wild wales-第62章

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observed；　whom　he　had　clothed；　educated　and　assisted　up　to　the　
period　when　he　was　ordained　a　minister　of　the　Church；　and　whom　he　
finally　rescued　from　a　state　bordering　on　starvation　in　London；　
procuring　for　him　an　honourable　appointment　in　the　New　World。　　
Immortality　to　Lewis　Morris！　　But　immortality　he　has　won；　even　as　
his　illustrious　pupil　has　said；　who　in　his　elegy　upon　his　
benefactor；　written　in　America；　in　the　four…and…twenty　measures；　at　
a　time　when　Gronwy　had　not　heard　the　Welsh　language　spoken　for　more　
than　twenty　years；　has　words　to　the　following　effect：…


〃As　long　as　Bardic　lore　shall　last；　science　and　learning　be　
cherished；　the　language　and　blood　of　the　Britons　undefiled；　song　be　
heard　on　Parnassus；　heaven　and　earth　be　in　existence；　foam　be　on　
the　surge；　and　water　in　the　river；　the　name　of　Lewis　of　Mon　shall　
be　held　in　grateful　remembrance。〃



CHAPTER　XLI



The　Pier　…　Irish　Reapers　…　Wild　Irish　Face　…　Father　Toban　…　The　
Herd　of　Swine　…　Latin　Blessing。


THE　day　was　as　hot　as　the　preceding　one。　　I　walked　slowly　towards　
the　west；　and　presently　found　myself　upon　a　pier；　or　breakwater；　at　
the　mouth　of　the　harbour。　　A　large　steamer　lay　at　a　little　distance　
within　the　pier。　　There　were　fishing…boats　on　both　sides；　the　
greater　number　on　the　outer　side；　which　lies　towards　the　hill　of　
Holy　Head。　　On　the　shady　side　of　the　breakwater　under　the　wall　were　
two　or　three　dozen　of　Irish　reapers；　some　were　lying　asleep；　others　
in　parties　of　two　or　three　were　seated　with　their　backs　against　the　
wall；　and　were　talking　Irish；　these　last　all　appeared　to　be　well…
made　middle…sized　young　fellows；　with　rather　a　ruffianly　look；　they　
stared　at　me　as　I　passed。　　The　whole　party　had　shillealahs　either　
in　their　hands　or　by　their　sides。　　I　went　to　the　extremity　of　the　
pier；　where　was　a　little　lighthouse；　and　then　turned　back。　　As　I　
again　drew　near　the　Irish；　I　heard　a　hubbub　and　observed　a　great　
commotion　amongst　them。　　All；　whether　those　whom　I　had　seen　
sitting；　or　those　whom　I　had　seen　reclining；　had　got；　or　were　
getting　on　their　legs。　　As　I　passed　them　they　were　all　standing　up；　
and　their　eyes　were　fixed　upon　me　with　a　strange　kind　of　
expression；　partly　of　wonder；　methought；　partly　of　respect。　　〃Yes；　
'tis　he；　sure　enough；〃　I　heard　one　whisper。　　On　I　went；　and　at　
about　thirty　yards　from　the　last　I　stopped；　turned　round　and　leaned　
against　the　wall。　　All　the　Irish　were　looking　at　me　…　presently　
they　formed　into　knots　and　began　to　discourse　very　eagerly　in　
Irish；　though　in　an　undertone。　　At　length　I　observed　a　fellow　going　
from　one　knot　to　the　other；　exchanging　a　few　words　with　each。　　
After　he　had　held　communication　with　all　he　nodded　his　head；　and　
came　towards　me　with　a　quick　step；　the　rest　stood　silent　and　
motionless　with　their　eyes　turned　in　the　direction　in　which　I　was；　
and　in　which　he　was　advancing。　　He　stopped　within　a　yard　of　me　and　
took　off　his　hat。　　He　was　an　athletic　fellow　of　about　twenty…eight；　
dressed　in　brown　frieze。　　His　features　were　swarthy；　and　his　eyes　
black；　in　every　lineament　of　his　countenance　was　a　jumble　of　
savagery　and　roguishness。　　I　never　saw　a　more　genuine　wild　Irish　
face　…　there　he　stood　looking　at　me　full　in　the　face；　his　hat　in　
one　hand　and　his　shillealah　in　the　other。

〃Well；　what　do　you　want？〃　said　I；　after　we　had　stared　at　each　other　
about　half　a　minute。

〃Sure；　I'm　just　come　on　the　part　of　the　boys　and　myself　to　beg　a　
bit　of　a　favour　of　your　reverence。〃

〃Reverence；〃　said　I；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　styling　me　reverence？〃

〃Och　sure；　because　to　be　styled　your　reverence　is　the　right　of　your　
reverence。〃

〃Pray　what　do　you　take　me　for？〃

〃Och　sure；　we　knows　your　reverence　very　well。〃

〃Well；　who　am　I？〃

〃Och；　why　Father　Toban　to　be　sure。〃

〃And　who　knows　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　a　boy　here　knows　your　reverence　to　be　Father　Toban。〃

