wild wales-第11部分

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savage　and　brutish　as　the　wolves　and　foxes　with　whom　he　
occasionally　shared　his　pillow；　the　carn。　　In　course　of　time；　
however；　the　original　meaning　was　lost　or　disregarded；　and　the　term　
carn…lleidyr　was　applied　to　any　particularly　dishonest　person。　　At　
present　there　can　be　no　impropriety　in　calling　a　person　who　
receives　a　matrass；　knowing　it　to　be　stolen；　a　carn…lleidyr；　seeing　
that　he　is　worse　than　the　thief　who　stole　it；　or　in　calling　a　
knavish　attorney　a　carn…lleidyr；　seeing　that　he　does　far　more　harm　
than　a　common　pick…pocket；　or　in　calling　the　Pope　so；　seeing　that　
he　gets　huge　sums　of　money　out　of　people　by　pretending　to　be　able　
to　admit　their　souls　to　heaven；　or　to　hurl　them　to　the　other　place；　
knowing　all　the　time　that　he　has　no　such　power；　perhaps；　indeed；　at　
the　present　day　the　term　carn…lleidyr　is　more　applicable　to　the　
Pope　than　to　any　one　else；　for　he　is　certainly　the　arch　thief　of　
the　world。　　So　much　for　Carn…lleidyr。　　But　I　must　here　tell　you　
that　the　term　carn　may　be　applied　to　any　who　is　particularly　bad　or　
disagreeable　in　any　respect；　and　now　I　remember；　has　been　applied　
for　centuries　both　in　prose　and　poetry。　　One　Lewis　Glyn　Cothi；　a　
poet；　who　lived　more　than　three　hundred　years　ago；　uses　the　word　
carn　in　the　sense　of　arrant　or　exceedingly　bad；　for　in　his　abusive　
ode　to　the　town　of　Chester；　he　says　that　the　women　of　London　itself　
were　never　more　carn　strumpets　than　those　of　Chester；　by　which　he　
means　that　there　were　never　more　arrant　harlots　in　the　world　than　
those　of　the　cheese　capital。　　And　the　last　of　your　great　poets；　
Gronwy　Owen；　who　flourished　about　the　middle　of　the　last　century；　
complains　in　a　letter　to　a　friend；　whilst　living　in　a　village　of　
Lancashire；　that　he　was　amongst　Carn　Saeson。　　He　found　all　English　
disagreeable　enough；　but　those　of　Lancashire　particularly　so　…　
savage；　brutish　louts；　out…and…out　John　Bulls；　and　therefore　he　
called　them　Carn　Saeson。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　my　companion；　〃I　now　thoroughly　understand　
the　meaning　of　carn。　　Whenever　I　go　to　Chester；　and　a　dressed…up　
madam　jostles　against　me；　I　shall　call　her　carn…butein。　　The　Pope　
of　Rome　I　shall　in　future　term　carn…lleidyr　y　byd；　or　the　arch　
thief　of　the　world。　　And　whenever　I　see　a　stupid；　brutal　Englishman　
swaggering　about　Llangollen；　and　looking　down　upon　us　poor　Welsh；　I　
shall　say　to　myself　Get　home；　you　carn　Sais！　　Well；　sir；　we　are　now　
near　Llangollen；　I　must　turn　to　the　left。　　You　go　straight　forward。　　
I　never　had　such　an　agreeable　walk　in　my　life。　　May　I　ask　your　
name？〃

