wild wales-第55部分

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I　passed。　　The　torrent　attended　me　on　my　right　hand　the　whole　way　
to　Beth　Gelert。　　The　descent　now　became　very　rapid。　　I　passed　a　
pine　wood　on　my　left；　and　proceeded　for　more　than　two　miles　at　a　
tremendous　rate。　　I　then　came　to　a　wood　…　this　wood　was　just　above　
Beth　Gelert　…　proceeding　in　the　direction　of　a　black　mountain；　I　
found　myself　amongst　houses；　at　the　bottom　of　a　valley。　　I　passed　
over　a　bridge；　and　inquiring　of　some　people　whom　I　met　the　way　to　
the　inn；　was　shown　an　edifice　brilliantly　lighted　up；　which　I　
entered。



CHAPTER　XLV



Inn　at　Beth　Gelert　…　Delectable　Company　…　Lieutenant　P…。


THE　inn　or　hotel　at　Beth　Gelert　was　a　large　and　commodious　
building；　and　was　anything　but　thronged　with　company；　what　company；　
however；　there　was；　was　disagreeable　enough；　perhaps　more　so　than　
that　in　which　I　had　been　the　preceding　evening；　which　was　composed　
of　the　scum　of　Manchester　and　Liverpool；　the　company　amongst　which　
I　now　was；　consisted　of　seven　or　eight　individuals；　two　of　them　
were　military　puppies；　one　a　tallish　fellow；　who　though　evidently　
upwards　of　thirty；　affected　the　airs　of　a　languishing　girl；　and　
would　fain　have　made　people　believe　that　he　was　dying　of　ENNUI　and　
lassitude。　　The　other　was　a　short　spuddy　fellow；　with　a　broad　ugly　
face　and　with　spectacles　on　his　nose；　who　talked　very　
consequentially　about　〃the　service〃　and　all　that；　but　whose　tone　of　
voice　was　coarse　and　his　manner　that　of　an　under…bred　person；　then　
there　was　an　old　fellow　about　sixty…five；　a　civilian；　with　a　red　
carbuncled　face；　he　was　father　of　the　spuddy　military　puppy；　on　
whom　he　occasionally　cast　eyes　of　pride　and　almost　adoration；　and　
whose　sayings　he　much　applauded；　especially　certain　DOUBLES　
ENTENDRES；　to　call　them　by　no　harsher　term；　directed　to　a　fat　girl；　
weighing　some　fifteen　stone；　who　officiated　in　the　coffee…room　as　
waiter。　　Then　there　was　a　creature　to　do　justice　to　whose　
appearance　would　require　the　pencil　of　a　Hogarth。　　He　was　about　
five　feet　three　inches　and　a　quarter　high；　and　might　have　weighed；　
always　provided　a　stone　weight　had　been　attached　to　him；　about　half　
as　much　as　the　fat　girl。　　His　countenance　was　cadaverous　and　was　
eternally　agitated　by　something　between　a　grin　and　a　simper。　　He　
was　dressed　in　a　style　of　superfine　gentility；　and　his　skeleton　
fingers　were　bedizened　with　tawdry　rings。　　His　conversation　was　
chiefly　about　his　bile　and　his　secretions；　the　efficacy　of　licorice　
in　producing　a　certain　effect；　and　the　expediency　of　changing　one's　
linen　at　least　three　times　a　day；　though　had　he　changed　his　six；　I　
should　have　said　that　the　purification　of　the　last　shirt　would　have　
been　no　sinecure　to　the　laundress。　　His　accent　was　decidedly　
Scotch：　　he　spoke　familiarly　of　Scott　and　one　or　two　other　Scotch　
worthies；　and　more　than　once　insinuated　that　he　was　a　member　of　
Parliament。　　With　respect　to　the　rest　of　the　company　I　say　nothing；　
and　for　the　very　sufficient　reason　that；　unlike　the　above　described　
batch；　they　did　not　seem　disposed　to　be　impertinent　towards　me。

