wild wales-第50部分

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sitting；　or　those　whom　I　had　seen　reclining；　had　got；　or　were　
getting　on　their　legs。　　As　I　passed　them　they　were　all　standing　up；　
and　their　eyes　were　fixed　upon　me　with　a　strange　kind　of　
expression；　partly　of　wonder；　methought；　partly　of　respect。　　〃Yes；　
'tis　he；　sure　enough；〃　I　heard　one　whisper。　　On　I　went；　and　at　
about　thirty　yards　from　the　last　I　stopped；　turned　round　and　leaned　
against　the　wall。　　All　the　Irish　were　looking　at　me　…　presently　
they　formed　into　knots　and　began　to　discourse　very　eagerly　in　
Irish；　though　in　an　undertone。　　At　length　I　observed　a　fellow　going　
from　one　knot　to　the　other；　exchanging　a　few　words　with　each。　　
After　he　had　held　communication　with　all　he　nodded　his　head；　and　
came　towards　me　with　a　quick　step；　the　rest　stood　silent　and　
motionless　with　their　eyes　turned　in　the　direction　in　which　I　was；　
and　in　which　he　was　advancing。　　He　stopped　within　a　yard　of　me　and　
took　off　his　hat。　　He　was　an　athletic　fellow　of　about　twenty…eight；　
dressed　in　brown　frieze。　　His　features　were　swarthy；　and　his　eyes　
black；　in　every　lineament　of　his　countenance　was　a　jumble　of　
savagery　and　roguishness。　　I　never　saw　a　more　genuine　wild　Irish　
face　…　there　he　stood　looking　at　me　full　in　the　face；　his　hat　in　
one　hand　and　his　shillealah　in　the　other。

〃Well；　what　do　you　want？〃　said　I；　after　we　had　stared　at　each　other　
about　half　a　minute。

〃Sure；　I'm　just　come　on　the　part　of　the　boys　and　myself　to　beg　a　
bit　of　a　favour　of　your　reverence。〃

〃Reverence；〃　said　I；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　styling　me　reverence？〃

〃Och　sure；　because　to　be　styled　your　reverence　is　the　right　of　your　
reverence。〃

〃Pray　what　do　you　take　me　for？〃

〃Och　sure；　we　knows　your　reverence　very　well。〃

〃Well；　who　am　I？〃

〃Och；　why　Father　Toban　to　be　sure。〃

〃And　who　knows　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　a　boy　here　knows　your　reverence　to　be　Father　Toban。〃

〃Where　is　that　boy？〃

〃Here　he　stands；　your　reverence。〃

〃Are　you　that　boy？〃

〃I　am；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　you　told　the　rest　that　I　was　Father　Toban？〃

〃I　did；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　you　know　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃I　do；　your　reverence。〃

〃How　do　you　know　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　why　because　many's　the　good　time　that　I　have　heard　your　
reverence；　Father　Toban；　say　mass。〃

〃And　what　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃Why；　see　here；　your　reverence；　we　are　going　to　embark　in　the　dirty　
steamer　yonder　for　ould　Ireland；　which　starts　as　soon　as　the　tide　
serves；　and　we　want　your　reverence　to　bless　us　before　we　goes。〃

〃You　want　me　to　bless　you？〃

〃We　do；　your　reverence；　we　want　you　to　spit　out　a　little　bit　of　a　
blessing　upon　us　before　we　goes　on　board。〃

〃And　what　good　would　my　blessing　do　you？〃

〃All　kinds　of　good；　your　reverence；　it　would　prevent　the　dirty　
steamer　from　catching　fire；　your　reverence；　or　from　going　down；　
your　reverence；　or　from　running　against　the　blackguard　Hill　of　
Howth　in　the　mist；　provided　there　should　be　one。〃

〃And　suppose　I　were　to　tell　you　that　I　am　not　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　your　reverence；　will　never　think　of　doing　that。〃

〃Would　you　believe　me　if　I　did？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃If　I　were　to　swear　that　I　am　not　Father　Toban？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃On　the　evangiles？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃On　the　Cross？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　suppose　I　were　to　refuse　to　give　you　a　blessing？〃

〃Och；　your　reverence　will　never　refuse　to　bless　the　poor　boys。〃

〃But　suppose　I　were　to　refuse？〃

〃Why；　in　such　a　case；　which　by…the…bye　is　altogether　impossible；　we　
should　just　make　bould　to　give　your　reverence　a　good　big　bating。〃

