wild wales-第74部分

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large　one。

〃That　crag；　sir；　is　called　Craig　y　Forwyn。〃

〃The　maiden's　crag；〃　said　I；　〃why　is　it　called　so？〃

〃I　do　not　know　sir；　some　people　say　that　it　is　called　so　because　
its　head　is　like　that　of　a　woman；　others　because　a　young　girl　in　
love　leaped　from　the　top　of　it　and　was　killed。〃

〃And　what　is　the　name　of　this　house？〃　said　I。

〃This　house；　sir；　is　called　Plas　Uchaf。〃

〃Is　it　called　Plas　Uchaf；〃　said　I；　〃because　it　is　the　highest　house　
in　the　valley？〃

〃It　is；　sir；　it　is　the　highest　of　three　homesteads；　the　next　below　
it　is　Plas　Canol　…　and　the　one　below　that　Plas　Isaf。〃

〃Middle　place　and　lower　place；〃　said　I。　　〃It　is　very　odd　that　I　
know　in　England　three　people　who　derive　their　names　from　places　so　
situated。　　One　is　Houghton；　another　Middleton；　and　the　third　
Lowdon；　in　modern　English；　Hightown；　Middletown；　and　Lowtown。〃

〃You　appear　to　be　a　person　of　great　intelligence；　sir。〃

〃No；　I　am　not　…　but　I　am　rather　fond　of　analysing　words；　
particularly　the　names　of　persons　and　places。　　Is　the　road　to　
Wrexham　hard　to　find？〃

〃Not　very；　sir；　that　is；　in　the　day…time。　　Do　you　live　at　Wrexham？〃

〃No；〃　I　replied；　〃I　am　stopping　at　Llangollen。〃

〃But　you　won't　return　there　to…night？〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　shall！〃

〃By　this　road？〃

〃No；　by　the　common　road。　　This　is　not　a　road　to　travel　by　night。〃

〃Nor　is　the　common　road；　sir；　for　a　respectable　person　on　foot；　
that　is；　on　a　Saturday　night。　　You　will　perhaps　meet　drunken　
colliers　who　may　knock　you　down。〃

〃I　will　take　my　chance　for　that；〃　said　I；　and　bade　him　farewell。　　I　
entered　the　pass；　passing　under　the　strange…looking　crag。　　After　I　
had　walked　about　half　a　mile　the　pass　widened　considerably　and　a　
little　way　further　on　debauched　on　some　wild　moory　ground。　　Here　
the　road　became　very　indistinct。　　At　length　I　stopped　in　a　state　of　
uncertainty。　　A　well…defined　path　presented　itself；　leading　to　the　
east；　whilst　northward　before　me　there　seemed　scarcely　any　path　at　
all。　　After　some　hesitation　I　turned　to　the　east　by　the　well…
defined　path；　and　by　so　doing　went　wrong；　as　I　soon　found。

