wild wales-第20章

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Some　time　after　tea　the　younger　Mr　E。　and　myself　took　a　walk　in　an　
eastern　direction　along　a　path　cut　in　the　bank；　just　above　the　
stream。　　After　proceeding　a　little　way　amongst　most　romantic　
scenery；　I　asked　my　companion　if　he　had　ever　heard　of　the　pool　of　
Catherine　Lingo　…　the　deep　pool；　as　the　reader　will　please　to　
remember；　of　which　John　Jones　had　spoken。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　young　Mr　E。：　　〃my　brothers　and　myself　are　in　the　
habit　of　bathing　there　almost　every　morning。　　We　will　go　to　it　if　
you　please。〃

We　proceeded；　and　soon　came　to　the　pool。　　The　pool　is　a　beautiful　
sheet　of　water；　seemingly　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards　in　
length；　by　about　seventy　in　width。　　It　is　bounded　on　the　east　by　a　
low　ridge　of　rocks　forming　a　weir。　　The　banks　on　both　sides　are　
high　and　precipitous；　and　covered　with　trees；　some　of　which　shoot　
their　arms　for　some　way　above　the　face　of　the　pool。　　This　is　said　
to　be　the　deepest　pool　in　the　whole　course　of　the　Dee；　varying　in　
depth　from　twenty　to　thirty　feet。　　Enormous　pike；　called　in　Welsh　
penhwiaid；　or　ducks…heads；　from　the　similarity　which　the　head　of　a　
pike　bears　to　that　of　a　duck；　are　said　to　be　tenants　of　this　pool。

We　returned　to　the　vicarage；　and　at　about　ten　we　all　sat　down　to　
supper。　　On　the　supper…table　was　a　mighty　pitcher　full　of　foaming　
ale。

〃There；〃　said　my　excellent　host；　as　he　poured　me　out　a　glass；　
〃there　is　a　glass　of　cwrw；　which　Evan　Evans　himself　might　have　
drunk。〃

One　evening　my　wife；　Henrietta；　and　myself；　attended　by　John　Jones；　
went　upon　the　Berwyn；　a　little　to　the　east　of　the　Geraint　or　
Barber's　Hill；　to　botanize。　　Here　we　found　a　fern　which　John　Jones　
called　Coed　llus　y　Bran；　or　the　plant　of　the　Crow's　berry。　　There　
was　a　hard　kind　of　berry　upon　it；　of　which　he　said　the　crows　were　
exceedingly　fond。　　We　also　discovered　two　or　three　other　strange　
plants；　the　Welsh　names　of　which　our　guide　told　us；　and　which　were　
curious　and　descriptive　enough。　　He　took　us　home　by　a　romantic　path　
which　we　had　never　before　seen；　and　on　our　way　pointed　out　to　us　a　
small　house　in　which　he　said　he　was　born。

The　day　after；　finding　myself　on　the　banks　of　the　Dee　in　the　upper　
part　of　the　valley；　I　determined　to　examine　the　Llam　Lleidyr　or　
Robber's　Leap；　which　I　had　heard　spoken　of　on　a　former　occasion。　　A　
man　passing　near　me　with　a　cart　I　asked　him　where　the　Robber's　Leap　
was。　　I　spoke　in　English；　and　with　a　shake　of　his　head　he　replied　
〃Dim　Saesneg。〃　　On　my　putting　the　question　to　him　in　Welsh；　
however；　his　countenance　brightened　up。

〃Dyna　Llam　Lleidyr；　sir！〃　said　he；　pointing　to　a　very　narrow　part　
of　the　stream　a　little　way　down。

〃And　did　the　thief　take　it　from　this　side？〃　I　demanded。

〃Yes；　sir；　from　this　side；〃　replied　the　man。

I　thanked　him；　and　passing　over　the　dry　part　of　the　river's　bed；　
came　to　the　Llam　Lleidyr。　　The　whole　water　of　the　Dee　in　the　dry　
season　gurgles　here　through　a　passage　not　more　than　four　feet　
across；　which；　however；　is　evidently　profoundly　deep；　as　the　water　
is　as　dark　as　pitch。　　If　the　thief　ever　took　the　leap　he　must　have　
taken　it　in　the　dry　season；　for　in　the　wet　the　Dee　is　a　wide　and　
roaring　torrent。　　Yet　even　in　the　dry　season　it　is　difficult　to　
conceive　how　anybody　could　take　this　leap；　for　on　the　other　side　is　
a　rock　rising　high　above　the　dark　gurgling　stream。　　On　observing　
the　opposite　side；　however；　narrowly；　I　perceived　that　there　was　a　
small　hole　a　little　way　up　the　rock；　in　which　it　seemed　possible　to　
rest　one's　foot　for　a　moment。　　So　I　supposed　that　if　the　leap　was　
ever　taken；　the　individual　who　took　it　darted　the　tip　of　his　foot　
into　the　hole；　then　springing　up　seized　the　top　of　the　rock　with　
his　hands；　and　scrambled　up。　　From　either　side　the　leap　must　have　
been　a　highly　dangerous　one　…　from　the　farther　side　the　leaper　
would　incur　the　almost　certain　risk　of　breaking　his　legs　on　a　ledge　
of　hard　rock；　from　this　of　falling　back　into　the　deep　horrible　
stream；　which　would　probably　suck　him　down　in　a　moment。

