wild wales- 第75部分

〃A　pint　of　ale；〃　said　I。

The　man　got　up　and　with　his　pipe　in　his　mouth　went　staggering　out　
of　the　room。　　In　about　a　minute　he　returned　holding　a　mug　in　his　
hand；　which　he　put　down　on　a　table　before　me；　spilling　no　slight　
quantity　of　the　liquor　as　he　did　so。　　I　put　down　three…pence　on　the　
table。　　He　took　the　money　up　slowly　piece　by　piece；　looked　at　it　
and　appeared　to　consider；　then　taking　the　pipe　out　of　his　mouth　he　
dashed　it　to　seven　pieces　against　the　table；　then　staggered　out　of　
the　room　into　the　passage；　and　from　thence　apparently　out　of　the　
house。　　I　tasted　the　ale　which　was　very　good；　then　turning　to　the　
woman　who　seemed　about　three…and…twenty　and　was　rather　good…
looking；　I　spoke　to　her　in　Welsh。

〃I　have　no　Welsh；　sir；〃　said　she。

〃How　is　that？〃　said　I；　〃this　village　is　I　think　in　the　Welshery。〃

〃It　is；〃　said　she；　〃but　I　am　from　Shropshire。〃

〃Are　you　the　mistress　of　the　house？〃　said　I。

〃No；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　married　to　a　collier；〃　then　getting　up　she　
said；　〃I　must　go　and　see　after　my　husband。〃

〃Won't　you　take　a　glass　of　ale　first？〃　said　I；　offering　to　fill　a　
glass　which　stood　on　the　table。

〃No；〃　said　she；　〃I　am　the　worst　in　the　world　for　a　glass　of　ale；〃　
and　without　saying　anything　more　she　departed。

〃I　wonder　whether　your　husband　is　anything　like　you　with　respect　to　
a　glass　of　ale；〃　said　I　to　myself；　then　finishing　my　ale　I　got　up　
and　left　the　house；　which　when　I　departed　appeared　to　be　entirely　
deserted。

It　was　now　quite　night；　and　it　would　have　been　pitchy…dark　but　for　
the　glare　of　forges。　　There　was　an　immense　glare　to　the　south…west；　
which　I　conceived　proceeded　from　those　of　Cefn　Mawr。　　It　lighted　up　
the　south…western　sky；　then　there　were　two　other　glares　nearer　to　
me；　seemingly　divided　by　a　lump　of　something；　perhaps　a　grove　of　
trees。

Walking　very　fast　I　soon　overtook　a　man。　　I　knew　him　at　once　by　his　
staggering　gait。

〃Ah；　landlord！〃　said　I；　〃whither　bound？〃

〃To　Rhiwabon；〃　said　he；　huskily；　〃for　a　pint。〃

〃Is　the　ale　so　good　at　Rhiwabon；〃　said　I；　〃that　you　leave　home　for　
it？〃

〃No；〃　said　he；　rather　shortly；　〃there's　not　a　glass　of　good　ale　in　
Rhiwabon。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　go　thither？〃　said　I。

〃Because　a　pint　of　bad　liquor　abroad　is　better　than　a　quart　of　good　
at　home；〃　said　the　landlord；　reeling　against　the　hedge。

〃There　are　many　in　a　higher　station　than　you　who　act　upon　that　
principle；〃　thought　I　to　myself　as　I　passed　on。

I　soon　reached　Rhiwabon。　　There　was　a　prodigious　noise　in　the　
public…houses　as　I　passed　through　it。　　〃Colliers　carousing；〃　said　
I。　　〃Well；　I　shall　not　go　amongst　them　to　preach　temperance；　though　
perhaps　in　strict　duty　I　ought。〃　　At　the　end　of　the　town；　instead　
of　taking　the　road　on　the　left　side　of　the　church；　I　took　that　on　
the　right。　　It　was　not　till　I　had　proceeded　nearly　a　mile　that　I　
began　to　be　apprehensive　that　I　had　mistaken　the　way。　　Hearing　some　
people　coming　towards　me　on　the　road　I　waited　till　they　came　up；　
they　proved　to　be　a　man　and　a　woman。　　On　my　inquiring　whether　I　was　
right　for　Llangollen；　the　former　told　me　that　I　was　not；　and　in　
order　to　get　there　it　was　necessary　that　I　should　return　to　
Rhiwabon。　　I　instantly　turned　round。　　About　half…way　back　I　met　a　
man　who　asked　me　in　English　where　I　was　hurrying　to。　　I　said　to　
Rhiwabon；　in　order　to　get　to　Llangollen。　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　he；　
〃you　need　not　return　to　Rhiwabon　…　yonder　is　a　short　cut　across　the　
fields；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　gate。　　I　thanked　him；　and　said　I　would　
go　by　it；　before　leaving　him　I　asked　to　what　place　the　road　led　
which　I　had　been　following。

