wild wales-第58章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　Amserau。　　I　sent　some　pennillion　to　the　editor　for　insertion　
and　he　did　not　insert　them。　　Peth　a　clwir　cenfigen　yn　Saesneg？〃

〃We　call　cenfigen　in　English　envy；〃　said　I；　〃but　as　I　told　you　
before；　envy　will　not　always　prevail。〃

〃You　cannot　imagine　how　pleased　I　am　with　your　company；〃　said　the　
man　in　grey。　　〃Landlord；　landlord！〃

〃The　greatest　prydydd；〃　said　the　man　of　the　tattered　hat；　〃the　
greatest　prydydd。〃

〃Pray　don't　order　any　more　on　my　account；〃　said　I；　〃as　you　see　my　
glass　is　still　full。　　I　am　about　to　start　for　Caer　Gybi。　　Pray；　
where　are　you　bound　for？〃

〃For　Bangor；〃　said　the　man　in　grey。　　〃I　am　going　to　the　market。〃

〃Then　I　would　advise　you　to　lose　no　time；〃　said　I；　〃or　you　will　
infallibly　be　too　late；　it　must　now　be　one　o'clock。〃

〃There　is　no　market　to…day；〃　said　the　man　in　grey；　〃the　market　is　
to…morrow；　which　is　Saturday。　　I　like　to　take　things　leisurely；　on　
which　account；　when　I　go　to　market；　I　generally　set　out　the　day　
before；　in　order　that　I　may　enjoy　myself　upon　the　road。　　I　feel　
myself　so　happy　here　that　I　shall　not　stir　till　the　evening。　　Now　
pray　stay　with　me　and　my　friend　till　then。〃

〃I　cannot；〃　said　I；　〃if　I　stay　longer　here　I　shall　never　reach　Caer　
Gybi　to…night。　　But　allow　me　to　ask　whether　your　business　at　L…　
will　not　suffer　by　your　spending　so　much　time　on　the　road　to　
market？〃

〃My　wife　takes　care　of　the　business　whilst　I　am　away；〃　said　the　man　
in　grey；　〃so　it　won't　suffer　much。　　Indeed　it　is　she　who　chiefly　
conducts　the　business　of　the　inn。　　I　spend　a　good　deal　of　time　from　
home；　for　besides　being　a　bard　and　inn…keeper；　I　must　tell　you　I　am　
a　horse…dealer　and　a　jobber；　and　if　I　go　to　Bangor　it　is　in　the　
hope　of　purchasing　a　horse　or　pig　worth　the　money。〃

〃And　is　your　friend　going　to　market　too？〃　said　I。

〃My　friend　goes　with　me　to　assist　me　and　bear　me　company。　　If　I　buy　
a　pig　he　will　help　me　to　drive　it　home；　if　a　horse；　he　will　get　up　
upon　its　back　behind　me。　　I　might　perhaps　do　without　him；　but　I　
enjoy　his　company　highly。　　He　is　sometimes　rather　indiscreet；　but　I　
do　assure　you　he　is　exceedingly　clever。〃

〃The　greatest　prydydd；〃　said　the　man　of　the　bulged　shoe；　〃the　
greatest　prydydd　in　the　world。〃

〃Oh；　I　have　no　doubt　of　his　cleverness；〃　said　I；　〃from　what　I　have　
observed　of　him。　　Now　before　I　go　allow　me　to　pay　for　your　next　jug　
of　ale。〃

〃I　will　do　no　such　thing；〃　said　the　man　in　grey。　　〃No　farthing　do　
you　pay　here　for　me　or　my　friend　either。　　But　I　will　tell　you　what　
you　may　do。　　I　am；　as　I　have　told　you；　an　inn…keeper　as　well　as　a　
bard。　　By　the　time　you　get　to　L…　you　will　be　hot　and　hungry　and　in　
need　of　refreshment；　and　if　you　think　proper　to　patronise　my　house；　
the　…　Arms；　by　taking　your　chop　and　pint　there；　you　will　oblige　me。　　
Landlord；　some　more　ale。〃

〃The　greatest　prydydd；〃　said　he　of　the　bulged　shoe；　〃the　greatest　
prydydd　…　〃

〃I　will　most　certainly　patronise　your　house；〃　said　I　to　the　man　in　
grey；　and　shaking　him　heartily　by　the　hand　I　departed。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII



Inn　at　L…　　The　Handmaid　…　The　Decanter　…　Religious　Gentleman　…　
Truly　Distressing　…　Sententiousness　…　Way　to　Pay　Bills。


I　PROCEEDED　on　my　way　in　high　spirits　indeed；　having　now　seen　not　
only　the　tomb　of　the　Tudors；　but　one　of　those　sober　poets　for　which　
Anglesey　has　always　been　so　famous。　　The　country　was　pretty；　with　
here　and　there　a　hill；　a　harvest…field；　a　clump　of　trees　or　a　
grove。

I　soon　reached　L…；　a　small　but　neat　town。　　〃Where　is　the　…　Arms？〃　
said　I　to　a　man　whom　I　met。

〃Yonder；　sir；　yonder；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　a　magnificent　structure　
on　the　left。

I　went　in　and　found　myself　in　a　spacious　hall。　　A　good…looking　
young　woman　in　a　white　dress　with　a　profusion　of　pink　ribbons　
confronted　me　with　a　curtsey。　　〃A　pint　and　a　chop！〃　I　exclaimed；　
with　a　flourish　of　my　hand　and　at　the　top　of　my　voice。　　The　damsel　
gave　a　kind　of　start；　and　then；　with　something　like　a　toss　of　the　
head；　led　the　way　into　a　very　large　room；　on　the　left；　in　which　
were　many　tables；　covered　with　snowy…white　cloths；　on　which　were　
plates；　knives　and　forks；　the　latter　seemingly　of　silver；　tumblers；　
and　wine…glasses。

