wild wales-第4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　direction　of　the　south…west。　　〃That　hill；　sir；〃　said　the　
beggar；　〃is　called　Moel　Vamagh；　I　ought　to　know　something　about　it　
as　I　was　born　at　its　foot。〃　　〃Moel；〃　said　I；　〃a　bald　hill；　Vamagh；　
maternal　or　motherly。　　Moel　Vamagh；　the　Mother　Moel。〃　　〃Just　so；　
sir；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃I　see　you　are　a　Welshman；　like　myself；　
though　I　suppose　you　come　from　the　South　…　Moel　Vamagh　is　the　
Mother　Moel；　and　is　called　so　because　it　is　the　highest　of　all　the　
Moels。〃　　〃Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　place　called　Mold？〃　said　I。　　〃Oh；　
yes；　your　honour；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃many　a　time；　and　many's　the　
time　I　have　been　there。〃　　〃In　which　direction　does　it　lie？〃　said　I。　　
〃Towards　Moel　Vamagh；　your　honour；〃　said　the　beggar；　〃which　is　a　
few　miles　beyond　it；　you　can't　see　it　from　here；　but　look　towards　
Moel　Vamagh　and　you　will　see　over　it。〃　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　I；　and　
gave　something　to　the　beggar；　who　departed；　after　first　taking　off　
his　hat。　　Long　and　fixedly　did　I　gaze　in　the　direction　of　Mold。　　
The　reason　which　induced　me　to　do　so　was　the　knowledge　of　an　
appalling　tragedy　transacted　there　in　the　old　time；　in　which　there　
is　every　reason　to　suppose　a　certain　Welsh　bard；　called　Lewis　Glyn　
Cothi；　had　a　share。

This　man；　who　was　a　native　of　South　Wales；　flourished　during　the　
wars　of　the　Roses。　　Besides　being　a　poetical　he　was　something　of　a　
military　genius；　and　had　a　command　of　foot　in　the　army　of　the　
Lancastrian　Jasper　Earl　of　Pembroke；　the　son　of　Owen　Tudor；　and　
half…brother　of　Henry　the　Sixth。　　After　the　battle　of　Mortimer's　
Cross；　in　which　the　Earl's　forces　were　defeated；　the　warrior　bard　
found　his　way　to　Chester；　where　he　married　the　widow　of　a　citizen　
and　opened　a　shop；　without　asking　the　permission　of　the　mayor；　who　
with　the　officers　of　justice　came　and　seized　all　his　goods；　which；　
according　to　his　own　account；　filled　nine　sacks；　and　then　drove　him　
out　of　the　town。　　The　bard　in　a　great　fury　indited　an　awdl；　in　
which　he　invites　Reinallt　ap　Grufydd　ap　Bleddyn；　a　kind　of　
predatory　chieftain；　who　resided　a　little　way　off　in　Flintshire；　to　
come　and　set　the　town　on　fire；　and　slaughter　the　inhabitants；　in　
revenge　for　the　wrongs　he　had　suffered；　and　then　proceeds　to　vent　
all　kinds　of　imprecations　against　the　mayor　and　people　of　Chester；　
wishing；　amongst　other　things；　that　they　might　soon　hear　that　the　
Dee　had　become　too　shallow　to　bear　their　ships　…　that　a　certain　
cutaneous　disorder　might　attack　the　wrists　of　great　and　small；　old　
and　young；　laity　and　clergy　…　that　grass　might　grow　in　their　
streets　…　that　Ilar　and　Cyveilach；　Welsh　saints；　might　slay　them　…　
that　dogs　might　snarl　at　them　…　and　that　the　king　of　heaven；　with　
the　saints　Brynach　and　Non；　might　afflict　them　with　blindness　…　
which　piece；　however　ineffectual　in　inducing　God　and　the　saints　to　
visit　the　Chester　people　with　the　curses　with　which　the　furious　
bard　wished　them　to　be　afflicted；　seems　to　have　produced　somewhat　
of　its　intended　effect　on　the　chieftain；　who　shortly　afterwards；　on　
learning　that　the　mayor　and　many　of　the　Chester　people　were　present　
at　the　fair　of　Mold；　near　which　place　he　resided；　set　upon　them　at　
the　head　of　his　forces；　and　after　a　desperate　combat；　in　which　many　
lives　were　lost；　took　the　mayor　prisoner；　and　drove　those　of　his　
people　who　survived　into　a　tower；　which　he　set　on　fire　and　burnt；　
with　all　the　unhappy　wretches　which　it　contained；　completing　the　
horrors　of　the　day　by　hanging　the　unfortunate　mayor。

Conversant　as　I　was　with　all　this　strange　history；　is　it　wonderful　
that　I　looked　with　great　interest　from　the　wall　of　Chester　in　the　
direction　of　Mold？

