wild wales-第63部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　matter　with　his　right　eye；　that　he　was　very　satirical　and　very　
clever；　that　his　wife　was　a　very　clever　woman　and　satirical；　his　
two　daughters　both　clever　and　satirical；　and　his　servant…maid　
remarkably　satirical　and　clever；　and　that　it　was　impossible　to　live　
with　Twm　O'r　Nant　without　learning　to　be　clever　and　satirical；　that　
he　always　appeared　to　be　occupied　with　something；　and　that　he　had　
heard　him　say　there　was　something　in　him　that　would　never　let　him　
be　idle；　that　he　would　walk　fifteen　miles　to　a　place　where　he　was　
to　play　an　interlude；　and　that　as　soon　as　he　got　there　he　would　
begin　playing　it　at　once；　however　tired　he　might　be。　　The　old　
gentleman　concluded　by　saying　that　he　had　never　read　the　works　of　
Twm　O'r　Nant；　but　he　had　heard　that　his　best　piece　was　the　
interlude　called　〃Pleasure　and　Care。〃



CHAPTER　LII



The　Treachery　of　the　Long　Knives　…　The　North　Briton　…　The　Wounded　
Butcher　…　The　Prisoner。


ON　the　tenth　of　September　our　little　town　was　flung　into　some　
confusion　by　one　butcher　having　attempted　to　cut　the　throat　of　
another。　　The　delinquent　was　a　Welshman；　who　it　was　said　had　for　
some　time　past　been　somewhat　out　of　his　mind；　the　other　party　was　
an　Englishman；　who　escaped　without　further　injury　than　a　deep　gash　
in　the　cheek。　　The　Welshman　might　be　mad；　but　it　appeared　to　me　
that　there　was　some　method　in　his　madness。　　He　tried　to　cut　the　
throat　of　a　butcher：　　didn't　this　look　like　wishing　to　put　a　rival　
out　of　the　way？　and　that　butcher　an　Englishman：　　didn't　this　look　
like　wishing　to　pay　back　upon　the　Saxon　what　the　Welsh　call　
bradwriaeth　y　cyllyll　hirion；　the　treachery　of　the　long　knives？　　So　
reasoned　I　to　myself。　　But　here　perhaps　the　reader　will　ask　what　is　
meant　by　〃the　treachery　of　the　long　knives？〃　whether　he　does　or　not　
I　will　tell　him。

Hengist　wishing　to　become　paramount　in　Southern　Britain　thought　
that　the　easiest　way　to　accomplish　his　wish　would　be　by　destroying　
the　South　British　chieftains。　　Not　believing　that　he　should　be　able　
to　make　away　with　them　by　open　force　he　determined　to　see　what　he　
could　do　by　treachery。　　Accordingly　he　invited　the　chieftains　to　a　
banquet　to　be　held　near　Stonehenge；　or　the　Hanging　Stones；　on　
Salisbury　Plains。　　The　unsuspecting　chieftains　accepted　the　
invitation；　and　on　the　appointed　day　repaired　to　the　banquet；　which　
was　held　in　a　huge　tent。　　Hengist　received　them　with　a　smiling　
countenance　and　every　appearance　of　hospitality；　and　caused　them　to　
sit　down　to　table；　placing　by　the　side　of　every　Briton　one　of　his　
own　people。　　The　banquet　commenced；　and　all　seemingly　was　mirth　and　
hilarity。　　Now　Hengist　had　commanded　his　people　that　when　he　should　
get　up　and　cry　〃nemet　eoure　saxes；〃　that　is；　take　your　knives；　each　
Saxon　should　draw　his　long　sax；　or　knife；　which　he　wore　at　his　
side；　and　should　plunge　it　into　the　throat　of　his　neighbour。　　The　
banquet　went　on；　and　in　the　midst　of　it；　when　the　unsuspecting　
Britons　were　revelling　on　the　good　cheer　which　had　been　provided　
for　them；　and　half…drunken　with　the　mead　and　beer　which　flowed　in　
torrents；　uprose　Hengist；　and　with　a　voice　of　thunder　uttered　the　
fatal　words　〃nemet　eoure　saxes：〃　the　cry　was　obeyed；　each　Saxon　
grasped　his　knife　and　struck　with　it　at　the　throat　of　his　
defenceless　neighbour。　　Almost　every　blow　took　effect；　only　three　
British　chieftains　escaping　from　the　banquet　of　blood。　　This　
infernal　carnage　the　Welsh　have　appropriately　denominated　the　
treachery　of　the　long　knives。　　It　will　be　as　well　to　observe　that　
the　Saxons　derived　their　name　from　the　saxes；　or　long　knives；　which　
they　wore　at　their　sides；　and　at　the　use　of　which　they　were　
terribly　proficient。

