第 57 节
作者:随便看看      更新:2021-02-25 00:46      字数:9321
  difficulty in question; and informed him that I was determined to
  follow his advice。  He hurried away; and presently returned with
  his nephew; to whom I offered half…a…crown provided he would show
  me all about Pen Caer Gyby。  He accepted my offer with evident
  satisfaction; and we lost no time in setting out upon our
  expedition。
  We had to pass over a great deal of broken ground; sometimes
  ascending; sometimes descending; before we found ourselves upon the
  side of what may actually be called the headland。  Shaping our
  course westward we came to the vicinity of a lighthouse standing on
  the verge of a precipice; the foot of which was washed by the sea。
  Leaving the lighthouse on our right we followed a steep winding
  path which at last brought us to the top of the pen or summit;
  rising; according to the judgment which I formed; about six hundred
  feet from the surface of the sea。  Here was a level spot some
  twenty yards across; in the middle of which stood a heap of stones
  or cairn。  I asked the lad whether this cairn bore a name; and
  received for answer that it was generally called Bar…cluder y Cawr
  Glas; words which seem to signify the top heap of the Grey Giant。
  〃Some king; giant; or man of old renown lies buried beneath this
  cairn;〃 said I。  〃Whoever he may be; I trust he will excuse me for
  mounting it; seeing that I do so with no disrespectful spirit。〃  I
  then mounted the cairn; exclaiming:…
  〃Who lies 'neath the cairn on the headland hoar;
  His hand yet holding his broad claymore;
  Is it Beli; the son of Benlli Gawr?〃
  There stood I on the cairn of the Grey Giant; looking around me。
  The prospect; on every side; was noble:  the blue interminable sea
  to the west and north; the whole stretch of Mona to the east; and
  far away to the south the mountainous region of Eryri; comprising
  some of the most romantic hills in the world。  In some respects
  this Pen Santaidd; this holy headland; reminded me of Finisterrae;
  the Gallegan promontory which I had ascended some seventeen years
  before; whilst engaged in battling the Pope with the sword of the
  gospel in his favourite territory。  Both are bold; bluff headlands
  looking to the west; both have huge rocks in their vicinity; rising
  from the bosom of the brine。  For a time; as I stood on the cairn;
  I almost imagined myself on the Gallegan hill; much the same
  scenery presented itself as there; and a sun equally fierce struck
  upon my head as that which assailed it on the Gallegan hill。  For a
  time all my thoughts were of Spain。  It was not long; however;
  before I bethought me that my lot was now in a different region;
  that I had done with Spain for ever; after doing for her all that
  lay in the power of a lone man; who had never in this world
  anything to depend upon; but God and his own slight strength。  Yes;
  I had done with Spain; and was now in Wales; and; after a slight
  sigh; my thoughts became all intensely Welsh。  I thought on the old
  times when Mona was the grand seat of Druidical superstition; when
  adoration was paid to Dwy Fawr; and Dwy Fach; the sole survivors of
  the apocryphal Deluge; to Hu the Mighty and his plough; to Ceridwen
  and her cauldron; to Andras the Horrible; to Wyn ab Nudd; Lord of
  Unknown; and to Beli; Emperor of the Sun。  I thought on the times
  when the Beal fire blazed on this height; on the neighbouring
  promontory; on the cope…stone of Eryri; and on every high hill
  throughout Britain on the eve of the first of May。  I thought on
  the day when the bands of Suetonius crossed the Menai strait in
  their broad…bottomed boats; fell upon the Druids and their
  followers; who with wild looks and brandished torches lined the
  shore; slew hundreds with merciless butchery upon the plains; and
  pursued the remainder to the remotest fastnesses of the isle。  I
  figured to myself long…bearded men with white vestments toiling up
  the rocks; followed by fierce warriors with glittering helms and
  short broad two…edged swords; I thought I heard groans; cries of
  rage; and the dull; awful sound of bodies precipitated down rocks。
  Then as I looked towards the sea I thought I saw the fleet of
  Gryffith Ab Cynan steering from Ireland to Aber Menai; Gryffith;
  the son of a fugitive king; born in Ireland; in the Commot of
  Columbcille; Gryffith the frequently baffled; the often victorious;
  once a manacled prisoner sweating in the sun; in the market…place
  of Chester; eventually king of North Wales; Gryffith; who 〃though
  he loved well the trumpet's clang loved the sound of the harp
