wild wales-第124部分

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in　Cardiff。〃

〃Why　do　they　bury　their　dead　there？〃

〃You　should　ask　them；　not　me。　　I　know　nothing　about　them；　and　don't　
want；　they　are　a　bad　set　of　people。〃

〃Did　they　ever　do　you　any　harm？〃

〃Can't　say　they　did。　　Indeed　I　never　saw　one　in　the　whole　of　my　
life。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　call　them　bad？〃

〃Because　everybody　says　they　are。〃

〃Not　everybody。　　I　don't；　I　have　always　found　them　the　salt　of　the　
earth。〃

〃Then　it　is　salt　that　has　lost　its　savour。　　But　perhaps　you　are　one　
of　them？〃

〃No；　I　belong　to　the　Church　of　England。〃

〃Oh；　you　do。　　Then　good…night　to　you。　　I　am　a　Methodist。　　I　thought　
at　first　that　you　were　one　of　our　ministers；　and　had　hoped　to　hear　
from　you　something　profitable　and　conducive　to　salvation；　but　…　〃

〃Well；　so　you　shall。　　Never　speak　ill　of　people　of　whom　you　know　
nothing。　　If　that　isn't　a　saying　conducive　to　salvation；　I　know　not　
what　is。　　Good　evening　to　you。〃

I　soon　reached　the　village。　　Singular　enough；　the　people　of　the　
very　first　house；　at　which　I　inquired　about　the　Quakers'　Yard；　were　
entrusted　with　the　care　of　it。　　On　my　expressing　a　wish　to　see　it；　
a　young　woman　took　down　a　key；　and　said　that　if　I　would　follow　her　
she　would　show　it　me。　　The　Quakers'　burying…place　is　situated　on　a　
little　peninsula　or　tongue　of　land；　having　a　brook　on　its　eastern　
and　northern　sides；　and　on　its　western　the　Taf。　　It　is　a　little　
oblong　yard；　with　low　walls；　partly　overhung　with　ivy。　　The　
entrance　is　a　porch　to　the　south。　　The　Quakers　are　no　friends　to　
tombstones；　and　the　only　visible　evidence　that　this　was　a　place　of　
burial　was　a　single　flag…stone；　with　a　half…obliterated　
inscription；　which　with　some　difficulty　I　deciphered；　and　was　as　
follows：…


To　the　Memory　of　THOMAS　EDMUNDS
Who　died　April　the　ninth　1802　aged　60　years。
And　of　MARY　EDMUNDS
Who　died　January　the　fourth　1810　aged　70。


The　beams　of　the　descending　sun　gilded　the　Quakers'　burial…ground　
as　I　trod　its　precincts。　　A　lovely　resting…place　looked　that　little　
oblong　yard　on　the　peninsula；　by　the　confluence　of　the　waters；　and　
quite　in　keeping　with　the　character　of　the　quiet　Christian　people　
who　sleep　within　it。　　The　Quakers　have　for　some　time　past　been　a　
decaying　sect；　but　they　have　done　good　work　in　their　day；　and　when　
they　are　extinct　they　are　not　destined　to　be　soon　forgotten。　　Soon　
forgotten！　　How　should　a　sect　ever　be　forgotten；　to　which　have　
belonged　three　such　men　as　George　Fox；　William　Penn；　and　Joseph　
Gurney？

