wild wales-第131章
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buried； and in which； or in whose precincts； was buried Dafydd Ab
Gwilym； the greatest genius of the Cimbric race and one of the
first poets of the world。
After standing for some time on the mound I descended； and went up
to the church。 I found the door fastened； but obtained through a
window a tolerable view of the interior； which presented an
appearance of the greatest simplicity。 I then strolled about the
churchyard looking at the tombstones； which were humble enough and
for the most part modern。 I would give something； said I； to know
whereabouts in this neighbourhood Ab Gwilym lies。 That； however；
is a secret that no one can reveal to me。 At length I came to a
yew…tree which stood just by the northern wall； which is at a
slight distance from the Teivi。 It was one of two trees； both of
the same species； which stood in the churchyard； and appeared to be
the oldest of the two。 Who knows； said I； but this is the tree
that was planted over Ab Gwilym's grave； and to which Gruffydd Gryg
wrote an ode？ I looked at it attentively； and thought that there
was just a possibility of its being the identical tree。 If it was；
however； the benison of Gruffydd Gryg had not had exactly the
effect which he intended； for either lightning or the force of wind
had splitten off a considerable part of the head and trunk； so that
though one part of it looked strong and blooming； the other was
white and spectral。 Nevertheless； relying on the possibility of
its being the sacred tree； I behaved just as I should have done had
I been quite certain of the fact。 Taking off my hat I knelt down
and kissed its root； repeating lines from Gruffydd Gryg； with which
I blended some of my own in order to accommodate what I said to
present circumstances：…
〃O tree of yew； which here I spy；
By Ystrad Flur's blest monast'ry；
Beneath thee lies； by cold Death bound；
The tongue for sweetness once renown'd。
Better for thee thy boughs to wave；
Though scath'd； above Ab Gwilym's grave；
Than stand in pristine glory drest
Where some ignobler bard doth rest；
I'd rather hear a taunting rhyme
From one who'll live through endless time；
Than hear my praises chanted loud
By poets of the vulgar crowd。〃
I had left the churchyard； and was standing near a kind of garden；
at some little distance from the farm…house； gazing about me and
meditating； when a man came up attended by a large dog。 He had
rather a youthful look； was of the middle size； and dark
complexioned。 He was respectably dressed； except that upon his
head he wore a common hairy cap。
〃Good evening；〃 said I to him in Welsh。
〃Good evening； gentleman；〃 said he in the same language。
〃Have you much English？〃 said I。
〃Very little； I can only speak a few words。〃
〃Are you the farmer？〃
〃Yes！ I farm the greater part of the Strath。〃
〃I suppose the land is very good here？〃
〃Why do you suppose so？〃
〃Because the monks built their house here in the old time； and the
monks never built their houses except on good land。〃
〃Well； I must say the land is good； indeed I do not think there is
any so good in Shire Aberteifi。〃
〃I suppose you are surprised to see me here； I came to see the old
Monachlog。〃
〃Yes； gentleman； I saw you looking about it。〃
〃Am I welcome to see it？〃
〃Croesaw！ gwr boneddig； croesaw！ many； many welcomes to you；
gentleman！〃
〃Do many people come to see the monastery？〃
FARMER。 … Yes！ many gentlefolks come to see it in the summer time。
MYSELF。 … It is a poor place now。
FARMER。 … Very poor； I wonder any gentlefolks come to look at it。
MYSELF。 … It was a wonderful place once； you merely see the ruins
of it now。 It was pulled down at the Reformation。
FARMER。 … Why was it pulled down then？
MYSELF。 … Because it was a house of idolatry to which people used
to resort by hundreds to worship images。 Had you lived at that
time you would have seen people down on their knees before stocks
and stones； worshipping them； kissing them； and repeating
