第 27 节
作者:
随便看看 更新:2021-02-25 00:46 字数:9322
over again to the females; with amplifications。
〃Is the chair really here;〃 said I; 〃or has it been destroyed? if
such a thing has been done it is a disgrace to Wales。〃
〃The chair is really here;〃 said the old lady; 〃and though Huw
Morus was no prophet; we love and reverence everything belonging to
him。 Get on Llances; the chair can't be far off;〃 the girl moved
on; and presently the old lady exclaimed; 〃There's the chair;
Diolch i Duw!〃
I was the last of the file; but I now rushed past John Jones; who
was before me; and next to the old lady; and sure enough there was
the chair; in the wall; of him who was called in his day; and still
is called by the mountaineers of Wales; though his body has been
below the earth in the quiet church…yard one hundred and forty
years; Eos Ceiriog; the Nightingale of Ceiriog; the sweet caroller
Huw Morus; the enthusiastic partizan of Charles and the Church of
England; and the never…tiring lampooner of Oliver and the
Independents。 There it was; a kind of hollow in the stone wall; in
the hen ffordd; fronting to the west; just above the gorge at the
bottom of which murmurs the brook Ceiriog; there it was; something
like a half barrel chair in a garden; a mouldering stone slab
forming the seat; and a large slate stone; the back; on which were
cut these letters …
H。 M。 B。
signifying Huw Morus Bard。
〃Sit down in the chair; Gwr Boneddig;〃 said John Jones; 〃you have
taken trouble enough to get to it。〃
〃Do; gentleman;〃 said the old lady; 〃but first let me wipe it with
my apron; for it is very wet and dirty。〃
〃Let it be;〃 said I; then taking off my hat I stood uncovered
before the chair; and said in the best Welsh I could command;
〃Shade of Huw Morus; supposing your shade haunts the place which
you loved so well when alive … a Saxon; one of the seed of the
Coiling Serpent; has come to this place to pay that respect to true
genius; the Dawn Duw; which he is ever ready to pay。 He read the
songs of the Nightingale of Ceiriog in the most distant part of
Lloegr; when he was a brown…haired boy; and now that he is a grey…
haired man he is come to say in this place that they frequently
made his eyes overflow with tears of rapture。〃
I then sat down in the chair; and commenced repeating verses of Huw
Morris。 All which I did in the presence of the stout old lady; the
short; buxom and bare…armed damsel; and of John Jones the
Calvinistic weaver of Llangollen; all of whom listened patiently
and approvingly; though the rain was pouring down upon them; and
the branches of the trees and the tops of the tall nettles;
agitated by the gusts from the mountain hollows; were beating in
their faces; for enthusiasm is never scoffed at by the noble
simple…minded; genuine Welsh; whatever treatment it may receive
from the coarse…hearted; sensual; selfish Saxon。
After some time; our party returned to the house … which put me
very much in mind of the farm…houses of the substantial yeomen of
Cornwall; particularly that of my friends at Penquite; a
comfortable fire blazed in the kitchen grate; the floor was
composed of large flags of slate。 In the kitchen the old lady
pointed to me the ffon; or walking…stick; of Huw Morris; it was
supported against a beam by three hooks; I took it down and walked
about the kitchen with it; it was a thin polished black stick; with
a crome cut in the shape of an eagle's head; at the end was a brass
fence。 The kind creature then produced a sword without a scabbard;
this sword was found by Huw Morris on the mountain … it belonged to
one of Oliver's officers who was killed there。 I took the sword;
which was a thin two…edged one; and seemed to be made of very good
steel; it put me in mind of the blades which I had seen at Toledo …
the guard was very slight like those of all rapiers; and the hilt
the common old…fashioned English officer's hilt … there was no rust
on the blade; and it still looked a dangerous sword。 A man like
Thistlewood would have whipped it through his adversary in a
twinkling。 I asked the old lady if Huw Morris was born in this
house; she said no; but a little farther on at Pont y Meibion; she
said; however; that the ground had belonged to him; and that they
had some of his blood in their veins。 I shook her by the hand; and
gave the chubby bare…armed damsel a shilling; pointing to the marks
of the nettle stings on her fat bacon…like arms。 She laughed; made
me a curtsey; and said: 〃Llawer iawn o diolch。〃
John Jones and I then proceeded to the house at Pont y Meibion;
