wild wales-第49章

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Bidding　him　farewell　I　passed　through　the　northern　part　of　the　
village　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　　I　walked　a　little　way　forward　and　
then　stopped；　as　I　had　done　at　the　bridge　in　the　dale；　and　looked　
to　the　east；　over　a　low　stone　wall。

Before　me　lay　the　sea　or　rather　the　northern　entrance　of　the　Menai　
Straits。　　To　my　right　was　mountain　Lidiart　projecting　some　way　into　
the　sea；　to　my　left；　that　is　to　the　north；　was　a　high　hill；　with　a　
few　white　houses　near　its　base；　forming　a　small　village；　which　a　
woman　who　passed　by　knitting　told　me　was　called　Llan　Peder　Goch　or　
the　Church　of　Red　Saint　Peter。　　Mountain　Lidiart　and　the　Northern　
Hill　formed　the　headlands　of　a　beautiful　bay　into　which　the　waters　
of　the　Traeth　dell；　from　which　I　had　come；　were　discharged。　　A　
sandbank；　probably　covered　with　the　sea　at　high　tide；　seemed　to　
stretch　from　mountain　Lidiart　a　considerable　way　towards　the　
northern　hill。　　Mountain；　bay　and　sandbank　were　bathed　in　sunshine；　
the　water　was　perfectly　calm；　nothing　was　moving　upon　it；　nor　upon　
the　shore；　and　I　thought　I　had　never　beheld　a　more　beautiful　and　
tranquil　scene。

I　went　on。　　The　country　which　had　hitherto　been　very　beautiful；　
abounding　with　yellow　corn…fields；　became　sterile　and　rocky；　there　
were　stone　walls；　but　no　hedges。　　I　passed　by　a　moor　on　my　left；　
then　a　moory　hillock　on　my　right；　the　way　was　broken　and　stony；　all　
traces　of　the　good　roads　of　Wales　had　disappeared；　the　habitations　
which　I　saw　by　the　way　were　miserable　hovels　into　and　out　of　which　
large　sows　were　stalking；　attended　by　their　farrows。

〃Am　I　far　from　Llanfair？〃　said　I　to　a　child。

〃You　are　in　Llanfair；　gentleman；〃　said　the　child。

A　desolate　place　was　Llanfair。　　The　sea　in　the　neighbourhood　to　the　
south；　limekilns　with　their　stifling　smoke　not　far　from　me。　　I　sat　
down　on　a　little　green　knoll　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　road；　a　
small　house　was　near　me；　and　a　desolate…looking　mill　at　about　a　
furlong's　distance；　to　the　south。　　Hogs　came　about　me　grunting　and　
sniffing。　　I　felt　quite　melancholy。

〃Is　this　the　neighbourhood　of　the　birth…place　of　Gronwy　Owen？〃　said　
I　to　myself。　　〃No　wonder　that　he　was　unfortunate　through　life；　
springing　from　such　a　region　of　wretchedness。〃

Wretched　as　the　region　seemed；　however；　I　soon　found　there　were　
kindly　hearts　close　by　me。

As　I　sat　on　the　knoll　I　heard　some　one　slightly　cough　very　near　me；　
and　looking　to　the　left　saw　a　man　dressed　like　a　miller　looking　at　
me　from　the　garden　of　the　little　house；　which　I　have　already　
mentioned。

I　got　up　and　gave　him　the　sele　of　the　day　in　English。　　He　was　a　man　
about　thirty；　rather　tall　than　otherwise；　with　a　very　prepossessing　
countenance。　　He　shook　his　head　at　my　English。

〃What；〃　said　I；　addressing　him　in　the　language　of　the　country；　
〃have　you　no　English？　　Perhaps　you　have　Welsh？〃

〃Plenty；〃　said　he；　laughing　〃there　is　no　lack　of　Welsh　amongst　any　
of　us　here。　　Are　you　a　Welshman？〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃an　Englishman　from　the　far　east　of　Lloegr。〃

〃And　what　brings　you　here？〃　said　the　man。

〃A　strange　errand；〃　I　replied；　〃to　look　at　the　birth…place　of　a　man　
who　has　long　been　dead。〃

〃Do　you　come　to　seek　for　an　inheritance？〃　said　the　man。

〃No；〃　said　I。　　〃Besides　the　man　whose　birth…place　I　came　to　see；　
died　poor；　leaving　nothing　behind　him　but　immortality。〃

〃Who　was　he？〃　said　the　miller。

〃Did　you　ever　hear　a　sound　of　Gronwy　Owen？〃　said　I。

〃Frequently；〃　said　the　miller；　〃I　have　frequently　heard　a　sound　of　
him。　　He　was　born　close　by　in　a　house　yonder；〃　pointing　to　the　
south。

〃Oh　yes；　gentleman；〃　said　a　nice…looking　woman；　who　holding　a　
little　child　by　the　hand　was　come　to　the　house…door；　and　was　
eagerly　listening；　〃we　have　frequently　heard　speak　of　Gronwy　Owen；　
there　is　much　talk　of　him　in　these　parts。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　have　feared　that　his　name　
would　not　be　known　here。〃

〃Pray；　gentleman；　walk　in！〃　said　the　miller；　〃we　are　going　to　have　
our　afternoon's　meal；　and　shall　be　rejoiced　if　you　will　join　us。〃

〃Yes；　do；　gentleman；〃　said　the　miller's　wife；　for　such　the　good　
woman　was；　〃and　many　a　welcome　shall　you　have。〃