Once　did　I　make　the　compass　of　the　city　upon　the　walls；　and　was　
beginning　to　do　the　same　a　second　time；　when　I　stumbled　against　a　
black；　who；　with　his　arms　leaning　upon　the　wall；　was　spitting　over　
it；　in　the　direction　of　the　river。　　I　apologised；　and　contrived　to　
enter　into　conversation　with　him。　　He　was　tolerably　well　dressed；　
had　a　hairy　cap　on　his　head；　was　about　forty　years　of　age；　and　
brutishly　ugly；　his　features　scarcely　resembling　those　of　a　human　
being。　　He　told　me　he　was　a　native　of　Antigua；　a　blacksmith　by　
trade；　and　had　been　a　slave。　　I　asked　him　if　he　could　speak　any　
language　besides　English；　and　received　for　answer　that　besides　
English；　he　could　speak　Spanish　and　French。　　Forthwith　I　spoke　to　
him　in　Spanish；　but　he　did　not　understand　me。　　I　then　asked　him　to　
speak　to　me　in　Spanish；　but　he　could　not。　　〃Surely　you　can　tell　me　
the　word　for　water　in　Spanish；〃　said　I；　he；　however；　was　not　able。　　
〃How　is　it；〃　said　I；　〃that；　pretending　to　be　acquainted　with　
Spanish；　you　do　not　even　know　the　word　for　water？〃　　He　said　he　
could　not　tell；　but　supposed　that　he　had　forgotten　the　Spanish　
language；　adding　however；　that　he　could　speak　French　perfectly。　　I　
spoke　to　him　in　French　…　he　did　not　understand　me：　　I　told　him　to　
speak　to　me　in　French；　but　he　did　not。　　I　then　asked　him　the　word　
for　bread　in　French；　but　he　could　not　tell　me。　　I　made　no　
observations　on　his　ignorance；　but　inquired　how　he　liked　being　a　
slave？　　He　said　not　at　all；　that　it　was　very　bad　to　be　a　slave；　as　
a　slave　was　forced　to　work。　　I　asked　him　if　he　did　not　work　now　
that　he　was　free？　　He　said　very　seldom；　that　he　did　not　like　work；　
and　that　it　did　not　agree　with　him。　　I　asked　how　he　came　into　
England；　and　he　said　that　wishing　to　see　England；　he　had　come　over　
with　a　gentleman　as　his　servant；　but　that　as　soon　as　he　got　there；　
he　had　left　his　master；　as　he　did　not　like　work。　　I　asked　him　how　
he　contrived　to　live　in　England　without　working？　　He　said　that　any　
black　might　live　in　England　without　working；　that　all　he　had　to　do　
was　to　attend　religious　meetings；　and　speak　against　slavery　and　the　
Americans。　　I　asked　him　if　he　had　done　so。　　He　said　he　had；　and　
that　the　religious　people　were　very　kind　to　him；　and　gave　him　
money；　and　that　a　religious　lady　was　going　to　marry　him。　　I　asked　
him　if　he　knew　anything　about　the　Americans？　　He　said　he　did；　and　
that　they　were　very　bad　people；　who　kept　slaves　and　flogged　them。　　
〃And　quite　right　too；〃　said　I；　〃if　they　are　lazy　rascals　like　
yourself；　who　want　to　eat　without　working。　　What　a　pretty　set　of　
knaves　or　fools　must　they　be；　who　encourage　a　fellow　like　you　to　
speak　against　negro　slavery；　of　the　necessity　for　which　you　
yourself　are　a　living　instance；　and　against　a　people　of　whom　you　
know　as　much　as　of　French　or　Spanish。〃　　Then　leaving　the　black；　who　
made　no　other　answer　to　what　I　said；　than　by　spitting　with　
considerable　force　in　the　direction　of　the　river；　I　continued　
making　my　second　compass　of　the　city　upon　the　wall。

Having　walked　round　the　city　for　the　second　time；　I　returned　to　the　
inn。　　In　the　evening　I　went　out　again；　passed　over　the　bridge；　and　
then　turned　to　the　right　in　the　direction　of　the　hills。　　Near　the　
river；　on　my　right；　on　a　kind　of　green；　I　observed　two　or　three　
tents　resembling　those　of　gypsies。　　Some　ragged　children　were　
playing　near　them；　who；　however；　had　nothing　of　the　appearance　of　
the　children　of　the　Egyptian　race；　their　locks　being　not　dark；　but　
either　of　a　flaxen　or　red　hue；　and　their　features　not　delicate　and　
regular；　but　coarse　and　uncouth；　and　their　complexions　not　olive；　
but　rather　inclining　to　be　fair。　　I　did　not　go　up　to　them；　but　
continued　my　course　till　I　arrived　near　a　large　factory。　　I　then　
turned　and　retraced　my　steps　into　the　town。　　It　was　Saturday　night；　
and　the　streets　were　crowded　with　people；　many　of　whom　must　have　
been　Welsh；　as　I　heard　the　Cambrian　language　spoken　on　every　side。



