wild wales-第56章

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'un　…　but　do　you　think　it　altogether　a　cute　trick　to　stow　all　those　
sovereigns　in　that　drawer？〃

〃Who　should　take　them　out；　Mr？〃

〃Who　should　take　them　out？　　Why；　any　of　the　swell　mob　that　should　
chance　to　be　in　the　house　might　unlock　the　drawer　with　their　flash　
keys　as　soon　as　your　back　is　turned；　and　take　out　all　the　coin。〃

〃But　there　are　none　of　the　swell　mob　here。〃

〃How　do　you　know；　that？〃　said　I；　〃the　swell　mob　travel　wide　about　…　
how　do　you　know　that　I　am　not　one　of　them？〃

〃The　swell　mob　don't　speak　Welsh；　I　guess。〃

〃Don't　be　too　sure　of　that；〃　said　I　…　〃the　swell　coves　spare　no　
expense　for　their　education　…　so　that　they　may　be　able　to　play　
parts　according　to　circumstances。　　I　strongly　advise　you；　Mr；　to　
put　that　bag　somewhere　else　lest　something　should　happen　to　it。〃

〃Well；　Mr；　I'll　take　your　advice。　　These　are　my　quarters；　and　I　was　
merely　going　to　keep　the　money　here　for　convenience'　sake。　　The　
money　belongs　to　the　bank；　so　it　is　but　right　to　stow　it　away　in　
the　bank　safe。　　I　certainly　should　be　loth　to　leave　it　here　with　
you　in　the　room；　after　what　you　have　said。〃　　He　then　got　up；　
unlocked　the　drawer；　took　out　the　bag；　and　with　a　〃Goodnight；　Mr；〃　
left　the　room。

I　〃trifled〃　over　my　brandy　and　water　till　I　finished　it；　and　then　
walked　forth　to　look　at　the　town。　　I　turned　up　a　street；　which　led　
to　the　east；　and　soon　found　myself　beside　the　lake　at　the　north…
west　extremity　of　which　Bala　stands。　　It　appeared　a　very　noble　
sheet　of　water　stretching　from　north　to　south　for　several　miles。　　
As；　however；　night　was　fast　coming　on　I　did　not　see　it　to　its　full　
advantage。　　After　gazing　upon　it　for　a　few　minutes　I　sauntered　back　
to　the　square；　or　marketplace；　and　leaning　my　back　against　a　wall；　
listened　to　the　conversation　of　two　or　three　groups　of　people　who　
were　standing　near；　my　motive　for　doing　so　being　a　desire　to　know　
what　kind　of　Welsh　they　spoke。　　Their　language　as　far　as　I　heard　it　
differed　in　scarcely　any　respect　from　that　of　Llangollen。　　I；　
however；　heard　very　little　of　it；　for　I　had　scarcely　kept　my　
station　a　minute　when　the　good　folks　became　uneasy；　cast　side…
glances　at　me；　first　dropped　their　conversation　to　whispers；　next　
held　their　tongues　altogether；　and　finally　moved　off；　some　going　to　
their　homes；　others　moving　to　a　distance　and　then　grouping　together　
…　even　certain　ragged　boys　who　were　playing　and　chattering　near　me　
became　uneasy；　first　stood　still；　then　stared　at　me；　and　then　took　
themselves　off　and　played　and　chattered　at　a　distance。　　Now　what　
was　the　cause　of　all　this？　　Why；　suspicion　of　the　Saxon。　　The　Welsh　
are　afraid　lest　an　Englishman　should　understand　their　language；　
and；　by　hearing　their　conversation；　become　acquainted　with　their　
private　affairs；　or　by　listening　to　it；　pick　up　their　language　
which　they　have　no　mind　that　he　should　know　…　and　their　very　
children　sympathise　with　them。　　All　conquered　people　are　suspicious　
of　their　conquerors；　The　English　have　forgot　that　they　ever　
conquered　the　Welsh；　but　some　ages　will　elapse　before　the　Welsh　
forget　that　the　English　have　conquered　them。



CHAPTER　L



The　Breakfast　…　The　Tomen　Bala　…　El　Punto　de　la　Vana。


I　SLEPT　soundly　that　night；　as　well　I　might；　my　bed　being　good　and　
my　body　weary。　　I　arose　about　nine；　dressed　and　went　down　to　the　
parlour　which　was　vacant。　　I　rang　the　bell；　and　on　Tom　Jenkins　
making　his　appearance　I　ordered　breakfast；　and　then　asked　for　the　
Welsh　American；　and　learned　that　he　had　breakfasted　very　early　and　
had　set　out　in　a　gig　on　a　journey　to　some　distance。　　In　about　
twenty　minutes　after　I　had　ordered　it　my　breakfast　made　its　
appearance。　　A　noble　breakfast　it　was；　such　indeed　as　I　might　have　
read　of；　but　had　never　before　seen。　　There　was　tea　and　coffee；　a　
goodly　white　loaf　and　butter；　there　were　a　couple　of　eggs　and　two　
mutton　chops。　　There　was　broiled　and　pickled　salmon　…　there　was　
fried　trout　…　there　were　also　potted　trout　and　potted　shrimps。　　
Mercy　upon　me！　　I　had　never　previously　seen　such　a　breakfast　set　
before　me；　nor　indeed　have　I　subsequently。　　Yes；　I　have　
subsequently；　and　at　that　very　house　when　I　visited　it　some　months　
after。