I　told　him　my　name；　and　asked　him　for　his。

〃Edward　Jones；〃　he　replied。



CHAPTER　X



The　Berwyn　…　Mountain　Cottage　…　The　Barber's　Pole。


ON　the　following　morning　I　strolled　up　the　Berwyn　on　the　south…west　
of　the　town；　by　a　broad　winding　path；　which　was　at　first　very　
steep；　but　by　degrees　became　less　so。　　When　I　had　accomplished　
about　three　parts　of　the　ascent　I　came　to　a　place　where　the　road；　
or　path；　divided　into　two。　　I　took　the　one　to　the　left；　which　
seemingly　led　to　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and　presently　came　to　a　
cottage　from　which　a　dog　rushed　barking　towards　me；　an　old　woman；　
however；　coming　to　the　door　called　him　back。　　I　said　a　few　words　to　
her　in　Welsh；　whereupon　in　broken　English　she　asked　me　to　enter　the　
cottage　and　take　a　glass　of　milk。　　I　went　in　and　sat　down　on　a　
chair　which　a　sickly…looking　young　woman　handed　to　me。　　I　asked　her　
in　English　who　she　was；　but　she　made　no　answer；　whereupon　the　old　
woman　told　me　that　she　was　her　daughter　and　had　no　English。　　I　then　
asked　her　in　Welsh　what　was　the　matter　with　her；　she　replied　that　
she　had　the　cryd　or　ague。　　The　old　woman　now　brought　me　a　glass　of　
milk；　and　said　in　the　Welsh　language　that　she　hoped　I　should　like　
it。　　What　further　conversation　we　had　was　in　the　Cambrian　tongue。　　
I　asked　the　name　of　the　dog；　who　was　now　fondling　upon　me；　and　was　
told　that　his　name　was　Pharaoh。　　I　inquired　if　they　had　any　books；　
and　was　shown　two；　one　a　common　Bible　printed　by　the　Bible　Society；　
and　the　other　a　volume　in　which　the　book　of　prayer　of　the　Church　of　
England　was　bound　up　with　the　Bible；　both　printed　at　Oxford；　about　
the　middle　of　the　last　century。　　I　found　that　both　mother　and　
daughter　were　Calvinistic…Methodists。　　After　a　little　further　
discourse　I　got　up　and　gave　the　old　woman　twopence　for　the　milk；　
she　accepted　it；　but　with　great　reluctance。　　I　inquired　whether　by　
following　the　road　I　could　get　to　the　Pen　y　bryn　or　the　top　of　the　
hill。　　They　shook　their　heads；　and　the　young　woman　said　that　I　
could　not；　as　the　road　presently　took　a　turn　and　went　down。　　I　
asked　her　how　I　could　get　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　　〃Which　part　of　
the　top？〃　said　she。　　〃I'r　goruchaf；〃　I　replied。　　〃That　must　be　
where　the　barber's　pole　stands；〃　said　she。　　〃Why　does　the　barber's　
pole　stand　there？〃　said　I。　　〃A　barber　was　hanged　there　a　long　time　
ago；〃　said　she；　〃and　the　pole　was　placed　to　show　the　spot。〃　　〃Why　
was　he　hanged？〃　said　I。　　〃For　murdering　his　wife；〃　said　she。　　I　
asked　her　some　questions　about　the　murder；　but　the　only　information　
she　could　give　me　was；　that　it　was　a　very　bad　murder　and　occurred　a　
long　time　ago。　　I　had　observed　the　pole　from　our　garden；　at　
Llangollen；　but　had　concluded　that　it　was　a　common　flagstaff。　　I　
inquired　the　way　to　it。　　It　was　not　visible　from　the　cottage；　but　
they　gave　me　directions　how　to　reach　it。　　I　bade　them　farewell；　and　
in　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　reached　the　pole　on　the　top　of　the　
hill。　　I　imagined　that　I　should　have　a　glorious　view　of　the　vale　of　
Llangollen　from　the　spot　where　it　stood；　the　view；　however；　did　not　
answer　my　expectations。　　I　returned　to　Llangollen　by　nearly　the　
same　way　by　which　I　had　come。

The　remainder　of　the　day　I　spent　entirely　with　my　family；　whom　at　
their　particular　request　I　took　in　the　evening　to　see　Plas　Newydd；　
once　the　villa　of　the　two　ladies　of　Llangollen。　　It　lies　on　the　
farther　side　of　the　bridge；　at　a　little　distance　from　the　back　part　
of　the　church。　　There　is　a　thoroughfare　through　the　grounds；　which　
are　not　extensive。　　Plas　Newydd　or　the　New　Place　is　a　small　gloomy　
mansion；　with　a　curious　dairy　on　the　right…hand　side；　as　you　go　up　
to　it；　and　a　remarkable　stone　pump。　　An　old　man　whom　we　met　in　the　
grounds；　and　with　whom　I　entered　into　conversation；　said　that　he　
remembered　the　building　of　the　house；　and　that　the　place　where　it　
now　stands　was　called　before　its　erection　Pen　y　maes；　or　the　head　
of　the　field。



CHAPTER　XI



Welsh　Farm…House　…　A　Poet's　Grandson　…　Hospitality　…　Mountain　
Village　…　Madoc　…　The　Native　Valley　…　Corpse　Candles　…　The　Midnight　
Call。


