castle rackrent-第14部分

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…way　provoking　things；　asked　my　master；　was　he　fit　company　for　her；　and　he　drinking　all　night？　　This　nettling　him；　which　it　was　hard　to　do；　he　replied；　that　as　to　drinking　all　night；　he　was　then　as　sober　as　she　was　herself；　and　that　it　was　no　matter　how　much　a　man　drank；　provided　it　did　noways　affect　or　stagger　him：　that　as　to　being　fit　company　for　her；　he　thought　himself　of　a　family　to　be　fit　company　for　any　lord　or　lady　in　the　land；　but　that　he　never　prevented　her　from　seeing　and　keeping　what　company　she　pleased；　and　that　he　had　done　his　best　to　make　Castle　Rackrent　pleasing　to　her　since　her　marriage；　having　always　had　the　house　full　of　visitors；　and　if　her　own　relations　were　not　amongst　them；　he　said　that　was　their　own　fault；　and　their　pride's　fault；　of　which　he　was　sorry　to　find　her　ladyship　had　so　unbecoming　a　share。　　So　concluding；　he　took　his　candle　and　walked　off　to　his　room；　and　my　lady　was　in　her　tantarums　for　three　days　after；　and　would　have　been　so　much　longer；　no　doubt；　but　some　of　her　friends；　young　ladies；　and　cousins；　and　second　cousins；　came　to　Castle　Rackrent；　by　my　poor　master's　express　invitation；　to　see　her；　and　she　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　up；　as　Mrs。　Jane　called　it；　a　play　for　them；　and　so　got　well；　and　was　as　finely　dressed；　and　as　happy　to　look　at；　as　ever；　and　all　the　young　ladies；　who　used　to　be　in　her　room　dressing　of　her；　said　in　Mrs。　Jane's　hearing　that　my　lady　was　the　happiest　bride　ever　they　had　seen；　and　that　to　be　sure　a　love…　match　was　the　only　thing　for　happiness；　where　the　parties　could　any　way　afford　it。

As　to　affording　it；　God　knows　it　was　little　they　knew　of　the　matter；　my　lady's　few　thousands　could　not　last　for　ever；　especially　the　way　she　went　on　with　them；　and　letters　from　tradesfolk　came　every　post　thick　and　threefold；　with　bills　as　long　as　my　arm；　of　years'　and　years'　standing。　　My　son　Jason　had　'em　all　handed　over　to　him；　and　the　pressing　letters　were　all　unread　by　Sir　Condy；　who　hated　trouble；　and　could　never　be　brought　to　hear　talk　of　business；　but　still　put　it　off　and　put　it　off；　saying；　'Settle　it　anyhow；'　or；　'Bid　'em　call　again　to…　morrow；'　or；　'Speak　to　me　about　it　some　other　time。'　　Now　it　was　hard　to　find　the　right　time　to　speak；　for　in　the　mornings　he　was　a…bed；　and　in　the　evenings　over　his　bottle；　where　no　gentleman　chooses　to　be　disturbed。　　Things　in　a　twelvemonth　or　so　came　to　such　a　pass　there　was　no　making　a　shift　to　go　on　any　longer；　though　we　were　all　of　us　well　enough　used　to　live　from　hand　to　mouth　at　Castle　Rackrent。　　One　day；　I　remember；　when　there　was　a　power　of　company；　all　sitting　after　dinner　in　the　dusk；　not　to　say　dark；　in　the　drawing…room；　my　lady　having　rung　five　times　for　candles；　and　none　to　go　up；　the　housekeeper　sent　up　the　footman；　who　went　to　my　mistress；　and　whispered　behind　her　chair　how　it　was。

'My　lady；'　says　he；　'there　are　no　candles　in　the　house。'

'Bless　me；'　says　she；　'then　take　a　horse　and　gallop　off　as　fast　as　you　can　to　Carrick　O'Fungus；　and　get　some。'