After　breakfast　I　called　for　the　bill。　　I　forget　the　exact　amount　
of　the　bill；　but　remember　that　it　was　very　moderate。　　I　paid　it　and　
gave　the　noble　Thomas　a　shilling；　which　he　received　with　a　bow　and　
truly　French　smile；　that　is　a　grimace。　　When　I　departed　the　
landlord　and　landlady；　highly　respectable…looking　elderly　people；　
were　standing　at　the　door；　one　on　each　side；　and　dismissed　me　with　
suitable　honour；　he　with　a　low　bow；　she　with　a　profound　curtsey。

Having　seen　little　of　the　town　on　the　preceding　evening；　I　
determined　before　setting　out　for　Llangollen　to　become　better　
acquainted　with　it；　and　accordingly　took　another　stroll　about　it。

Bala　is　a　town　containing　three　or　four　thousand　inhabitants；　
situated　near　the　northern　end　of　an　oblong　valley；　at　least　two…
thirds　of　which　are　occupied　by　Llyn　Tegid。　　It　has　two　long　
streets；　extending　from　north　to　south；　a　few　narrow　cross　ones；　an　
ancient　church；　partly　overgrown　with　ivy；　with　a　very　pointed　
steeple；　and　a　town…hall　of　some　antiquity；　in　which　Welsh　
interludes　used　to　be　performed。　　After　gratifying　my　curiosity　
with　respect　to　the　town；　I　visited　the　mound　…　the　wondrous　Tomen　
Bala。

The　Tomen　Bala　stands　at　the　northern　end　of　the　town。　　It　is　
apparently　formed　of　clay；　is　steep　and　of　difficult　ascent。　　In　
height　it　is　about　thirty　feet；　and　in　diameter　at　the　top　about　
fifty。　　On　the　top　grows　a　gwern　or　alder…tree；　about　a　foot　thick；　
its　bark　terribly　scotched　with　letters　and　uncouth　characters；　
carved　by　the　idlers　of　the　town　who　are　fond　of　resorting　to　the　
top　of　the　mound　in　fine　weather；　and　lying　down　on　the　grass　which　
covers　it。　　The　Tomen　is　about　the　same　size　as　Glendower's　Mount　
on　the　Dee；　which　it　much　resembles　in　shape。　　Both　belong　to　that　
brotherhood　of　artificial　mounds　of　unknown　antiquity；　found　
scattered；　here　and　there；　throughout　Europe　and　the　greater　part　
of　Asia；　the　most　remarkable　specimen　of　which　is；　perhaps；　that　
which　stands　on　the　right　side　of　the　way　from　Adrianople　to　
Stamboul；　and　which　is　called　by　the　Turks　Mourad　Tepehsi；　or　the　
tomb　of　Mourad。　　Which　mounds　seem　to　have　been　originally　intended　
as　places　of　sepulture；　but　in　many　instances　were　afterwards　used　
as　strongholds；　bonhills　or　beacon…heights；　or　as　places　on　which　
adoration　was　paid　to　the　host　of　heaven。

From　the　Tomen　there　is　a　noble　view　of　the　Bala　valley；　the　Lake　
of　Beauty　up　to　its　southern　extremity；　and　the　neighbouring　and　
distant　mountains。　　Of　Bala；　its　lake　and　Tomen；　I　shall　have　
something　to　say　on　a　future　occasion。

Leaving　Bala　I　passed　through　the　village　of　Llanfair　and　found　
myself　by　the　Dee；　whose　course　I　followed　for　some　way。　　Coming　to　
the　northern　extremity　of　the　Bala　valley；　I　entered　a　pass　tending　
due　north。　　Here　the　road　slightly　diverged　from　the　river。　　I　sped　
along；　delighted　with　the　beauty　of　the　scenery。　　On　my　left　was　a　
high　bank　covered　with　trees；　on　my　right　a　grove；　through　openings　
in　which　I　occasionally　caught　glimpses　of　the　river；　over　whose　
farther　side　towered　noble　hills。　　An　hour's　walking　brought　me　
into　a　comparatively　open　country；　fruitful　and　charming。　　At　about　
one　o'clock　I　reached　a　large　village；　the　name　of　which；　like　
those　of　most　Welsh　villages；　began　with　Llan。　　There　I　refreshed　
myself　for　an　hour　or　two　in　an　old…fashioned　inn；　and　then　resumed　
my　journey。

