wild wales-第139章

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way。　　At　a　little　distance　up　the　road　is　a　blacksmith's　shop。　　The　
country　around　is　interesting：　　on　the　north…west　is　a　fine　wooded　
hill　…　to　the　south　a　valley　through　which　flows　the　Cothi；　a　fair　
river；　the　one　whose　murmur　had　come　so　pleasingly　upon　my　ear　in　
the　depth　of　night。

After　breakfast　I　departed　for　Llandovery。　　Presently　I　came　to　a　
lodge　on　the　left…hand　beside　an　ornamental　gate　at　the　bottom　of　
an　avenue　leading　seemingly　to　a　gentleman's　seat。　　On　inquiring　of　
a　woman；　who　sat　at　the　door　of　the　lodge；　to　whom　the　grounds　
belonged；　she　said　to　Mr　Johnes；　and　that　if　I　pleased　I　was　
welcome　to　see　them。　　I　went　in　and　advanced　along　the　avenue；　
which　consisted　of　very　noble　oaks；　on　the　right　was　a　vale　in　
which　a　beautiful　brook　was　running　north　and　south。　　Beyond　the　
vale　to　the　east　were　fine　wooded　hills。　　I　thought　I　had　never　
seen　a　more　pleasing　locality；　though　I　saw　it　to　great　
disadvantage；　the　day　being　dull；　and　the　season　the　latter　fall。　　
Presently；　on　the　avenue　making　a　slight　turn；　I　saw　the　house；　a　
plain　but　comfortable　gentleman's　seat　with　wings。　　It　looked　to　
the　south　down　the　dale。　　〃With　what　satisfaction　I　could　live　in　
that　house；〃　said　I　to　myself；　〃if　backed　by　a　couple　of　thousands　
a…year。　　With　what　gravity　could　I　sign　a　warrant　in　its　library；　
and　with　what　dreamy　comfort　translate　an　ode　of　Lewis　Glyn　Cothi；　
my　tankard　of　rich　ale　beside　me。　　I　wonder　whether　the　proprietor　
is　fond　of　the　old　bard　and　keeps　good　ale。　　Were　I　an　Irishman　
instead　of　a　Norfolk　man　I　would　go　in　and　ask　him。〃

Returning　to　the　road　I　proceeded　on　my　journey。　　I　passed　over　
Pont　y　Rhanedd　or　the　bridge　of　the　Rhanedd；　a　small　river　flowing　
through　a　dale；　then　by　Clas　Hywel；　a　lofty　mountain　which　appeared　
to　have　three　heads。　　After　walking　for　some　miles　I　came　to　where　
the　road　divided　into　two。　　By　a　sign…post　I　saw　that　both　led　to　
Llandovery；　one　by　Porth　y　Rhyd　and　the　other　by　Llanwrda。　　The　
distance　by　the　first　was　six　miles　and　a　half；　by　the　latter　eight　
and　a　half。　　Feeling　quite　the　reverse　of　tired　I　chose　the　longest　
road；　namely　the　one　by　Llanwrda；　along　which　I　sped　at　a　great　
rate。

In　a　little　time　I　found　myself　in　the　heart　of　a　romantic　winding　
dell；　overhung　with　trees　of　various　kinds；　which　a　tall　man　whom　I　
met　told　me　was　called　Cwm　Dwr　Llanwrda；　or　the　Watery　Coom　of　
Llanwrda；　and　well　might　it　be　called　the　Watery　Coom；　for　there　
were　several　bridges　in　it；　two　within　a　few　hundred　yards　of　each　
other。　　The　same　man　told　me　that　the　war　was　going　on　very　badly；　
that　our　soldiers　were　suffering　much；　and　that　the　snow　was　two　
feet　deep　at　Sebastopol。

Passing　through　Llanwrda；　a　pretty　village　with　a　singular…looking　
church；　close　to　which　stood　an　enormous　yew；　I　entered　a　valley　
which　I　learned　was　the　valley　of　the　Towey。　　I　directed　my　course　
to　the　north；　having　the　river　on　my　right；　which　runs　towards　the　
south　in　a　spacious　bed；　which；　however；　except　in　times　of　flood；　
it　scarcely　half　fills。　　Beautiful　hills　were　on　other　side；　partly　
cultivated；　partly　covered　with　wood；　and　here　and　there　dotted　
with　farm…houses　and　gentlemen's　seats；　green　pastures　which　
descended　nearly　to　the　river　occupying　in　general　the　lower　parts。　　
After　journeying　about　four　miles　amid　this　kind　of　scenery　I　came　
to　a　noble　suspension　bridge；　and　crossing　it　found　myself　in　about　
a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　Llandovery。

It　was　about　half…past　two　when　I　arrived。　　I　put　up　at　the　Castle　
Inn　and　forthwith　ordered　dinner；　which　was　served　up　between　four　
and　five。　　During　dinner　I　was　waited　upon　by　a　strange　old　fellow　
who　spoke　Welsh　and　English　with　equal　fluency。

〃What　countryman　are　you？〃　said　I。

〃An　Englishman；〃　he　replied。

〃From　what　part　of　England？〃

〃From　Herefordshire。〃

〃Have　you　been　long　here？〃

〃Oh　yes！　upwards　of　twenty　years。〃

〃How　came　you　to　learn　Welsh？〃

〃Oh；　I　took　to　it　and　soon　picked　it　up。〃

〃Can　you　read　it？〃　said　I。

〃No；　I　can't。〃

〃Can　you　read　English？〃

〃Yes；　I　can；　that　is；　a　little。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　try　to　learn　to　read　Welsh？〃

