wild wales-第88章

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their　king　prisoner。〃

〃So　they　did；　your　honour；　and　under　the　command　of　a　woman　too。〃

〃Very　true；〃　said　I；　〃Queen　Philippa。〃

〃Just　so；　your　honour！　　The　idea　that　your　honour　should　know　so　
much　about　Durham；　both　field　and　town！〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃since　I　have　told　you　so　much　about　Durham；　
perhaps　you　will　tell　me　something　about　yourself。　　How　did　you　
come　here？〃

〃I　had　better　begin　from　the　beginning；　your　honour。　　I　was　born　in　
Durham　county　close　beside　the　Great　Force；　which　no　doubt　your　
honour　has　seen。　　My　father　was　a　farmer；　and　had　a　bit　of　a　share　
in　a　mining　concern。　　I　was　brought　up　from　my　childhood　both　to　
farming　and　mining　work；　but　most　to　mining；　because；　do　you　see；　I　
took　most　pleasure　in　it；　being　the　more　noble　business　of　the　two。　　
Shortly　after　I　had　come　to　man's　estate　my　father　died；　leaving　me　
a　decent　little　property；　whereupon　I　forsook　farming　altogether　
and　gave　myself　up；　body；　soul；　and　capital；　to　mining；　which　at　
last　I　thoroughly　understand　in　all　its　branches。　　Well；　your　
honour；　about　five…and…thirty　years　ago　…　that　was　when　I　was　about　
twenty…eight　…　a　cry　went　through　the　north　country　that　a　great　
deal　of　money　might　be　made　by　opening　Wales；　that　is；　by　mining　in　
Wales　in　the　proper　fashion；　which　means　the　north　country　fashion；　
for　there　is　no　other　fashion　of　mining　good　for　much。　　There　had　
long　been　mines　in　Wales；　but　they　had　always　been　worked　in　a　
poor；　weak；　languid　manner；　very　different　from　that　of　the　north　
country。　　So　a　company　was　formed；　at　the　head　of　which　were　the　
Aldens；　George　and　Thomas；　for　opening　Wales；　and　they　purchased　
certain　mines　in　these　districts　which　they　knew　to　be　productive；　
and　which　might　be　made　yet　more　so；　and　settling　down　here　called　
themselves　the　Rheidol　United。　　Well；　after　they　had　been　here　a　
little　time　they　found　themselves　in　want　of　a　man　to　superintend　
their　concerns；　above　all　in　the　smelting　department。　　So　they　
thought　of　me；　who　was　known　to　most　of　the　mining　gentry　in　the　
north　country；　and　they　made　a　proposal　to　me　through　George　Alden；　
afterwards　Sir　George；　to　come　here　and　superintend。　　I　said　no　at　
first；　for　I　didn't　like　the　idea　of　leaving　Durham　county　to　come　
to　such　an　outlandish　place　as　Wales；　howsomeover；　I　at　last　
allowed　myself　to　be　overpersuaded　by　George　Alden；　afterwards　Sir　
George；　and　here　I　came　with　my　wife　and　family　…　for　I　must　tell　
your　honour　I　had　married　a　respectable　young　woman　of　Durham　
county；　by　whom　I　had　two　little　ones　…　here　I　came　and　did　my　best　
for　the　service　of　the　Rheidol　United。　　The　company　was　terribly　
set　to　it　for　a　long　time；　spending　a　mint　of　money　and　getting　
very　poor　returns。　　To　my　certain　knowledge；　the　two　Aldens；　George　
and　Tom；　spent　between　them　thirty　thousand　pounds。　　The　company；　
however；　persevered；　chiefly　at　the　instigation　of　the　Aldens；　who　
were　in　the　habit　of　saying；　'Never　say　die！'　and　at　last　got　the　
better　of　all　their　difficulties　and　rolled　in　riches；　and　had　the　
credit　of　being　the　first　company　that　ever　opened　Wales；　which　
they　richly　deserved；　for　I　will　uphold　it　that　the　Rheidol　United；　
particularly　the　Aldens；　George　and　Thomas；　were　the　first　people　
who　really　opened　Wales。　　In　their　service　I　have　been　for　five…
and…thirty　years；　and　daresay　shall　continue　so　till　I　die。　　I　have　
been　tolerably　comfortable；　your　honour；　though　I　have　had　my　
griefs；　the　bitterest　of　which　was　the　death　of　my　wife；　which　
happened　about　eight　years　after　I　came　to　this　country。　　I　thought　
I　should　have　gone　wild　at　first；　your　honour；　having；　however；　
always　plenty　to　do；　I　at　last　got　the　better　of　my　affliction。　　I　
continued　single　till　my　English　family　grew　up　and　left　me；　when；　
feeling　myself　rather　lonely；　I　married　a　decent　young　Welshwoman；　
by　whom　I　had　one　son；　the　lad　John　who　is　following　behind　with　
his　dog　Joe。　　And　now　your　honour　knows　the　whole　story　of　John　
Greaves；　miner　from　the　county　of　Durham。〃

