第 6 节
作者:随便看看      更新:2021-02-25 00:46      字数:9322
  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