〃Where　is　that　boy？〃

〃Here　he　stands；　your　reverence。〃

〃Are　you　that　boy？〃

〃I　am；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　you　told　the　rest　that　I　was　Father　Toban？〃

〃I　did；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　you　know　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃I　do；　your　reverence。〃

〃How　do　you　know　me　to　be　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　why　because　many's　the　good　time　that　I　have　heard　your　
reverence；　Father　Toban；　say　mass。〃

〃And　what　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃Why；　see　here；　your　reverence；　we　are　going　to　embark　in　the　dirty　
steamer　yonder　for　ould　Ireland；　which　starts　as　soon　as　the　tide　
serves；　and　we　want　your　reverence　to　bless　us　before　we　goes。〃

〃You　want　me　to　bless　you？〃

〃We　do；　your　reverence；　we　want　you　to　spit　out　a　little　bit　of　a　
blessing　upon　us　before　we　goes　on　board。〃

〃And　what　good　would　my　blessing　do　you？〃

〃All　kinds　of　good；　your　reverence；　it　would　prevent　the　dirty　
steamer　from　catching　fire；　your　reverence；　or　from　going　down；　
your　reverence；　or　from　running　against　the　blackguard　Hill　of　
Howth　in　the　mist；　provided　there　should　be　one。〃

〃And　suppose　I　were　to　tell　you　that　I　am　not　Father　Toban？〃

〃Och；　your　reverence；　will　never　think　of　doing　that。〃

〃Would　you　believe　me　if　I　did？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃If　I　were　to　swear　that　I　am　not　Father　Toban？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃On　the　evangiles？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃On　the　Cross？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　suppose　I　were　to　refuse　to　give　you　a　blessing？〃

〃Och；　your　reverence　will　never　refuse　to　bless　the　poor　boys。〃

〃But　suppose　I　were　to　refuse？〃

〃Why；　in　such　a　case；　which　by…the…bye　is　altogether　impossible；　we　
should　just　make　bould　to　give　your　reverence　a　good　big　bating。〃

〃You　would　break　my　head？〃

〃We　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃Kill　me？〃

〃We　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃You　would　really　put　me　to　death？〃

〃We　would　not；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　what's　the　difference　between　killing　and　putting　to　death？〃

〃Och；　sure　there's　all　the　difference　in　the　world。　　Killing　manes　
only　a　good　big　bating；　such　as　every　Irishman　is　used　to；　and　
which　your　reverence　would　get　over　long　before　matins；　whereas　
putting　your　reverence　to　death　would　prevent　your　reverence　from　
saying　mass　for　ever　and　a　day。〃

〃And　you　are　determined　on　having　a　blessing？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃By　hook　or　by　crook？〃

〃By　crook　or　by　hook；　your　reverence。〃

〃Before　I　bless　you；　will　you　answer　me　a　question　or　two？〃

〃I　will；　your　reverence。〃

〃Are　you　not　a　set　of　great　big　blackguards？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃Without　one　good　quality？〃

〃We　are；　your　reverence。〃

〃Would　it　not　be　quite　right　to　saddle　and　bridle　you　all；　and　ride　
you　violently　down　Holyhead　or　the　Giant's　Causeway　into　the　
waters；　causing　you　to　perish　there；　like　the　herd　of　swine　of　
old？〃

〃It　would；　your　reverence。〃

〃And　knowing　and　confessing　all　this；　you　have　the　cheek　to　come　
and　ask　me　for　a　blessing？〃

〃We　have；　your　reverence。〃

〃Well；　how　shall　I　give　the　blessing？〃

〃Och；　sure　your　reverence　knows　very　well　how　to　give　it。〃

〃Shall　I　give　it　in　Irish？〃

〃Och；　no；　your　reverence　…　a　blessing　in　Irish　is　no　blessing　at　
all。〃

〃In　English？〃

〃Och；　murder；　no；　your　reverence；　God　preserve　us　all　from　an　
English　blessing！〃

〃In　Latin？〃

〃Yes；　sure；　your　reverence；　in　what　else　should　you　bless　us　but　in　
holy　Latin？〃

〃Well　then　prepare　yourselves。〃

〃We　will；　your　reverence　…　stay　one　moment　whilst　I　whisper　to　the　
boys　that　your　reverence　is　about　to　bestow　your　blessing　upon　us。〃

Then　turning　to　the　rest　who　all　this　time　had　kept　their　eyes　
fixed　intently　upon　us；　he　bellowed　with　the　voice　of　a　bull：

〃Down　on　your　marrow　bones；　ye　sinners；　for　his　reverence　Toban　is　
about　to　bless　us　all　in　holy　Latin。〃

He　then　flung　himself　on　his　knees　on　the　pier；　and　all　his　
countrymen；　baring　their　heads；　followed　his　example　…　yes；　there　
knelt　thirty　bare…headed　Eirionaich　on　the　pier　of　Caer　Gybi　
beneath　the　broiling　sun。　　I　gave　them　the　best　Latin　blessing　I　
could　remember；　out　of　two　or　three　which　I　had　got　by　memory　out　
of　an　old　Popish　book　of　devotion；　which　I　bought　in　my　boyhood　at　
a　stall。　　Then　turning　to　the　deputy