Two　or　three　days　after　the　attempt　at　murder　at　Llangollen；　
hearing　that　the　Welsh　butcher　was　about　to　be　brought　before　the　
magistrates；　I　determined　to　make　an　effort　to　be　present　at　the　
examination。　　Accordingly　I　went　to　the　police　station　and　inquired　
of　the　superintendent　whether　I　could　be　permitted　to　attend。　　He　
was　a　North　Briton；　as　I　have　stated　somewhere　before；　and　I　had　
scraped　acquaintance　with　him；　and　had　got　somewhat　into　his　good　
graces　by　praising　Dumfries；　his　native　place；　and　descanting　to　
him　upon　the　beauties　of　the　poetry　of　his　celebrated　countryman；　
my　old　friend；　Allan　Cunningham；　some　of　whose　works　he　had　
perused；　and　with　whom　as　he　said；　he　had　once　the　honour　of　
shaking　hands。　　In　reply　to　my　question　he　told　me　that　it　was　
doubtful　whether　any　examination　would　take　place；　as　the　wounded　
man　was　in　a　very　weak　state；　but　that　if　I　would　return　in　half…
an…hour　he　would　let　me　know。　　I　went　away；　and　at　the　end　of　the　
half…hour　returned；　when　he　told　me　that　there　would　be　no　public　
examination；　owing　to　the　extreme　debility　of　the　wounded　man；　but　
that　one　of　the　magistrates　was　about　to　proceed　to　his　house　and　
take　his　deposition　in　the　presence　of　the　criminal　and　also　of　the　
witnesses　of　the　deed；　and　that　if　I　pleased　I　might　go　along　with　
him；　and　he　had　no　doubt　that　the　magistrate　would　have　no　
objection　to　my　being　present。　　We　set　out　together；　as　we　were　
going　along　I　questioned　him　about　the　state　of　the　country；　and　
gathered　from　him　that　there　was　occasionally　a　good　deal　of　crime　
in　Wales。

〃Are　the　Welsh　a　clannish　people？〃　I　demanded。

〃Very；〃　said　he。

〃As　clannish　as　the　Highlanders？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃and　a　good　deal　more。〃

We　came　to　the　house　of　the　wounded　butcher；　which　was　some　way　out　
of　the　town　in　the　north…western　suburb。　　The　magistrate　was　in　the　
lower　apartment　with　the　clerk；　one　or　two　officials；　and　the　
surgeon　of　the　town。　　He　was　a　gentleman　of　about　two　or　three　and　
forty；　with　a　military　air　and　large　moustaches；　for　besides　being　
a　justice　of　the　peace　and　a　landed　proprietor；　he　was　an　officer　
in　the　army。　　He　made　me　a　polite　bow　when　I　entered；　and　I　
requested　of　him　permission　to　be　present　at　the　examination。　　He　
hesitated　a　moment　and　then　asked　me　my　motive　for　wishing　to　be　
present　at　it。

〃Merely　curiosity；〃　said　I。

He　then　observed　that　as　the　examination　would　be　a　private　one；　my　
being　permitted　or　not　was　quite　optional。

〃I　am　aware　of　that；〃　said　I；　〃and　if　you　think　my　remaining　is　
objectionable　I　will　forthwith　retire。〃　　He　looked　at　the　clerk；　
who　said　there　could　be　no　objection　to　my　staying；　and　turning　
round　to　his　superior　said　something　to　him　which　I　did　not　hear；　
whereupon　the　magistrate　again　bowed　and　said　that　he　should　he　
very　happy　to　grant　my　request。