where we saw two men; one turning a grind…stone; and the other
holding an adze to it。 We asked if we were at the house of Huw
Morris; and whether they could tell us anything about him; they
made us no answer but proceeded with their occupation; John Jones
then said that the Gwr Boneddig was very fond of the verses of Huw
Morris; and had come a great way to see the place where he was
born。 The wheel now ceased turning; and the man with the adze
turned his face full upon me … he was a stern…looking; dark man;
with black hair; of about forty; after a moment or two he said that
if I chose to walk into the house I should be welcome。 He then
conducted us into the house; a common…looking stone tenement; and
bade us be seated。 I asked him if he was a descendant of Huw
Morus; he said he was; I asked him his name; which he said was Huw
… 。 〃Have you any of the manuscripts of Huw Morus?〃 said I。
〃None;〃 said he; 〃but I have one of the printed copies of his
works。〃
He then went to a drawer; and taking out a book; put it into my
hand; and seated himself in a blunt; careless manner。 The book was
the first volume of the common Wrexham edition of Huw's works; it
was much thumbed … I commenced reading aloud a piece which I had
much admired in my boyhood。 I went on for some time; my mind quite
occupied with my reading; at last lifting my eyes I saw the man
standing bolt upright before me; like a soldier of the days of my
childhood; during the time that the adjutant read prayers; his hat
was no longer upon his head; but on the ground; and his eyes were
reverently inclined to the book。 After all what a beautiful thing
it is; not to be; but to have been a genius。 Closing the book; I
asked him whether Huw Morris was born in the house where we were;
and received for answer that he was born about where we stood; but
that the old house had been pulled down; and that of all the
premises only a small out…house was coeval with Huw Morris。 I
asked him the name of the house; and he said Pont y Meibion。
〃But where is the bridge?〃 said I。
〃The bridge;〃 he replied; 〃is close by; over the Ceiriog。 If you
wish to see it; you must go down yon field; the house is called
after the bridge。〃 Bidding him farewell; we crossed the road and
going down the field speedily arrived at Pont y Meibion。 The
bridge is a small bridge of one arch which crosses the brook
Ceiriog … it is built of rough moor stone; it is mossy; broken; and
looks almost inconceivably old; there is a little parapet to it
about two feet high。 On the right…hand side it is shaded by an
ash。 The brook when we viewed it; though at times a roaring
torrent; was stealing along gently; on both sides it is overgrown
with alders; noble hills rise above it to the east and west; John
Jones told me that it abounded with trout。 I asked him why the
bridge was called Pont y Meibion; which signifies the bridge of the
children。 〃It was built originally by children;〃 said he; 〃for the
purpose of crossing the brook。〃
〃That bridge;〃 said I; 〃was never built by children。〃
〃The first bridge;〃 said he; 〃was of wood; and was built by the
children of the houses above。〃
Not quite satisfied with his explanation; I asked him to what place
the little bridge led; and was told that he believed it led to an
upland farm。 After taking a long and wistful view of the bridge
and the scenery around it; I turned my head in the direction of
Llangollen。 The adventures of the day were; however; not finished。
CHAPTER XXI
The Gloomy Valley … The Lonely Cottage … Happy Comparison … Clogs …
The Alder Swamp … The Wooden Leg … The Militiaman … Death…bed
Verses。
ON reaching the ruined village where the Pandy stood I stopped; and
looked up the gloomy valley to the west; down which the brook which
joins the Ceiriog at this place; descends; whereupon John Jones
said; that if I wished to go up it a little way he should have
great pleasure in attending me; and that he should show me a
cottage built in the hen ddull; or old fashion; to which he
frequently went to ask for the rent; he being employed by various
individuals in the capacity of rent…gatherer。 I said that I was
afraid that if he was a rent…collector; both he and I should have a
sorry welcome。 〃No fear;〃 he replied; 〃the people are very good
people; and pay their rent very regularly;〃 and without saying
another word he led the way up the valley。 At the end of the
village; seeing a woman standing at the door of one of the ruinous
cottages; I asked her the nam