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