〃And　a　most　entertaining　and　instructive　history　it　is；〃　said　I。　　
〃You　have　not　told　me；　however；　how　you　contrived　to　pick　up　Welsh：　　
I　heard　you　speaking　it　last　night　with　the　postman。〃

〃Why；　through　my　Welsh　wife；　your　honour！　　Without　her　I　don't　
think　I　should　ever　have　picked　up　the　Welsh　manner　of　discoursing　
…　she　is　a　good　kind　of　woman；　my　Welsh　wife；　though　…　〃

〃The　loss　of　your　Durham　wife　must　have　been　a　great　grief　to　you；〃　
said　I。

〃It　was　the　bitterest　grief；　your　honour；　as　I　said　before；　that　I　
ever　had；　my　next　worst　I　think　was　the　death　of　a　dear　friend。〃

〃Who　was　that？〃　said　I

〃Who　was　it；　your　honour？　why；　the　Duke　of　Newcastle。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃how　came　you　to　know　him？〃

〃Why；　your　honour；　he　lived　at　a　place　not　far　from　here；　called　
Hafod；　and　so　…　〃

〃Hafod？〃　said　I；　〃I　have　often　heard　of　Hafod　and　its　library；　but　
I　thought　it　belonged　to　an　old　Welsh　family　called　Johnes。〃

〃Well；　so　it　did；　your　honour；　but　the　family　died　away；　and　the　
estate　was　put　up　for　sale；　and　purchased　by　the　Duke；　who　built　a　
fine　house　upon　it；　which　he　made　his　chief　place　of　residence　…　
the　old　family　house；　I　must　tell　your　honour；　in　which　the　library　
was；　had　been　destroyed　by　fire。　　Well；　he　hadn't　been　long　settled　
there　before　he　found　me　out　and　took　wonderfully　to　me；　
discoursing　with　me　and　consulting　me　about　his　farming　and　
improvements。　　Many　is　the　pleasant　chat　and　discourse　I　have　had　
with　his　Grace　for　hours　and　hours　together；　for　his　Grace　had　not　
a　bit　of　pride；　at　least　he　never　showed　any　to　me；　though　perhaps　
the　reason　of　that　was　that　we　were　both　north　country　people。　　
Lord！　　I　would　have　laid　down　my　life　for　his　Grace　and　have　done　
anything　but　one　which　he　once　asked　me　to　do。　　'Greaves；'　said　the　
Duke　to　me　one　day；　'I　wish　you　would　give　up　mining　and　become　my　
steward。'　　'Sorry　I　can't　oblige　your　Grace；'　said　I；　'but　give　up　
mining　I　cannot。　　I　will　at　any　time　give　your　Grace　all　the　advice　
I　can　about　farming　and　such　like；　but　give　up　mining　I　cannot；　
because　why？　…　I　conceive　mining　to　be　the　noblest　business　in　the　
'versal　world。'　　Whereupon　his　Grace　laughed；　and　said　he　dare　say　
I　was　right；　and　never　mentioned　the　subject　again。〃

〃Was　his　Grace　very　fond　of　farming　and　improving？〃

〃Oh　yes；　your　honour。　　Like　all　the　great　gentry；　especially　the　
north　country　gentry；　his　Grace　was　wonderfully　fond　of　farming　and　
improving；　and　a　wonderful　deal　of　good　he　did；　reclaiming　
thousands　of　acres　of　land　which　was　before　good　for　nothing；　and　
building　capital　farm…houses　and　offices　for　his　tenants。　　His　
grand　feat；　however；　was　bringing　the　Durham　bull　into　this　
country；　which　formed　a　capital　cross　with　the　Welsh　cows。　　Pity　
that　he　wasn't　equally　fortunate　with　the　north　country　sheep。〃

〃Did　he　try　to　introduce　them　into　Wales？〃

〃Yes；　but　they　didn't　answer；　as　I　knew　they　wouldn't。　　Says　I　to　
the　Duke：　　'It　won't　do；　your　Grace；　to　bring　the　north　country　
sheep　here：　　because　why？　the　hills　are　too　wet　and　cold　for　their　
constitutions'；　but　his　Grace；　who　had　sometimes　a　will　of　his　own；　
persisted　and　brought　the　north　country　sheep　to　these　parts；　and　
it　turned　out　as　I　said　…　the　sheep　caught　the　disease；　and　the　
wool　parted　and　…　〃

〃But；〃　said　I；　〃you　should　have　told　him　about　the　salve　made　of　
bran；　butter　and　oil；　you　should　have　done　that。〃