〃Well；　I　did；　but　I　could　make　no　hand　of　it。　　It's　one　thing　to　
speak　Welsh　and　another　to　read　it。〃

〃I　can　read　Welsh　much　better　than　I　can　speak　it；〃　said　I。

〃Ah；　you　are　a　gentleman　…　gentlefolks　always　find　it　easier　to　
learn　to　read　a　foreign　lingo　than　to　speak　it；　but　it's　quite　the　
contrary　with　we　poor　folks。〃

〃One　of　the　most　profound　truths　ever　uttered　connected　with　
language；〃　said　I　to　myself。　　I　asked　him　if　there　were　many　Church　
of　England　people　in　Llandovery。

〃A　good　many；〃　he　replied。

〃Do　you　belong　to　the　Church？〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　I　do。〃

〃If　this　were　Sunday　I　would　go　to　church；〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　if　you　wish　to　go　to　church　you　can　go　to…night。　　This　is　
Wednesday；　and　there　will　be　service　at　half…past　six。　　If　you　like　
I　will　come　for　you。〃

〃Pray　do；〃　said　I；　〃I　should　like　above　all　things　to　go。〃

Dinner　over　I　sat　before　the　fire　occasionally　dozing；　occasionally　
sipping　a　glass　of　whiskey…and…water。　　A　little　after　six　the　old　
fellow　made　his　appearance　with　a　kind　of　Spanish　hat　on　his　head。　　
We　set　out；　the　night　was　very　dark；　we　went　down　a　long　street　
seemingly　in　the　direction　of　the　west。　　〃How　many　churches　are　
there　in　Llandovery？〃　said　I　to　my　companion。

〃Only　one；　but　you　are　not　going　to　Llandovery　Church；　but　to　that　
of　Llanfair；　in　which　our　clergyman　does　duty　once　or　twice　a　
week。〃

〃Is　it　far？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　no；　just　out　of　the　town；　only　a　few　steps　farther。〃

We　seemed　to　pass　over　a　bridge　and　began　to　ascend　a　rising　
ground。　　Several　people　were　going　in　the　same　direction。

〃There；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃follow　with　these；　and　a　little　farther　
up　you　will　come　to　the　church；　which　stands　on　the　right　hand。〃

He　then　left　me。　　I　went　with　the　rest　and　soon　came　to　the　church。　　
I　went　in　and　was　at　once　conducted　by　an　old　man；　who　I　believe　
was　the　sexton；　to　a　large　pew　close　against　the　southern　wall。　　
The　inside　of　the　church　was　dimly　lighted；　it　was　long　and　narrow；　
and　the　walls　were　painted　with　a　yellow　colour。　　The　pulpit　stood　
against　the　northern　wall　near　the　altar；　and　almost　opposite　to　
the　pew　in　which　I　sat。　　After　a　little　time　the　service　commenced；　
it　was　in　Welsh。　　When　the　litanies　were　concluded　the　clergyman；　
who　appeared　to　be　a　middle…aged　man；　and　who　had　rather　a　fine　
voice；　began　to　preach。　　His　sermon　was　from　the　119th　Psalm：　　〃Am　
hynny　hoffais　dy　gorchymynion　yn　mwy　nag　aur：〃　　〃Therefore　have　I　
loved　thy　commandments　more　than　gold。〃　　The　sermon；　which　was　
extempore；　was　delivered　with　great　earnestness；　and　I　make　no　
doubt　was　a　very　excellent　one；　but　owing　to　its　being　in　South　
Welsh　I　did　not　derive　much　benefit　from　it　as　I　otherwise　might　
have　done。　　When　it　was　over　a　great　many　got　up　and　went　away。　　
Observing；　however；　that　not　a　few　remained；　I　determined　upon　
remaining　too。　　When　everything　was　quiet　the　clergyman；　descending　
from　the　pulpit；　repaired　to　the　vestry；　and　having　taken　off　his　
gown　went　into　a　pew；　and　standing　up　began　a　discourse；　from　which　
I　learned　that　there　was　to　be　a　sacrament　on　the　ensuing　Sabbath。　　
He　spoke　with　much　fervency；　enlarging　upon　the　high　importance　of　
the　holy　communion；　and　exhorting　people　to　come　to　it　in　a　fit　
state　of　mind。　　When　he　had　finished　a　man　in　a　neighbouring　pew　
got　up　and　spoke　about　his　own　unworthiness；　saying　this　and　that　
about　himself；　his　sins　of　commission　and　omission；　and　dwelling　
particularly　on　his　uncharitableness　and　the　malicious　pleasure　
which　he　took　in　the　misfortunes　of　his　neighbours。　　The　clergyman　
listened　attentively；　sometimes　saying　〃Ah！〃　and　the　congregation　
also　listened　attentively；　a　voice　here　and　there　　frequently　
saying　〃Ah。〃　　When　the　man　had　concluded　the　clergyman　again　spoke；　
making　observations　on　what　he　had　heard；　and　hoping　that　the　rest　
would　be　visited　with　the　same　contrite　spirit　as　their　friend。　　
Then　there　was　a　hymn　and　we　went　away。

The　moon　was　shining　on　high　and