Shortly　after　I　left　the　Quakers'　Yard　the　sun　went　down　and　
twilight　settled　upon　the　earth。　　Pursuing　my　course　I　reached　some　
woodlands；　and　on　inquiring　of　a　man；　whom　I　saw　standing　at　the　
door　of　a　cottage；　the　name　of　the　district；　was　told　that　it　was　
called　Ystrad　Manach　…　the　Monks'　Strath　or　valley。　　This　name　it　
probably　acquired　from　having　belonged　in　times　of　old　to　some　
monkish　establishment。　　The　moon　now　arose　and　the　night　was　
delightful。　　As　I　was　wandering　along　I　heard　again　the　same　wild　
noise　which　I　had　heard　the　night　before；　on　the　other　side　of　
Merthyr　Tydvil。　　The　cry　of　the　owl　afar　off　in　the　woodlands。　　Oh　
that　strange　bird！　　Oh　that　strange　cry！　　The　Welsh；　as　I　have　said　
on　a　former　occasion；　call　the　owl　Dylluan。　　Amongst　the　cowydds　of　
Ab　Gwilym　there　is　one　to　the　dylluan。　　It　is　full　of　abuse　against　
the　bird；　with　whom　the　poet　is　very　angry　for　having　with　its　cry　
frightened　Morfydd　back；　who　was　coming　to　the　wood　to　keep　an　
assignation　with　him；　but　not　a　little　of　this　abuse　is　wonderfully　
expressive　and　truthful。　　He　calls　the　owl　a　grey　thief　…　the　
haunter　of　the　ivy　bush　…　the　chick　of　the　oak；　a　blinking　eyed　
witch；　greedy　of　mice；　with　a　visage　like　the　bald　forehead　of　a　
big　ram；　or　the　dirty　face　of　an　old　abbess；　which　bears　no　little　
resemblance　to　the　chine　of　an　ape。　　Of　its　cry　he　says　that　it　is　
as　great　a　torment　as　an　agonizing　recollection；　a　cold　shrill　
laugh　from　the　midst　of　a　kettle　of　ice；　the　rattling　of　sea…
pebbles　in　an　old　sheep…skin；　on　which　account　many　call　the　owl　
the　hag　of　the　Rhugylgroen。　　The　Rhugylgroen；　it　will　be　as　well　to　
observe；　is　a　dry　sheepskin　containing　a　number　of　pebbles；　and　is　
used　as　a　rattle　for　frightening　crows。　　The　likening　the　visage　of　
the　owl　to　the　dirty　face　of　an　old　abbess　is　capital；　and　the　
likening　the　cry　to　the　noise　of　the　rhugylgroen　is　anything　but　
unfortunate。　　For；　after　all；　what　does　the　voice　of　the　owl　so　
much　resemble　as　a　diabolical　rattle。　　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　　
Reader；　do　you？

I　reached　Caerfili　at　about　seven　o'clock；　and　went　to　the　〃Boar's　
Head；〃　near　the　ruins　of　a　stupendous　castle；　on　which　the　beams　of　
the　moon　were　falling。



CHAPTER　CVII



Caerfili　Castle　…　Sir　Charles　…　The　Waiter　…　Inkerman。


I　SLEPT　well　during　the　night。　　In　the　morning　after　breakfast　I　
went　to　see　the　castle；　over　which　I　was　conducted　by　a　woman　who　
was　intrusted　with　its　care。　　It　stands　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　
little　town；　and　is　a　truly　enormous　structure；　which　brought　to　my　
recollection　a　saying　of　our　great　Johnson；　to　be　found　in　the　
account　of　his　journey　to　the　Western　Islands；　namely　〃that　for　all　
the　castles　which　he　had　seen　beyond　the　Tweed　the　ruins　yet　
remaining　of　some　one　of　those　which　the　English　built　in　Wales　
would　find　materials。〃　　The　original　founder　was　one　John　De　Bryse；　
a　powerful　Norman　who　married　the　daughter　of　Llewellyn　Ap　
Jorwerth；　the　son…in…law　of　King　John；　and　the　most　war…like　of　all　
the　Welsh　princes；　whose　exploits；　and　particularly　a　victory　which　
he　obtained　over　his　father…in…law；　with　whom　he　was　always　at　war；　
have　been　immortalized　by　the　great　war…bard；　Dafydd　Benfras。　　It　
was　one　of　the　strongholds　which　belonged　to　the　Spencers；　and　
served　for　a　short　time　as　a　retreat　to　the　unfortunate　Edward　the　
Second。　　It　was　ruined　by　Cromwell；　the　grand　foe　of　the　baronial　
castles　of　Britain；　but　not　in　so　thorough　and　sweeping　a　manner　as　
to　leave　it　a　mere　heap　of　stones。　　There　is　a　noble　entrance　porch　
fronting　the　west　…　a　spacious　courtyard；　a　grand　banqueting　room；　
a　corridor　of　vast　length；　several　lofty　towers；　a　chapel；　a　sally…
port；　a　guard…room　and　a　strange　underground　vaulted　place　called　
the　mint；　in　which　Caerfili's　barons　once　coined　money；　and　in　
which　the　furnaces　still　exist　which　were　used　for　melting　metal。　　
The　name　Caerfili　is　said　to　signify　the　Castle　of　Haste；　and　to　
have　been　bestowed　on　the　pile　because　it　was　built　in　a　hurry。　　
Caerfili；　however；　was　never　built　in　a　hurry；　as　the　remains　show。　　
Moreover；　the　Welsh　word　for　haste　is　not　fil　but　ffrwst。　　Fil　
means　a　scudding　or　darting　through　the　air；　which　can　have　nothing　
to　do　with　the　building　of　a　castle。　　Caerfili　signifies　Philip's　
City；　and　was　called　so　after　one　Philip　a　saint。　　It　no　more　means　
the　castle　of　haste　than　Tintagel　in　Cornwall　signifies　the　castle　
of　guile；　as　the　learned　have　said　it　does；　for　Tintagel　simply　
means　the　house　in　the　gill　of　the　hill；　a　term　admirably　
descriptive　of　the　situation　of　the　building。