〃You　would　break　my　head？〃

〃We　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃Kill　me？〃

〃We　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃You　would　really　put　me　to　death？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　what's　the　difference　between　killing　and　putting　to　death？〃

〃Och；　sure　there's　all　the　difference　in　the　world。　　Killing　manes　
only　a　good　big　bating；　such　as　every　Irishman　is　used　to；　and　
which　your　reverence　would　get　over　long　before　matins；　whereas　
putting　your　reverence　to　death　would　prevent　your　reverence　from　
saying　mass　for　ever　and　a　day。〃

〃And　you　are　determined　on　having　a　blessing？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃By　hook　or　by　crook？〃

〃By　crook　or　by　hook；　your　reverence。〃

〃Before　I　bless　you；　will　you　answer　me　a　question　or　two？〃

〃I　will；　your　reverence。〃

〃Are　you　not　a　set　of　great　big　blackguards？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃Without　one　good　quality？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃Would　it　not　be　quite　right　to　saddle　and　bridle　you　all；　and　ride　
you　violently　down　Holyhead　or　the　Giant's　Causeway　into　the　
waters；　causing　you　to　perish　there；　like　the　herd　of　swine　of　
old？〃

〃It　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　knowing　and　confessing　all　this；　you　have　the　cheek　to　come　
and　ask　me　for　a　blessing？〃

〃We　have；　your　reverence。〃

〃Well；　how　shall　I　give　the　blessing？〃

〃Och；　sure　your　reverence　knows　very　well　how　to　give　it。〃

〃Shall　I　give　it　in　Irish？〃

〃Och；　no；　your　reverence　…　a　blessing　in　Irish　is　no　blessing　at　
all。〃

〃In　English？〃

〃Och；　murder；　no；　your　reverence；　God　preserve　us　all　from　an　
English　blessing！〃

〃In　Latin？〃

〃Yes；　sure；　your　reverence；　in　what　else　should　you　bless　us　but　in　
holy　Latin？〃

〃Well　then　prepare　yourselves。〃

〃We　will；　your　reverence　…　stay　one　moment　whilst　I　whisper　to　the　
boys　that　your　reverence　is　about　to　bestow　your　blessing　upon　us。〃

Then　turning　to　the　rest　who　all　this　time　had　kept　their　eyes　
fixed　intently　upon　us；　he　bellowed　with　the　voice　of　a　bull：

〃Down　on　your　marrow　bones；　ye　sinners；　for　his　reverence　Toban　is　
about　to　bless　us　all　in　holy　Latin。〃

He　then　flung　himself　on　his　knees　on　the　pier；　and　all　his　
countrymen；　baring　their　heads；　followed　his　example　…　yes；　there　
knelt　thirty　bare…headed　Eirionaich　on　the　pier　of　Caer　Gybi　
beneath　the　broiling　sun。　　I　gave　them　the　best　Latin　blessing　I　
could　remember；　out　of　two　or　three　which　I　had　got　by　memory　out　
of　an　old　Popish　book　of　devotion；　which　I　bought　in　my　boyhood　at　
a　stall。　　Then　turning　to　the　deputy　I　said；　〃Well；　now　are　you　
satisfied？〃

〃Sure；　I　have　a　right　to　be　satisfied；　your　reverence；　and　so　have　
we　all　…　sure　we　can　now　all　go　on　board　the　dirty　steamer；　without　
fear　of　fire　or　water；　or　the　blackguard　Hill　of　Howth　either。〃

〃Then　get　up；　and　tell　the　rest　to　get　up；　and　please　to　know　and　
let　the　rest　know；　that　I　do　not　choose　to　receive　farther　trouble；　
either　by　word　or　look；　from　any　of　ye；　as　long　as　I　remain　here。〃

〃Your　reverence　shall　be　obeyed　in　all　things；〃　said　the　fellow；　
getting　up。　　Then　walking　away　to　his　companions　he　cried；　〃Get　up；　
boys；　and　plase　to　know　that　his　reverence　Toban　is　not　to　be　
farther　troubled　by　being　looked　at　or　spoken　to　by　any　one　of　us　
as　long　as　he　remains　upon　this　dirty　pier。〃

