wild wales-第121章
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credit of being the first company that ever opened Wales； which
they richly deserved； for I will uphold it that the Rheidol United；
particularly the Aldens； George and Thomas； were the first people
who really opened Wales。 In their service I have been for five…
and…thirty years； and daresay shall continue so till I die。 I have
been tolerably comfortable； your honour； though I have had my
griefs； the bitterest of which was the death of my wife； which
happened about eight years after I came to this country。 I thought
I should have gone wild at first； your honour； having； however；
always plenty to do； I at last got the better of my affliction。 I
continued single till my English family grew up and left me； when；
feeling myself rather lonely； I married a decent young Welshwoman；
by whom I had one son； the lad John who is following behind with
his dog Joe。 And now your honour knows the whole story of John
Greaves； miner from the county of Durham。〃
〃And a most entertaining and instructive history it is；〃 said I。
〃You have not told me； however； how you contrived to pick up Welsh：
I heard you speaking it last night with the postman。〃
〃Why； through my Welsh wife； your honour！ Without her I don't
think I should ever have picked up the Welsh manner of discoursing
… she is a good kind of woman； my Welsh wife； though … 〃
〃The loss of your Durham wife must have been a great grief to you；〃
said I。
〃It was the bitterest grief； your honour； as I said before； that I
ever had； my next worst I think was the death of a dear friend。〃
〃Who was that？〃 said I
〃Who was it； your honour？ why； the Duke of Newcastle。〃
〃Dear me！〃 said I； 〃how came you to know him？〃
〃Why； your honour； he lived at a place not far from here； called
Hafod； and so … 〃
〃Hafod？〃 said I； 〃I have often heard of Hafod and its library； but
I thought it belonged to an old Welsh family called Johnes。〃
〃Well； so it did； your honour； but the family died away； and the
estate was put up for sale； and purchased by the Duke； who built a
fine house upon it； which he made his chief place of residence …
the old family house； I must tell your honour； in which the library
was； had been destroyed by fire。 Well； he hadn't been long settled
there before he found me out and took wonderfully to me；
discoursing with me and consulting me about his farming and
improvements。 Many is the pleasant chat and discourse I have had
with his Grace for hours and hours together； for his Grace had not
a bit of pride； at least he never showed any to me； though perhaps
the reason of that was that we were both north country people。
Lord！ I would have laid down my life for his Grace and have done
anything but one which he once asked me to do。 'Greaves；' said the
Duke to me one day； 'I wish you would give up mining and become my
steward。' 'Sorry I can't oblige your Grace；' said I； 'but give up
mining I cannot。 I will at any time give your Grace all the advice
I can about farming and such like； but give up mining I cannot；
because why？ … I conceive mining to be the noblest business in the
'versal world。' Whereupon his Grace laughed； and said he dare say
I was right； and never mentioned the subject again。〃
〃Was his Grace very fond of farming and improving？〃
〃Oh yes； your honour。 Like all the great gentry； especially the
north country gentry； his Grace was wonderfully fond of farming and
improving； and a wonderful deal of good he did； reclaiming
thousands of acres of land which was before good for nothing； and
building capital farm…houses and offices for his tenants。 His
grand feat； however； was bringing the Durham bull into this
country； which formed a capital cross with the Welsh cows。 Pity
that he wasn't equally fortunate with the north country sheep。〃
〃Did he try to introduce them into Wales？〃
〃Yes； but they didn't answer； as I knew they wouldn't。 Says I to
the Duke： 'It won't do； your Grace； to bring the north country
sheep here： because why？ the hills are too wet and cold for their
constitutions'； but his Grace； who had sometimes a will of his own；
persisted and brought the north country sheep to these parts； and
it turned out as I said … the sheep caught the disease； and the
wool parted and … 〃
〃But；〃 said I； 〃you should have told him about the salve made of
bran； butter and oil； you should have done that。〃
〃Well； so I did； your honour。 I told him about the salve； and the
Duke listened to me； and the salve was made by these very hands；
but when it was made； what do you think？ the foolish Welsh wouldn't
put it on； saying that it was against their laws and statties and
religion to use it； and talked about Devil's salves and the Witch
of Endor； and the sin against the Holy Ghost； and such like
nonsense。 So to prevent a regular rebellion； the Duke gave up the
salve； and the poor sheep pined away and died； till at last there
was not one left。〃
〃Who holds the estate at present？〃 said I。
〃Why； a great gentleman from Lancashire； your honour； who bought it
when the Duke died； but he doesn't take the same pleasure in it
which the Duke did； nor spend so much money about it； the
consequence being that everything looks very different from what it
looked in the Duke's time。 The inn at the Devil's Bridge and the
grounds look very different from what they looked in the Duke's
time； for you must know that the inn and the grounds form part of
the Hafod estate； and are hired from the proprietor。〃
By this time we had arrived at a small village； with a toll…bar and
a small church or chapel at some little distance from the road；
which here made a turn nearly full south。 The road was very good；
but the country was wild and rugged； there was a deep vale on the
right； at the bottom of which rolled the Rheidol in its cleft；
rising beyond which were steep； naked hills。
〃This village；〃 said my companion； 〃is called Ysbytty Cynfyn。 Down
on the right； past the church； is a strange bridge across the
Rheidol； which runs there through a horrid kind of a place。 The
bridge is called Pont yr Offeiriad； or the Parson's Bridge； because
in the old time the clergyman passed over it every Sunday to do
duty in the church here。〃
〃Why is this place called Ysbytty Cynfyn？〃 said I； 〃which means the
hospital of the first boundary； is there a hospital of the second
boundary near here？〃
〃I can't say anything about boundaries； your honour； all I know is；
that there is another Spytty farther on beyond Hafod called Ysbytty
Ystwyth； or the 'Spytty upon the Ystwyth。 But to return to the
matter of the Minister's Bridge： I would counsel your honour to go
and see that bridge before you leave these parts。 A vast number of
gentry go to see it in the summer time。 It was the bridge which
the landlord was mentioning last night； though it scarcely belongs
to his district； being quite as near the Devil's Bridge inn as it
is to his own； your honour。〃
We went on discoursing for about half a mile farther； when；
stopping by a road which branched off to the hills on the left； my
companion said。 〃I must now wish your honour good day； being
obliged to go a little way up here to a mining work on a small bit
of business； my son； however； and his dog Joe will show your honour
the way to the Devil's Bridge； as they are bound to a place a
little way past it。 I have now but one word to say； which is； that
should ever your honour please to visit me at my mine； your honour
shall receive every facility for inspecting the works； and moreover
have a bellyful of drink and victuals from Jock Greaves； miner from
the county of Durham。〃
I shook the honest fellow by the hand； and went on in company with
the lad John and his dog as far as the Devil's Bridge。 John was a
highly…intelligent lad； spoke Welsh and English fluently； could
read； as he told me； both languages； and had some acquaintance with
the writings of Twm o'r Nant； as he showed by repeating the
following lines of the carter poet； certainly not the worst which
he ever wrote：…
〃Twm or Nant mae cant a'm galw；
Tomas Edwards yw fy enw；〃