From　the　Llam　y　Lleidyr　I　went　to　the　canal　and　walked　along　it　
till　I　came　to　the　house　of　the　old　man　who　sold　coals；　and　who　had　
put　me　in　mind　of　Smollett's　Morgan；　he　was　now　standing　in　his　
little　coal…yard；　leaning　over　the　pales。　　I　had　spoken　to　him　on　
two　or　three　occasions　subsequent　to　the　one　on　which　I　made　his　
acquaintance；　and　had　been　every　time　more　and　more　struck　with　the　
resemblance　which　his　ways　and　manners　bore　to　those　of　Smollett's　
character；　on　which　account　I　shall　call　him　Morgan；　though　such　
was　not　his　name。　　He　now　told　me　that　he　expected　that　I　should　
build　a　villa　and　settle　down　in　the　neighbourhood；　as　I　seemed　so　
fond　of　it。　　After　a　little　discourse；　induced　either　by　my　
questions　or　from　a　desire　to　talk　about　himself；　he　related　to　me　
his　history；　which；　though　not　one　of　the　most　wonderful；　I　shall　
repeat。　　He　was　born　near　Aberdarron　in　Caernarvonshire；　and　in　
order　to　make　me　understand　the　position　of　the　place；　and　its　
bearing　with　regard　to　some　other　places；　he　drew　marks　in　the　
coal…dust　on　the　earth。　　His　father　was　a　Baptist　minister；　who　
when　Morgan　was　about　six　years　of　age；　went　to　live　at　Canol　Lyn；　
a　place　at　some　little　distance　from　Port　Heli。　　With　his　father　he　
continued　till　he　was　old　enough　to　gain　his　own　maintenance；　when　
he　went　to　serve　a　farmer　in　the　neighbourhood。　　Having　saved　some　
money　young　Morgan　departed　to　the　foundries　at　Cefn　Mawr；　at　which　
he　worked　thirty　years　with　an　interval　of　four；　which　he　had　
passed　partly　in　working　in　slate　quarries；　and　partly　upon　the　
canal。　　About　four　years　before　the　present　time　he　came　to　where　
he　now　lived；　where　he　commenced　selling　coals；　at　first　on　his　own　
account　and　subsequently　for　some　other　person。　　He　concluded　his　
narration　by　saying　that　he　was　now　sixty…two　years　of　age；　was　
afflicted　with　various　disorders；　and　believed　that　he　was　breaking　
up。

Such　was　Morgan's　history；　certainly　not　a　very　remarkable　one。　　
Yet　Morgan　was　a　most　remarkable　individual；　as　I　shall　presently　
make　appear。

Rather　affected　at　the　bad　account　he　gave　me　of　his　health　I　asked　
him　if　he　felt　easy　in　his　mind？　　He　replied　perfectly　so；　and　when　
I　inquired　how　he　came　to　feel　so　comfortable；　he　said　that　his　
feeling　so　was　owing　to　his　baptism　into　the　faith　of　Christ　Jesus。　　
On　my　telling　him　that　I　too　had　been　baptized；　he　asked　me　if　I　
had　been　dipped；　and　on　learning　that　I　had　not；　but　only　been　
sprinkled；　according　to　the　practice　of　my　church；　he　gave　me　to　
understand　that　my　baptism　was　not　worth　three　halfpence。　　Feeling　
rather　nettled　at　hearing　the　baptism　of　my　church　so　undervalued；　
I　stood　up　for　it；　and　we　were　soon　in　a　dispute；　in　which　I　got　
rather　the　worst；　for　though　he　spuffled　and　sputtered　in　a　most　
extraordinary　manner；　and　spoke　in　a　dialect　which　was　neither　
Welsh；　English　nor　Cheshire；　but　a　mixture　of　all　three；　he　said　
two　or　three　things　rather　difficult　to　be　got　over。　　Finding　that　
he　had　nearly　silenced　me；　he　observed　that　he　did　not　deny　that　I　
had　a　good　deal　of　book　learning；　but　that　in　matters　of　baptism　I　
was　as　ignorant　as　the　rest　of　the　people　of　the　church　were；　and　
had　always　been。　　He　then　said　that　many　church　people　had　entered　
into　argument　with　him　on　the　subject　of　baptism；　but　that　he　had　
got　the　better　of　them　all；　that　Mr　P。；　the　minister　of　the　parish　
of　L。；　in　which　we　then　were；　had　frequently　entered　into　argument　
with　him；　but　quite　unsuccessfully；　and　had　at　last　given　up　the　
matter；　as　a　bad　job。　　He　added　that　a　little　time　before；　as　Mr　P。　
was　walking　close　to　the　canal　with　his　wife　and　daughter　and　a　
spaniel　dog；　Mr　P。　suddenly　took　up　the　dog　and　flung　it　in；　giving　
it　a　good　ducking；　whereupon　he；　Morgan；　cried　out：　　〃Dyna　y　gwir　
vedydd！　　That　is　the　right　baptism；　sir！　　I　thought　I　should　bring　
you　to　it　at　last！〃　at　which　words　Mr　P。　laughed　heartily；　but　made　
no　particular　reply。