  better〃; who led on his warriors to twenty…four battles; and
  presided over the composition of the twenty…four measures of
  Cambrian song。  Then I thought …。  But I should tire the reader
  were I to detail all the intensely Welsh thoughts which crowded
  into my head as I stood on the Cairn of the Grey Giant。
  Satiated with looking about and thinking; I sprang from the cairn
  and rejoined my guide。  We now descended the eastern side of the
  hill till we came to a singular looking stone; which had much the
  appearance of a Druid's stone。  I inquired of my guide whether
  there was any tale connected with this stone。
  〃None;〃 he replied; 〃but I have heard people say that it was a
  strange stone; and on that account I brought you to look at it。〃
  A little farther down he showed me part of a ruined wall。
  〃What name does this bear?〃 said I。
  〃Clawdd yr Afalon;〃 he replied。  〃The dyke of the orchard。〃
  〃A strange place for an orchard;〃 I replied。  〃If there was ever an
  orchard on this bleak hill; the apples must have been very sour。〃
  Over rocks and stones we descended till we found ourselves on a
  road; not very far from the shore; on the south…east side of the
  hill。
  〃I am very thirsty;〃 said I; as I wiped the perspiration from my
  face; 〃how I should like now to drink my fill of cool spring
  water。〃
  〃If your honour is inclined for water;〃 said my guide; 〃I can take
  you to the finest spring in all Wales。〃
  〃Pray do so;〃 said I; 〃for I really am dying of thirst。〃
  〃It is on our way to the town;〃 said the lad; 〃and is scarcely a
  hundred yards off。〃
  He then led me to the fountain。  It was a little well under a stone
  wall; on the left side of the way。  It might be about two feet
  deep; was fenced with rude stones; and had a bottom of sand。
  〃There;〃 said the lad; 〃is the fountain。  It is called the Fairies'
  Well; and contains the best water in Wales。〃
  I lay down and drank。  Oh; what water was that of the Fairies'
  Well!  I drank and drank; and thought I could never drink enough of
  that delicious water; the lad all the time saying that I need not
  be afraid to drink; as the water of the Fairies' Well had never
  done harm to anybody。  At length I got up; and standing by the
  fountain repeated the lines of a bard on a spring; not of a Welsh
  but a Gaelic bard; which are perhaps the finest lines ever composed
  on the theme。  Yet MacIntyre; for such was his name; was like
  myself an admirer of good ale; to say nothing of whiskey; and loved
  to indulge in it at a proper time and place。  But there is a time
  and place for everything; and sometimes the warmest admirer of ale
  would prefer the lymph of the hill…side fountain to the choicest
  ale that ever foamed in tankard from the cellars of Holkham。  Here
  are the lines most faithfully rendered:…
  〃The wild wine of nature;
  Honey…like in its taste;
  The genial; fair; thin element
  Filtering through the sands;
  Which is sweeter than cinnamon;
  And is well known to us hunters。
  O; that eternal; healing draught;
  Which comes from under the earth;
  Which contains abundance of good
  And costs no money!〃
  Returning to the hotel I satisfied my guide and dined。  After
  dinner I trifled agreeably with my brandy…and…water till it was
  near seven o'clock; when I paid my bill; thought of the waiter and
  did not forget Father Boots。  I then took my departure; receiving
  and returning bows; and walking to the station got into a first…
  class carriage and soon found myself at Bangor。
  CHAPTER XLIII
  The Inn at Bangor … Port Dyn Norwig … Sea Serpent … Thoroughly
  Welsh Place … Blessing of Health。
  I WENT to the same inn at Bangor at which I had been before。  It
  was Saturday night and the house was thronged with people who had
  arrived by train from Manchester and Liverpool; with the intention
  of passing the Sunday in the Welsh town。  I took tea in an immense
  dining or ball…room; which was; however; so crowded with guests
  that its walls literally sweated。  Amidst the multitude I felt
  quite solitary … my beloved ones had departed for Llangollen; and
  there was no one with whom I could exchange a thought or a word of
  kindness。  I addressed several individuals; and in every instance
  repented; from some I got no answers; from others what was worse
  than no answers at all … in every countenance near me suspicion;
  brutality; or conceit; was most legibly imprinted … I was not
  amongst Welsh; but the scum of manufacturing England。
  Every bed in the house was engaged … the people of the house;
  however; provided me a bed at a place which they called the
  cottage; on the