
bridge to the green; where the tents stood。 I went up to them:
two women sat at the entrance of one; a man stood by them; and the
children; whom I had before seen; were gambolling near at hand。
One of the women was about forty; the other some twenty years
younger; both were ugly。 The younger was a rude; stupid…looking
creature; with red cheeks and redder hair; but there was a dash of
intelligence and likewise of wildness in the countenance of the
elder female; whose complexion and hair were rather dark。 The man
was about the same age as the elder woman; he had rather a sharp
look; and was dressed in hat; white frock…coat; corduroy breeches;
long stockings and shoes。 I gave them the seal of the evening。
〃Good evening to your haner;〃 said the man … 〃Good evening to you;
sir;〃 said the woman; whilst the younger mumbled something;
probably to the same effect; but which I did not catch。
〃Fine weather;〃 said I。
〃Very; sir;〃 said the elder female。 〃Won't you please to sit
down?〃 and reaching back into the tent; she pulled out a stool
which she placed near me。
I sat down on the stool。 〃You are not from these parts?〃 said I;
addressing myself to the man。
〃We are not; your haner;〃 said the man; 〃we are from Ireland。〃
〃And this lady;〃 said I; motioning with my head to the elder
female; 〃is; I suppose; your wife。〃
〃She is; your haner; and the children which your haner sees are my
children。〃
〃And who is this young lady?〃 said I; motioning to the uncouth…
looking girl。
〃The young lady; as your haner is pleased to call her; is a
daughter of a sister of mine who is now dead; along with her
husband。 We have her with us; your haner; because if we did not
she would be alone in the world。〃
〃And what trade or profession do you follow?〃 said I。
〃We do a bit in the tinkering line; your haner。〃
〃Do you find tinkering a very profitable profession?〃 said I。
〃Not very; your haner; but we contrive to get a crust and a drink
by it。〃
〃That's more than I ever could;〃 said I。
〃Has your haner then ever followed tinkering?〃 said the man。
〃Yes;〃 said I; 〃but I soon left off。〃
〃And became a minister;〃 said the elder female; 〃Well; your honour
is not the first indifferent tinker that's turned out a shining
minister。〃
〃Why do you think me a minister?〃
〃Because your honour has the very look and voice of one。 Oh; it
was kind in your honour to come to us here in the Sabbath evening;
in order that you might bring us God。〃
〃What do you mean by bringing you God?〃 said I。
〃Talking to us about good things; sir; and instructing us out of
the Holy Book。〃
〃I am no minister;〃 said I。
〃Then you are a priest; I am sure you are either a minister or a
priest; and now that I look on you; sir; I think you look more like
a priest than a minister。 Yes; I see you are a priest。 Oh; your
Reverence; give us God! Pull out the crucifix from your bosom; and
let us kiss the face of God!〃
〃Of what religion are you?〃 said I。
〃Catholics; your Reverence; Catholics are we all。〃
〃I am no priest。〃
〃Then you are a minister; I am sure you are either a priest or a
minister。 Oh sir; pull out the Holy Book; and instruct us from it
this blessed Sabbath evening。 Give us God; sir; give us God!〃
〃And would you; who are Catholics; listen to the voice of a
minister?〃
〃That would we; sir; at least I would。 If you are a minister; and
a good minister; I would as soon listen to your words as those of
Father Toban himself。〃
〃And who is Father Toban?〃
〃A powerful priest in these parts; sir; who has more than once
eased me of my sins; and given me God upon the cross。 Oh; a
powerful and comfortable priest is Father Toban。〃
〃And what would he say if he were to know that you asked for God
from a minister?〃
〃I do not know; and do not much care; if I get God; I do not care
whether I get Him from a minister or a priest; both have Him; no
doubt; only give Him in different ways。 Oh sir; do give us God; we
need Him sir; for we are sinful people; we call ourselves tinkers;
but many is the sinful thing … 〃
〃Bi…do…hosd;〃 said the man: Irish words tantamount to 〃Be silent!〃
〃I will not be hushed;〃 said the woman; speaking English。 〃The man
is a good man; and he will do us no harm。 We are tinkers; sir; but
we do many things besides tinkering; many sinful things; especially
in Wales; whither we are soon going again。 Oh; I want to be eased
of some of my sins before I go into Wales again; and so do you;
Tourlough; for you know how you are sometimes haunted by devils at
night in those dreary Welsh hills。 Oh sir; give us comfort in some
shape or other; either as priest or minister; give us God! Give us
God!〃
〃I am neither priest nor minister;〃 said; I; 〃and can only say:
Lord have mercy upon you!〃 Then getting up I flung the children
some money and departed。
〃We do not want your money; sir;〃 screamed the woman after me; 〃we
have plenty of money。 Give us God! Give us God!〃
〃Yes; your haner;〃 said the man; 〃give us God! we do not want
money;〃 and the uncouth girl said something; which sounded much
like Give us God! but I hastened across the meadow; which was now
quite dusky; and was presently in the inn with my wife and
daughter。
CHAPTER V
Welsh Book Stall … Wit and Poetry … Welsh of Chester … Beautiful
Morning … Noble Fellow … The Coiling Serpent … Wrexham Church …
Welsh or English? … Codiad yr Ehedydd。
ON the afternoon of Monday I sent my family off by the train to
Llangollen; which place we had determined to make our head…quarters
during our stay in Wales。 I intended to follow them next day; not
in train; but on foot; as by walking I should be better able to see
the country; between Chester and Llangollen; than by making the
journey by the flying vehicle。 As I returned to the inn from the
train I took refuge from a shower in one of the rows or covered
streets; to which; as I have already said; one ascends by flights
of steps; stopping at a book…stall I took up a book which chanced
to be a Welsh one。 The proprietor; a short red…faced man;
observing me reading the book; asked me if I could understand it。
I told him that I could。
〃If so;〃 said he; 〃let me hear you translate the two lines on the
title…page。〃
〃Are you a Welshman?〃 said I。
〃I am!〃 he replied。
〃Good!〃 said I; and I translated into English the two lines which
were a couplet by Edmund Price; an old archdeacon of Merion;
celebrated in his day for wit and poetry。
The man then asked me from what part of Wales I came; and when I
told him that I was an Englishman was evidently offended; either
because he did not believe me; or; as I more incline to think; did
not approve of an Englishman's understanding Welsh。
The book was the life of the Rev。 Richards; and was published at
Caerlleon; or the city of the legion; the appropriate ancient
British name for the place now called Chester; a legion having been
kept stationed there during the occupation of Britain by the
Romans。
I returned to the inn and dined; and then yearning for society;
descended into the kitchen and had some conversation with the Welsh
maid。 She told me that there were a great many Welsh in Chester
from all parts of Wales; but chiefly from Denbighshire and
Flintshire; which latter was her own country。 That a great many
children were born in Chester of Welsh parents; and brought up in
the fear of God and love of the Welsh tongue。 That there were some
who had never been in Wales; who spoke as good Welsh as herself; or
better。 That the Welsh of Chester were of various religious
persuasions; that some were Baptists; some Independents; but that
the greater part were Calvinistic…Methodists