lavengro-第84章

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the　wonders　contained　in　the　book　of　Master　Ellis　Wyn。　　The　angel　

showed　him　the　course　of　this　world；　its　pomps　and　vanities；　its　

cruelty　and　its　pride；　its　crimes　and　deceits。　　On　another　

occasion；　the　angel　showed　him　Death　in　his　nether　palace；　

surrounded　by　his　grisly　ministers；　and　by　those　who　are　

continually　falling　victims　to　his　power。　　And；　on　a　third　

occasion；　the　state　of　the　condemned　in　their　place　of　everlasting　

torment。'



'But　this　was　all　in　his　sleep；'　said　I；　'was　it　not？'



'Yes；'　said　Peter；　'in　his　sleep；　and　on　that　account　the　book　is　

called　GWELEDIGAETHAU　Y　BARDD　CWSG；　or；　VISIONS　OF　THE　SLEEPING　

BARD。'



'I　do　not　care　for　wonders　which　occur　in　sleep；'　said　I。　　'I　

prefer　real　ones；　and　perhaps；　notwithstanding　what　he　says；　the　

man　had　no　visions　at　all　…　they　are　probably　of　his　own　

invention。'



'They　are　substantially　true；　young　man；'　said　Peter；　'like　the　

dreams　of　Bunyan；　they　are　founded　on　three　tremendous　facts；　Sin；　

Death；　and　Hell；　and　like　his　they　have　done　incalculable　good；　at　

least　in　my　own　country；　in　the　language　of　which　they　are　written。　　

Many　a　guilty　conscience　has　the　BARDD　CWSG　aroused　with　its　

dreadful　sights；　its　strong　sighs；　its　puffs　of　smoke　from　the　pit；　

and　its　showers　of　sparks　from　the　mouth　of　the　yet　lower　gulf　of　…　

Unknown　…　were　it　not　for　the　BARDD　CWSG　perhaps　I　might　not　be　

here。'



'I　would　sooner　hear　your　own　tale；'　said　I；　'than　all　the　visions　

of　the　BARDD　CWSG。'



Peter　shook；　bent　his　form　nearly　double；　and　covered　his　face　with　

his　hands。　　I　sat　still　and　motionless；　with　my　eyes　fixed　upon　

him。　　Presently　Winifred　descended　the　hill；　and　joined　us。　　'What　

is　the　matter？'　said　she；　looking　at　her　husband；　who　still　

remained　in　the　posture　I　have　described。　　He　made　no　answer；　

whereupon；　laying　her　hand　gently　on　his　shoulder；　she　said；　in　the　

peculiar　soft　and　tender　tone　which　I　had　heard　her　use　on　a　former　

occasion；　'Take　comfort；　Peter；　what　has　happened　now　to　afflict　

thee？'　　Peter　removed　his　hand　from　his　face。　　'The　old　pain；　the　

old　pain；'　said　he；　'I　was　talking　with　this　young　man；　and　he　

would　fain　know　what　brought　me　here；　he　would　fain　hear　my　tale；　

Winifred　…　my　sin：　　O　pechod　Ysprydd　Glan！　　O　pechod　Ysprydd　Glan！'　

and　the　poor　man　fell　into　a　more　fearful　agony　than　before。　　Tears　

trickled　down　Winifred's　face；　I　saw　them　trickling　by　the　

moonlight；　as　she　gazed　upon　the　writhing　form　of　her　afflicted　

husband。　　I　arose　from　my　seat。　　'I　am　the　cause　of　all　this；'　said　

I；　'by　my　folly　and　imprudence；　and　it　is　thus　I　have　returned　your　

kindness　and　hospitality；　I　will　depart　from　you　and　wander　my　

way。'　　I　was　retiring；　but　Peter　sprang　up　and　detained　me。　　'Go　

not；'　said　he；　'you　were　not　in　fault；　if　there　be　any　fault　in　the　

case　it　was　mine；　if　I　suffer；　I　am　but　paying　the　penalty　of　my　

own　iniquity'；　he　then　paused；　and　appeared　to　be　considering：　　at　

length　he　said；　'Many　things　which　thou　hast　seen　and　heard　

connected　with　me　require　explanation；　thou　wishest　to　know　my　

tale；　I　will　tell　it　thee；　but　not　now；　not　to…night；　I　am　too　much　

shaken。'



