wild wales-第115部分

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about　them。　　Why；　they　are　hand　and　glove　with　the　Queen　and　
Prince；　and　folks　say　that　his　wife　is　going　to　be　made　dame　of　
honour；　and　Jasper　Justice　of　the　Peace　and　Deputy　Ranger　of　
Windsor　Park。〃

〃Only　think；〃　said　I。　　〃And　now　tell　me；　what　brought　you　into　
Wales？〃

〃What　brought　me　into　Wales？　　I'll　tell　you；　my　own　fool's　head。　　I　
was　doing　nicely　in　the　Kaulo　Gav　and　the　neighbourhood；　when　I　
must　needs　pack　up　and　come　into　these　parts　with　bag　and　baggage；　
wife　and　childer。　　I　thought　that　Wales　was　what　it　was　some　thirty　
years　agone　when　our　foky　used　to　say　…　for　I　was　never　here　before　
…　that　there　was　something　to　be　done　in　it；　but　I　was　never　more　
mistaken　in　my　life。　　The　country　is　overrun　with　Hindity　mescrey；　
woild　Irish；　with　whom　the　Romany　foky　stand　no　chance。　　The　
fellows　underwork　me　at　tinkering；　and　the　women　outscream　my　wife　
at　telling　fortunes　…　moreover；　they　say　the　country　is　theirs　and　
not　intended　for　niggers　like　we；　and　as　they　are　generally　in　vast　
numbers　what　can　a　poor　little　Roman　family　do　but　flee　away　before　
them？　　A　pretty　journey　I　have　made　into　Wales。　　Had　I　not　
contrived　to　pass　off　a　poggado　bav　engro　…　a　broken…winded　horse　…　
at　a　fair；　I　at　this　moment　should　be　without　a　tringoruschee　piece　
in　my　pocket。　　I　am　now　making　the　best　of　my　way　back　to　
Brummagem；　and　if　ever　I　come　again　to　this　Hindity　country　may　
Calcraft　nash　me。〃

〃I　wonder　you　didn't　try　to　serve　some　of　the　Irish　out；〃　said　I。

〃I　served　one　out；　brother；　and　my　wife　and　childer　helped　to　wipe　
off　a　little　of　the　score。　　We　had　stopped　on　a　nice　green；　near　a　
village　over　the　hills　in　Glamorganshire；　when　up　comes　a　Hindity　
family；　and　bids　us　take　ourselves　off。　　Now　it　so　happened　that　
there　was　but　one　man　and　a　woman　and　some　childer；　so　I　laughed；　
and　told　them　to　drive　us　off。　　Well；　brother；　without　many　words；　
there　was　a　regular　scrimmage。　　The　Hindity　mush　came　at　me；　the　
Hindity　mushi　at　y　my　juwa；　and　the　Hindity　chaves　at　my　chai。　　It　
didn't　last　long；　brother。　　In　less　than　three　minutes　I　had　hit　
the　Hindity　mush；　who　was　a　plaguey　big　fellow；　but　couldn't　fight；　
just　under　the　point　of　the　chin；　and　sent　him　to　the　ground　with　
all　his　senses　gone。　　My　juwa　had　almost　scratched　an　eye　out　of　
the　Hindity　mushi；　and　my　chai　had　sent　the　Hindity　childer　
scampering　over　the　green。　　'Who　has　got　to　quit　now？'　said　I　to　
the　Hindity　mush　after　he　had　got　on　his　legs；　looking　like　a　man　
who　has　been　cut　down　after　hanging　just　a　minute　and　a　half。　　'Who　
has　got　notice　to　quit；　now；　I　wonder？'　　Well；　brother；　he　didn't　
say　anything；　nor　did　any　of　them；　but　after　a　little　time　they　all　
took　themselves　off；　with　a　cart　they　had；　to　the　south。　　Just　as　
they　got　to　the　edge　of　the　green；　however；　they　turned　round　and　
gave　a　yell　which　made　all　our　blood　run　cold。　　I　knew　what　it　
meant；　and　said；　'This　is　no　place　for　us。'　　So　we　got　everything　
together　and　came　away　and；　though　the　horses　were　tired；　never　
stopped　till　we　had　got　ten　miles　from　the　place；　and　well　it　was　
we　acted　as　we　did；　for；　had　we　stayed；　I　have　no　doubt　that　a　
whole　Hindity　clan　would　have　been　down　upon　us　before　morning　and　
cut　our　throats。〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃farewell。　　I　can't　stay　any　longer。　　As　it　is；　I　
shall　be　late　at　Gutter　Vawr。〃

