wild wales-第31章

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childhood；　during　the　time　that　the　adjutant　read　prayers；　his　hat　
was　no　longer　upon　his　head；　but　on　the　ground；　and　his　eyes　were　
reverently　inclined　to　the　book。　　After　all　what　a　beautiful　thing　
it　is；　not　to　be；　but　to　have　been　a　genius。　　Closing　the　book；　I　
asked　him　whether　Huw　Morris　was　born　in　the　house　where　we　were；　
and　received　for　answer　that　he　was　born　about　where　we　stood；　but　
that　the　old　house　had　been　pulled　down；　and　that　of　all　the　
premises　only　a　small　out…house　was　coeval　with　Huw　Morris。　　I　
asked　him　the　name　of　the　house；　and　he　said　Pont　y　Meibion。

〃But　where　is　the　bridge？〃　said　I。

〃The　bridge；〃　he　replied；　〃is　close　by；　over　the　Ceiriog。　　If　you　
wish　to　see　it；　you　must　go　down　yon　field；　the　house　is　called　
after　the　bridge。〃　　Bidding　him　farewell；　we　crossed　the　road　and　
going　down　the　field　speedily　arrived　at　Pont　y　Meibion。　　The　
bridge　is　a　small　bridge　of　one　arch　which　crosses　the　brook　
Ceiriog　…　it　is　built　of　rough　moor　stone；　it　is　mossy；　broken；　and　
looks　almost　inconceivably　old；　there　is　a　little　parapet　to　it　
about　two　feet　high。　　On　the　right…hand　side　it　is　shaded　by　an　
ash。　　The　brook　when　we　viewed　it；　though　at　times　a　roaring　
torrent；　was　stealing　along　gently；　on　both　sides　it　is　overgrown　
with　alders；　noble　hills　rise　above　it　to　the　east　and　west；　John　
Jones　told　me　that　it　abounded　with　trout。　　I　asked　him　why　the　
bridge　was　called　Pont　y　Meibion；　which　signifies　the　bridge　of　the　
children。　　〃It　was　built　originally　by　children；〃　said　he；　〃for　the　
purpose　of　crossing　the　brook。〃

〃That　bridge；〃　said　I；　〃was　never　built　by　children。〃

〃The　first　bridge；〃　said　he；　〃was　of　wood；　and　was　built　by　the　
children　of　the　houses　above。〃

Not　quite　satisfied　with　his　explanation；　I　asked　him　to　what　place　
the　little　bridge　led；　and　was　told　that　he　believed　it　led　to　an　
upland　farm。　　After　taking　a　long　and　wistful　view　of　the　bridge　
and　the　scenery　around　it；　I　turned　my　head　in　the　direction　of　
Llangollen。　　The　adventures　of　the　day　were；　however；　not　finished。



CHAPTER　XXI



The　Gloomy　Valley　…　The　Lonely　Cottage　…　Happy　Comparison　…　Clogs　…　
The　Alder　Swamp　…　The　Wooden　Leg　…　The　Militiaman　…　Death…bed　
Verses。


ON　reaching　the　ruined　village　where　the　Pandy　stood　I　stopped；　and　
looked　up　the　gloomy　valley　to　the　west；　down　which　the　brook　which　
joins　the　Ceiriog　at　this　place；　descends；　whereupon　John　Jones　
said；　that　if　I　wished　to　go　up　it　a　little　way　he　should　have　
great　pleasure　in　attending　me；　and　that　he　should　show　me　a　
cottage　built　in　the　hen　ddull；　or　old　fashion；　to　which　he　
frequently　went　to　ask　for　the　rent；　he　being　employed　by　various　
individuals　in　the　capacity　of　rent…gatherer。　　I　said　that　I　was　
afraid　that　if　he　was　a　rent…collector；　both　he　and　I　should　have　a　
sorry　welcome。　　〃No　fear；〃　he　replied；　〃the　people　are　very　good　
people；　and　pay　their　rent　very　regularly；〃　and　without　saying　
another　word　he　led　the　way　up　the　valley。　　At　the　end　of　the　
village；　seeing　a　woman　standing　at　the　door　of　one　of　the　ruinous　
cottages；　I　asked　her　the　name　of　the　brook；　or　torrent；　which　came　
down　the　valley。　　〃The　Tarw；〃　said　she；　〃and　this　village　is　called　
Pandy　Teirw。〃

〃Why　is　the　streamlet　called　the　bull？〃　said　I。　　〃Is　it　because　it　
comes　in　winter　weather　roaring　down　the　glen　and　butting　at　the　
Ceiriog？〃

The　woman　laughed；　and　replied　that　perhaps　it　was。　　The　valley　was　
wild　and　solitary　to　an　extraordinary　degree；　the　brook　or　torrent　
running　in　the　middle　of　it　covered　with　alder　trees。　　After　we　had　
proceeded　about　a　furlong　we　reached　the　house　of　the　old　fashion　…　
it　was　a　rude　stone　cottage　standing　a　little　above　the　road　on　a　
kind　of　platform　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　glen；　there　was　a　
paling　before　it　with　a　gate；　at　which　a　pig　was　screaming；　as　if　
anxious　to　get　in。　　〃It　wants　its　dinner；〃　said　John　Jones；　and　
opened　the　gate　for　me　to　pass；　taking　precautions　that　the　
screamer　did　not　enter　at　the　same　time。　　We　entered　the　cottage；　
very　glad　to　get　into　it；　a　storm　of　wind　and　rain　having　just　come　
on。　　Nobody　was　in　the　kitchen　when　we　entered；　it　looked　
comfortable　enough；　however；　there　was　an　excellent　fire　of　wood　
and　coals；　and　a　very　snug　chimney　corner。　　John　Jones　called　
aloud；　but　for　some　time　no　one　answered；　at　last　a　rather　good…
looking　woman；　seemingly　about　thirty；　made　her　appearance　at　a　
door　at　the　farther　end　of　the　kitchen。　　〃Is　the　mistress　at　home；〃　
said　Jones；　〃or　the　master？〃

