wild wales-第75章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
brewing。〃
〃Your honour shall be obeyed；〃 said Tom； and disappearing returned
in a twinkling with a tray on which stood a jug filled with liquor
and a glass。 He forthwith filled the glass； and pointing to its
contents said：
〃There； your honour； did you ever see such ale？ Observe its
colour！ Does it not look for all the world as pale and delicate as
cowslip wine？〃
〃I wish it may not taste like cowslip wine；〃 said I； 〃to tell you
the truth； I am no particular admirer of ale that looks pale and
delicate； for I always think there is no strength in it。〃
〃Taste it； your honour；〃 said Tom； 〃and tell me if you ever tasted
such ale。〃
I tasted it； and then took a copious draught。 The ale was indeed
admirable； equal to the best that I had ever before drunk … rich
and mellow； with scarcely any smack of the hop in it； and though so
pale and delicate to the eye nearly as strong as brandy。 I
commended it highly to the worthy Jenkins； who exultingly
exclaimed：
〃That Llangollen ale indeed！ no； no！ ale like that； your honour；
was never brewed in that trumpery hole Llangollen。〃
〃You seem to have a very low opinion of Llangollen？〃 said I。
〃How can I have anything but a low opinion of it； your honour？ A
trumpery hole it is； and ever will remain so。〃
〃Many people of the first quality go to visit it；〃 said I。
〃That is because it lies so handy for England； your honour。 If it
did not； nobody would go to see it。 What is there to see in
Llangollen？〃
〃There is not much to see in the town； I admit；〃 said I； 〃but the
scenery about it is beautiful： what mountains！〃
〃Mountains； your honour； mountains！ well； we have mountains too；
and as beautiful as those of Llangollen。 Then we have our lake；
our Llyn Tegid； the lake of beauty。 Show me anything like that
near Llangollen？〃
〃Then；〃 said I； 〃there is your mound； your Tomen Bala。 The
Llangollen people can show nothing like that。〃
Tom Jenkins looked at me for a moment with some surprise； and then
said： 〃I see you have been here before； sir。〃
〃No；〃 said I； 〃never； but I have read about the Tomen Bala in
books； both Welsh and English。〃
〃You have； sir；〃 said Tom。 〃Well； I am rejoiced to see so book…
learned a gentleman in our house。 The Tomen Bala has puzzled many
a head。 What do the books which mention it say about it； your
honour？〃
〃Very little；〃 said I； 〃beyond mentioning it； what do the people
here say of it？〃
〃All kinds of strange things； your honour。〃
〃Do they say who built it？〃
〃Some say the Tylwyth Teg built it； others that it was cast up over
a dead king by his people。 The truth is； nobody here knows who
built it； or anything about it； save that it is a wonder。 Ah；
those people of Llangollen can show nothing like it。〃
〃Come；〃 said I； 〃you must not be so hard upon the people of
Llangollen。 They appear to me upon the whole to be an eminently
respectable body。〃
The Celtic waiter gave a genuine French shrug。 〃Excuse me； your
honour； for being of a different opinion。 They are all drunkards。〃
〃I have occasionally seen drunken people at Llangollen；〃 said I；
〃but I have likewise seen a great many sober。〃
〃That is； your honour； you have seen them in their sober moments；
but if you had watched； your honour； if you had kept your eye on
them； you would have seen them reeling too。〃
〃That I can hardly believe；〃 said I。
〃Your honour can't！ but I can who know them。 They are all
drunkards； and nobody can live among them without being a drunkard。
There was my nephew … 〃
〃What of him？〃 said I。
〃Why he went to Llangollen； your honour； and died of a drunken
fever in less than a month。〃
〃Well； but might he not have died of the same； if he had remained
at home？〃
〃No； your honour； no！ he lived here many a year； and never died of
a drunken fever； he was rather fond of liquor； it is true； but he
never died at Bala of a drunken fever； but when he went to
Llangollen he did。 Now； your honour； if there is not something
more drunken about Llangollen than about Bala； why did my nephew