〃I　think　you　asked　for　a　pint　and　a　chop；　sir？〃　said　the　damsel；　
motioning　me　to　sit　down　at　one　of　the　tables。

〃I　did；〃　said　I；　as　I　sat　down；　〃let　them　be　brought　with　all　
convenient　speed；　for　I　am　in　something　of　a　hurry。〃

〃Very　well；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　and　then　with　another　kind　of　
toss　of　the　head；　she　went　away；　not　forgetting　to　turn　half　round；　
to　take　a　furtive　glance　at　me；　before　she　went　out　of　the　door。

〃Well；〃　said　I；　as　I　looked　at　the　tables；　with　their　snowy…white　
cloths；　tumblers；　wine…glasses　and　what　not；　and　at　the　walls　of　
the　room　glittering　with　mirrors；　〃surely　a　poet　never　kept　so　
magnificent　an　inn　before；　there　must　be　something　in　this　fellow　
besides　the　awen；　or　his　house　would　never　exhibit　such　marks　of　
prosperity　and　good　taste　…　there　must　be　something　in　this　fellow；　
though　he　pretends　to　be　a　wild　erratic　son　of　Parnassus；　he　must　
have　an　eye　to　the　main　chance；　a　genius　for　turning　the　penny；　or　
rather　the　sovereign；　for　the　accommodation　here　is　no　penny　
accommodation；　as　I　shall　probably　find。　　Perhaps；　however；　like　
myself；　he　has　an　exceedingly　clever　wife　who；　whilst　he　is　making　
verses；　or　running　about　the　country　swigging　ale　with　people　in　
bulged　shoes；　or　buying　pigs　or　glandered　horses；　looks　after　
matters　at　home；　drives　a　swinging　trade；　and　keeps　not　only　
herself；　but　him　respectable　…　but　even　in　that　event　he　must　have　
a　good　deal　of　common…sense　in　him；　even　like　myself；　who　always　
allows　my　wife　to　buy　and　sell；　carry　money　to　the　bank；　draw　
cheques；　inspect　and　pay　tradesmen's　bills；　and　transact　all　my　
real　business；　whilst　I　myself　pore　over　old　books；　walk　about　
shires；　discoursing　with　gypsies；　under　hedgerows；　or　with　sober　
bards　…　in　hedge　ale…houses。〃　　I　continued　musing　in　this　manner　
until　the　handmaid　made　her　appearance　with　a　tray；　on　which　were　
covers　and　a　decanter；　which　she　placed　before　me。　　〃What　is　that？〃　
said　I；　pointing　to　a　decanter。

〃Only　a　pint　of　sherry；　sir；〃　said　she　of　the　white　dress　and　
ribbons。

〃Dear　me；〃　said　I；　〃I　ordered　no　sherry；　I　wanted　some　ale　…　a　pint　
of　ale。〃

〃You　called　for　a　pint；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid；　〃but　you　mentioned　
no　ale；　and　I　naturally　supposed　that　a　gentleman　of　your　
appearance〃　…　here　she　glanced　at　my　dusty　coat　…　〃and　speaking　in　
the　tone　you　did；　would　not　condescend　to　drink　ale　with　his　chop；　
however；　as　it　seems　I　have　been　mistaken；　I　can　take　away　the　
sherry　and　bring　you　the　ale。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　I；　〃you　can　let　the　sherry　remain；　I　do　not　like　
sherry；　and　am　very　fond　of　ale；　but　you　can　let　the　wine　remain；　
upon　the　whole　I　am　glad　you　brought　it　…　indeed　I　merely　came　to　
do　a　good　turn　to　the　master　of　the　house。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid。

〃Are　you　his　daughter？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　no；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid　reverently；　〃only　his　waiter。〃

〃You　may　be　proud　to　wait　on　him；〃　said　I。

〃I　am；　sir；〃　said　the　handmaid；　casting　down　her　eyes。

〃I　suppose　he　is　much　respected　in　the　neighbourhood？〃　said　I。

〃Very　much　so；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃especially　amidst　the　
connection。〃

〃The　connection；〃　said　I。　　〃Ah；　I　see；　he　has　extensive　
consanguinity；　most　Welsh　have。　　But；〃　I　continued；　〃there　is　such　
a　thing　as　envy　in　the　world；　and　there　are　a　great　many　malicious　
people　in　the　world；　who　speak　against　him。〃

〃A　great　many；　sir；　but　we　take　what　they　say　from　whence　it　
comes。〃

〃You　do　quite　right；〃　said　I。　　〃Has　your　master　written　any　poetry　
lately？〃

〃Sir！〃　said　the　damsel　staring　at　me。

〃Any　poetry；〃　said　I；　〃any　pennillion？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃my　master　is　a　respectable　man；　and　
would　scorn　to　do　anything　of　the　kind。〃

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃is　not　your　master　a　bard　as　well　as　an　innkeeper？〃

〃My　master；　sir；　is　an　innkeeper；〃　said　the　damsel；　〃but　as　for　the　
other；　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃

〃A　bard；〃　said　I；　〃is　a　prydydd；　a　person　who　makes　verses　…　
pennillion；　does　not　your　master　make　th