wild wales-第39章

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young　fellow　merely　rode　him　with　a　rope　passed　about　his　head　…　
presently　the　horse　became　tolerably　quiet；　and　his　rider　jumping　
off　led　him　into　the　stable；　where　he　made　him　fast　to　the　rack　and　
then　came　and　joined　us；　whereupon　we　all　went　into　the　room　from　
which　I　and　the　others　had　come　on　hearing　the　noise　of　the　
struggle。

〃How　came　you　on　the　colt's　back；　Jenkins？〃　said　Mr　Pritchard；　
after　we　had　all　sat　down　and　Jenkins　had　called　for　some　cwrw。　　〃I　
did　not　know　that　he　was　broke　in。〃

〃I　am　breaking　him　in　myself；〃　said　Jenkins　speaking　Welsh。　　〃I　
began　with　him　to…night。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say；〃　said　I；　〃that　you　have　begun　breaking　him　in　
by　mounting　his　back？〃

〃I　do；〃　said　the　other。

〃Then　depend　upon　it；〃　said　I；　〃that　it　will　not　be　long　before　he　
will　either　break　his　neck　or　knees　or　he　will　break　your　neck　or　
crown。　　You　are　not　going　the　right　way　to　work。〃

〃Oh；　myn　Diawl！〃　said　Jenkins；　〃I　know　better。　　In　a　day　or　two　I　
shall　have　made　him　quite　tame；　and　have　got　him　into　excellent　
paces　and　shall　have　saved　the　money　I　must　have　paid　away；　had　I　
put　him　into　a　jockey's　hands。〃

Time　passed；　night　came　on；　and　other　guests　came　in。　　There　was　
much　talking　of　first…rate　Welsh　and　very　indifferent　English；　Mr　
Bos　being　the　principal　speaker　in　both　languages；　his　discourse　
was　chiefly　on　the　comparative　merits　of　Anglesey　runts　and　Scotch　
bullocks；　and　those　of　the　merched　anladd　of　Northampton　and　the　
lasses　of　Wrexham。　　He　preferred　his　own　country　runts　to　the　
Scotch　kine；　but　said　upon　the　whole；　though　a　Welshman；　he　must　
give　the　preference　to　the　merched　of　Northampton　over　those　of　
Wrexham；　for　free　and　easy　demeanour；　notwithstanding　that　in　that　
point　which　he　said　was　the　most　desirable　point　in　females；　the　
lasses　of　Wrexham　were　generally　considered　out…and…outers。

Fond　as　I　am　of　listening　to　public…house　conversation；　from　which　
I　generally　contrive　to　extract　both　amusement　and　edification；　I　
became　rather　tired　of　this；　and　getting　up；　strolled　about　the　
little　village　by　moonlight　till　I　felt　disposed　to　retire　to　rest；　
when　returning　to　the　inn；　I　begged　to　be　shown　the　room　in　which　I　
was　to　sleep。　　Mrs　Pritchard　forthwith　taking　a　candle　conducted　me　
to　a　small　room　upstairs。　　There　were　two　beds　in　it。　　The　good　
lady　pointing　to　one；　next　the　window；　in　which　there　were　nice　
clean　sheets；　told　me　that　was　the　one　which　I　was　to　occupy；　and　
bidding　me　good…night；　and　leaving　the　candle；　departed。　　Putting　
out　the　light　I　got　into　bed；　but　instantly　found　that　the　bed　was　
not　long　enough　by　at　least　a　foot。　　〃I　shall　pass　an　uncomfortable　
night；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　never　yet　could　sleep　comfortably　in　a　bed　
too　short。　　However；　as　I　am　on　my　travels；　I　must　endeavour　to　
accommodate　myself　to　circumstances。〃　　So　I　endeavoured　to　compose　
myself　to　sleep；　before；　however；　I　could　succeed；　I　heard　the　
sound　of　stumping　steps　coming　upstairs；　and　perceived　a　beam　of　
light　through　the　crevices　of　the　door；　and　in　a　moment　more　the　
door　opened　and　in　came　two　loutish　farming　lads　whom　I　had　
observed　below；　one　of　them　bearing　a　rushlight　stuck　into　an　old　
blacking…bottle。　　Without　saying　a　word　they　flung　off　part　of　
their　clothes；　and　one　of　them　having　blown　out　the　rushlight；　they　
both　tumbled　into　bed；　and　in　a　moment　were　snoring　most　
sonorously。　　〃I　am　in　a　short　bed；〃　said　I；　〃and　have　snorers　close　
by　me；　I　fear　I　shall　have　a　sorry　night　of　it。〃　　I　determined；　
however；　to　adhere　to　my　resolution　of　making　the　best　of　
circumstances；　and　lay　perfectly　quiet；　listening　to　the　snorings　
as　they　rose　and　fell；　at　last　they　became　more　gentle　and　I　fell　
asleep；　notwithstanding　my　feet　were　projecting　some　way　from　the　
bed。　　I　might　have　lain　ten　minutes　or　a　quarter　of　an　hour　when　I　
suddenly　started　up　in　the　bed　broad　awake。　　There　was　a　great　
noise　below　the　window　of　plunging　and　struggling　interspersed　with　
Welsh　oaths。　　Then　there　was　a　sound　as　if　of　a　heavy　fall；　and　
presently　a　groan。　　〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　said　I；　〃if　that　fellow　
with　the　horse　has　verified　my　words；　and　has　either　broken　his　
horse's　neck　or　his　own。　　However；　if　he　has；　he　has　no　one　to　
blame　but　himself。　　I　gave　him　fair　warning；　and　shall　give　myself　
no　further　trouble　about　the　matter；　but　go　to　sleep；〃　and　so　I　
did。