〃Farewell；　brother！〃　said　Captain　Bosvile；　and；　giving　a　cry；　he　
cracked；　his　whip　and　set　his　horses　in　motion。

〃Won't　you　give　us　sixpence　to　drink？〃　cried　Mrs　Bosvile；　with　a　
rather　shrill　voice。

〃Hold　your　tongue；　you　she…dog；〃　said　Captain　Bosvile。　　〃Is　that　
the　way　in　which　you　take　leave　of　an　old　friend？　　Hold　your　
tongue；　and　let　the　Ingrine　gentleman　jaw　on　his　way。〃

I　proceeded　on　my　way　as　fast　as　I　could；　for　the　day　was　now　
closing　in。　　My　progress；　however；　was　not　very　great；　for　the　road　
was　steep；　and　was　continually　becoming　more　so。　　In　about　half…an…
hour　I　came　to　a　little　village；　consisting　of　three　or　four　
houses；　one　of　them；　at　the　door　of　which　several　carts　were　
standing；　bore　the　sign　of　a　tavern。

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　place？〃　said　I　to　a　man　who　was　breaking　
stones　on　the　road。

〃Capel　Gwynfa；〃　said　he。

Rather　surprised　at　the　name；　which　signifies　in　English　the　Chapel　
of　the　place　of　bliss；　I　asked　the　man　why　it　was　called　so。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　man。

〃Was　there　ever　a　chapel　here？〃　said　I。

〃I　don't　know；　sir；　there　is　none　now。〃

〃I　daresay　there　was　in　the　old　time；〃　said　I　to　myself；　as　I　went　
on；　〃in　which　some　holy　hermit　prayed　and　told　his　beads；　and　
occasionally　received　benighted　strangers。　　What　a　poetical　word　
that　Gwynfa；　place　of　bliss；　is。　　Owen　Pugh　uses　it　in　his　
translation　of　'Paradise　Lost'　to　express　Paradise；　for　he　has　
rendered　the　words　Paradise　Lost　by　Col　Gwynfa　…　the　loss　of　the　
place　of　bliss。　　I　wonder　whether　the　old　scholar　picked　up　the　
word　here。　　Not　unlikely。　　Strange　fellow　that　Owen　Pugh。　　Wish　I　
had　seen　him。　　No　hope　of　seeing　him　now；　except　in　the　heavenly　
Gwynfa。　　Wonder　whether　there　is　such　a　place。　　Tom　Payne　thinks　
there's　not。　　Strange　fellow　that　Tom　Payne。　　Norfolk　man。　　Wish　I　
had　never　read　him。〃

Presently　I　came　to　a　little　cottage　with　a　toll…bar。　　Seeing　a　
woman　standing　at　the　door；　I　inquired　of　her　the　name　of　the　gate。

〃Cowslip　Gate；　sir。〃

〃Has　it　any　Welsh　name？〃

〃None　that　I　know　of；　sir。〃

This　place　was　at　a　considerable　altitude；　and　commanded　an　
extensive　view　to　the　south；　west；　and　north。　　Heights　upon　heights　
rose　behind　it　to　the　east。　　From　here　the　road　ran　to　the　south　
for　a　little　way　nearly　level；　then　turned　abruptly　to　the　east；　
and　was　more　steep　than　ever。　　After　the　turn；　I　had　a　huge　chalk　
cliff　towering　over　me　on　the　right；　and　a　chalk　precipice　on　my　
left。　　Night　was　now　coming　on　fast；　and；　rather　to　my　uneasiness；　
masses　of　mist　began　to　pour　down　the　sides　of　the　mountain。　　I　
hurried　on；　the　road　making　frequent　turnings。　　Presently　the　mist　
swept　down　upon　me；　and　was　so　thick　that　I　could　only　see　a　few　
yards　before　me。　　I　was　now　obliged　to　slacken　my　pace；　and　to　
advance　with　some　degree　of　caution。　　I　moved　on　in　this　way　for　
some　time；　when　suddenly　I　heard　a　noise；　as　if　a　number　of　carts　
were　coming　rapidly　down　the　hill。　　I　stopped；　and　stood　with　my　
back　close　against　the　high　bank。　　The　noise　drew　nearer；　and　in　a　
minute　I　saw　distinctly　through　the　mist；　horses；　carts；　and　forms　
of　men　passing。　　In　one　or　two　cases　the　wheels　appeared　to　be　
within　a　few　inches　of　my　feet。　　I　let　the　train　go　by；　and　then　
cried　out　in　English；　〃Am　I　right　for　Gutter　Vawr？〃

