下载辰思小说免费APP
Ashewasstandingbeforealongbuilding，throughtheopendoorofwhichasoundproceededlikethatofpreaching，Iaskedhimwhatplaceitwas，andwhatwasgoingoninit，andreceivedforanswerthatitwastheNationalSchool，andthattherewasaclergymanpreachinginit。IthenaskediftheclergymanwasoftheChurch，andonlearningthathewas，Iforthwithenteredthebuilding，whereinoneendofalongroomIsawayoungmaninawhitesurplicepreachingfromadesktoaboutthirtyorfortypeople，whowereseatedonbenchesbeforehim。Isatdownandlistened。Theyoungmanpreachedwithgreatzealandfluency。Thesermonwasaveryseasonableone，beingabouttheharvest，andinitthingstemporalandspiritualwereveryhappilyblended。ThepartofthesermonwhichIheard—IregrettedthatIdidnothearthewhole—
lastedaboutfive—and—twentyminutes：ahymnfollowed，andthenthecongregationbrokeup。Iinquiredthenameoftheyoungmanwhopreached，andwastoldthatitwasEdwards，andthathecamefromCaernarvon。ThenameoftheincumbentoftheparishwasThomas。
LeavingthevillageoftheharvestsermonIproceededonmywaywhichlaytothesouth—east。IwasnowdrawingnightothemountainousdistrictofEryri；anoblehillcalledMountEilioappearedbeforemetothenorth；animmensemountaincalledPenDrwsCoedlayoveragainstitonthesouth，justlikeacouchantelephantwithitsheadlowerthanthetopofitsback。AfteratimeIenteredamostbeautifulsunnyvalley，andpresentlycametoabridgeoverapleasantstreamrunninginthedirectionofthesouth。AsIstooduponthatbridgeIalmostfanciedmyselfinParadise；everythinglookedsobeautifulorgrand—green，sunnymeadowslayallaroundme，intersectedbythebrook，thewatersofwhichranwithtinklinglaughteroverashinglybottom。NobleEiliotothenorth；enormousPenDrwsCoedtothesouth；atallmountainfarbeyondthemtotheeast。"Ineverwasinsuchalovelyspot！"Icriedtomyselfinaperfectrapture。"Oh，howgladIshouldbetolearnthenameofthisbridge，standingonwhichIhavehad’Heavenopenedtome，’asmyoldfriendstheSpaniardsusedtosay。"ScarcelyhadIsaidthesewordswhenI
observedamanandawomancomingtowardsthebridgeinthedirectioninwhichIwasbound。Ihastenedtomeettheminthehopeofobtaininginformation。Theywerebothratheryoung，andwereprobablyacoupleofsweetheartstakingawalkorreturningfrommeeting。Thewomanwasafewstepsinadvanceoftheman；
seeingthatIwasabouttoaddressher，sheavertedherheadandquickenedhersteps，andbeforeIhadcompletedthequestion，whichIputtoherinWelsh，shehadboltedpastmescreaming"AhDimSeasneg，"andwasseveralyardsdistant。
Ithenaddressedmyselftothemanwhohadstopped，askinghimthenameofthebridge。
"PontBettws，"hereplied。
"Andwhatmaybethenameoftheriver？"saidI。
"Afon—something，"saidhe。
Andonmythankinghimhewentforwardtothewomanwhowaswaitingforhimbythebridge。
"IsthatmanWelshorEnglish？"Iheardhersaywhenhehadrejoinedher。
"Idon’tknow，"saidtheman—"hewascivilenough；whywereyousuchafool？"
"Oh，IthoughthewouldspeaktomeinEnglish，"saidthewoman，"andthethoughtofthathorridEnglishputsmeintosuchaflutter；youknowIcan’tspeakawordofit。"
TheyproceededontheirwayandIproceededonmine，andpresentlycomingtoalittleinnontheleftsideoftheway，attheentranceofavillage，Iwentin。
Arespectable—lookingmanandwomanwereseatedatteaatatableinanicecleankitchen。Isatdownonachairnearthetable，andcalledforale—thealewasbroughtmeinajug—Idranksome，putthejugonthetable，andbegantodiscoursewiththepeopleinWelsh。Ahandsomedogwasseatedontheground；suddenlyitlaidoneofitspawsonitsmaster’sknee。
"Down，Perro，"saidhe。
"Perro！"saidI；"whydoyoucallthedogPerro？"
"WecallhimPerro，"saidtheman，"becausehisnameisPerro。"
"Buthowcameyoutogivehimthatname？"saidI。
"Wedidnotgiveittohim，"saidtheman—"heborethatnamewhenhecameintoourhands；afarmergavehimtouswhenhewasveryyoung，andtoldushisnamewasPerro。"
"AndhowcamethefarmertocallhimPerro？"saidI。
"Idon’tknow，"saidtheman—"whydoyouask？"
