第 45 节
作者:随便看看      更新:2021-02-25 00:46      字数:9322
  telling him that I could find the way to the house of Gronwy very
  well by myself; he consented。  We shook hands; the miller wished me
  luck; and betook himself to his mill; whilst I crossed the llamfa。
  I soon; however; repented having left the path by which I had come。
  I was presently in a maze of little fields with stone walls over
  which I had to clamber。  At last I got into a lane with a stone
  wall on each side。  A man came towards me and was about to pass me
  … his look was averted; and he was evidently one of those who have
  〃no English。〃  A Welshman of his description always averting his
  look when he sees a stranger who he thinks has 〃no Welsh;〃 lest the
  stranger should ask him a question and he be obliged to confess
  that he has 〃no English。〃
  〃Is this the way to Llanfair?〃 said I to the man。  The man made a
  kind of rush in order to get past me。
  〃Have you any Welsh?〃 I shouted as loud as I could bawl。
  The man stopped; and turning a dark sullen countenance half upon me
  said; 〃Yes; I have Welsh。〃
  〃Which is the way to Llanfair?〃 said I。
  〃Llanfair; Llanfair?〃 said the man; 〃what do you mean?〃
  〃I want to get there;〃 said I。
  〃Are you not there already?〃 said the fellow stamping on the
  ground; 〃are you not in Llanfair?
  〃Yes; but I want to get to the town。〃
  〃Town; town!  Oh; I have no English;〃 said the man; and off he
  started like a frighted bullock。  The poor fellow was probably at
  first terrified at seeing an Englishman; then confused at hearing
  an Englishman speak Welsh; a language which the Welsh in general
  imagine no Englishman can speak; the tongue of an Englishman as
  they say not being long enough to pronounce Welsh; and lastly
  utterly deprived of what reasoning faculties he had still remaining
  by my asking him for the town of Llanfair; there being properly no
  town。
  I went on; and at last getting out of the lane; found myself upon
  the road; along which I had come about two hours before; the house
  of the miller was at some distance on my right。  Near me were two
  or three houses and part of the skeleton of one; on which some men;
  in the dress of masons; seemed to be occupied。  Going up to these
  men I said in Welsh to one; whom I judged to be the principal; and
  who was rather a tall fine…looking fellow:
  〃Have you heard a sound of Gronwy Owain?〃
  Here occurred another instance of the strange things people do when
  their ideas are confused。  The man stood for a moment or two; as if
  transfixed; a trowel motionless in one of his hands; and a brick in
  the other; at last giving a kind of gasp; he answered in very
  tolerable Spanish:
  〃Si; senor! he oido。〃
  〃Is his house far from here?〃 said I in Welsh。
  〃No; senor!〃 said the man; 〃no esta muy lejos。〃
  〃I am a stranger here; friend; can anybody show me the way?〃
  〃Si senor! este mozo luego … acompanara usted。〃
  Then turning to a lad of about eighteen; also dressed as a mason;
  he said in Welsh:
  〃Show this gentleman instantly the way to Tafarn Goch。〃
  The lad flinging a hod down; which he had on his shoulder;
  instantly set off; making me a motion with his head to follow him。
  I did so; wondering what the man could mean by speaking to me in
  Spanish。  The lad walked by my side in silence for about two
  furlongs till we came to a range of trees; seemingly sycamores;
  behind which was a little garden; in which stood a long low house
  with three chimneys。  The lad stopping flung open a gate which led
  into the garden; then crying to a child which he saw within:  〃Gad
  roi tro〃 … let the man take a turn; he was about to leave me; when
  I stopped him to put sixpence into his hand。  He received the money
  with a gruff 〃Diolch!〃 and instantly set off at a quick pace。
  Passing the child who stared at me; I walked to the back part of
  the house; which seemed to be a long mud cottage。  After examining
  the back part I went in front; where I saw an aged woman with
  several children; one of whom was the child I had first seen。  She
  smiled and asked me what I wanted。
  I said that I had come to see the house of Gronwy。  She did not
  understand me; for shaking her head she said that she had no
  English; and was rather deaf。  Raising my voice to a very high tone
  I said:
  〃Ty Gronwy!〃
  A gleam of intelligence flashed now in her eyes。
  〃Ty Gronwy;〃 she said; 〃ah!  I understand。  Come in sir。〃
  There were three doors to the house; she led me in by the midmost
  into a common cottage room; with no other ceiling; seemingly; than
  the roof。  She bade me sit down by the window by a little table;