Eager　to　get　out　of　such　society　I　retired　early　to　bed。　　As　I　left　
the　room　the　diminutive　Scotch　individual　was　describing　to　the　old　
simpleton；　who　on　the　ground　of　the　other's　being　a　〃member；〃　was　
listening　to　him　with　extreme　attention；　how　he　was　labouring　under　
an　access　of　bile　owing　to　his　having　left　his　licorice　somewhere　
or　other。　　I　passed　a　quiet　night；　and　in　the　morning　breakfasted；　
paid　my　bill；　and　departed。　　As　I　went　out　of　the　coffee…room　the　
spuddy；　broad…faced　military　puppy　with　spectacles　was　vociferating　
to　the　languishing　military　puppy；　and　to　his　old　simpleton　of　a　
father；　who　was　listening　to　him　with　his　usual　look　of　undisguised　
admiration；　about　the　absolute　necessity　of　kicking　Lieutenant　P…　
out　of　the　army　for　having　disgraced　〃the　service。〃　　Poor　P…；　whose　
only　crime　was　trying　to　defend　himself　with　fist　and　candlestick　
from　the　manual　attacks　of　his　brutal　messmates。



CHAPTER　XLVI



The　Valley　of　Gelert　…　Legend　of　the　Dog　…　Magnificent　Scenery　…　
The　Knicht　…　Goats　in　Wales　…　The　Frightful　Crag　…　Temperance　House　
…　Smile　and　Curtsey。


BETH　GELERT　is　situated　in　a　valley　surrounded　by　huge　hills；　the　
most　remarkable　of　which　are　Moel　Hebog　and　Cerrig　Llan；　the　former　
fences　it　on　the　south；　and　the　latter；　which　is　quite　black　and　
nearly　perpendicular；　on　the　east。　　A　small　stream　rushes　through　
the　valley；　and　sallies　forth　by　a　pass　at　its　south…eastern　end。　　
The　valley　is　said　by　some　to　derive　its　name　of　Beddgelert；　which　
signifies　the　grave　of　Celert；　from　being　the　burial…place　of　
Celert；　a　British　saint　of　the　sixth　century；　to　whom　Llangeler　in　
Carmarthenshire　is　believed　to　have　been　consecrated；　but　the　
popular　and　most　universally　received　tradition　is　that　it　has　its　
name　from　being　the　resting…place　of　a　faithful　dog　called　Celert　
or　Gelert；　killed　by　his　master；　the　warlike　and　celebrated　
Llywelyn　ab　Jorwerth；　from　an　unlucky　misapprehension。　　Though　the　
legend　is　known　to　most　people；　I　shall　take　the　liberty　of　
relating　it。

Llywelyn　during　his　contests　with　the　English　had　encamped　with　a　
few　followers　in　the　valley；　and　one　day　departed　with　his　men　on　
an　expedition；　leaving　his　infant　son　in　a　cradle　in　his　tent；　
under　the　care　of　his　hound　Gelert；　after　giving　the　child　its　fill　
of　goat's　milk。　　Whilst　he　was　absent　a　wolf　from　the　neighbouring　
mountains；　in　quest　of　prey；　found　its　way　into　the　tent；　and　was　
about　to　devour　the　child；　when　the　watchful　dog　interfered；　and　
after　a　desperate　conflict；　in　which　the　tent　was　torn　down；　
succeeded　in　destroying　the　monster。　　Llywelyn　returning　at　evening　
found　the　tent　on　the　ground；　and　the　dog；　covered　with　blood；　
sitting　beside　it。　　Imagining　that　the　blood　with　which　Gelert　was　
besmeared　was　that　of　his　own　son　devoured　by　the　animal　to　whose　
care　he　had　confided　him；　Llywelyn　in　a　paroxysm　of　natural　
indignation　forthwith　transfixed　the　faithful　creature　with　his　
spear。　　Scarcely；　however；　had　he　done　so　when　his　ears　were　
startled　by　the　cry　of　a　child　from　beneath　the　fallen　tent；　and　
hastily　removing　the　canvas　he　found　the　child　in　its　cradle；　quite　
uninjured；　and　the　body　of　an　enormous　wolf；　frightfully　torn　and　
mangled；　lying　near。　　His　breast　was　now　filled　with　conflicting　
emotions；　joy　for　the　preservation　of　his　son；　and　grief　for　the　
fate　of　his　dog；　to　whom　he　forthwith　hastened。　　The　poor　animal　
was　not　quite　dead；　but　presently　expired；　in　the　act　of　licking　
his　master's　hand。　　Llywelyn　mourned　over　him　as　over　a　brother；　
buried　him　with　funeral　honours　in　the　valley；　and　erected　a　tomb　
over　him　as　over　a　hero。　　From　that　time　the　valley　was　called　Beth　
Gelert。

Such　is　the　legend；　which；　whether　true　or　fictitious；　is　
singularly　beautiful　and　affecting。

