第47章

andbeyondtheseIcaughtasightofthemountainonthetopofwhichIhadbeenthenightbefore—onlyapartialone，however，aslargemassesofmistwerestillhangingaboutit。Themorningwasmoistanddripping，andnothingcouldlookmorecheerlessanduncomfortablethantheentirescene。

Iputonmythings，whichwerestillnothalfdry，andwentdownintothelittleparlour，whereIfoundanexcellentfireawaitingme，andatablespreadforbreakfast。Thebreakfastwasdelicious，consistingofexcellenttea，butteredtoast，andGlamorgansausages，whichIreallythinkarenotawhitinferiortothoseofEpping。AfterbreakfastIwentintothekitchen，whichwasnowonlyoccupiedbytwoorthreepeople。Seeingalargebrushonadresser，Itookitup，andwasabouttobrushmynetherhabiliments，whichwereterriblybespatteredwithhalf—driedmire。

Before，however，Icouldbegin，upstartedoneofthemen，awild，shock—headedfellowdressedlikeacarter，inroughbluefriezecoat，yellow，broadcorduroytrowsers，greywoollenstockingsandhighlows，andsnatchingthebrushoutofmyhand，felltobrushingmemostvigorously，puffingandblowingallthetimeinamosttremendousmanner。Ididnotrefusehisservices，butlethimgoon，andtorewardhimasIthought，spokekindlytohim，askinghimvariousquestions。"Areyouacarter？"saidI。Noanswer。"OneofTwmO’rNant’speople？"Noanswer。"FamousfellowthatTwmO’rNant，wasn’the？DidyoueverhearhowhegotthegreattreeinatCarmarthenGate？Whatiswoodperfootatpresent？Whomdoyoucartfor？Orareyouyourownmaster？Ifso，howmanyhorsesdoyoukeep？"

Tonotoneofthesequestions，nortoadozenotherswhichIput，bothinEnglishandWelsh，didmyfriendwiththebrushreturnanyverbalanswer，thoughIcouldoccasionallyhearakindofstifledgiggleproceedingfromhim。Havingatlengththoroughlybrushednotonlymyclothes，butmybootsandmyhat，whichlastarticlehetookfrommyhead，andplaceditonagainverydexterously，afterbrushingit，heputthebrushdownonthedresser，andthenadvancingtomemademeabow，andwavinghisforefingerbackwardsandforwardsbeforemyface，hesaid，withabroadgrin："Nicegentleman—willdoanythingforhimbutanswerquestions，andlethimhearmydiscourse。Lovetolistentohispleasantstoriesofforeignlands，ghostsandtylwithteg；butbeforehim，deemitwisetobemum，quitemum。Knowwhathecomesabout。Wantstoheardiscourseofpoorman，thathemaylearnfromitpoorman’slittlewaysandinfirmities，andmarkthemdowninonesmall，littlebooktoserveforfuntoLordPalmerstonandtheothergreatgentlefolksinLondon。Niceman，civilman，Idon’tdeny；andclebbermantoo，forheknowsWelsh，andhasbeeneverywhere—butfox—oldfox—

livesatPlasyCadno。"（18）

Havingbeeninformedthattherewasaconsiderableironfoundrycloseby，Ithoughtitwouldbeworthmywhiletogoandseeit。I

enteredthepremises，andwasstandingandlookinground，whenamanwiththeappearanceofarespectablemechaniccameupandofferedtoshowmeovertheplace。Igladlyacceptedhisoffer，andheshowedmeallabouttheironfoundry。Isawalargesteam—

engineatfullplay，terriblefurnaces，andimmenseheapsofburning，cracklingcinders，andafierystreamofmoltenmetalrollingalong。Afterseeingwhattherewastobeseen，Iofferedapieceofsilvertomykindconductor，whichheatoncerefused。Onmyaskinghim，however，togototheinnandhaveafriendlyglass，hesmiled，andsaidhehadnoobjection。Sowewenttotheinn，andhadtwofriendlyglassesofwhiskey—and—watertogether，andalsosomediscourse。IaskedhimiftherewereanyEnglishemployedonthepremises。"None，"saidhe，"norIrisheither；weareallWelsh。"ThoughhewasaWelshman，hisnamewasaverycommonEnglishone。

Afterpayingthereckoning，whichonlyamountedtothreeandsixpence，IdepartedforSwansea，distantaboutthirteenmiles。

GutterVawrconsistsofonestreet，extendingforsomelittlewayalongtheSwansearoad，thefoundry，andanumberofhutsandhousesscatteredhereandthere。Thepopulationiscomposedalmostentirelyofminers，theworkersatthefoundry，andtheirfamilies。