  and asked me whether I would have a cup of milk and some bread…and…
  butter; I declined both; but said I should be thankful for a little
  water。
  This she presently brought me in a teacup; I drank it; the children
  amounting to five standing a little way from me staring at me。  I
  asked her if this was the house in which Gronwy was born。  She said
  it was; but that it had been altered very much since his time …
  that three families had lived in it; but that she believed he was
  born about where we were now。
  A man now coming in who lived at the next door; she said I had
  better speak to him and tell him what I wanted to know; which he
  could then communicate to her; as she could understand his way of
  speaking much better than mine。  Through the man I asked her
  whether there was any one of the blood of Gronwy Owen living in the
  house。  She pointed to the children and said they had all some of
  his blood。  I asked in what relationship they stood to Gronwy。  She
  said she could hardly tell; that tri priodas; three marriages stood
  between; and that the relationship was on the mother's side。  I
  gathered from her that the children had lost their mother; that
  their name was Jones; and that their father was her son。  I asked
  if the house in which they lived was their own; she said no; that
  it belonged to a man who lived at some distance。  I asked if the
  children were poor。
  〃Very;〃 said she。
  I gave them each a trifle; and the poor old lady thanked me with
  tears in her eyes。
  I asked whether the children could read; she said they all could;
  with the exception of the two youngest。  The eldest she said could
  read anything; whether Welsh or English; she then took from the
  window…sill a book; which she put into my hand; saying the child
  could read it and understand it。  I opened the book; it was an
  English school…book treating on all the sciences。
  〃Can you write?〃 said I to the child; a little stubby girl of about
  eight; with a broad flat red face and grey eyes; dressed in a
  chintz gown; a little bonnet on her head; and looking the image of
  notableness。
  The little maiden; who had never taken her eyes off of me for a
  moment during the whole time I had been in the room; at first made
  no answer; being; however; bid by her grandmother to speak; she at
  length answered in a soft voice; 〃Medraf; I can。〃
  〃Then write your name in this book;〃 said I; taking out a pocket…
  book and a pencil; 〃and write likewise that you are related to
  Gronwy Owen … and be sure you write in Welsh。〃
  The little maiden very demurely took the book and pencil; and
  placing the former on the table wrote as follows:
  〃Ellen Jones yn perthyn o bell i gronow owen。〃
  That is; 〃Ellen Jones belonging from afar to Gronwy Owen。〃
  When I saw the name of Ellen I had no doubt that the children were
  related to the illustrious Gronwy。  Ellen is a very uncommon Welsh
  name; but it seems to have been a family name of the Owens; it was
  borne by an infant daughter of the poet whom he tenderly loved; and
  who died whilst he was toiling at Walton in Cheshire; …
  〃Ellen; my darling;
  Who liest in the Churchyard at Walton。〃
  says poor Gronwy in one of the most affecting elegies ever written。
  After a little farther conversation I bade the family farewell and
  left the house。  After going down the road a hundred yards I turned
  back in order to ask permission to gather a leaf from one of the
  sycamores。  Seeing the man who had helped me in my conversation
  with the old woman standing at the gate; I told him what I wanted;
  whereupon he instantly tore down a handful of leaves and gave them
  to me。  Thrusting them into my coat…pocket I thanked him kindly and
  departed。
  Coming to the half…erected house; I again saw the man to whom I had
  addressed myself for information。  I stopped; and speaking Spanish
  to him; asked how he had acquired the Spanish language。
  〃I have been in Chili; sir;〃 said he in the same tongue; 〃and in
  California; and in those places I learned Spanish。〃
  〃What did you go to Chili for?〃 said I; 〃I need not ask you on what
  account you went to California。〃
  〃I went there as a mariner;〃 said the man; 〃I sailed out of
  Liverpool for Chili。〃
  〃And how is it;〃 said I; 〃that being a mariner and sailing in a
  Liverpool ship you do not speak English?〃
  〃I speak English; senor;〃 said the man; 〃perfectly well。〃
  〃Then how in the name of wonder;〃 said I; speaking English; 〃came
  you to answer me in Spanish?  I am an Englishman thorough bred。〃
  〃I can scarcely tell you how it was; sir;〃 said the man scratching
  h