CHAPTER　IV



Sunday　Morning　…　Tares　and　Wheat　…　Teetotalism　…　Hearsay　…　Irish　
Family　…　What　Profession？　…　Sabbath　Evening　…　Priest　or　Minister　…　
Give　us　God。


ON　the　Sunday　morning；　as　we　sat　at　breakfast；　we　heard　the　noise　
of　singing　in　the　street；　running　to　the　window；　we　saw　a　number　of　
people；　bareheaded；　from　whose　mouths　the　singing　or　psalmody　
proceeded。　　These；　on　inquiry；　we　were　informed；　were　Methodists；　
going　about　to　raise　recruits　for　a　grand　camp…meeting；　which　was　
to　be　held　a　little　way　out　of　the　town。　　We　finished　our　
breakfast；　and　at　eleven　attended　divine　service　at　the　Cathedral。　　
The　interior　of　this　holy　edifice　was　smooth　and　neat；　strangely　
contrasting　with　its　exterior；　which　was　rough　and　weather…beaten。　　
We　had　decent　places　found　us　by　a　civil　verger；　who　probably　took　
us　for　what　we　were　…　decent　country　people。　　We　heard　much　fine　
chanting　by　the　choir；　and　an　admirable　sermon；　preached　by　a　
venerable　prebend；　on　〃Tares　and　Wheat。〃　　The　congregation　was　
numerous　and　attentive。　　After　service　we　returned　to　our　inn；　and　
at　two　o'clock　dined。　　During　dinner　our　conversation　ran　almost　
entirely　on　the　sermon；　which　we　all　agreed　was　one　of　the　best　
sermons　we　had　ever　heard；　and　most　singularly　adapted　to　country　
people　like　ourselves；　being　on　〃Wheat　and　Tares。〃　　When　dinner　was　
over　my　wife　and　daughter　repaired　to　the　neighbouring　church；　and　
I　went　in　quest　of　the　camp…meeting；　having　a　mighty　desire　to　know　
what　kind　of　a　thing　Methodism　at　Chester　was。

I　found　about　two　thousand　people　gathered　together　in　a　field　near　
the　railroad　station；　a　waggon　stood　under　some　green　elms　at　one　
end　of　the　field；　in　which　were　ten　or　a　dozen　men　with　the　look　of　
Methodist　preachers；　one　of　these　was　holding　forth　to　the　
multitude　when　I　arrived；　but　he　presently　sat　down；　I　having；　as　I　
suppose；　only　come　in　time　to　hear　the　fag…end　of　his　sermon。　　
Another　succeeded　him；　who；　after　speaking　for　about　half　an　hour；　
was　succeeded　by　another。　　All　the　discourses　were　vulgar　and　
fanatical；　and　in　some　instances　unintelligible　at　least　to　my　
ears。　　There　was　plenty　of　vociferation；　but　not　one　single　burst　
of　eloquence。　　Some　of　the　assembly　appeared　to　take　considerable　
interest　in　what　was　said；　and　every　now　and　then　showed　they　did　
by　devout　hums　and　groans；　but　the　generality　evidently　took　little　
or　none；　staring　about　listlessly；　or　talking　to　one　another。　　
Sometimes；　when　anything　particularly　low　escaped　from　the　mouth　of　
the　speaker；　I　heard　exclamations　of　〃how　low！　well；　I　think　I　
could　preach　better　than　that；〃　and　the　like。　　At　length　a　man　of　
about　fifty；　pock…broken　and　somewhat　bald；　began　to　speak：　　unlike　
the　others　who　screamed；　shouted；　and　seemed　in　earnest；　he　spoke　
in　a　dry；　waggish　style；　which　had　all　the　coarseness　and　nothing　
of　the　cleverness　of　that　of　old　Rowland　Hill；　whom　I　once　heard。　　
After　a　great　many　jokes；　some　of　them　very　poor；　and　others　
exceedingly　thread…bare；　on　the　folly　of　those　who　sell　themselves　
to　the　Devil　for　a　little　temporary　enjoyment；　he　introduced　the　
subject　of　drunkenness；　or　rather　drinking　fermented　liquors；　which　
he　seemed　to　consider　the　same　thing；　and　many　a　sorry　joke　on　the　
folly　of　drinking　them　did　he　crack；　which　some　half…dozen　amidst　
the　concourse　applauded。　　At　length　he　said：…

〃After　all；　brethren；　such　drinking　is　no　joking　matter；　for　it　is　
the　root　of　all　evil。　　Now；　brethren；　if　you　would　all　get　to　
heaven；　and　cheat　the　enemy　of　your　souls；　never　go　into　a　public…
house　to　drink；　and