I　passed　through　Corwen；　again　visited　Glendower's　monticle　upon　
the　Dee；　and　reached　Llangollen　shortly　after　sunset；　where　I　found　
my　beloved　two　well　and　glad　to　see　me。

That　night；　after　tea；　Henrietta　played　on　the　guitar　the　old　
muleteer　tune　of　〃El　Punto　de　la　Vana；〃　or　the　main　point　at　the　
Havanna；　whilst　I　sang　the　words　…


〃Never　trust　the　sample　when　you　go　your　cloth　to　buy：
The　woman's　most　deceitful　that's　dressed　most　daintily。
The　lasses　of　Havanna　ride　to　mass　in　coaches　yellow；
But　ere　they　go　they　ask　if　the　priest's　a　handsome　fellow。
The　lasses　of　Havanna　as　mulberries　are　dark；
And　try　to　make　them　fairer　by　taking　Jesuit's　bark。〃



CHAPTER　LI



The　Ladies　of　Llangollen　…　Sir　Alured　…　Eisteddfodau　…　Pleasure　and　
Care。


SHORTLY　after　my　return　I　paid　a　visit　to　my　friends　at　the　
Vicarage；　who　were　rejoiced　to　see　me　back；　and　were　much　
entertained　with　the　account　I　gave　of　my　travels。　　I　next　went　to　
visit　the　old　church　clerk　of　whom　I　had　so　much　to　say　on　a　former　
occasion。　　After　having　told　him　some　particulars　of　my　expedition；　
to　all　of　which　he　listened　with　great　attention；　especially　to　
that　part　which　related　to　the　church　of　Penmynydd　and　the　tomb　of　
the　Tudors；　I　got　him　to　talk　about　the　ladies　of　Llangollen；　of　
whom　I　knew　very　little　save　what　I　had　heard　from　general　report。　　
I　found　he　remembered　their　first　coming　to　Llangollen；　their　
living　in　lodgings；　their　purchasing　the　ground　called　Pen　y　maes；　
and　their　erecting　upon　it　the　mansion　to　which　the　name　of　Plas　
Newydd　was　given。　　He　said　they　were　very　eccentric；　but　good　and　
kind；　and　had　always　shown　most　particular　favour　to　himself；　that　
both　were　highly　connected；　especially　Lady　Eleanor　Butler；　who　was　
connected　by　blood　with　the　great　Duke　of　Ormond　who　commanded　the　
armies　of　Charles　in　Ireland　in　the　time　of　the　great　rebellion；　
and　also　with　the　Duke　of　Ormond　who　succeeded　Marlborough　in　the　
command　of　the　armies　in　the　Low　Countries　in　the　time　of　Queen　
Anne；　and　who　fled　to　France　shortly　after　the　accession　of　George　
the　First　to　the　throne；　on　account　of　being　implicated　in　the　
treason　of　Harley　and　Bolingbroke；　and　that　her　ladyship　was　
particularly　fond　of　talking　of　both　these　dukes；　and　relating　
anecdotes　concerning　them。　　He　said　that　the　ladies　were　in　the　
habit　of　receiving　the　very　first　people　in　Britain；　〃amongst　
whom；〃　said　the　old　church　clerk；　〃was　an　ancient　gentleman　of　most　
engaging　appearance　and　captivating　manners；　called　Sir　Alured　C…。　　
He　was　in　the　army；　and　in　his　youth；　owing　to　the　beauty　of　his　
person；　was　called　；　'the　handsome　captain。'　　It　was　said　that　one　
of　the　royal　princesses　was　desperately　in　love　with　him；　and　that　
on　that　account　George　the　Third　insisted　on　his　going　to　India。　　
Whether　or　not　there　was　truth　in　the　report；　to　India　he　went；　
where　he　served　with　distinction　for　a　great　many　years。　　On　his　
return；　which　was　not　till　he　was　upwards　of　eighty；　he　was　
received　with　great　favour　by　William　the　Fourth；　who　amongst　other　
things　made　him　a　field…marshal。　　As　often　as　October　came　round　
did　this　interesting　and　venerable　gentleman　make　his　appearance　at　
Llangollen　to　pay　his　respects　to　the　ladies；　especially　to　Lady　
Eleanor；　whom　he　had　known　at　Court　as　far　back　they　say　as　the　
American　war。　　It　was　rumoured　at　Llangollen　that　Lady　Eleanor's　
death　was　a　grievous　blow　to　Sir　Alured；　and　that　he　would　never　be　
seen　there　again。　　However；　when　October　came　round　he　made　his　
appearance　at　the　Vicarage；　whe