wild wales-第123章
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good…looking； none of the party had any English； all of them were
very civil。 I first talked to them about religion； and found that；
without a single exception； they were Calvinistic…Methodists。 I
next talked to them about the Plant de Bat。 They laughed heartily
at the first mention of their name； but seemed to know very little
about their history。 After some twenty minutes' discourse I bade
them good…night and returned to my inn。
The night was very cold； the people of the house； however； made up
for me a roaring fire of turf； and I felt very comfortable。 About
ten o'clock I went to bed； intending next morning to go and see
Plynlimmon； which I had left behind me on entering Cardiganshire。
When the morning came； however； I saw at once that I had entered
upon a day by no means adapted for excursions of any considerable
length； for it rained terribly； but this gave me very little
concern； my time was my own； and I said to myself： 〃If I can't go
to…day I can perhaps go to…morrow。〃 After breakfast I passed some
hours in a manner by no means disagreeable； sometimes meditating
before my turf fire； with my eyes fixed upon it； and sometimes
sitting by the window； with my eyes fixed upon the cascade of the
Rheidol； which was every moment becoming more magnificent。 At
length about twelve o'clock； fearing that if I stayed within I
should lose my appetite for dinner； which has always been one of
the greatest of my enjoyments； I determined to go and see the
Minister's Bridge which my friend the old mining captain had spoken
to me about。 I knew that I should get a wetting by doing so； for
the weather still continued very bad； but I don't care much for a
wetting provided I have a good roof； a good fire； and good fare to
betake myself to afterwards。
So I set out。 As I passed over the bridge of the Mynach River I
looked down over the eastern balustrade。 The Bridge of the Evil
One； which is just below it； was quite invisible。 I could see；
however； the pot or crochan distinctly enough； and a horrible sight
it presented。 The waters were whirling round in a manner to
describe which any word but frenzied would be utterly powerless。
Half…an…hour's walking brought me to the little village through
which I had passed the day before。 Going up to a house I knocked
at the door； and a middle…aged man opening it； I asked him the way
to the Bridge of the Minister。 He pointed to the little chapel to
the west； and said that the way lay past it； adding that he would
go with me himself； as he wanted to go to the hills on the other
side to see his sheep。
We got presently into discourse。 He at first talked broken
English； but soon began to speak his native language。 I asked him
if the chapel belonged to the Methodists。
〃It is not a chapel；〃 said he； 〃it is a church。〃
〃Do many come to it？〃 said I。
〃Not many； sir； for the Methodists are very powerful here。 Not
more than forty or fifty come。〃
〃Do you belong to the Church？〃 said I。
〃I do； sir … thank God！〃
〃You may well be thankful；〃 said I； 〃for it is a great privilege to
belong to the Church of England。〃
〃It is so； sir；〃 said the man； 'though few； alas！ think so。〃
I found him a highly…intelligent person。 On my talking to him
about the name of the place； he said that some called it Spytty
Cynfyn； and others Spytty Cynwyl； and that both Cynwyl and Cynfyn
were the names of people； to one or other of which the place was
dedicated； and that； like the place farther on called Spytty
Ystwyth； it was in the old time a hospital or inn for the
convenience of the pilgrims going to the great monastery of Ystrad
Flur or Strata Florida。
Passing through a field or two we came to the side of a very deep
ravine； down which there was a zigzag path leading to the bridge。
The path was very steep； and； owing to the rain； exceedingly
slippery。 For some way it led through a grove of dwarf oaks； by
grasping the branches of which I was enabled to support myself
tolerably well； nearly at the bottom； however； where the path was
most precipitous； the trees ceased altogether。 Fearing to trust my
legs； I determined to slide down； and put my resolution in
practice； arriving at a little shelf close by the bridge without
any accident。 The man； accustomed to the path； went down in the
usual manner。 The bridge consisted of a couple of planks and a
pole flung over a chasm about ten feet wide； on the farther side of
which was a precipice with a path at least quite as steep as the
one down which I had come； and without any trees or shrubs by which
those who used it might support themselves。 The torrent rolled
about nine feet below the bridge； its channel was tortuous； on the
south…east side of the bridge was a cauldron； like that on which I
had looked down from the bridge over the river of the monks。 The
man passed over the bridge and I followed him； on the other side we
stopped and turned round。 The river was rushing and surging； the
pot was boiling and roaring； and everything looked wild and savage；
but the locality； for awfulness and mysterious gloom； could not
compare with that on the east side of the Devil's Bridge； nor for
sublimity and grandeur with that on the west。
〃Here you see； sir；〃 said the man； 〃the Bridge of the Offeiriad；
called so； it is said； because the popes used to pass over it in
the old time； and here you have the Rheidol； which； though not so
smooth nor so well off for banks as the Hafren and the Gwy； gets to
the sea before either of them； and； as the pennill says； is quite
as much entitled to honour：…
〃'Hafren a Wy yn hyfryd eu wedd
A Rheidol vawr ei anrhydedd。'
Good rhyme； sir； that。 I wish you would put it into Saesneg。〃
〃I am afraid I shall make a poor hand of it；〃 said I； 〃however； I
will do my best：…
〃'Oh pleasantly do glide along the Severn and the Wye；
But Rheidol's rough； and yet he's held by all in honour high。'
〃Very good rhyme that； sir！ though not so good as the pennill
Cymraeg。 Ha； I do see that you know the two languages and are one
poet。 And now； sir； I must leave you； and go to the hills to my
sheep； who I am afraid will be suffering in this dreadful weather。
However； before I go； I should wish to see you safe over the
bridge。〃
I shook him by the hand； and retracing my steps over the bridge；
began clambering up the bank on my knees。
〃You will spoil your trousers； sir！〃 cried the man from the other
side。
〃I don't care if I do；〃 said I； 〃provided I save my legs； which are
in some danger in this place； as well as my neck； which is of less
consequence。〃
I hurried back amidst rain and wind to my friendly hospice； where；
after drying my wet clothes as well as I could； I made an excellent
dinner on fowl and bacon。 Dinner over； I took up a newspaper which
was brought me； and read an article about the Russian war； which
did not seem to be going on much to the advantage of the allies。
Soon flinging the paper aside； I stuck my feet on the stove； one on
each side of the turf fire； and listened to the noises without。
The bellowing of the wind down the mountain passes and the roaring
of the Rheidol fall at the north side of the valley； and the
rushing of the five cascades of the river Mynach； were truly awful。
Perhaps I ought not to have said the five cascades of the Mynach；
but the Mynach cascade； for now its five cascades had become one；
extending from the chasm over which hung the bridge of Satan to the
bottom of the valley。
After a time I fell into a fit of musing。 I thought of the Plant
de Bat； I thought of the spitties or hospitals connected with the
great monastery of Ystrad Flur or Strata Florida； I thought of the
remarkable bridge close by； built by a clever monk of that place to
facilitate the coming of pilgrims with their votive offerings from
the north to his convent； I thought of the convent built in the
time of our Henry the Second by Ryce ab Gruffyd； prince of South
Wales； and lastly； I thought of a wonderful man who was buried in
its precincts； the greatest genius which Wales； and perhaps
Bri