〃To　Pentre　Castren；〃　he　replied。　　I　struck　across　the　fields　and　
should　probably　have　tumbled　half…a…dozen　times　over　pales　and　the　
like；　but　for　the　light　of　the　Cefn　furnaces　before　me　which　cast　
their　red　glow　upon　my　path。　　I　debauched　upon　the　Llangollen　road　
near　to　the　tramway　leading　to　the　collieries。　　Two　enormous　sheets　
of　flame　shot　up　high　into　the　air　from　ovens；　illumining　two　
spectral　chimneys　as　high　as　steeples；　also　smoky　buildings；　and　
grimy　figures　moving　about。　　There　was　a　clanging　of　engines；　a　
noise　of　shovels　and　a　falling　of　coals　truly　horrible。　　The　glare　
was　so　great　that　I　could　distinctly　see　the　minutest　lines　upon　my　
hand。　　Advancing　along　the　tramway　I　obtained　a　nearer　view　of　the　
hellish　buildings；　the　chimneys；　and　the　demoniac　figures。　　It　was　
just　such　a　scene　as　one　of　those　described　by　Ellis　Wynn　in　his　
Vision　of　Hell。　　Feeling　my　eyes　scorching　I　turned　away；　and　
proceeded　towards　Llangollen；　sometimes　on　the　muddy　road；　
sometimes　on　the　dangerous　causeway。　　For　three　miles　at　least　I　
met　nobody。　　Near　Llangollen；　as　I　was　walking　on　the　causeway；　
three　men　came　swiftly　towards　me。　　I　kept　the　hedge；　which　was　my　
right；　the　two　first　brushed　roughly　past　me；　the　third　came　full　
upon　me　and　was　tumbled　into　the　road。　　There　was　a　laugh　from　the　
two　first　and　a　loud　curse　from　the　last　as　he　sprawled　in　the　
mire。　　I　merely　said　〃Nos　Da'ki；〃　and　passed　on；　and　in　about　a　
quarter　of　an　hour　reached　home；　where　I　found　my　wife　awaiting　me　
alone；　Henrietta　having　gone　to　bed　being　slightly　indisposed。　　My　
wife　received　me　with　a　cheerful　smile。　　I　looked　at　her　and　the　
good　wife　of　the　Triad　came　to　my　mind。

〃She　is　modest；　void　of　deceit；　and　obedient。

〃Pure　of　conscience；　gracious　of　tongue；　and　true　to　her　husband。

〃Her　heart　not　proud；　her　manners　affable；　and　her　bosom　full　of　
compassion　for　the　poor。

〃Labouring　to　be　tidy；　skilful　of　hand；　and　fond　of　praying　to　God。

〃Her　conversation　amiable；　her　dress　decent；　and　her　house　orderly。

〃Quick　of　hand；　quick　of　eye；　and　quick　of　understanding。

〃Her　person　shapely；　her　manners　agreeable；　and　her　heart　innocent。

〃Her　face　benignant；　her　head　intelligent；　and　provident。

〃Neighbourly；　gentle；　and　of　a　liberal　way　of　thinking。

〃Able　in　directing；　providing　what　is　wanting；　and　a　good　mother　to　
her　children。

〃Loving　her　husband；　loving　peace；　and　loving　God。

〃Happy　the　man；〃　adds　the　Triad；　〃who　possesses　such　a　wife。〃　　Very　
true；　O　Triad；　always　provided　he　is　in　some　degree　worthy　of　her；　
but　many　a　man　leaves　an　innocent　wife　at　home　for　an　impure　
Jezebel　abroad；　even　as　many　a　one　prefers　a　pint　of　hog's　wash　
abroad　to　a　tankard　of　generous　liquor　at　home。



CHAPTER　LXIII



Preparations　for　Departure　…　Cat　provided　for　…　A　Pleasant　Party　…　
Last　Night　at　Llangollen。


