wild wales-第68章
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〃Thank you；〃 said I； 〃I am in want of nothing； and shall presently
start。 Do many people ascend Snowdon from your house？〃
〃Not so many as I could wish；〃 said the ranger； 〃people in general
prefer ascending Snowdon from that trumpery place Beth Gelert； but
those who do are fools … begging your honour's pardon。 The place
to ascend Snowdon from is my house。 The way from my house up
Snowdon is wonderful for the romantic scenery which it affords；
that from Beth Gelert can't be named in the same day with it for
scenery； moreover； from my house you may have the best guide in
Wales； whereas the guides of Beth Gelert … but I say nothing。 If
your honour is bound for the Wyddfa； as I suppose you are； you had
better start from my house to…morrow under my guidance。〃
〃I have already been up the Wyddfa from Llanberis；〃 said I； 〃and am
now going through Beth Gelert to Llangollen； where my family are；
were I going up Snowdon again I should most certainly start from
your house under your guidance； and were I not in a hurry at
present； I would certainly take up my quarters here for a week； and
every day snake excursions with you into the recesses of Eryri。 I
suppose you are acquainted with all the secrets of the hills？〃
〃Trust the old ranger for that； your honour。 I would show your
honour the black lake in the frightful hollow in which the fishes
have monstrous heads and little bodies； the lake on which neither
swan； duck nor any kind of wildfowl was ever seen to light。 Then I
would show your honour the fountain of the hopping creatures；
where； where … 〃
〃Were you ever at that Wolf's crag； that Castell y Cidwm？〃 said I。
〃Can't say I ever was； your honour。 You see it lies so close by；
just across the lake； that … 〃
〃You thought you could see it any day； and so never went；〃 said I。
〃Can you tell me whether there are any ruins upon it？〃
〃I can't； your honour。〃
〃I shouldn't wonder；〃 said I； 〃if in old times it was the
stronghold of some robber…chieftain； cidwm in the old Welsh is
frequently applied to a ferocious man。 Castell Cidwm； I should
think； rather ought to be translated the robber's castle than the
wolf's rock。 If I ever come into these parts again you and I will
visit it together； and see what kind of place it is。 Now farewell！
It is getting late。〃 I then departed。
〃What a nice gentleman！〃 said the younger man； when I was a few
yards distant。
〃I never saw a nicer gentleman；〃 said the old ranger。
I sped along； Snowdon on my left； the lake on my right； and the tip
of a mountain peak right before me in the east。 After a little
time I looked back； what a scene！ The silver lake and the shadowy
mountain over its southern side looking now； methought； very much
like Gibraltar。 I lingered and lingered； gazing and gazing； and at
last only by an effort tore myself away。 The evening had now
become delightfully cool in this land of wonders。 On I sped；
passing by two noisy brooks coming from Snowdon to pay tribute to
the lake。 And now I had left the lake and the valley behind； and
was ascending a hill。 As I gained its summit； up rose the moon to
cheer my way。 In a little time； a wild stony gorge confronted me；
a stream ran down the gorge with hollow roar； a bridge lay across
it。 I asked a figure whom I saw standing by the bridge the place's
name。 〃Rhyd du〃 … the black ford … I crossed the bridge。 The
voice of the Methodist was yelling from a little chapel on my left。
I went to the door and listened： 〃When the sinner takes hold of
God； God takes hold of the sinner。〃 The voice was frightfully
hoarse。 I passed on： night fell fast around me； and the mountain
to the south…east； towards which I was tending； looked blackly
grand。 And now I came to a milestone on which I read with
difficulty： 〃Three miles to Beth Gelert。〃 The way for some time
had been upward； but now it was downward。 I reached a torrent；
which coming from the north…west rushed under a bridge； over which
I passed。 The torrent attended me on my right hand the whole way
to Beth Gelert。 The descent now became very rapid。 I passed a
pine wood on my left； and proceeded for more than two miles at a
tremendous rate。 I then came to a wood … this wood was just above
Beth Gelert … proceeding in the direction of a black mountain； I
found myself amongst houses； at the bottom of a valley。 I passed
over a bridge； and inquiring of some people whom I met the way to
the inn； was shown an edifice brilliantly lighted up； which I
entered。
CHAPTER XLV
Inn at Beth Gelert … Delectable Company … Lieutenant P…。
THE inn or hotel at Beth Gelert was a large and commodious
building； and was anything but thronged with company； what company；
however； there was； was disagreeable enough； perhaps more so than
that in which I had been the preceding evening； which was composed
of the scum of Manchester and Liverpool； the company amongst which
I now was； consisted of seven or eight individuals； two of them
were military puppies； one a tallish fellow； who though evidently
upwards of thirty； affected the airs of a languishing girl； and
would fain have made people believe that he was dying of ENNUI and
lassitude。 The other was a short spuddy fellow； with a broad ugly
face and with spectacles on his nose； who talked very
consequentially about 〃the service〃 and all that； but whose tone of
voice was coarse and his manner that of an under…bred person； then
there was an old fellow about sixty…five； a civilian； with a red
carbuncled face； he was father of the spuddy military puppy； on
whom he occasionally cast eyes of pride and almost adoration； and
whose sayings he much applauded； especially certain DOUBLES
ENTENDRES； to call them by no harsher term； directed to a fat girl；
weighing some fifteen stone； who officiated in the coffee…room as
waiter。 Then there was a creature to do justice to whose
appearance would require the pencil of a Hogarth。 He was about
five feet three inches and a quarter high； and might have weighed；
always provided a stone weight had been attached to him； about half
as much as the fat girl。 His countenance was cadaverous and was
eternally agitated by something between a grin and a simper。 He
was dressed in a style of superfine gentility； and his skeleton
fingers were bedizened with tawdry rings。 His conversation was
chiefly about his bile and his secretions； the efficacy of licorice
in producing a certain effect； and the expediency of changing one's
linen at least three times a day； though had he changed his six； I
should have said that the purification of the last shirt would have
been no sinecure to the laundress。 His accent was decidedly
Scotch： he spoke familiarly of Scott and one or two other Scotch
worthies； and more than once insinuated that he was a member of
Parliament。 With respect to the rest of the company I say nothing；
and for the very sufficient reason that； unlike the above described
batch； they did not seem disposed to be impertinent towards me。
Eager to get out of such society I retired early to bed。 As I left
the room the diminutive Scotch individual was describing to the old
simpleton； who on the ground of the other's being a 〃member；〃 was
listening to him with extreme attention； how he was labouring under
an access of bile owing to his having left his licorice somewhere
or other。 I passed a quiet night； and in the morning breakfasted；
paid my bill； and departed。 As I went out of the coffee…room the
spuddy； broad…faced military puppy with spectacles was vociferating
to the languishing military puppy； and to his old simpleton of a
father； who was listening to him with his usual look of undisguised
admiration； about the absolute necessity of kicking Lieutenant P…
out of the army for having disgraced 〃the service。〃 Poor P…； whose
only crime was trying to defend himself with fist and candlestick
from the manual attacks of his brutal messmates。
CHAPTER XLVI
The Valley of Gelert … Legend of the Dog … Magnificent Scenery …
The Knicht … Goats in Wales … The Frightful Crag …