CHAPTER　XXXV



Brilliant　Morning　…　Travelling　with　Edification　…　A　Good　Clergyman　
…　Gybi。


I　AWOKE　about　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　having　passed　the　night　
much　better　than　I　anticipated。　　The　sun　was　shining　bright　and　
gloriously　into　the　apartment。　　On　looking　into　the　other　bed　I　
found　that　my　chums；　the　young　farm…labourers；　had　deserted　it。　　
They　were　probably　already　in　the　field　busy　at　labour。　　After　
lying　a　little　time　longer　I　arose；　dressed　myself　and　went　down。　　
I　found　my　friend　honest　Pritchard　smoking　his　morning　pipe　at　the　
front　door；　and　after　giving　him　the　sele　of　the　day；　I　inquired　of　
him　the　cause　of　the　disturbance　beneath　my　window　the　night　
before；　and　learned　that　the　man　of　the　horse　had　been　thrown　by　
the　animal　off　its　back；　that　the　horse　almost　immediately　after　
had　slipped　down；　and　both　had　been　led　home　very　much　hurt。　　We　
then　talked　about　farming　and　the　crops；　and　at　length　got　into　a　
discourse　about　Liverpool。　　I　asked　him　how　he　liked　that　mighty　
seaport；　he　said　very　well；　but　that　he　did　not　know　much　about　it　
…　for　though　he　had　a　house　there　where　his　family　had　resided；　he　
had　not　lived　much　at　Liverpool　himself；　his　absences　from　that　
place　having　been　many　and　long。

〃Have　you　travelled　then　much　about　England？〃　said　I。

〃No；〃　he　replied。　　〃When　I　have　travelled　it　has　chiefly　been　
across　the　sea　to　foreign　places。〃

〃But　what　foreign　places　have　you　visited？〃　said　I。

〃I　have　visited；〃　said　Pritchard；　〃Constantinople；　Alexandria；　and　
some　other　cities　in　the　south　latitudes。〃

〃Dear　me；〃　said　I；　〃you　have　seen　some　of　the　most　celebrated　
places　in　the　world　…　and　yet　you　were　silent；　and　said　nothing　
about　your　travels　whilst　that　fellow　Bos　was　pluming　himself　at　
having　been　at　such　places　as　Northampton　and　Worcester；　the　haunts　
of　shoe…makers　and　pig…jobbers。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Pritchard；　〃but　Mr　Bos　has　travelled　with　edification；　
it　is　a　fine　thing　to　have　travelled　when　one　has　done　so　with　
edification；　but　I　have　not。　　There　is　a　vast　deal　of　difference　
between　me　and　him　…　he　is　considered　the　'cutest　man　in　these　
parts；　and　is　much　looked　up　to。〃

〃You　are　really；〃　said　I；　〃the　most　modest　person　I　have　ever　known　
and　the　least　addicted　to　envy。　　Let　me　see　whether　you　have　
travelled　without　edification。〃

I　then　questioned　him　about　the　places　which　he　had　mentioned；　and　
found　he　knew　a　great　deal　about　them；　amongst　other　things　he　
described　Cleopatra's　needle；　and　the　At　Maidan　at　Constantinople　
with　surprising　exactness。

〃You　put　me　out；〃　said　I；　〃you　consider　yourself　inferior　to　that　
droving　fellow　Bos；　and　to　have　travelled　without　edification；　
whereas　you　know　a　thousand　times　more　than　he；　and　indeed　much　
more　than　many　a　person　who　makes　his　five　hundred　a　year　by　going　
about　lecturing　on　foreign　places；　but　as　I　am　no　flatterer　I　will　
tell　you　that　you　have　a　fault　which　will　always　prevent　your　
rising　in　this　world；　you　have　modesty；　those　who　have　modesty　
shall　have　no　advancement；　whilst　those　who　can　blow　their　own　horn　
lustily；　shall　be　made　governors。　　But　allow　me　to　ask　you　in　what　
capacity　you　went　abroad？〃