I　WAS　awakened　early　on　the　Sunday　morning　by　the　howling　of　wind。　　
There　was　a　considerable　storm　throughout　the　day；　but　
unaccompanied　by　rain。　　I　went　to　church　both　in　the　morning　and　
the　evening。　　The　next　day　there　was　a　great　deal　of　rain。　　It　was　
now　the　latter　end　of　October；　winter　was　coming　on；　and　my　wife　
and　daughter　were　anxious　to　return　home。　　After　some　consultation　
it　was　agreed　that　they　should　depart　for　London；　and　that　I　should　
join　them　there　after　making　a　pedestrian　tour　in　South　Wales。

I　should　have　been　loth　to　quit　Wales　without　visiting　the　
Deheubarth　or　Southern　Region；　a　land　differing　widely；　as　I　had　
heard；　both　in　language　and　customs　from　Gwynedd　or　the　Northern；　a　
land　which　had　given　birth　to　the　illustrious　Ab　Gwilym；　and　where　
the　great　Ryce　family　had　flourished；　which　very　much　distinguished　
itself　in　the　Wars　of　the　Roses　…　a　member　of　which　Ryce　ap　Thomas　
placed　Henry　the　Seventh　on　the　throne　of　Britain　…　a　family　of　
royal　extraction；　and　which　after　the　death　of　Roderic　the　Great　
for　a　long　time　enjoyed　the　sovereignty　of　the　south。

We　set　about　making　the　necessary　preparations　for　our　respective　
journeys。　　Those　for　mine　were　soon　made。　　I　bought　a　small　leather　
satchel　with　a　lock　and　key；　in　which　I　placed　a　white　linen　shirt；　
a　pair　of　worsted　stockings；　a　razor　and　a　prayer…book。　　Along　with　
it　I　bought　a　leather　strap　with　which　to　sling　it　over　my　
shoulder：　　I　got　my　boots　new　soled；　my　umbrella；　which　was　rather　
dilapidated；　mended；　put　twenty　sovereigns　into　my　purse；　and　then　
said　I　am　all　right　for　the　Deheubarth。

As　my　wife　and　daughter　required　much　more　time　in　making　
preparations　for　their　journey　than　I　for　mine；　and　as　I　should　
only　be　in　their　way　whilst　they　were　employed；　it　was　determined　
that　I　should　depart　on　my　expedition　on　Thursday；　and　that　they　
should　remain　at　Llangollen　till　the　Saturday。

We　were　at　first　in　some　perplexity　with　respect　to　the　disposal　of　
the　ecclesiastical　cat；　it　would　of　course　not　do　to　leave　it　in　
the　garden　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the　Calvinistic　Methodists　of　
the　neighbourhood；　more　especially　those　of　the　flannel　
manufactory；　and　my　wife　and　daughter　could　hardly　carry　it　with　
them。　　At　length　we　thought　of　applying　to　a　young　woman　of　sound　
church　principles；　who　was　lately　married　and　lived　over　the　water　
on　the　way　to　the　railroad　station；　with　whom　we　were　slightly　
acquainted；　to　take　charge　of　the　animal；　and　she　on　the　first　
intimation　of　our　wish；　willingly　acceded　to　it。　　So　with　her　poor　
puss　was　left　along　with　a　trifle　for　its　milk…money；　and　with　her；　
as　we　subsequently　learned；　it　continued　in　peace　and　comfort　till　
one　morning　it　sprang　suddenly　from　the　hearth　into　the　air；　gave　a　
mew；　and　died。　　So　much　for　the　ecclesiastical　cat！

The　morning　of　Tuesday　was　rather　fine；　and　Mr　Ebenezer　E…；　who　had　
heard　of　our　intended　departure；　came　to　invite　us　to　spend　the　
evening　at　the　Vicarage。　　His　father　had　left　Llangollen　the　day　
before　for　Chester；　where　he　expected　to　be　detained　some　days。　　I　
told　him　we　should　be　most　happy　to　come。　　He　then　asked　me　to　take　
a　walk。　　I　agreed　with　pleasure；　and　we　set　out；　intending　to　go　to　
Llansilio　at　the　western　end　of　the　valley　and　look　at　the　church。　　
The　church　was　an　ancient　building。　　It　had　no　spire；　but　had　the　
little　erection　on　its　roof；　so　usual　to　Welsh　churches；　for　
holding　a　bell。

In　the　churchyard　is　a　tomb　in　which　an　old　squire　of　the　name　of　
Jones　was　buried　about　the　middle　of　the　last　century。　　There　is　a　
tradition　about　this　squire　and　tomb　to　the　following　effect。　　
After　the　squire's　death　there　was