〃They　are　neither　at　home；〃　said　the　woman；　〃the　master　is　abroad　
at　his　work；　and　the　mistress　is　at　the　farm…house　of　…　three　miles　
off　to　pick　feathers　（trwsio　plu）。〃　　She　asked　us　to　sit　down。

〃And　who　are　you？〃　said　I。

〃I　am　only　a　lodger；〃　said　she；　〃I　lodge　here　with　my　husband　who　
is　a　clog…maker。〃

〃Can　you　speak　English？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　she；　〃I　lived　eleven　years　in　England；　at　a　place　
called　Bolton；　where　I　married　my　husband；　who　is　an　Englishman。〃

〃Can　he　speak　Welsh？〃　said　I。

〃Not　a　word；〃　said　she。　　〃We　always　speak　English　together。〃

John　Jones　sat　down；　and　I　looked　about　the　room。　　It　exhibited　no　
appearance　of　poverty；　there　was　plenty　of　rude　but　good　furniture　
in　it；　several　pewter　plates　and　trenchers　in　a　rack；　two　or　three　
prints　in　frames　against　the　wall；　one　of　which　was　the　likeness　of　
no　less　a　person　than　the　Rev。　Joseph　Sanders；　on　the　table　was　a　
newspaper。　　〃Is　that　in　Welsh？〃　said　I。

〃No；〃　replied　the　woman；　〃it　is　the　BOLTON　CHRONICLE；　my　husband　
reads　it。〃

I　sat　down　in　the　chimney…corner。　　The　wind　was　now　howling　abroad；　
and　the　rain　was　beating　against　the　cottage　panes　…　presently　a　
gust　of　wind　came　down　the　chimney；　scattering　sparks　all　about。　　
〃A　cataract　of　sparks！〃　said　I；　using　the　word　Rhaiadr。

〃What　is　Rhaiadr？〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　never　heard　the　word　before。〃

〃Rhaiadr　means　water　tumbling　over　a　rock；〃　said　John　Jones　…　〃did　
you　never　see　water　tumble　over　the　top　of　a　rock？〃

〃Frequently；〃　said　she。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃even　as　the　water　with　its　froth　tumbles　over　the　
rock；　so　did　sparks　and　fire　tumble　over　the　front　of　that　grate　
when　the　wind　blew　down　the　chimney。　　It　was　a　happy　comparison　of　
the　Gwr　Boneddig；　and　with　respect　to　Rhaiadr　it　is　a　good　old　
word；　though　not　a　common　one；　some　of　the　Saxons　who　have　read　the　
old　writings；　though　they　cannot　speak　the　language　as　fast　as　we；　
understand　many　words　and　things　which　we　do　not。〃

〃I　forgot　much　of　my　Welsh　in　the　land　of　the　Saxons；〃　said　the　
woman；　〃and　so　have　many　others；　there　are　plenty　of　Welsh　at　
Bolton；　but　their　Welsh　is　sadly　corrupted。〃

She　then　went　out　and　presently　returned　with　an　infant　in　her　arms　
and　sat　down。　　〃Was　that　child　born　in　Wales？〃　I　demanded。

〃No；〃　said　she；　〃he　was　born　at　Bolton；　about　eighteen　months　ago　…　
we　have　been　here　only　a　year。〃

〃Do　many　English；〃　said　I；　〃marry　Welsh　wives？〃

〃A　great　many；〃　said　she。　　〃Plenty　of　Welsh　girls　are　married　to　
Englishmen　at　Bolton。〃

〃Do　the　Englishmen　make　good　husbands？〃　said　I。

The　woman　smiled　and　presently　sighed。

〃Her　husband；〃　said　Jones；　〃is　fond　of　a　glass　of　ale　and　is　often　
at　the　public…house。〃

〃I　make　no　complaint；〃　said　the　woman；　looking　somewhat　angrily　at　
John　Jones。

〃Is　your　husband　a　tall　bulky　man？〃　said　I。

〃Just　so；〃　said　the　woman。

〃The　largest　of　the　two　men　we　saw　the　other　night　at　the　public…
house　at　Llansanfraid；〃　said　I　to　John　Jones。

〃I　don't　know　him；〃　said　Jones；　〃though　I　have　heard　of　him；　but　I　
have　no　doubt　that　was　he。〃

I　asked　the　woman　how　her　husband　could　carry　on　the　trade　of　a　
clog…maker　in　such　a　remote　place　…　and　also　whether　he　hawked　his　
clogs　about　the　country。

〃We　call　him　a　clog…maker；〃　said　the　woman；　〃but　the　truth　is　that　
he　merely　cuts　down　the　wood　and　fashions　it　into　squares；　these　
are　taken　by　an　under…master　who　sends　them　to　the　manufacturer　at　
Bolton；　who　employs　hands；　who　make　them　into　clogs。〃

〃Some　of　the　English；〃　said　Jones；　〃are　so　poor　that　they　cannot　
afford　to　buy　shoes；　a　pair　of　shoes　cos