〃As　engineer　to　various　steamships；〃　said　Pritchard。

〃A　director　of　the　power　of　steam；〃　said　I；　〃and　an　explorer　of　the　
wonders　of　Iscander's　city　willing　to　hold　the　candle　to　Mr　Bos。　　I　
will　tell　you　what；　you　are　too　good　for　this　world；　let　us　hope　
you　will　have　your　reward　in　the　next。〃

I　breakfasted　and　asked　for　my　bill；　the　bill　amounted　to　little　or　
nothing　…　half…a…crown　I　think　for　tea…dinner；　sundry　jugs　of　ale；　
bed　and　breakfast。　　I　defrayed　it；　and　then　inquired　whether　it　
would　be　possible　for　me　to　see　the　inside　of　the　church。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Pritchard。　　〃I　can　let　you　in；　for　I　am　churchwarden　
and　have　the　key。〃

The　church　was　a　little　edifice　of　some　antiquity；　with　a　little　
wing　and　without　a　spire；　it　was　situated　amidst　a　grove　of　trees。　　
As　we　stood　with　our　hats　off　in　the　sacred　edifice；　I　asked　
Pritchard　if　there　were　many　Methodists　in　those　parts。

〃Not　so　many　as　there　were；〃　said　Pritchard；　〃they　are　rapidly　
decreasing；　and　indeed　dissenters　in　general。　　The　cause　of　their　
decrease　is　that　a　good　clergyman　has　lately　come　here；　who　visits　
the　sick　and　preaches　Christ；　and　in　fact　does　his　duty。　　If　all　
our　clergymen　were　like　him　there　would　not　be　many　dissenters　in　
Ynis　Fon。〃

Outside　the　church；　in　the　wall；　I　observed　a　tablet　with　the　
following　inscription　in　English。


Here　lieth　interred　the　body　of　Ann；　wife　of　Robert　Paston；　who　
deceased　the　sixth　day　of　October；　Anno　Domini。

　1671。
　　P。
R。　　A。


〃You　seem　struck　with　that　writing？〃　said　Pritchard；　observing　that　
I　stood　motionless；　staring　at　the　tablet。

〃The　name　of　Paston；〃　said　I；　〃struck　me；　it　is　the　name　of　a　
village　in　my　own　native　district；　from　which　an　old　family；　now　
almost　extinct；　derived　its　name。　　How　came　a　Paston　into　Ynys　Fon？　　
Are　there　any　people　bearing　that　name　at　present　in　these　parts？〃

〃Not　that　I　am　aware；〃　said　Pritchard；

〃I　wonder　who　his　wife　Ann　was？〃　said　I；　〃from　the　style　of　that　
tablet　she　must　have　been　a　considerable　person。〃

〃Perhaps　she　was　the　daughter　of　the　Lewis　family　of　Llan　Dyfnant；〃　
said　Pritchard；　〃that's　an　old　family　and　a　rich　one。　　Perhaps　he　
came　from　a　distance　and　saw　and　married　a　daughter　of　the　Lewis　of　
Dyfnant　…　more　than　one　stranger　has　done　so。　　Lord　Vivian　came　
from　a　distance　and　saw　and　married　a　daughter　of　the　rich　Lewis　of　
Dyfnant。〃

I　shook　honest　Pritchard　by　the　hand；　thanked　him　for　his　kindness　
and　wished　him　farewell；　whereupon　he　gave　mine　a　hearty　squeeze；　
thanking　me　for　my　custom。

〃Which　is　my　way；〃　said　I；　〃to　Pen　Caer　Gybi？〃

〃You　must　go　about　a　mile　on　the　Bangor　road；　and　then　turning　to　
the　right　pass　through　Penmynnydd；　but　what　takes　you　to　Holyhead？〃

〃I　wish　to　see；〃　said　I；　〃the　place　where　Cybi　the　tawny　saint　
preached　and　worshipped。　　He　was　called　tawny　because　from　his　
frequent　walks　in　the　blaze　of　the　sun　his　face　had　become　much　
sun…burnt。　　This　is　a　furiously　hot　day；　and　perhaps　by　the　time　I　
get　to　Holyhead；　I　may　be　so　sun…burnt　as　to　be　able　to　pass　for　
Cybi　himself。〃



CHAPTER　XXXVI



Moelfre　…　Owain　Gwynedd　…　Church　of　Penmynnydd　…　The　Rose　of　Mona。


LEAVING　Pentraeth　Coch　I　retraced　my　way　along　the　Bangor　road　till　
I　came　to　the　turning　on　the　right。　　Here　I　diverged　from　the　
aforesaid　road；　and　proceeded　along　one　which　led　nearly　due　west；　
after　travelling　about　a　mile　I　stopped；　on　the　top　of　a　little　
hill；　cornfields　were　on　either　side；　and　in　one　an　aged　man　was　
reaping　close　to　the　road；　I　looked　south；　west；　north　and　east；　to　
the　south　was　th