die at Llangollen of a drunken fever？〃
〃Really；〃 said I； 〃you are such a close reasoner； that I do not
like to dispute with you。 One observation however； I wish to make：
I have lived at Llangollen； without； I hope； becoming a drunkard。〃
〃Oh； your honour is out of the question；〃 said the Celtic waiter
with a strange grimace。 〃Your honour is an Englishman； an English
gentleman； and of course could live all the days of your life at
Llangollen without being a drunkard； he； he！ Who ever heard of an
Englishman； especially an English gentleman； being a drunkard； he；
he； he。 And now； your honour； pray excuse me； for I must go and
see that your honour's dinner is being got ready in a suitable
manner。〃
Thereupon he left me with a bow yet lower than any I had previously
seen him make。 If his manners put me in mind of those of a
Frenchman； his local prejudices brought powerfully to my
recollection those of a Spaniard。 Tom Jenkins swears by Bala and
abuses Llangollen； and calls its people drunkards； just as a
Spaniard exalts his own village and vituperates the next and its
inhabitants； whom； though he will not call them drunkards； unless
indeed he happens to be a Gallegan； he will not hesitate to term
〃una caterva de pillos y embusteros。〃
The dinner when it appeared was excellent； and consisted of many
more articles than I had ordered。 After dinner； as I sat
〃trifling〃 with my cold brandy and water； an individual entered； a
short thick dumpy man about thirty； with brown clothes and a broad
hat； and holding in his hand a large leather bag。 He gave me a
familiar nod； and passing by the table at which I sat； to one near
the window； he flung the bag upon it； and seating himself in a
chair with his profile towards me； he untied the bag； from which he
poured a large quantity of sovereigns upon the table and fell to
counting them。 After counting them three times he placed them
again in the bag which he tied up； then taking a small book；
seemingly an account…book； out of his pocket； he wrote something in
it with a pencil； then putting it in his pocket he took the bag and
unlocking a beaufet which stood at some distance behind him against
the wall； he put the bag into a drawer； then again locking the
beaufet he sat down in the chair； then tilting the chair back upon
its hind legs he kept swaying himself backwards and forwards upon
it； his toes sometimes upon the ground； sometimes mounting until
they tapped against the nether side of the table； surveying me all
the time with a queer kind of a side glance； and occasionally
ejecting saliva upon the carpet in the direction of place where I
sat。
〃Fine weather； sir；〃 said I； at last； rather tired of being skewed
and spit at in this manner。
〃Why yaas；〃 said the figure； 〃the day is tolerably fine； but I have
seen a finer。〃
〃Well； I don't remember to have seen one；〃 said I； 〃it is as fine a
day as I have seen during the present season； and finer weather
than I have seen during this season I do not think I ever saw
before。〃
〃The weather is fine enough for Britain；〃 said the figure； 〃but
there are other countries besides Britain。〃
〃Why；〃 said I； 〃there's the States； 'tis true。〃
〃Ever been in the States； Mr？〃 said the figure quickly。
〃Have I ever been in the States；〃 said I； 〃have I ever been in the
States？〃
〃Perhaps you are of the States； Mr； I thought so from the first。〃
〃The States are fine countries；〃 said I。
〃I guess they are； Mr。〃
〃It would be no easy matter to whip the States。〃
〃So I should guess； Mr。〃
〃That is； single…handed；〃 said I。
〃Single…handed； no nor double…handed either。 Let England and
France and the State which they are now trying to whip without
being able to do it； that's Russia； all unite in a union to whip
the Union； and if instead of whipping the States they don't get a
whipping themselves； call me a braying jackass … 〃
〃I see； Mr；〃 said I； 〃that you are a sensible man； because you
speak very much my own opinion。 However； as I am an unprejudiced
person； like