Two　evenings　later；　when　we　were　again　seated　beneath　the　oak；　

Peter　took　the　hand　of　his　wife　in　his　own；　and　then；　in　tones　

broken　and　almost　inarticulate；　commenced　telling　me　his　tale　…　the　

tale　of　the　Pechod　Ysprydd　Glan。







CHAPTER　LXXV







Taking　a　cup　…　Getting　to　heaven　…　After　breakfast　…　　Wooden　

gallery　…　Mechanical　habit　…　Reserved　and　gloomy　…　Last　words　…　A　

long　time　…　From　the　clouds　…　Ray　of　hope　…　Momentary　chill　…　

Pleasing　anticipation。



'I　WAS　born　in　the　heart　of　North　Wales；　the　son　of　a　respectable　

farmer；　and　am　the　youngest　of　seven　brothers。



'My　father　was　a　member　of　the　Church　of　England；　and　was　what　is　

generally　called　a　serious　man。　　He　went　to　church　regularly；　and　

read　the　Bible　every　Sunday　evening；　in　his　moments　of　leisure　he　

was　fond　of　holding　religious　discourse　both　with　his　family　and　

his　neighbours。



'One　autumn　afternoon；　on　a　week　day；　my　father　sat　with　one　of　his　

neighbours　taking　a　cup　of　ale　by　the　oak　table　in　our　stone　

kitchen。　　I　sat　near　them；　and　listened　to　their　discourse。　　I　was　

at　that　time　seven　years　of　age。　　They　were　talking　of　religious　

matters。　　〃It　is　a　hard　matter　to　get　to　heaven；〃　said　my　father。　　

〃Exceedingly　so；〃　said　the　other。　　〃However；　I　don't　despond；　none　

need　despair　of　getting　to　heaven；　save　those　who　have　committed　

the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost。〃



'〃Ah！〃　said　my　father；　〃thank　God　I　never　committed　that　…　how　

awful　must　be　the　state　of　a　person　who　has　committed　the　sin　

against　the　Holy　Ghost。　　I　can　scarcely　think　of　it　without　my　hair　

standing　on　end〃；　and　then　my　father　and　his　friend　began　talking　

of　the　nature　of　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　I　heard　them　

say　what　it　was；　as　I　sat　with　greedy　ears　listening　to　their　

discourse。



'I　lay　awake　the　greater　part　of　the　night　musing　upon　what　I　had　

heard。　　I　kept　wondering　to　myself　what　must　be　the　state　of　a　

person　who　had　committed　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　how　he　

must　feel。　　Once　or　twice　I　felt　a　strong　inclination　to　commit　it；　

a　strange　kind　of　fear；　however；　prevented　me；　at　last　I　determined　

not　to　commit　it；　and；　having　said　my　prayers；　I　fell　asleep。



'When　I　awoke　in　the　morning　the　first　thing　I　thought　of　was　the　

mysterious　sin；　and　a　voice　within　me　seemed　to　say；　〃Commit　it〃；　

and　I　felt　a　strong　temptation　to　do　so；　even　stronger　than　in　the　

night。　　I　was　just　about　to　yield；　when　the　same　dread；　of　which　I　

have　already　spoken；　came　over　me；　and；　springing　out　of　bed；　I　

went　down　on　my　knees。　　I　slept　in　a　small　room　alone；　to　which　I　

ascended　by　a　wooden　stair；　open　to　the　sky。　　I　have　often　thought　

since　that　it　is　not　a　good　thing　for　children　to　sleep　alone。



'After　breakfast　I　went　to　school；　and　endeavoured　to　employ　myself　

upon　my　tasks；　but　all　in　vain；　I　could　think　of　nothing　but　the　

sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost；　my　eyes；　instead　of　being　fixed　upon　my　