〃Divil　a　bit　farther　trouble　shall　he　have　from　us！〃　exclaimed　many　
a　voice；　as　the　rest　of　the　party　arose　from　their　knees。

In　half　a　minute　they　disposed　themselves　in　much　the　same　manner　
as　that　in　which　they　were　when　I　first　saw　them　…　some　flung　
themselves　again　to　sleep　under　the　wall；　some　seated　themselves　
with　their　backs　against　it；　and　laughed　and　chatted；　but　without　
taking　any　notice　of　me；　those　who　sat　and　chatted　took；　or　
appeared　to　take；　as　little　notice　as　those　who　lay　and　slept　of　
his　reverence　Father　Toban。



CHAPTER　XLII



Gage　of　Suffolk　…　Fellow　in　a　Turban　…　Town　of　Holyhead　…　Father　
Boots　…　An　Expedition　…　Holy　Head　and　Finisterrae　…　Gryffith　ab　
Cynan　…　The　Fairies'　Well。


LEAVING　the　pier　I　turned　up　a　street　to　the　south；　and　was　not　
long　before　I　arrived　at　a　kind　of　market…place；　where　were　carts　
and　stalls；　and　on　the　ground；　on　cloths；　apples　and　plums；　and　
abundance　of　greengages；　…　the　latter；　when　good；　decidedly　the　
finest　fruit　in　the　world；　a　fruit；　for　the　introduction　of　which　
into　England；　the　English　have　to　thank　one　Gage　of　an　ancient　
Suffolk　family；　at　present　extinct；　after　whose　name　the　fruit　
derives　the　latter　part　of　its　appellation。　　Strolling　about　the　
market…place　I　came　in　contact　with　a　fellow　dressed　in　a　turban　
and　dirty　blue　linen　robes　and　trowsers。　　He　bore　a　bundle　of　
papers　in　his　hand；　one　of　which　he　offered　to　me。　　I　asked　him　who　
he　was。

〃Arap；〃　he　replied。

He　had　a　dark；　cunning；　roguish　countenance；　with　small　eyes；　and　
had　all　the　appearance　of　a　Jew。　　I　spoke　to　him　in　what　Arabic　I　
could　command　on　a　sudden；　and　he　jabbered　to　me　in　a　corrupt　
dialect；　giving　me　a　confused　account　of　a　captivity　which　he　had　
undergone　amidst　savage　Mahometans。　　At　last　I　asked　him　what　
religion　he　was　of。

〃The　Christian；〃　he　replied。

〃Have　you　ever　been　of　the　Jewish？〃　said　I。

He　returned　no　answer　save　by　a　grin。

I　took　the　paper；　gave　him　a　penny；　and　then　walked　away。　　The　
paper　contained　an　account　in　English　of　how　the　bearer；　the　son　of　
Christian　parents；　had　been　carried　into　captivity　by　two　Mahometan　
merchants；　a　father　and　son；　from　whom　he　had　escaped　with　the　
greatest　difficulty。

〃Pretty　fools；〃　said　I；　〃must　any　people　have　been　who　ever　stole　
you；　but　oh　what　fools　if　they　wished　to　keep　you　after　they　had　
got　you！〃

The　paper　was　stuffed　with　religious　and　anti…slavery　cant；　and　
merely　wanted　a　little　of　the　teetotal　nonsense　to　be　a　perfect　
specimen　of　humbug。

I　strolled　forward；　encountering　more　carts　and　more　heaps　of　
greengages；　presently　I　turned　to　the　right　by　a　street；　which　led　
some　way　up　the　hill。　　The　houses　were　tolerably　large　and　all　
white。　　The　town；　with　its　white　houses　placed　by　the　seaside；　on　
the　skirt　of　a　mountain；　beneath　a　blue　sky　and　a　broiling　sun；　put　
me　something　in　mind　of　a　Moorish　piratical　town；　in　which　I　had　
once　been。　　Becoming　soon　tired　of　walking　about；　without　any　
particular　aim；　in　so　great　a　heat；　I　determined　to　return　to　the　
inn；　call　for　ale；　and　deliberate　on　what　I　had　best　next　do。　　So　I　
returned　and　called　for　ale。　　The　ale　which　was　brought　was　not　ale　
which　I　am　particularly　fond　of。　　The　ale　which　I　am