We　went　upstairs　and　found　the　wounded　man　in　bed　with　a　bandage　
round　his　forehead；　and　his　wife　sitting　by　his　bedside。　　The　
magistrate　and　his　officials　took　their　seats；　and　I　was　
accommodated　with　a　chair。　　Presently　the　prisoner　was　introduced　
under　the　charge　of　a　policeman。　　He　was　a　fellow　somewhat　above　
thirty；　of　the　middle　size；　and　wore　a　dirty　white　frock　coat；　his　
right　arm　was　partly　confined　by　a　manacle。　　A　young　girl　was　
sworn；　who　deposed　that　she　saw　the　prisoner　run　after　the　other　
with　something　in　his　hand。　　The　wounded　man　was　then　asked　whether　
he　thought　he　was　able　to　make　a　deposition；　he　replied　in　a　very　
feeble　tone　that　he　thought　he　was；　and　after　being　sworn　deposed　
that　on　the　preceding　Saturday；　as　he　was　going　to　his　stall；　the　
prisoner　came　up　to　him　and　asked　whether　he　had　ever　done　him　any　
injury？　he　said　no。　　〃I　then；〃　said　he；　〃observed　the　prisoner's　
countenance　undergo　a　change；　and　saw　him　put　his　hand　to　his　
waistcoat…pocket　and　pull　out　a　knife。　　I　straight　became　
frightened；　and　ran　away　as　fast　as　I　could；　the　prisoner　followed；　
and　overtaking　me；　stabbed　me　in　the　face。　　I　ran　into　the　yard　of　
a　public…house　and　into　the　shop　of　an　acquaintance；　where　I　fell　
down；　the　blood　spouting　out　of　my　wound。〃　　Such　was　the　deposition　
of　the　wounded　butcher。　　He　was　then　asked　whether　there　had　been　
any　quarrel　between　him　and　the　prisoner？　　He　said　there　had　been　
no　quarrel；　but　that　he　had　refused　to　drink　with　the　prisoner　when　
he　requested　him；　which　he　had　done　very　frequently；　and　had　more　
than　once　told　him　that　he　did　not　wish　for　his　acquaintance。　　The　
prisoner；　on　being　asked；　after　the　usual　caution；　whether　he　had　
anything　to　say；　said　that　he　merely　wished　to　mark　the　man　but　not　
to　kill　him。　　The　surgeon　of　the　place　deposed　to　the　nature　of　the　
wound；　and　on　being　asked　his　opinion　with　respect　to　the　state　of　
the　prisoner's　mind；　said　that　he　believed　that　he　might　be　
labouring　under　a　delusion。　　After　the　prisoner's　bloody　weapon　and　
coat　had　been　produced　he　was　committed。

It　was　generally　said　that　the　prisoner　was　disordered　in　his　mind；　
I　held　my　tongue；　but　judging　from　his　look　and　manner　I　saw　no　
reason　to　suppose　that　he　was　any　more　out　of　his　senses　than　I　
myself；　or　any　person　present；　and　I　had　no　doubt　that　what　induced　
him　to　commit　the　act　was　rage　at　being　looked　down　upon　by　a　
quondam　acquaintance；　who　was　rising　a　little　in　the　world；　
exacerbated　by　the　reflection　that　the　disdainful　quondam　
acquaintance　was　one　of　the　Saxon　race；　against　which　every　
Welshman　entertains　a　grudge　more　or　less　virulent；　which；　though　
of　course；　very　unchristianlike；　is　really；　brother　Englishman；　
after　the　affair　of　the　long　knives；　and　two　or　three　other　actions　
of　a　somewhat　similar　character　of　our　noble　Anglo…Saxon　
progenitors；　with　which　all　Welshmen　are　perfectly　well　acquainted；　
not　very　much　to　be　wondered　at。



CHAPTER　LIII



The　Dylluan　…　The　Oldest　Creatures。


MUCH　rain　fell　about　the　middle　of　the　month；　in　the　intervals　of　
the　showers　I　occasionally　walked　by　the　banks　of　the　river　which　
speedily　became　much　swollen；　it　was　quite　terrible　both　to　the　
sight　and　ear　near　the　〃Robber's　Leap；〃　there　were　breakers　above　
the　higher　stones　at　least　five　feet　high　and　a　roar　around　almost　
sufficient　〃to　scare　a　hundred　men。〃　　The　pool　of　Lingo　was　
strangely　altered；　it　was　no　longer　the　quiet　pool　which　it　was　in　
summer；　verifying　the　words　of　the　old　Welsh　poet　that　the　deepest　
pool　of　the　river　is　always　the　stillest　in