I　hesitated；　and　was　about　to　excuse　myself。

〃Don't　refuse；　gentleman！〃　said　both；　〃surely　you　are　not　too　proud　
to　sit　down　with　us？〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　only　cause　you　trouble；〃　said　I。

〃Dim　blinder；　no　trouble；〃　exclaimed　both　at　once；　〃pray　do　walk　
in！〃

I　entered　the　house；　and　the　kitchen；　parlour；　or　whatever　it　was；　
a　nice　little　room　with　a　slate　floor。　　They　made　me　sit　down　at　a　
table　by　the　window；　which　was　already　laid　for　a　meal。　　There　was　
a　clean　cloth　upon　it；　a　tea…pot；　cups　and　saucers；　a　large　plate　
of　bread…and…butter；　and　a　plate；　on　which　were　a　few　very　thin　
slices　of　brown；　watery　cheese。

My　good　friends　took　their　seats；　the　wife　poured　out　tea　for　the　
stranger　and　her　husband；　helped　us　both　to　bread…and…butter　and　
the　watery　cheese；　then　took　care　of　herself。　　Before；　however；　I　
could　taste　the　tea；　the　wife；　seeming　to　recollect　herself；　
started　up；　and　hurrying　to　a　cupboard；　produced　a　basin　full　of　
snow…white　lump　sugar；　and　taking　the　spoon　out　of　my　hand；　placed　
two　of　the　largest　lumps　in　my　cup；　though　she　helped　neither　her　
husband　nor　herself；　the　sugar…basin　being　probably　only　kept　for　
grand　occasions。

My　eyes　filled　with　tears；　for　in　the　whole　course　of　my　life　I　had　
never　experienced　so　much　genuine　hospitality。　　Honour　to　the　
miller　of　Mona　and　his　wife；　and　honour　to　the　kind　hospitable　
Celts　in　general！　　How　different　is　the　reception　of　this　despised　
race　of　the　wandering　stranger　from　that　of　…。　　However；　I　am　a　
Saxon　myself；　and　the　Saxons　have　no　doubt　their　virtues；　a　pity　
that　they　should　be　all　uncouth　and　ungracious　ones！

I　asked　my　kind　host　his　name。

〃John　Jones；〃　he　replied；　〃Melinydd　of　Llanfair。〃

〃Is　the　mill　which　you　work　your　own　property？〃　I　inquired。

〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃I　rent　it　of　a　person　who　lives　close　by。〃

〃And　how　happens　it；〃　said　I；　〃that　you　speak　no　English？〃

〃How　should　it　happen；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　should　speak　any？　　I　have　
never　been　far　from　here；　my　wife　who　has　lived　at　service　at　
Liverpool　can　speak　some。〃

〃Can　you　read　poetry？〃　said　I。

〃I　can　read　the　psalms　and　hymns　that　they　sing　at　our　chapel；〃　he　
replied。

〃Then　you　are　not　of　the　Church？〃　said　I。

〃I　am　not；〃　said　the　miller；　〃I　am　a　Methodist。〃

〃Can　you　read　the　poetry　of　Gronwy　Owen？〃　said　I。

〃I　cannot；〃　said　the　miller；　〃that　is　with　any　comfort；　his　poetry　
is　in　the　ancient　Welsh　measures；　which　make　poetry　so　difficult　
that　few　can　understand　it。〃

〃I　can　understand　poetry　in　those　measures；〃　said　I。

〃And　how　much　time　did　you　spend；〃　said　the　miller；　〃before　you　
could　understand　the　poetry　of　the　measures？〃

〃Three　years；〃　said　I。

The　miller　laughed。

〃I　could　not　have　afforded　all　that　time；〃　said　he；　〃to　study　the　
songs　of　Gronwy。　　However；　it　is　well　that　some　people　should　have　
time　to　study　them。　　He　was　a　great　poet　as　I　have　been　told；　and　
is　the　glory　of　our　land　…　but　he　was　unfortunate；　I　have　read　his　
life　in　Welsh　and　part　of　his　letters；　and　in　doing　so　have　shed　
tears。〃

〃Has　his　house　any　particular　name？〃　said　I。

〃It　is　called　sometimes　Ty　Gronwy；〃　said　the　miller；　〃but　more　
frequently　Tafarn　Goch。〃

〃The　Red　Tavern？〃　said　I。　　〃How　is　it　that　so　many　of　your　places　
are　called　Goch？　there　is　Pentraeth　Goch；　there　is　Saint　Pedair　
Goch；　and　here　at　Llanfair　is　Tafarn　Goch。〃

The　miller　laughed。

〃It　will　take　a　wiser　man　than　I；〃　said　he；　〃to　answer　that　
question。〃

The　repast　over　I　rose　up；　gave　my　host　thanks；　and　said；　〃I　will　
now　leave　you；　and　hunt　up　things　connected　with　Gronwy。〃

〃And　where　will　you　find　a　lletty　for　night；　gentleman？〃　said　the　
miller's　wife。　　〃This　is　a　poor　place；　but　if　you　will　make　use　of　
our　home　you　are　welcome。〃

〃I　need　not　trouble　you；〃　said　I；　〃I　return　this　night　to　Pentraeth　
Goch　where　I　shall　sleep。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　miller；　〃whilst　you　are　at　Llanfair　I　will　
accompany　you　about。　　Where　shall　we　go　to　first？〃

〃Where　is　the　church？〃　said　I。