I　mounted　the　side　of　a　brown　hill　covered　with　moss…like　grass；　
and　here　and　there　heather。　　By　the　time　I　arrived　at　the　top　of　
the　hill　the　sun　shone　out；　and　I　saw　Rhiwabon　and　Cefn　Mawr　before　
me　in　the　distance。　　〃I　am　going　wrong；〃　said　I；　〃I　should　have　
kept　on　due　north。　　However；　I　will　not　go　back；　but　will　steeple…
chase　it　across　the　country　to　Wrexham；　which　must　be　towards　the　
north…east。〃　　So　turning　aside　from　the　path；　I　dashed　across　the　
hills　in　that　direction；　sometimes　the　heather　was　up　to　my　knees；　
and　sometimes　I　was　up　to　the　knees　in　quags。　　At　length　I　came　to　
a　deep　ravine　which　I　descended；　at　the　bottom　was　a　quagmire；　
which；　however；　I　contrived　to　cross　by　means　of　certain　stepping…
stones；　and　came　to　a　cart　path　up　a　heathery　hill　which　I　
followed。　　I　soon　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　the　path　still　
continuing；　I　followed　it　till　I　saw　some　small　grimy…looking　huts；　
which　I　supposed　were　those　of　colliers。　　At　the　door　of　the　first　
I　saw　a　girl。　　I　spoke　to　her　in　Welsh；　and　found　she　had　little　or　
none。　　I　passed　on；　and　seeing　the　door　of　a　cabin　open　I　looked　in　
…　and　saw　no　adult　person；　but　several　grimy　but　chubby　children。　　
I　spoke　to　them　in　English；　and　found　they　could　only　speak　Welsh。　　
Presently　I　observed　a　robust　woman　advancing　towards　me；　she　was　
barefooted　and　bore　on　her　head　an　immense　lump　of　coal。　　I　spoke　
to　her　in　Welsh；　and　found　she　could　only　speak　English。　　〃Truly；〃　
said　I　to　myself；　〃I　am　on　the　borders。　　What　a　mixture　of　races　
and　languages！〃　　The　next　person　I　met　was　a　man　in　a　collier's　
dress；　he　was　a　stout…built　fellow　of　the　middle　age；　with　a　coal…
dusty　surly　countenance。　　I　asked　him　in　Welsh　if　I　was　in　the　
right　direction　for　Wrexham；　he　answered　in　a　surly　manner　in　
English；　that　I　was。　　I　again　spoke　to　him　in　Welsh；　making　some　
indifferent　observation　on　the　weather；　and　he　answered　in　English　
yet　more　gruffly　than　before。　　For　the　third　time　I　spoke　to　him　in　
Welsh；　whereupon　looking　at　me　with　a　grin　of　savage　contempt；　and　
showing　a　set　of　teeth　like　those　of　a　mastiff；　he　said；　〃How's　
this？　why　you　haven't　a　word　of　English？　　A　pretty　fellow　you；　with　
a　long　coat　on　your　back　and　no　English　on　your　tongue；　an't　you　
ashamed　of　yourself？　　Why；　here　am　I　in　a　short　coat；　yet　I'd　have　
you　to　know　that　I　can　speak　English　as　well　as　Welsh；　aye　and　a　
good　deal　better。〃　　〃All　people　are　not　equally　clebber；〃　said　I；　
still　speaking　Welsh。　　〃Clebber；〃　said　he；　〃clebber！　what　is　
clebber？　why　can't　you　say　clever！　　Why；　I　never　saw　such　a　low；　
illiterate　fellow　in　my　life；〃　and　with　these　words　he　turned　away　
with　every　mark　of　disdain；　and　entered　a　cottage　near　at　hand。

〃Here　I　have　had；〃　said　I　to　myself；　as　I　proceeded　on　my　way；　〃to　
pay　for　the　over…praise　which　I　lately　received。　　The　farmer　on　the　
other　side　of　the　mountain　called　me　a　person　of　great　
intelligence；　which　I　never　pretended　to　be；　and　now　this　collier　
calls　me　a　low；　illiterate　fellow；　which　I　really　don't　think　I　am。　　
There　is　certainly　a　Nemesis　mixed　up　with　the　affairs　of　this　
world；　every　good　thing　which　you　get；　beyond　what　is　strictly　your　
due；　is　sure　to　be　required　from　you　with　a　vengeance。　　A　little　
over…praise　by　a　great　deal　of　underrating　…　a　gleam　of　good　
fortune　by　a　night　of　misery。〃

I　now　saw　Wrexham　Church　at　about　the　distance　of　three　miles；　and　
presently　entered　a　lane　which　led　gently　down　from　the　hills；　
which　were　the　same　heights　I　had　seen　on　my　right　hand；　some　
months　previously；　on　my　way　from　Wrexham　to　Rhiwabon。　　The　scenery　
now　became　very　pretty　…　hedge…rows　were　on　either　side；　a　
luxuriance　of　trees　and　plenty　of　green　fields。　　I　reached　the　
bottom　of　the　lane；　beyond　which　I　saw　a　strange…looking　house　upon　
a　slope　on　the　right　hand。　　It　was　very　large；　ruinous；　and　
seemingly　deserted。　　A　little　beyond　it　was　a　farm…house；　connected　
with　which　was　a　long　row　of　farming　buildings　along　the　road…side。　　
Seeing　a　woman　seated　knitting　at　the　door　of　a　little　cottage；　I　
asked　her　in　English　the　name　of　the　old；　ruinous　house？

〃Cadogan　Hall；　sir；〃　she　replied。

〃And　whom　does　it　belong　to？〃　said　I。

〃I　don't　know　exactly；〃　replied　the　woman；　〃but　Mr　Morris　at　the　
farm　holds　it；　and　stows　his　things　in　it。〃

〃Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　it？〃　said　I。

〃Nothing　farther；〃　said　the　woman；　〃than　that　it　is　said　to　be　
haunted；　and　to　have　been　a　barrack　many　years　ago。〃

〃Can　you　speak　Welsh？〃　said　I。

〃No；〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　are　Welsh　but　have　no　Welsh　language。〃

Leaving　the　woman　I　put　on　my　best　speed　and　in　about　half　an　hour　
reached　Wrexham。