MY　curiosity　having　been　rather　excited　with　respect　to　the　country　
beyond　the　Berwyn；　by　what　my　friend；　the　intelligent　flannel…
worker；　had　told　me　about　it；　I　determined　to　go　and　see　it。　　
Accordingly　on　Friday　morning　I　set　out。　　Having　passed　by　Pengwern　
Hall　I　turned　up　a　lane　in　the　direction　of　the　south；　with　a　brook　
on　the　right　running　amongst　hazels；　I　presently　arrived　at　a　small　
farm…house　standing　on　the　left　with　a　little　yard　before　it。　　
Seeing　a　woman　at　the　door　I　asked　her　in　English　if　the　road　in　
which　I　was　would　take　me　across　the　mountain　…　she　said　it　would；　
and　forthwith　cried　to　a　man　working　in　a　field　who　left　his　work　
and　came　towards　us。　　〃That　is　my　husband；〃　said　she；　〃he　has　more　
English　than　I。〃

The　man　came　up　and　addressed　me　in　very　good　English：　　he　had　a　
brisk；　intelligent　look；　and　was　about　sixty。　　I　repeated　the　
question；　which　I　had　put　to　his　wife；　and　he　also　said　that　by　
following　the　road　I　could　get　across　the　mountain。　　We　soon　got　
into　conversation。　　He　told　me　that　the　little　farm　in　which　he　
lived　belonged　to　the　person　who　had　bought　Pengwern　Hall。　　He　said　
that　he　was　a　good　kind　of　gentleman；　but　did　not　like　the　Welsh。　　
I　asked　him；　if　the　gentleman　in　question　did　not　like　the　Welsh；　
why　he　came　to　live　among　them。　　He　smiled；　and　I　then　said　that　I　
liked　the　Welsh　very　much；　and　was　particularly　fond　of　their　
language。　　He　asked　me　whether　I　could　read　Welsh；　and　on　my　
telling　him　I　could；　he　said　that　if　I　would　walk　in　he　would　show　
me　a　Welsh　book。　　I　went　with　him　and　his　wife　into　a　neat　kind　of　
kitchen；　flagged　with　stone；　where　were　several　young　people；　their　
children。　　I　spoke　some　Welsh　to　them　which　appeared　to　give　them　
great　satisfaction。　　The　man　went　to　a　shelf　and　taking　down　a　book　
put　it　into　my　hand。　　It　was　a　Welsh　book；　and　the　title　of　it　in　
English　was　〃Evening　Work　of　the　Welsh。〃　　It　contained　the　lives　of　
illustrious　Welshmen；　commencing　with　that　of　Cadwalader。　　I　read　a　
page　of　it　aloud；　while　the　family　stood　round　and　wondered　to　hear　
a　Saxon　read　their　language。　　I　entered　into　discourse　with　the　man　
about　Welsh　poetry　and　repeated　the　famous　prophecy　of　Taliesin　
about　the　Coiling　Serpent。　　I　asked　him　if　the　Welsh　had　any　poets　
at　the　present　day。　　〃Plenty；〃　said　he；　〃and　good　ones　…　Wales　can　
never　be　without　a　poet。〃　　Then　after　a　pause　he　said；　that　he　was　
the　grandson　of　a　great　poet。

〃Do　you　bear　his　name？〃　said　I。

〃I　do；〃　he　replied。

〃What　may　it　be？〃

〃Hughes；〃　he　answered。

〃Two　of　the　name　of　Hughes　have　been　poets；〃　said　I　…　〃one　was　Huw　
Hughes；　generally　termed　the　Bardd　Coch；　or　red　bard；　he　was　an　
Anglesea　man；　and　the　friend　of　Lewis　Morris　and　Gronwy　Owen　…　the　
other　was　Jonathan　Hughes；　where　he　lived　I　know　not。〃

〃He　lived　here；　in　this　very　house；〃　said　the　man。　　〃Jonathan　
Hughes　was　my　grandfather！〃　and　as　he　spoke　his　eyes　flashed　fire。

〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃I　read　some　of　his　pieces　thirty…two　years　ago　
when　I　was　a　lad　in　England。　　I　think　I　can　repeat　some　of　the　
lines。〃　　I　then　repeated　a　quartet　which　I　chanced　to　remember。

〃Ah！〃　said　the　man；　〃I　see　you　know　his　poetry。　　Come　into　the　next　
room　and　I　will　show　you　his　chair。〃　　He　led　me　into　a　sleeping…
room　on　the　right　hand；　where　in　a　corner　he　showed　me　an　antique　
three…cornered　arm…chair。　　〃That　chair；〃　said　he；　〃my　grandsire　won　
at　Llangollen；　at　an　Eisteddfod　of　Bards。　　Various　bards　recited　
their　poetry；　but　my　gra