wild wales-第24章
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and at my invitation seated himself between me and the stout
personage。 The latter addressed him roughly in English； but
receiving no answer said； 〃Ah； you no understand。 You have no
English and I no Welsh。〃
〃You have not mastered Welsh yet Mr … 〃 said one of the men to him。
〃No！〃 said he： 〃I have been doing business with the Welsh forty
years； but can't speak a word of their language。 I sometimes guess
at a word； spoken in the course of business； but am never sure。〃
Presently John Jones began talking to me； saying that he had been
to the river； that the water was very low； and that there was
little but stones in the bed of the stream。
I told him if its name was Ceiriog no wonder there were plenty of
stones in it； Ceiriog being derived from Cerrig； a rock。 The men
stared to hear me speak Welsh。
〃Is the gentleman a Welshman？〃 said one of the men； near the door；
to his companion； 〃he seems to speak Welsh very well。〃
〃How should I know？〃 said the other； who appeared to be a low
working man。
〃Who are those people？〃 said I to John Jones。
〃The smaller man is a workman at a flannel manufactory；〃 said
Jones。 〃The other I do not exactly know。〃
〃And who is the man on the other side of you？〃 said I。
〃I believe he is an English dealer in gigs and horses；〃 replied
Jones； 〃and that he is come here either to buy or sell。〃
The man； however； soon put me out of all doubt with respect to his
profession。
〃I was at Chirk；〃 said he； 〃and Mr So…and…so asked me to have a
look at his new gig and horse； and have a ride。 I consented。 They
were both brought out … everything new； gig new； harness new； and
horse new。 Mr So…and…so asked me what I thought of his turn…out。
I gave a look and said； 'I like the car very well； harness very
well； but I don't like the horse at all； a regular bolter； rearer
and kicker； or I'm no judge； moreover； he's pigeon…toed。' However；
we all got on the car … four of us； and I was of course
complimented with the ribbons。 Well； we hadn't gone fifty yards
before the horse； to make my words partly good； began to kick like
a new 'un。 However； I managed him； and he went on for a couple of
miles till we got to the top of the hill； just above the descent
with the precipice on the right hand。 Here he began to rear like a
very devil。
〃'Oh dear me！' says Mr So…and…so； 'let me get out！'
〃'Keep where you are；' says I； 'I can manage him。'
〃However； Mr So…and…so would not be ruled； and got out； coming
down； not on his legs； but his hands and knees。 And then the two
others said …
〃'Let us get out！'
〃'Keep where you are；' said I； 'I can manage him。'
〃But they must needs get out； or rather tumble out； for they both
came down on the road； hard on their backs。
〃'Get out yourself；' said they all； 'and let the devil go； or you
are a done man。'
〃'Getting out may do for you young hands；' says I； 'but it won't do
for I； neither my back nor bones will stand the hard road。'
〃Mr So…and…so ran to the horse's head。
〃'Are you mad？' says I； 'if you try to hold him he'll be over the
pree…si…pice in a twinkling； and then where am I？ Give him head； I
can manage him。'
〃So Mr So…and…so got out of the way； and down flew the horse right
down the descent； as fast as he could gallop。 I tell you what； I
didn't half like it！ A pree…si…pice on my right； the rock on my
left； and a devil before me； going； like a cannon…ball； right down
the hill。 However； I contrived； as I said I would； to manage him；
kept the car from the rock and from the edge of the gulf too。
Well； just when we had come to the bottom of the hill out comes the
people running from the inn； almost covering the road。
〃'Now get out of the way；' I shouts； 'if you don't wish to see your
brains knocked out； and what would be worse； mine too。'
〃So they gets out of the way； and on I spun； I and my devil。 But
by this time I had nearly taken the devil out of him。 Well； he
hadn't gone fifty yards on the level ground； when； what do you
think he did？ why； went regularly over； tumbled down regularly on
the road； even as I knew he would some time or other； because why？
he was pigeon…toed。 Well； I gets out of the gig； and no sooner did
Mr So…and…so come up than I says …
〃'I likes your car very well； and I likes your harness； but … me if
I likes your horse； and it will be some time before you persuade me
to drive him again。'〃
I am a great lover of horses； and an admirer of good driving； and
should have wished to have some conversation with this worthy
person about horses and their management。 I should also have
wished to ask him some questions about Wales and the Welsh； as he
must have picked up a great deal of curious information about both
in his forty years' traffic； notwithstanding he did not know a word
of Welsh； but John Jones prevented my further tarrying by saying；
that it would be as well to get over the mountain before it was
entirely dark。 So I got up； paid for my ale； vainly endeavoured to
pay for that of my companion； who insisted upon paying for what he
had ordered； made a general bow and departed from the house；
leaving the horse…dealer and the rest staring at each other and
wondering who we were； or at least who I was。 We were about to
ascend the hill when John Jones asked me whether I should not like
to see the bridge and the river。 I told him I should。 The bridge
and the river presented nothing remarkable。 The former was of a
single arch； and the latter anything but abundant in its flow。
We now began to retrace our steps over the mountain。 At first the
mist appeared to be nearly cleared away。 As we proceeded； however；
large sheets began to roll up the mountain sides； and by the time
we reached the summit were completely shrouded in vapour。 The
night； however； was not very dark； and we found our way tolerably
well； though once in descending I had nearly tumbled into the nant
or dingle； now on our left hand。 The bushes and trees； seen
indistinctly through the mist； had something the look of goblins；
and brought to my mind the elves； which Ab Gwilym of old saw； or
thought he saw； in a somewhat similar situation：…
〃In every hollow dingle stood
Of wry…mouth'd elves a wrathful brood。〃
Drenched to the skin； but uninjured in body and limb； we at length
reached Llangollen。
CHAPTER XVIII
Venerable Old Gentleman … Surnames in Wales … Russia and Britain …
Church of England … Yriarte … The Eagle and his Young … Poets of
the Gael … The Oxonian … Master Salisburie。
MY wife had told me that she had had some conversation upon the
Welsh language and literature with a venerable old man； who kept a
shop in the town； that she had informed him that I was very fond of
both； and that he had expressed a great desire to see me。 One
afternoon I said： 〃Let us go and pay a visit to your old friend of
the shop。 I think from two or three things which you have told me
about him； that he must be worth knowing。〃 We set out。 She
conducted me across the bridge a little way； then presently turning
to the left into the principal street； she entered the door of a
shop on the left…hand side； over the top of which was written：
〃Jones； Provision Dealer and General Merchant。〃 The shop was
small； with two little counters； one on each side。 Behind one was
a young woman； and behind the other a venerable…looking old man。
〃I have brought my husband to visit you；〃 said my wife； addressing
herself to him。
〃I am most happy to see him；〃 said the old gentleman； making me a
polite bow。
He then begged that we would do him the honour to walk into his
parlour； and led us into a little back room； the window of which
looked out upon the Dee a few yards below the bridge。 On the left
side of the room was a large case； well stored with books。 He
offered us chairs； and we all sat down。 I was much struck with the
old man。 He was rather tall； and somewhat inclined to corpulency。
His hair was grey； his forehead high； his nose aquiline； his eyes
full of intelligence； whilst his manners were those of a perfect
gentlem
