wild wales-第137章
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englyn on death not worth transcribing：…
Coffadwriaeth am
THOMAS JONES
Diweddar o'r Draws Llwyn yn y Plwyf hwn：
Bu farw Chwefror 6 fed 1830
Yn 92 oed。
To the memory of
THOMAS JONES
Of Traws Llwyn （across the Grove） in this
parish who died February the sixth； 1830。
Aged 92。
After copying the inscription I presented the old man with a trifle
and went my way。
CHAPTER XCV
Lampeter … The Monk Austin … The Three Publicans … The Tombstone …
Sudden Change … Trampers … A Catholic … The Bridge of Twrch。
THE country between Llan Ddewi and Lampeter presented nothing
remarkable； and I met on the road nothing worthy of being recorded。
On arriving at Lampeter I took a slight refreshment at the inn； and
then went to see the college which stands a little way to the north
of the town。 It was founded by Bishop Burgess in the year 1820；
for the education of youths intended for the ministry of the Church
of England。 It is a neat quadrate edifice with a courtyard in
which stands a large stone basin。 From the courtyard you enter a
spacious dining…hall； over the door of which hangs a well…executed
portrait of the good bishop。 From the hall you ascend by a
handsome staircase to the library； a large and lightsome room； well
stored with books in various languages。 The grand curiosity is a
manuscript Codex containing a Latin synopsis of Scripture which
once belonged to the monks of Bangor Is Coed。 It bears marks of
blood with which it was sprinkled when the monks were massacred by
the heathen Saxons； at the instigation of Austin the Pope's
missionary in Britain。 The number of students seldom exceeds
forty。
It might be about half…past two in the afternoon when I left
Lampeter。 I passed over a bridge； taking the road to Llandovery
which； however； I had no intention of attempting to reach that
night； as it was considerably upwards of twenty miles distant。 The
road lay； seemingly； due east。 After walking very briskly for
about an hour I came to a very small hamlet consisting of not more
than six or seven houses； of these three seemed to be public…
houses； as they bore large flaming signs。 Seeing three rather
shabby…looking fellows standing chatting with their hands in their
pockets； I stopped and inquired in English the name of the place。
〃Pen… something；〃 said one of them； who had a red face and a large
carbuncle on his nose； which served to distinguish him from his
companions； who though they had both very rubicund faces had no
carbuncles。
〃It seems rather a small place to maintain three public…houses；〃
said I； 〃how do the publicans manage to live？〃
〃Oh； tolerably well； sir； we get bread and cheese and have a groat
in our pockets。 No great reason to complain； have we； neighbours？〃
〃No！ no great reason to complain；〃 said the other two。
〃Dear me！〃 said I； 〃are you the publicans？〃
〃We are； sir；〃 said the man with the carbuncle on his nose； 〃and
shall be each of us glad to treat you to a pint in his own house in
order to welcome you to Shire Car … shan't we； neighbours？〃
〃Yes； in truth we shall；〃 said the other two。
〃By Shire Car；〃 said I； 〃I suppose you mean Shire Cardigan？〃
〃Shire Cardigan！〃 said the man； 〃no indeed； by Shire Car is meant
Carmarthenshire。 Your honour has left beggarly Cardigan some way
behind you。 Come； your honour； come and have a pint； this is my
house；〃 said he； pointing to one of the buildings。
〃But；〃 said I； 〃I suppose if I drink at your expense you expect to
drink at mine？〃
〃Why； we can't say that we shall have any objection； your honour； I
think we will arrange the matter in this way； we will go into my
house； where we will each of us treat your honour with a pint； and
for each pint we treat your honour with your honour shall treat us
with one。〃
〃Do you mean each？〃 said I。
〃Why； yes！ your honour； for a pint amongst three would be rather a
short allowance。〃
〃Then it would come to this；〃 said I； 〃I should receive three pints
from you three； and you three would receive nine from me。〃
〃Just so； your honour； I see your honour is a ready reckoner。〃
〃I know how much three times three make；〃 said I。 〃Well； thank
you； kindly； but I must decline your offer； I am bound on a
journey。〃
〃Where are you bound to； master？〃
〃To Llandovery； but if I can find an inn a few miles farther on I
shall stop there for the night。〃
〃Then you will put up at the 'Pump Saint；' master； well； you can
have your three pints here and your three pipes too； and yet get
easily there by seven。 Come in； master； come in！ If you take my
advice you will think of your pint and your pipe and let all the
rest go to the devil。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said I； 〃but I can't accept your invitation； I must be
off；〃 and in spite of yet more pressing solicitations I went on。
I had not gone far when I came to a point where the road parted
into two； just at the point were a house and premises belonging
apparently to a stonemason； as a great many pieces of half…cut
granite were standing about； and not a few tombstones。 I stopped
and looked at one of the latter。 It was to the memory of somebody
who died at the age of sixty…six； and at the bottom bore the
following bit of poetry：…
〃Ti ddaear o ddaear ystyria mewn braw；
Mai daear i ddaear yn fuan a ddaw；
A ddaear mewn ddaear raid aros bob darn
Nes daear o ddaear gyfrodir i farn。〃
〃Thou earth from earth reflect with anxious mind
That earth to earth must quickly be consigned；
And earth in earth must lie entranced enthralled
Till earth from earth to judgment shall be called。〃
〃What conflicting opinions there are in this world；〃 said I； after
I had copied the quatrain and translated it。 〃The publican yonder
tells me to think of my pint and pipe and let everything else go to
the devil； and the tombstone here tells me to reflect with dread …
a much finer expression by…the…bye than reflect with anxious mind；
as I have got it … that in a very little time I must die； and lie
in the ground till I am called to judgment。 Now； which is most
right； the tombstone or the publican？ Why； I should say the
tombstone decidedly。 The publican is too sweeping when he tells
you to think of your pint and pipe and nothing else。 A pint and
pipe are good things。 I don't smoke myself； but I daresay a pipe
is a good thing for them who like it； but there are certainly
things worth being thought of in this world besides a pint and pipe
… hills and dales； woods and rivers； for example … death and
judgment too are worthy now and then of very serious thought。 So
it won't do to go with the publican the whole hog。 But with
respect to the tombstone； it is quite safe and right to go with it
its whole length。 It tells you to think of death and judgment …
and assuredly we ought to of them。 It does not； however； tell you
to think of nothing but death and judgment and to eschew every
innocent pleasure within your reach。 If it did it would be a
tombstone quite as sweeping in what it says as the publican； who
tells you to think of your pint and pipe and let everything else go
to the devil。 The wisest course evidently is to blend the whole of
the philosophy of the tombstone with a portion of the philosophy of
the publican and something more； to enjoy one's pint and pipe and
other innocent pleasures； and to think every now and then of death
and judgment … that is what I intend to do； and indeed is what I
have done for the last thirty years。〃
I went on … desolate hills rose in the east； the way I was going；
but on the south were beautiful hillocks adorned with trees and
hedge…rows。 I was soon amongst the desolate hills； which then
looked more desolate than they did at a distance。 They were of a
wretched russet colour； and exhibited no other signs of life and
cultivation than here and there a miserable field and vile…looking
hovel； and if there was here nothing to cheer the eye there was
also nothing to cheer the ear。 There were no songs of birds； no
voices of rills； the only sound I heard was the lowing of a
wretched bullock from a far…off slope。
I went on slow
