wild wales-第30章
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at length I heard her say that she was afraid we had passed the
chair； and indeed presently we came to a place where the enclosure
terminated in a sharp corner。
〃Let us go back；〃 said I； 〃we must have passed it。〃
I now went first； breaking down with my weight the shrubs nearest
to the wall。
〃Is not this the place？〃 said I； pointing to a kind of hollow in
the wall； which looked something like the shape of a chair。
〃Hardly；〃 said the girl； 〃for there should be a slab on the back；
with letters； but there's neither slab nor letters here。〃
The girl now again went forward； and we retraced our way； doing the
best we could to discover the chair； but all to no purpose； no
chair was to be found。 We had now been； as I imagined； half…an…
hour in the enclosure； and had nearly got back to the place from
which we had set out； when we suddenly heard the voice of the old
lady exclaiming； 〃What are ye doing there； the chair is on the
other side of the field； wait a bit； and I will come and show it
you；〃 getting over the stone stile； which led into the wilderness；
she came to us； and we now went along the wall at the lower end； we
had quite as much difficulty here as on the other side； and in some
places more； for the nettles were higher； the shrubs more tangled；
and the thorns more terrible。 The ground； however； was rather more
level。 I pitied the poor girl who led the way； and whose fat naked
arms were both stung and torn。 She at last stopped amidst a huge
grove of nettles； doing the best she could to shelter her arms from
the stinging leaves。
〃I never was in such a wilderness in my life；〃 said I to John
Jones； 〃is it possible that the chair of the mighty Huw is in a
place like this； which seems never to have been trodden by human
foot。 Well does the Scripture say 'Dim prophwyd yw yn cael barch
yn ei dir ei hunan。'〃
This last sentence tickled the fancy of my worthy friend； the
Calvinistic…Methodist； he laughed aloud and repeated it over and
over again to the females； with amplifications。
〃Is the chair really here；〃 said I； 〃or has it been destroyed？ if
such a thing has been done it is a disgrace to Wales。〃
〃The chair is really here；〃 said the old lady； 〃and though Huw
Morus was no prophet； we love and reverence everything belonging to
him。 Get on Llances； the chair can't be far off；〃 the girl moved
on； and presently the old lady exclaimed； 〃There's the chair；
Diolch i Duw！〃
I was the last of the file； but I now rushed past John Jones； who
was before me； and next to the old lady； and sure enough there was
the chair； in the wall； of him who was called in his day； and still
is called by the mountaineers of Wales； though his body has been
below the earth in the quiet church…yard one hundred and forty
years； Eos Ceiriog； the Nightingale of Ceiriog； the sweet caroller
Huw Morus； the enthusiastic partizan of Charles and the Church of
England； and the never…tiring lampooner of Oliver and the
Independents。 There it was； a kind of hollow in the stone wall； in
the hen ffordd； fronting to the west； just above the gorge at the
bottom of which murmurs the brook Ceiriog； there it was； something
like a half barrel chair in a garden； a mouldering stone slab
forming the seat； and a large slate stone； the back； on which were
cut these letters …
H。 M。 B。
signifying Huw Morus Bard。
〃Sit down in the chair； Gwr Boneddig；〃 said John Jones； 〃you have
taken trouble enough to get to it。〃
〃Do； gentleman；〃 said the old lady； 〃but first let me wipe it with
my apron； for it is very wet and dirty。〃
〃Let it be；〃 said I； then taking off my hat I stood uncovered
before the chair； and said in the best Welsh I could command；
〃Shade of Huw Morus； supposing your shade haunts the place which
you loved so well when alive … a Saxon； one of the seed of the
Coiling Serpent； has come to this place to pay that respect to true
genius； the Dawn Duw； which he is ever ready to pay。 He read the
songs of the Nightingale of Ceiriog in the most distant part of
Lloegr； when he was a brown…haired boy； and now that he is a grey…
haired man he is come to say in this place that they frequently
made his eyes overflow with tears of rapture。〃
I then sat down in the chair； and commenced repeating verses of Huw
Morris。 All which I did in the presence of the stout old lady； the
short； buxom and bare…armed damsel； and of John Jones the
Calvinistic weaver of Llangollen； all of whom listened patiently
and approvingly； though the rain was pouring down upon them； and
the branches of the trees and the tops of the tall nettles；
agitated by the gusts from the mountain hollows； were beating in
their faces； for enthusiasm is never scoffed at by the noble
simple…minded； genuine Welsh； whatever treatment it may receive
from the coarse…hearted； sensual； selfish Saxon。
After some time； our party returned to the house … which put me
very much in mind of the farm…houses of the substantial yeomen of
Cornwall； particularly that of my friends at Penquite； a
comfortable fire blazed in the kitchen grate； the floor was
composed of large flags of slate。 In the kitchen the old lady
pointed to me the ffon； or walking…stick； of Huw Morris； it was
supported against a beam by three hooks； I took it down and walked
about the kitchen with it； it was a thin polished black stick； with
a crome cut in the shape of an eagle's head； at the end was a brass
fence。 The kind creature then produced a sword without a scabbard；
this sword was found by Huw Morris on the mountain … it belonged to
one of Oliver's officers who was killed there。 I took the sword；
which was a thin two…edged one； and seemed to be made of very good
steel； it put me in mind of the blades which I had seen at Toledo …
the guard was very slight like those of all rapiers； and the hilt
the common old…fashioned English officer's hilt … there was no rust
on the blade； and it still looked a dangerous sword。 A man like
Thistlewood would have whipped it through his adversary in a
twinkling。 I asked the old lady if Huw Morris was born in this
house； she said no； but a little farther on at Pont y Meibion； she
said； however； that the ground had belonged to him； and that they
had some of his blood in their veins。 I shook her by the hand； and
gave the chubby bare…armed damsel a shilling； pointing to the marks
of the nettle stings on her fat bacon…like arms。 She laughed； made
me a curtsey； and said： 〃Llawer iawn o diolch。〃
John Jones and I then proceeded to the house at Pont y Meibion；
where we saw two men； one turning a grind…stone； and the other
holding an adze to it。 We asked if we were at the house of Huw
Morris； and whether they could tell us anything about him； they
made us no answer but proceeded with their occupation； John Jones
then said that the Gwr Boneddig was very fond of the verses of Huw
Morris； and had come a great way to see the place where he was
born。 The wheel now ceased turning； and the man with the adze
turned his face full upon me … he was a stern…looking； dark man；
with black hair； of about forty； after a moment or two he said that
if I chose to walk into the house I should be welcome。 He then
conducted us into the house； a common…looking stone tenement； and
bade us be seated。 I asked him if he was a descendant of Huw
Morus； he said he was； I asked him his name； which he said was Huw
… 。 〃Have you any of the manuscripts of Huw Morus？〃 said I。
〃None；〃 said he； 〃but I have one of the printed copies of his
works。〃
He then went to a drawer； and taking out a book； put it into my
hand； and seated himself in a blunt； careless manner。 The book was
the first volume of the common Wrexham edition of Huw's works； it
was much thumbed … I commenced reading aloud a piece which I had
much admired in my boyhood。 I went on for some time； my mind quite
occupied with my reading； at last lifting my eyes I saw the man
standing bolt upright before me； like a soldier of the days of my
childhood； during the time that the adjutant read prayers； his hat
was no longer upon his head； but on the ground；