ForthefirsttwoorthreemilesthecountrythroughwhichIpasseddidnotatallprepossessmeinfavourofGlamorganshire：itconsistedoflow，sullen，peatyhills。Subsequently，however，itimprovedrapidly，becomingbold，wild，andpleasantlywooded。Theaspectofthedayimproved，also，withtheappearanceofthecountry。WhenIfirststartedthemorningwaswretchedanddrizzly，butinlessthananhouritclearedupwonderfully，andthesunbegantoflashout。AsIlookedonthebrightluminaryI

thoughtofAbGwilym’sodetothesunandGlamorgan，andwithbreastheavingandwitheyesfulloftears，Ibegantorepeatpartsofit，orratherofatranslationmadeinmyhappyboyishyears：—

"Eachmorn，benignofcountenance，UponGlamorgan’spennonglance！

EachafternooninbeautyclearAbovemyowndearboundsappear！

Brightoutlineofablessedclime，Again，thoughsunk，arisesublime—

Uponmyerrand，swiftrepair，AnduntogreenGlamorganbearGooddaysandtermsofcourtesyFrommydearcountryandfromme！

Moveround—butneedItheecommand？—

Itschalk—whitehalls，whichcheerfulstand—

Pleasantthyownpavilionstoo—

Itsfieldsandorchardsfairtoview。

"O，pleasantisthytaskandhighInradiantwarmthtoroamthesky，Tokeepfromillthatkindlyground，Itsmeadsandfarms，wheremeadisfound，Alandwhosecommonslivecontent，Whereeachman’slotisexcellent，Wherehoststohailtheeshallupstand，Whereladsareboldandlassesbland，AlandIoftfromhillthat’shighHavegazeduponwithraptur’deye；

Wheremaidsaretrainedinvirtue’sschool，Whereduteouswivesspindaintywool；

Acountrywitheachgiftsupplied，ConfrontingCornwall’scliffsofpride。"

CametoLlanguick，ahamletsituatednearatremendousgorge，thesidesofwhichwerecoveredwithwood。ThencetothevillageofTawyBridge，atthebottomofabeautifulvalley，throughwhichrunstheTawy，which，aftertheTaf，isthemostconsiderableriverinGlamorganshire。Continuingmycourse，Ipassedbyanenormousedificewhichstoodonmyrighthand。Ithadhugechimneys，whichwerecastingforthsmoke，andfromwithinIheardthenoiseofasteam—engineandtheroaroffurnaces。

"Whatplaceisthis？"said，Itoaboy。

"Gwaithhaiarn，sir；ymperthyniMrPearson。MrPearson’sironworks，sir。"

Iproceeded，andinabouthalf—an—hoursawamanwalkingbeforemeinthesamedirectioninwhichIwas。Hewasgoingverybriskly，butIsooncameuptohim。Hewasasmall，well—madefellow，withreddishhairandruddy，determinedcountenance，somewhattanned。

Heworeastrawhat，checkeredshirt，openattheneck，canvastrousersandbluejacket。Onhisfeetwereshoesremarkablythin，butnostockings，andinhishandheheldastoutstick，withwhich，justbeforeIovertookhim，hestruckaroundstonewhichlayontheground，sendingitflyingatleastfiftyyardsbeforehimontheroad，andfollowingitinitsflightwithawildandsomewhatstartlinghalloo。

"Good—day，myfriend，"saidI；"youseemtobeabletouseastick。"

"AndsureIoughttobe，yourhonour，seeingashowmyfathertaughtme，whowasthebestfightingmanwithastickthattheShanavestseverhad。ManyistheheadofaCaravautthathehasbrokenwithsomesuchanAlpeenwattleastheoneIamcarryingwithmehere。"

"Agoodthing，"saidI，"thattherearenoOldWaist—coatsandCravatsatpresent，atleastbloodyfactionsbearingthosenames。"

"Yourhonourthinksso！Faith！Iamclaneofacontraryopinion。

IwishtheouldShanavestsandCaravautswerefightingstill，andI

amongthem。Faith！therewassomelifeinIrelandintheirdays。"

"Andplentyofdeathtoo，"saidI。"HowfortunateitisthattheIrishhavetheEnglishamongthemtopreventtheircuttingeachother’sthroats。"

"TheEnglishpreventtheIrishfromcuttingeachother’sthroats！

Well，iftheydo，itisonlythattheymayhavethepleasureofcuttingthemthemselves。Thebloodytyrants！toolonghastheirfootbeenupontheneckofpooroldIreland。"

"HowdotheEnglishtyranniseoverIreland？"

"Howdotheytyranniseoverher？Don’ttheypreventherfromhavingthefreeexerciseofherCatholicreligion，andmakeherhelptosupporttheirownProtestantone？"

"Well，anddon’ttheRomanCatholicspreventtheProtestantsfromhavingthefreeexerciseoftheirreligion，whenevertheyhappentobethemostnumerous，anddon’ttheymakethemhelptosupporttheRomanCatholicreligion？"

"Ofcoursetheydo，andquiteright！Ha