The　tomb；　or　what　is　said　to　be　the　tomb；　of　Gelert；　stands　in　a　
beautiful　meadow　just　below　the　precipitous　side　of　Cerrig　Llan：　　
it　consists　of　a　large　slab　lying　on　its　side；　and　two　upright　
stones。　　It　is　shaded　by　a　weeping　willow；　and　is　surrounded　by　a　
hexagonal　paling。　　Who　is　there　acquainted　with　the　legend；　whether　
he　believes　that　the　dog　lies　beneath　those　stones　or　not；　can　
visit　them　without　exclaiming　with　a　sigh；　〃Poor　Gelert！〃

After　wandering　about　the　valley　for　some　time；　and　seeing　a　few　of　
its　wonders；　I　inquired　my　way　for　Festiniog；　and　set　off　for　that　
place。　　The　way　to　it　is　through　the　pass　at　the　south…east　end　of　
the　valley。　　Arrived　at　the　entrance　of　the　pass　I　turned　round　to　
look　at　the　scenery　I　was　leaving　behind　me；　the　view　which　
presented　itself　to　my　eyes　was　very　grand　and　beautiful。　　Before　
me　lay　the　meadow　of　Gelert　with　the　river　flowing　through　it　
towards　the　pass。　　Beyond　the　meadow　the　Snowdon　range；　on　the　
right　the　mighty　Cerrig　Llan；　on　the　left　the　equally　mighty；　but　
not　quite　so　precipitous；　Hebog。　　Truly；　the　valley　of　Gelert　is　a　
wondrous　valley　…　rivalling　for　grandeur　and　beauty　any　vale　either　
in　the　Alps　or　Pyrenees。　　After　a　long　and　earnest　view　I　turned　
round　again　and　proceeded　on　my　way。

Presently　I　came　to　a　bridge　bestriding　the　stream；　which　a　man　
told　me　was　called　Pont　Aber　Glas　Lyn；　or　the　bridge　of　the　
debouchement　of　the　grey　lake。　　I　soon　emerged　from　the　pass；　and　
after　proceeding　some　way　stopped　again　to　admire　the　scenery。　　To　
the　west　was　the　Wyddfa；　full　north　was　a　stupendous　range　of　
rocks；　behind　them　a　conical　peak　seemingly　rivalling　the　Wyddfa　
itself　in　altitude；　between　the　rocks　and　the　road；　where　I　stood；　
was　beautiful　forest　scenery。　　I　again　went　on；　going　round　the　
side　of　a　hill　by　a　gentle　ascent。　　After　a　little　time　I　again　
stopped　to　look　about　me。　　There　was　the　rich　forest　scenery　to　the　
north；　behind　it　were　the　rocks　and　behind　the　rocks　rose　the　
wonderful　conical　hill　impaling　heaven；　confronting　it　to　the　
south…east；　was　a　huge　lumpish　hill。　　As　I　stood　looking　about　me　I　
saw　a　man　coming　across　a　field　which　sloped　down　to　the　road　from　
a　small　house。　　He　presently　reached　me；　stopped　and　smiled。　　A　
more　open　countenance　than　his　I　never　saw　in　all　the　days　of　my　
life。

〃Dydd　dachwi；　sir；〃　said　the　man　of　the　open　countenance；　〃the　
weather　is　very　showy。〃

〃Very　showy；　indeed；〃　said　I；　〃I　was　just　now　wishing　for　somebody；　
of　whom　I　might　ask　a　question　or　two。〃

〃Perhaps　I　can　answer　those　questions；　sir？〃

〃Perhaps　you　can。　　What　is　the　name　of　that　wonderful　peak　sticking　
up　behind　the　rocks　to　the　north？〃

〃Many　people　have　asked　that　question；　sir；　and　I　have　given　them　
the　answer　which　I　now　give　you。　　It　is　called　the　'Knicht；'　sir；　
and　a　wondrous　hill　it　is。〃

〃And　what　is　the　name　of　yonder　hill　opposite　to　it；　to　the　south；　
rising　like　one　big　lump。〃

〃I　do　not　know　the　name　of　that　hill；　sir；　farther　than　that　I　have　
heard　it　called　the　Great　Hill。〃

〃And　a　very　good　name　for　it；〃　said　I；　〃do　you　live　in　that　house？〃

〃I　do；　sir；　when　I　am　at　home。〃

〃And　what　occupation　do　you　follow？〃

〃I　am　a　farmer；　though　a　small　one。〃

〃Is　your　farm　your　own？〃

〃It　is