The　first　thing　I　did　on　my　arrival　was　to　go　to　the　bookshop　and　
purchase　the　Welsh　Methodistic　book。　　It　cost　me　seven　shillings；　
and　was　a　thick；　bulky　octavo　with　a　cut…and…come…again　expression　
about　it；　which　was　anything　but　disagreeable　to　me；　for　I　hate　
your　flimsy　publications。　　The　evening　was　now　beginning　to　set　in；　
and　feeling　somewhat　hungry　I　hurried　off　to　the　Wynstay　Arms　
through　streets　crowded　with　market　people。　　On　arriving　at　the　inn　
I　entered　the　grand　room　and　ordered　dinner。　　The　waiters；　
observing　me　splashed　with　mud　from　head　to　foot；　looked　at　me　
dubiously；　seeing；　however；　the　respectable…looking　volume　which　I　
bore　in　my　hand　…　none　of　your　railroad　stuff　…　they　became　more　
assured；　and　I　presently　heard　one　say　to　the　other；　〃It's　all　
right　…　that's　Mr　So…and…So；　the　great　Baptist　preacher。　　He　has　
been　preaching　amongst　the　hills　…　don't　you　see　his　Bible？〃

Seating　myself　at　a　table　I　inspected　the　volume。　　And　here　perhaps　
the　reader　expects　that　I　shall　regale　him　with　an　analysis　of　the　
Methodistical　volume　at　least　as　long　as　that　of　the　life　of　Tom　O'　
the　Dingle。　　In　that　case；　however；　he　will　be　disappointed；　all　
that　I　shall　at　present　say　of　it　is；　that　it　contained　a　history　
of　Methodism　in　Wales；　with　the　lives　of　the　principal　Welsh　
Methodists。　　That　it　was　fraught　with　curious　and　original　matter；　
was　written　in　a　straightforward；　Methodical　style；　and　that　I　have　
no　doubt　it　will　some　day　or　other　be　extensively　known　and　highly　
prized。

After　dinner　I　called　for　half　a　pint　of　wine。　　Whilst　I　was　
trifling　over　it；　a　commercial　traveller　entered　into　conversation　
with　me。　　After　some　time　he　asked　me　if　I　was　going　further　that　
night。

〃To　Llangollen；〃　said　I。

〃By　the　ten　o'clock　train？〃　said　he。

〃No；〃　I　replied；　〃I'm　going　on　foot。〃

〃On　foot！〃　said　he；　〃I　would　not　go　on　foot　there　this　night　for　
fifty　pounds。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　I。

〃For　fear　of　being　knocked　down　by　the　colliers；　who　will　be　all　
out　and　drunk。〃

〃If　not　more　than　two　attack　me；〃　said　I；　〃I　shan't　much　mind。　　
With　this　book　I　am　sure　I　can　knock　down　one；　and　I　think　I　can　
find　play　for　the　other　with　my　fists。〃

The　commercial　traveller　looked　at　me。　　〃A　strange　kind　of　Baptist　
minister；〃　I　thought　I　heard　him　say。



CHAPTER　LXII



Rhiwabon　Road　…　The　Public…house　Keeper　…　No　Welsh　…　The　Wrong　Road　
…　The　Good　Wife。


I　PAID　my　reckoning　and　started。　　The　night　was　now　rapidly　closing　
in。　　I　passed　the　toll…gate　and　hurried　along　the　Rhiwabon　road；　
overtaking　companies　of　Welsh　going　home；　amongst　whom　were　many　
individuals；　whom；　from　their　thick　and　confused　speech；　as　well　as　
from　their　staggering　gait；　I　judged　to　be　intoxicated。　　As　I　
passed　a　red　public…house　on　my　right　hand；　at　the　door　of　which　
stood　several　carts；　a　scream　of　Welsh　issued　from　it。

〃Let　any　Saxon；〃　said　I；　〃who　is　fond　of　fighting　and　wishes　for　a　
bloody　nose　go　in　there。〃

Coming　to　the　small　village　about　a　mile　from　Rhiwabon；　I　felt　
thirsty；　and　seeing　a　public…house；　in　which　all　seemed　to　be　
quiet；　I　went　in。　　A　thick…set　man　with　a　pipe　in　his　mouth　sat　in　
the　tap…room；　and　also　a　woman。

〃Where　is　the　landlord？〃　said　I。

〃I　am　the　landlord；〃　said　the　man；　huskily。　　〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃A　pint　of　ale；〃　said　I。

The　man　got　up　and　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth　went　staggeri