After　a　little　time　he　began　to　talk　about　the　great　men　who　had　
risen　up　amongst　the　Baptists；　and　mentioned　two　or　three　
distinguished　individuals。

I　said　that　he　had　not　mentioned　the　greatest　man　who　had　been　born　
amongst　the　Baptists。

〃What　was　his　name？〃　said　he。

〃His　name　was　Joost　Van　Vondel；〃　I　replied。

〃I　never　heard　of　him　before；〃　said　Morgan。

〃Very　probably；〃　said　I：　　〃he　was　born；　bred；　and　died　in　Holland。〃

〃Has　he　been　dead　long？〃　said　Morgan。

〃About　two　hundred　years；〃　said　I。

〃That's　a　long　time；〃　said　Morgan；　〃and　maybe　is　the　reason　that　I　
never　heard　of　him。　　So　he　was　a　great　man？〃

〃He　was　indeed；〃　said　I。　　〃He　was　not　only　the　greatest　man　that　
ever　sprang　up　amongst　the　Baptists；　but　the　greatest；　and　by　far　
the　greatest；　that　Holland　ever　produced；　though　Holland　has　
produced　a　great　many　illustrious　men。〃

〃Oh　I　daresay　he　was　a　great　man　if　he　was　a　Baptist；〃　said　Morgan。　　
〃Well；　it's　strange　I　never　read　of　him。　　I　thought　I　had　read　the　
lives　of　all　the　eminent　people　who　lived　and　died　in　our　
communion。〃

〃He　did　not　die　in　the　Baptist　communion；〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　he　didn't　die　in　it；〃　said　Morgan；　〃What；　did　he　go　over　to　
the　Church　of　England？　a　pretty　fellow！〃

〃He　did　not　go　over　to　the　Church　of　England；〃　said　I；　〃for　the　
Church　of　England　does　not　exist　in　Holland；　he　went　over　to　the　
Church　of　Rome。〃

〃Well；　that's　not　quite　so　bad；〃　said　Morgan；　〃however；　it's　bad　
enough。　　I　daresay　he　was　a　pretty　blackguard。〃

〃No；〃　said　I：　　〃he　was　a　pure　virtuous　character；　and　perhaps　the　
only　pure　and　virtuous　character　that　ever　went　over　to　Rome。　　The　
only　wonder　is　that　so　good　a　man　could　ever　have　gone　over　to　so　
detestable　a　church；　but　he　appears　to　have　been　deluded。〃

〃Deluded　indeed！〃　said　Morgan。　　〃However；　I　suppose　he　went　over　
for　advancement's　sake。〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃he　lost　every　prospect　of　advancement　by　going　over　
to　Rome：　　nine…tenths　of　his　countrymen　were　of　the　reformed　
religion；　and　he　endured　much　poverty　and　contempt　by　the　step　he　
took。〃

〃How　did　he　support　himself？〃　said　Morgan。

〃He　obtained　a　livelihood；〃　said　I；　〃by　writing　poems　and　plays；　
some　of　which　are　wonderfully　fine。〃

〃What；〃　said　Morgan；　〃a　writer　of　Interludes？　　One　of　Twm　o'r　
Nant's　gang！　　I　thought　he　would　turn　out　a　pretty　fellow。〃　　I　told　
him　that　the　person　in　question　certainly　did　write　Interludes；　for　
example　Noah；　and　Joseph　at　Goshen；　but　that　he　was　a　highly　
respectable；　nay　venerable　character。

〃If　he　was　a　writer　of　Interludes；〃　said　Morgan；　〃he　was　a　
blackguard；　there　never　yet　was　a　writer　of　Interludes；　or　a　person　
who　went　about　playing　them；　that　was　not　a　scamp。　　He　might　be　a　
clever　man；　I　don't　say　he　was　not。　　Who　was　a　cleverer　man　than　
Twm　o'r　Nant　with　his　Pleasure　and　Care；　and　Riches　and　Poverty；　
but　where　was　there　a　greater　blackguard？　　Why；　not　in　all　Wales。　　
And　if　you　knew　this　other　fellow　…　what's　his　name　…　Fondle's　
history；　you　would　find　that　he　was　not　a　bit　more　respectable　than　
Twm　o'r　Nant；　and　not　half　so　clever。　　As　for　his　leaving　the　
Baptists　I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it；　he　was　turned　out　of　t