〃Hey？〃　said　a　voice；　after　a　momentary　interval。

〃Am　I　right　for　Gutter　Vawr？〃　I　shouted　yet　louder。

〃Yes　sure！〃　said　a　voice；　probably　the　same。

Then　instantly　a　much　rougher　voice　cried；　〃Who　the　Devil　are　you？〃

I　made　no　answer；　but　went　on；　whilst　the　train　continued　its　way　
rumbling　down　the　mountain。　　At　length　I　gained　the　top；　where　the　
road　turned　and　led　down　a　steep　descent　towards　the　south…west。　　
It　was　now　quite　night；　and　the　mist　was　of　the　thickest　kind。　　I　
could　just　see　that　there　was　a　frightful　precipice　on　my　left；　so　
I　kept　to　the　right；　hugging　the　side　of　the　hill。　　As　I　descended　
I　heard　every　now　and　then　loud　noises　in　the　vale；　probably　
proceeding　from　stone　quarries。　　I　was　drenched　to　the　skin；　nay；　
through　the　skin；　by　the　mist；　which　I　verily　believe　was　more　
penetrating　than　that　described　by　Ab　Gwilym。　　When　I　had　proceeded　
about　a　mile　I　saw　blazes　down　below；　resembling　those　of　furnaces；　
and　soon　after　came　to　the　foot　of　the　hill。　　It　was　here　pouring　
with　rain；　but　I　did　not　put　up　my　umbrella；　as　it　was　impossible　
for　me　to　be　more　drenched　than　I　was。　　Crossing　a　bridge　over　a　
kind　of　torrent；　I　found　myself　amongst　some　houses。　　I　entered　one　
of　them　from　which　a　blaze　of　light　and　a　roar　of　voices　proceeded；　
and；　on　inquiring　of　an　old　woman　who　confronted　me　in　the　passage；　
I　found　that　I　had　reached　my　much　needed　haven　of　rest；　the　tavern　
of　Gutter　Vawr　in　the　county　of　Glamorgan。



CHAPTER　XCIX



Inn　at　Gutter　Vawr　…　The　Hurly…burly　…　Bara　y　Caws　…　Change　of　
Manner　…　Welsh　Mistrust　…　Wonders　of　Russia　…　The　Emperor　…　The　
Grand　Ghost　Story。


THE　old　woman　who　confronted　me　in　the　passage　of　the　inn　turned　
out　to　be　the　landlady。　　On　learning　that　I　intended　to　pass　the　
night　at　her　house；　she　conducted　me　into　a　small　room　on　the　
right…hand　side　of　the　passage；　which　proved　to　be　the　parlour。　　It　
was　cold　and　comfortless；　for　there　was　no　fire　in　the　grate。　　She　
told　me；　however；　that　one　should　be　lighted；　and　going　out；　
presently　returned　with　a　couple　of　buxom　wenches；　who　I　soon　found　
were　her　daughters。　　The　good　lady　had　little　or　no　English；　the　
girls；　however；　had　plenty；　and　of　a　good　kind　too。　　They　soon　
lighted　a　fire；　and　then　the　mother　inquired　if　I　wished　for　any　
supper。

〃Certainly；〃　said　I；　〃for　I　have　not　eaten　anything　since　I　left　
Llandovery。　　What　can　I　have？〃

〃We　have　veal　and　bacon；〃　said　she。

〃That　will　do；〃　said　I；　〃fry　me　some　veal　and　bacon；　and　I　shan't　
complain。　　But　pray　tell　what　prodigious　noise　is　that　which　I　hear　
on　the　other　side　of　the　passage？〃

〃It　is　only　the　miners　and　the　carters　in　the　kitchen　making　
merry；〃　said　one　of　the　girls。

〃Is　there　a　good　fire　there？〃　said　I。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　the　girl；　〃we　have　always　a　good　fire　in　the　
kitchen。〃

〃Well　then；〃　said　I；　〃I　shall　go　there　till　supper　is　ready；　for　I　
am　wet　to　the　skin；　and　this　fire　casts　very　little　heat。〃

〃You　will　find　them　a　rough　set　in　the　kitchen；〃　said　the　girl。

〃I　don't　care　if　I　do〃　said　I；　〃when　people　are　rough　I　am　civil；　
and　I　have　always　found　that　civility　beats　roughness　in　the　long　
run。〃　　Then　going　out　I　crossed　the　passage　and　entered　the　
kitchen。

It　was　nearly　filled　with　rough　unkempt　fellows；　smoking；　drinking；　
whistling；　singing；　shouting　or　jabbering；　some　in　a　standing；　some　
in　a　sitting；　posture。　　My　entrance　seemed　at　once　to　bring　
everything　to　a　dead　stop；　the　smokers　ceased　to　smok