I　started　from　Caerfili　at　eleven　for　Newport；　distant　about　
seventeen　miles。　　Passing　through　a　toll…gate　I　ascended　an　
acclivity；　from　the　top　of　which　I　obtained　a　full　view　of　the　
castle；　looking　stern；　dark　and　majestic。　　Descending　the　hill　I　
came　to　a　bridge　over　a　river　called　the　Rhymni　or　Rumney；　much　
celebrated　in　Welsh　and　English　song　…　thence　to　Pentref　Bettws；　or　
the　village　of　the　bead…house；　doubtless　so　called　from　its　having　
contained　in　old　times　a　house　in　which　pilgrims　might　tell　their　
beads。

The　scenery　soon　became　very　beautiful　…　its　beauty；　however；　was　
to　a　certain　extent　marred　by　a　horrid　black　object；　a　huge　coal　
work；　the　chimneys　of　which　were　belching　forth　smoke　of　the　
densest　description。　　〃Whom　does　that　work　belong　to？〃　said　I　to　a　
man　nearly　as　black　as　a　chimney　sweep。

〃Who　does　it　belong　to？　　Why；　to　Sir　Charles。〃

〃Do　you　mean　Sir　Charles　Morgan？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　I　only　know　that　it　belongs　to　Sir　Charles；　the　
kindest…hearted　and　richest　man　in　Wales　and　in　England　too。〃

Passing　some　cottages　I　heard　a　group　of　children　speaking　English。　　
Asked　an　intelligent…looking　girl　if　she　could　speak　Welsh。

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　〃I　can　speak　it；　but　not　very　well。〃　　There　is　not　
much　Welsh　spoken　by　the　children　hereabout。　　The　old　folks　hold　
more　to　it。

I　saw　again　the　Rhymni　river；　and　crossed　it　by　a　bridge；　the　river　
here　was　filthy　and　turbid；　owing　of　course　to　its　having　received　
the　foul　drainings　of　the　neighbouring　coal　works。　　Shortly　
afterwards　I　emerged　from　the　coom　or　valley　of　the　Rhymni；　and　
entered　upon　a　fertile　and　tolerably　level　district。　　Passed　by　
Llanawst　and　Machen。　　The　day　which　had　been　very　fine　now　became　
dark　and　gloomy。　　Suddenly；　as　I　was　descending　a　slope；　a　
brilliant　party；　consisting　of　four　young　ladies　in　riding…habits；　
a　youthful　cavalier　and　a　servant　in　splendid　livery　…　all　on　noble　
horses；　swept　past　me　at　full　gallop　down　the　hill。　　Almost　
immediately　afterwards；　seeing　a　road…mender　who　was　standing　
holding　his　cap　in　his　hand　…　which　he　had　no　doubt　just　
reverentially　doffed　…　I　said　in　Welsh：　　〃Who　are　those　ladies？〃

〃Merched　Sir　Charles　…　the　daughters　of　Sir　Charles；〃　he　replied。

〃And　is　the　gentleman　their　brother？〃

〃No！　the　brother　is　in　the　Crim　…　fighting　with　the　Roosiaid。　　I　
don't　know　who　yon　gentleman　be。〃

〃Where　does　Sir　Charles　live？〃

〃Down　in　the　Dyfryn；　not　far　from　Basallaig。〃

〃If　I　were　to　go　and　see　him；〃　I　said；　〃do　you　think　he　would　give　
me　a　cup　of　ale？〃

〃I　daresay　he　would；　he　has　given　me　one　many　a　time。〃

I　soon　reached　Basallaig；　a　pleasant　village　standing　in　a　valley　
and　nearly　surrounded　by　the　groves　of　Sir　Charles　Morgan。　　Seeing　
a　decent　public…house　I　said　to　myself；　〃I　think　I　shall　step　in　
and　have　my　ale　here；　and　not　go　running　after　Sir　Charles；　whom　
perhaps　after　all　I　shouldn't　find　at　home。〃　　So　I　went　in　and　
called　for　a　pint　of　ale。　　Over　my　ale　I　trifled　for　about　half…an…
hour；　then　paying　my　groat　I　got　up　and　set　off　for　Newpor