〃Well；　so　I　did；　your　honour。　　I　told　him　about　the　salve；　and　the　
Duke　listened　to　me；　and　the　salve　was　made　by　these　very　hands；　
but　when　it　was　made；　what　do　you　think？　the　foolish　Welsh　wouldn't　
put　it　on；　saying　that　it　was　against　their　laws　and　statties　and　
religion　to　use　it；　and　talked　about　Devil's　salves　and　the　Witch　
of　Endor；　and　the　sin　against　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　such　like　
nonsense。　　So　to　prevent　a　regular　rebellion；　the　Duke　gave　up　the　
salve；　and　the　poor　sheep　pined　away　and　died；　till　at　last　there　
was　not　one　left。〃

〃Who　holds　the　estate　at　present？〃　said　I。

〃Why；　a　great　gentleman　from　Lancashire；　your　honour；　who　bought　it　
when　the　Duke　died；　but　he　doesn't　take　the　same　pleasure　in　it　
which　the　Duke　did；　nor　spend　so　much　money　about　it；　the　
consequence　being　that　everything　looks　very　different　from　what　it　
looked　in　the　Duke's　time。　　The　inn　at　the　Devil's　Bridge　and　the　
grounds　look　very　different　from　what　they　looked　in　the　Duke's　
time；　for　you　must　know　that　the　inn　and　the　grounds　form　part　of　
the　Hafod　estate；　and　are　hired　from　the　proprietor。〃

By　this　time　we　had　arrived　at　a　small　village；　with　a　toll…bar　and　
a　small　church　or　chapel　at　some　little　distance　from　the　road；　
which　here　made　a　turn　nearly　full　south。　　The　road　was　very　good；　
but　the　country　was　wild　and　rugged；　there　was　a　deep　vale　on　the　
right；　at　the　bottom　of　which　rolled　the　Rheidol　in　its　cleft；　
rising　beyond　which　were　steep；　naked　hills。

〃This　village；〃　said　my　companion；　〃is　called　Ysbytty　Cynfyn。　　Down　
on　the　right；　past　the　church；　is　a　strange　bridge　across　the　
Rheidol；　which　runs　there　through　a　horrid　kind　of　a　place。　　The　
bridge　is　called　Pont　yr　Offeiriad；　or　the　Parson's　Bridge；　because　
in　the　old　time　the　clergyman　passed　over　it　every　Sunday　to　do　
duty　in　the　church　here。〃

〃Why　is　this　place　called　Ysbytty　Cynfyn？〃　said　I；　〃which　means　the　
hospital　of　the　first　boundary；　is　there　a　hospital　of　the　second　
boundary　near　here？〃

〃I　can't　say　anything　about　boundaries；　your　honour；　all　I　know　is；　
that　there　is　another　Spytty　farther　on　beyond　Hafod　called　Ysbytty　
Ystwyth；　or　the　'Spytty　upon　the　Ystwyth。　　But　to　return　to　the　
matter　of　the　Minister's　Bridge：　　I　would　counsel　your　honour　to　go　
and　see　that　bridge　before　you　leave　these　parts。　　A　vast　number　of　
gentry　go　to　see　it　in　the　summer　time。　　It　was　the　bridge　which　
the　landlord　was　mentioning　last　night；　though　it　scarcely　belongs　
to　his　district；　being　quite　as　near　the　Devil's　Bridge　inn　as　it　
is　to　his　own；　your　honour。〃

We　went　on　discoursing　for　about　half　a　mile　farther；　when；　
stopping　by　a　road　which　branched　off　to　the　hills　on　the　left；　my　
companion　said。　　〃I　must　now　wish　your　honour　good　day；　being　
obliged　to　go　a　little　way　up　here　to　a　mining　work　on　a　small　bit　
of　business；　my　son；　however；　and　his　dog　Joe　will　show　your　honour　
the　way　to　the　Devil's　Bridge；　as　they　are　bound　to　a　place　a　
little　way　past　it。　　I　have　now　but　one　word　to　say；　which　is；　that　
should　ever　your　honour　please　to　visit　me　at　my　mine；　your　honour　
shall　receive　every　facility　for　inspecting　the　works；　and　moreover　
have　a　bellyful　of　drink　and　victuals　from　Jock　Greaves；　miner　from　
the　county　of　Durham。〃

I　shook　the　honest　fellow　by　the　hand；　and　went　on　in　company　with　
the　lad　John　and　his　dog　as　far　as　the　Devil's　Bridge。　　John　was　a　
highly…intelligent　lad；　spoke　Welsh　and　English　fluently；　could　
read；　as　he　told　me；　both　languages；　and　had　some　acquaintance　with　
the　writings　of　Twm　o'r　Nant；　as　he　showed　by　repeating　the　
following　lines　of　the　carter　poet；　certainly　not　the　worst　which　
he　ever　wrote：…


〃Twm　or　Nant　mae　cant　a'