wild wales-第51部分

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which　I　am　particularly　fond　of。　　The　ale　which　I　am　fond　of　is　ale　
about　nine　or　ten　months　old；　somewhat　hard；　tasting　well　of　malt　
and　little　of　the　hop　…　ale　such　as　farmers；　and　noblemen　too；　of　
the　good　old　time；　when　farmers'　daughters　did　not　play　on　pianos　
and　noblemen　did　not　sell　their　game；　were　in　the　habit　of　offering　
to　both　high　and　low；　and　drinking　themselves。　　The　ale　which　was　
brought　me　was　thin　washy　stuff；　which　though　it　did　not　taste　much　
of　hop；　tasted　still　less　of　malt；　made　and　sold　by　one　Allsopp；　
who　I　am　told　calls　himself　a　squire　and　a　gentleman　…　as　he　
certainly　may　with　quite　as　much　right　as　many　a　lord　calls　himself　
a　nobleman　and　a　gentleman；　for　surely　it　is　not　a　fraction　more　
trumpery　to　make　and　sell　ale　than　to　fatten　and　sell　game。　　The　
ale　of　the　Saxon　squire；　for　Allsopp　is　decidedly　an　old　Saxon　
name；　however　unakin　to　the　practice　of　old　Saxon　squires　the　
selling　of　ale　may　be；　was　drinkable　for　it　was　fresh；　and　the　day；　
as　I　have　said　before；　exceedingly　hot；　so　I　took　frequent　draughts　
out　of　the　shining　metal　tankard　in　which　it　was　brought；　
deliberating　both　whilst　drinking；　and　in　the　intervals　of　
drinking；　on　what　I　had　next　best　do。　　I　had　some　thoughts　of　
crossing　to　the　northern　side　of　the　bay；　then；　bearing　the　north…
east；　wend　my　way　to　Amlwch；　follow　the　windings　of　the　sea…shore　
to　Mathafarn　eithaf　and　Pentraeth　Coch；　and　then　return　to　Bangor；　
after　which　I　could　boast　that　I　had　walked　round　the　whole　of　
Anglesey；　and　indeed　trodden　no　inconsiderable　part　of　the　way　
twice。　　Before　coming；　however；　to　any　resolution；　I　determined　to　
ask　the　advice　of　my　friend　the　boots　on　the　subject。　　So　I　
finished　my　ale；　and　sent　word　by　the　waiter　that　I　wished　to　speak　
to　him；　he　came　forthwith；　and　after　communicating　my　deliberations　
to　him　in　a　few　words　I　craved　his　counsel。　　The　old　man；　after　
rubbing　his　right　forefinger　behind　his　right　ear　for　about　a　
quarter　of　a　minute；　inquired　if　I　meant　to　return　to　Bangor；　and　
on　my　telling　him　that　it　would　be　necessary　for　me　to　do　so；　as　I　
intended　to　walk　back　to　Llangollen　by　Caernarvon　and　Beth　Gelert；　
strongly　advised　me　to　return　to　Bangor　by　the　railroad　train；　
which　would　start　at　seven　in　the　evening；　and　would　convey　me　
thither　in　an　hour　and　a　half。　　I　told　him　that　I　hated　railroads；　
and　received　for　answer　that　he　had　no　particular　liking　for　them　
himself；　but　that　he　occasionally　made　use　of　them　on　a　pinch；　and　
supposed　that　I　likewise　did　the　same。　　I　then　observed；　that　if　I　
followed　his　advice　I　should　not　see　the　north　side　of　the　island　
nor　its　principal　town　Amlwch；　and　received　for　answer　that　if　I　
never　did；　the　loss　would　not　be　great　…　that　as　for　Amlwch　it　was　
a　poor　poverty…stricken　place　…　the　inn　a　shabby　affair　…　the　
master　a　very　so…so　individual；　and　the　boots　a　fellow　without　
either　wit　or　literature。　　That　upon　the　whole　he　thought　I　might　
be　satisfied　with　what　I　had　seen　for　after　having　visited　Owen　
Tudor's　tomb；　Caer　Gybi　and　his　hotel；　I　had　in　fact　seen　the　cream　
of　Mona。　　I　then　said　that　I　had　one　objection　to　make；　which　was　
that　I　really　did　not　know　how　to　employ　the　time　till　seven　
o'clock；　for　that　I　had　seen　all　about　the　town。

〃But　has　your　honour　ascended　the　Head？〃　demanded　Father　Boots。

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃I　have　not。〃

〃Then；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　soon　find　your　honour　ways　and　means　to　
spend　the　time　agreeably　till　the　starting　of　the　train。　　Your　
honour　shall　ascend　the　Head　under　the　guidance　of　my　nephew；　a　
nice　intelligent　lad；　your　honour；　and　always　glad　to　earn　a　
shilling　or　two。　　By　the　time　your　honour　has　seen　all　the　wonders　
of　the　Head　and　returned；　it　will　be　five　o'clock。　　Your　honour　can　
then　dine；　and　after　dinner　trifle　away　the　minutes　over　your　wine　
or　brandy…and…water　till　seven；　when　your　honour　can　step　into　a　
first…class　for　Bangor。〃

I　was　struck　with　the　happy　manner　in　which　he　had　removed　the　
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。