"Perro，"saidI，"isaSpanishword，andsignifiesadogingeneral。IamrathersurprisedthatadoginthemountainsofWalesshouldbecalledbytheSpanishwordfordog。"Ifellintoafitofmusing。"HowSpanishwordsarediffused！WhereveryougoyouwillfindsomeSpanishwordorotherinuse。IhaveheardSpanishwordsusedbyRussianmujiksandTurkishfig—gatherers—I
havethisdayheardaSpanishwordinthemountainsofWales，andI
havenodoubtthatwereItogotoIcelandIshouldfindSpanishwordsusedthere。HowcanIdoubtit；whenIreflectthatmorethansixhundredyearsago，oneofthewordstodenoteabadwomanwasSpanish。IntheoldestofIcelandicdomesticSagas，Skarphedin，thesonofNialtheseer，calledHallgerdr，widowofGunnar，aputa—andthatwordsomaddenedHallgerdrthatsheneverrestedtillshehadbroughtabouthisdestruction。Now，whythispreferenceeverywhereforSpanishwordsoverthoseofeveryotherlanguage？IneverheardFrenchwordsorGermanwordsusedbyRussianmujiksandTurkishfig—gatherers。IquestionwhetherI
shouldfindanyinIcelandformingpartofthevernacular。I
certainlyneverfoundaFrenchorevenaGermanwordinanoldIcelandicSaga。WhythispartialityeverywhereforSpanishwords？
thequestionispuzzling；atanyrateitputsmeout—"
"Yes，itputsmeout！"Iexclaimedaloud，strikingmyfistonthetablewithavehemencewhichcausedthegoodfolkstostarthalfupfromtheirseats。Beforetheycouldsayanything，however，avehicledroveuptothedoor，andamangettingoutcameintotheroom。Hehadaglazedhatonhishead，andwasdressedsomethingliketheguardofamail。Hetouchedhishattome，andcalledforaglassofwhiskey。IgavehimtheseleoftheeveningandenteredintoconversationwithhiminEnglish。InthecourseofdiscourseIlearnedthathewasthepostman，andwasgoinghisroundsinhiscart—hewasmorethanrespectfultome，hewasfawningandsycophantic。Thewhiskeywasbrought，andhestoodwiththeglassinhishand。SuddenlyhebeganspeakingWelshtothepeople；
before，however，hehadutteredtwosentencesthewomanliftedherhandwithanalarmedair，crying"Hush！heunderstands。"Thefellowwasturningmetoridicule。Iflungmyheadback，closedmyeyes，openedmymouthandlaughedaloud。Thefellowstoodaghast；
hishandtrembled，andhespiltthegreaterpartofthewhiskeyupontheground。AttheendofabouthalfaminuteIgotup，askedwhatIhadtopay，andonbeingtoldtwopence，Iputdownthemoney。ThengoinguptothemanIputmyrightforefingerveryneartohisnose，andsaid"Dwyoiaithdwyowyneb，twolanguages，twofaces，friend！"ThenafterleeringathimforamomentI
wishedthepeopleofthehousegood—eveninganddeparted。
WalkingrapidlyontowardstheeastIsoondrewneartheterminationofthevalley。ThevalleyterminatesinadeepgorgeorpassbetweenMountEilio—whichby—the—byeispartofthechineofSnowdon—andPenDrwsCoed。Thelatter，thatcouchantelephantwithitsheadturnedtothenorth—east，seemsasifitwishedtobarthepasswithitstrunk；byitstrunkImeanakindofjaggyridgewhichdescendsdowntotheroad。Ienteredthegorge，passingnearalittlewaterfallwhichwithmuchnoiserunsdowntheprecipitoussideofMountEilio；presentlyIcametoalittlemillbythesideofabrookrunningtowardstheeast。Iaskedthemiller—woman，whowasstandingnearthemill，withherheadturnedtowardsthesettingsun，thenameofthemillandthestream。"Themilliscalled’ThemilloftheriverofLakeCwellyn，’"saidshe，"andtheriveriscalledtheriverofLakeCwellyn。"
"Andwhoownstheland？"saidI。
"SirRichard，"saidshe。"ISirRichardywynperthynytir。MrWilliams，however，possessessomepartofMountEilio。"
"AndwhoisMrWilliams？"saidI。
"WhoisMrWilliams？"saidthemiller’swife。"Ho，ho！whatastrangeryoumustbetoaskmewhoisMrWilliams。"
Ismiledandpassedon。Themillwasbelowtheleveloftheroad，anditswheelwasturnedbythewaterofalittleconduitsuppliedbythebrookatsomedistanceabovethemill。IhadobservedsimilarconduitsemployedforsimilarpurposesinCornwall。A
littlebelowthemillwasaweir，andalittlebelowtheweirtheriverranfrothingpasttheextremeendoftheelephant’ssn