book；　wandered　in　vacancy。　　My　master　observed　my　inattention；　and　

chid　me。　　The　time　came　for　saying　my　task；　and　I　had　not　acquired　

it。　　My　master　reproached　me；　and；　yet　more；　he　beat　me；　I　felt　

shame　and　anger；　and　I　went　home　with　a　full　determination　to　

commit　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost。



'But　when　I　got　home　my　father　ordered　me　to　do　something　connected　

with　the　farm；　so　that　I　was　compelled　to　exert　myself；　I　was　

occupied　till　night；　and　was　so　busy　that　I　almost　forgot　the　sin　

and　my　late　resolution。　　My　work　completed；　I　took　my　supper；　and　

went　to　my　room；　I　began　my　prayers；　and；　when　they　were　ended；　I　

thought　of　the　sin；　but　the　temptation　was　slight；　I　felt　very　

tired；　and　was　presently　asleep。



'Thus；　you　see；　I　had　plenty　of　time　allotted　me　by　a　gracious　and　

kind　God　to　reflect　on　what　I　was　about　to　do。　　He　did　not　permit　

the　enemy　of　souls　to　take　me　by　surprise；　and　to　hurry　me　at　once　

into　the　commission　of　that　which　was　to　be　my　ruin　here　and　

hereafter。　　Whatever　I　did　was　of　my　own　free　will；　after　I　had　had　

time　to　reflect。　　Thus　God　is　justified；　He　had　no　hand　in　my　

destruction；　but；　on　the　contrary；　He　did　all　that　was　compatible　

with　justice　to　prevent　it。　　I　hasten　to　the　fatal　moment。　　Awaking　

in　the　night；　I　determined　that　nothing　should　prevent　my　

committing　the　sin。　　Arising　from　my　bed；　I　went　out　upon　the　

wooden　gallery；　and　having　stood　for　a　few　moments　looking　at　the　

stars；　with　which　the　heavens　were　thickly　strewn；　I　laid　myself　

down；　and　supporting　my　face　with　my　hand；　I　murmured　out　words　of　

horror；　words　not　to　be　repeated；　and　in　this　manner　I　committed　

the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost。



'When　the　words　were　uttered　I　sat　up　upon　the　topmost　step　of　the　

gallery；　for　some　time　I　felt　stunned　in　somewhat　the　same　manner　

as　I　once　subsequently　felt　after　being　stung　by　an　adder。　　I　soon　

arose；　however；　and　retired　to　my　bed；　where；　notwithstanding　what　

I　had　done；　I　was　not　slow　in　falling　asleep。



'I　awoke　several　times　during　the　night；　each　time　with　the　dim　

idea　that　something　strange　and　monstrous　had　occurred；　but　I　

presently　fell　asleep　again；　in　the　morning　I　awoke　with　the　same　

vague　feeling；　but　presently　recollection　returned；　and　I　

remembered　that　I　had　committed　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost。　　I　

lay　musing　for　some　time　on　what　I　had　done；　and　I　felt　rather　

stunned；　as　before；　at　last　I　arose　and　got　out　of　bed；　dressed　

myself；　and　then　went　down　on　my　knees；　and　was　about　to　pray　from　

the　force　of　mechanical　habit；　before　I　said　a　word；　however；　I　

recollected　myself；　and　got　up　again。　　What　was　the　use　of　praying？　　

I　thought；　I　had　committed　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost。



'I　went　to　school；　but　sat　stupefied。　　I　was　again　chidden；　again　

beaten；　by　my　master。　　I　felt　no　anger　this　time；　and　scarcely　

heeded　the　strokes。　　I　looked；　however；　at　my　master's　face；　and　

thought　to　myself；　you　are　beating　me　for　being　idle；　as　you　

suppose；　poor　man；　what　would　you　do　if　you　knew　I　had　committed　

the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost？



'Days　and　weeks　passed　by。　　I　had　once　been　cheerful；　and　fond　of　

the　society　of　children　of　my　own　age；　but　I　was　now　reserved　and　

gloomy。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　a　gulf　separated　me　from　all　my　

fellow…creatures。　　I　used　to　look　at　my　brothers　and　schoolfellows；　

and　think　how　different　I　was　from　them；　they　had　not　done　what　I　

had。　　I　seemed；　in　my　own　eyes；　a　lone　monstrous　being；　and　yet；　

strange　to　say；　I　felt　a　kind　of　pride　in　being　so。　　I　was　unhappy；　

but　I　frequently　thought　to　myself；　I　have　done　what　no　one　else　

would　dare　to　do；　there　was　something　grand　in　the　idea；　I　had　yet　

to　learn　the　horror　of　my　condition。



'Time　passed　on；　and　I　began　to　think　less　of　what　I　had　done；　I　

began　once　more　to　take　pleasure　in　my　childish　sports；　I　was　

active；　and　excelled　at　football　and　the　like　all　the　lads　of　my　

age。　　I　likewise　began；　what　I　had　never　done　before；　to　take　

pleasure　in　the　exercises　of　the　school。　　I　made　great　progress　in　

Welsh　and　English　grammar；　and　learnt　to　construe　Latin。　　My　master　

no　longer　chid　or　beat　me；　but　one　day　told　my　father　that　he　had　

no　doubt　that　one　day　I　should　be　an　honour　to　Wales。



'Shortly　after　this　my　father　fell　sick；　the　progress　of　the　

disorder　was　rapid；　feeling　his　end　approaching；　he　called　his　

children　before　him。　　After　tenderly　embracing　us；　he　said　〃God　

bless　you；　my　children；　I　am　going　from　you；　but　take　comfort；　I　

trust　that　we　shall　all　meet　again　in　heaven。'



'As　he　uttered　these　last　words；　horror　took　entire　possession　of　

me。　　Meet　my　father　in　heaven；　…　how　could　I　ever　hope　to　meet　him　

there？　　I　looked　wi