pennillion to them。
FARMER。 … What fools！ How thankful I am that I live in wiser days。
If such things were going on in the old Monachlog it was high time
to pull it down。
MYSELF。 … What kind of a rent do you pay for your land？
FARMER。 … Oh； rather a stiffish one。
MYSELF。 … Two pounds an acre？
FARMER。 … Two pound an acre！ I wish I paid no more！
MYSELF。 … Well； I think that would be quite enough。 In the time of
the old monastery you might have had the land at two shillings an
acre。
FARMER。 … Might I？ Then those couldn't have been such bad times；
after all。
MYSELF。 … I beg your pardon！ They were horrible times … times in
which there were monks and friars and graven images； which people
kissed and worshipped and sang pennillion to。 Better pay three
pounds an acre and live on crusts and water in the present
enlightened days than pay two shillings an acre and sit down to
beef and ale three times a day in the old superstitious times。
FARMER。 … Well； I scarcely know what to say to that。
MYSELF。 … What do you call that high hill on the other side of the
river？
FARMER。 … I call that hill Bunk Pen Bannedd。
MYSELF。 … Is the source of the Teivi far from here？
FARMER。 … The head of the Teivi is about two miles from here high
up in the hills。
MYSELF。 … What kind of place is the head of the Teivi？
FARMER。 … The head of the Teivi is a small lake about fifty yards
long and twenty across。
MYSELF。 … Where does the Teivi run to？
FARMER。 … The Teivi runs to the sea； which it enters at a place
which the Cumri call Aber Teivi and the Saxons Cardigan。
MYSELF。 … Don't you call Cardiganshire Shire Aber Teivi？
FARMER。 … We do。
MYSELF。 … Are there many gleisiaid in the Teivi？
FARMER。 … Plenty； and salmons too … that is； farther down。 The
best place for salmon and gleisiaid is a place； a great way down
the stream； called Dinas Emlyn。
MYSELF。 … Do you know an animal called Llostlydan？
FARMER。 … No； I do not know that beast。
MYSELF。 … There used to be many in the Teivi。
FARMER。 … What kind of beast is the Llostlydan？
MYSELF。 … A beast with a broad tail； on which account the old Cumri
did call him Llostlydan。 Clever beast he was； made himself house
of wood in middle of the river； with two doors； so that when hunter
came upon him he might have good chance of escape。 Hunter often
after him； because he had skin good to make hat。
FARMER。 … Ha； I wish I could catch that beast now in Teivi。
MYSELF。 … Why so？
Farmer。 … Because I want hat。 Would make myself hat of his skin。
MYSELF。 … Oh； you could not make yourself a hat even if you had the
skin。
FARMER。 … Why not？ Shot coney in Bunk Pen Banedd； made myself cap
of his skin。 So why not make hat of skin of broadtail； should I
catch him in Teivi？
MYSELF。 … How far is it to Tregaron？
FARMER。 …'Tis ten miles from here； and eight from the Rhyd
Fendigaid。
MYSELF。 … Must I go back to Rhyd Fendigaid to get to Tregaron？
FARMER。 … You must。
MYSELF。 … Then I must be going； for the night is coming down。
Farewell！
FARMER。 … Farvel； Saxon gentleman！
CHAPTER XCII
Nocturnal Journey … Maes y Lynn … The Figure … Earl of Leicester …
Twm Shone Catti … The Farmer and Bull … Tom and the Farmer … The
Cave … The Threat … Tom a Justice … The Big Wigs … Tregaron。
IT was dusk by the time I had regained the high…road by the village
of the Rhyd Fendigaid。
As I was yet eight miles from Tregaron； the place where I intended
to pass the night； I put on my best pace。 In a little time I
reached a bridge over a stream which seemed to carry a considerable
tribute to the Teivi。
〃What is the name of this bridge？〃 said I to a man riding in a
cart； whom I met almost immediately after I had crossed the bridge。
〃Pont Vleer；〃 methought he said； but as his voice was husky and
indistinct； very much like that of a person somewhat the worse for
liquor； I am by no means positive。
It was now very dusk； and by the time I had advanced about a mile
farther dark night settled down； which compelled me to abate my
pace a little； more especially as th