'And　in　the　meantime　tell　them　to　step　into　the　playhouse；　and　try　if　there　are　not　some　bits　left；'　added　Sir　Condy；　who　happened；　to　be　within　hearing。　　The　man　was　sent　up　again　to　my　lady；　to　let　her　know　there　was　no　horse　to　go；　but　one　that　wanted　a　shoe。

'Go　to　Sir　Condy　then；　I　know　nothing　at　all　about　the　horses；'　said　my　lady；　'why　do　you　plague　me　with　these　things？'　　How　it　was　settled　I　really　forget；　but　to　the　best　of　my　remembrance；　the　boy　was　sent　down　to　my　son　Jason's　to　borrow　candles　for　the　night。　　Another　time；　in　the　winter；　and　on　a　desperate　cold　day；　there　was　no　turf　in　for　the　parlour　and　above　stairs；　and　scarce　enough　for　the　cook　in　the　kitchen。　　The　little　GOSSOON　was　sent　off　to　the　neighbours；　to　see　and　beg　or　borrow　some；　but　none　could　he　bring　back　with　him　for　love　or　money；　　＇GOSSOON：　a　little　boyfrom　the　French　word　GARCON。　In　most　Irish　families　there　used　to　be　a　barefooted　gossoon；　who　was　slave　to　the　cook　and　the　butler；　and　who；　in　fact；　without　wages；　did　all　the　hard　work　of　the　house。　　Gossoons　were　always　employed　as　messengers。　The　Editor　has　known　a　gossoon　to　go　on　foot；　without　shoes　or　stockings；　fifty…one　English　miles　between　sunrise　and　sunset。＇　so；　as　needs　must；　we　were　forced　to　trouble　Sir　Condy'Well；　and　if　there's　no　turf　to　be　had　in　the　town　or　country；　why；　what　signifies　talking　any　more　about　it；　can't　ye　go　and　cut　down　a　tree？'

'Which　tree；　please　your　honour？'　I　made　bold　to　say。

'Any　tree　at　all　that's　good　to　burn；'　said　Sir　Condy；　'send　off　smart　and　get　one　down；　and　the　fires　lighted；　before　my　lady　gets　up　to　breakfast；　or　the　house　will　be　too　hot　to　hold　us。'

He　was　always　very　considerate　in　all　things　about　my　lady；　and　she　wanted　for　nothing　whilst　he　had　it　to　give。　　Well；　when　things　were　tight　with　them　about　this　time；　my　son　Jason　put　in　a　word　again　about　the　Lodge；　and　made　a　genteel　offer　to　lay　down　the　purchase…money；　to　relieve　Sir　Condy's　distresses。　　Now　Sir　Condy　had　it　from　the　best　authority　that　there　were　two　writs　come　down　to　the　sheriff　against　his　person；　and　the　sheriff；　as　ill…luck　would　have　it；　was　no　friend　of　his；　and　talked　how　he　must　do　his　duty；　and　how　he　would　do　it；　if　it　was　against　the　first　man　in　the　country；　or　even　his　own　brother；　let　alone　one　who　had　voted　against　him　at　the　last　election；　as　Sir　Condy　had　done。　　So　Sir　Condy　was　fain　to　take　the　purchase…　money　of　the　Lodge　from　my　son　Jason　to　settle　matters；　and　sure　enough　it　was　a　good　bargain　for　both　parties；　for　my　son　bought　the　fee…simple　of　a　good　house　for　him　and　his　heirs　for　ever；　for　little　or　nothing；　and　by　selling　of　it　for　that　same　my　master　saved　himself　from　a　gaol。　　Every　way　it　turned　out　fortunate　for　Sir　Condy；　for　before　the　money　was　all　gone　there　came　a　general　election；　and　he　being　so　well　beloved　in　the　county；　and　one　of　the　oldest　families；　no　one　had　a　better　right　to　stand　candidate　for　the　vacancy；　and　he　was　called　upon　by　all　his　friends；　and　the　whole　county　I　may　say；　to　declare　himself　against　the　old　member；　who　had　little　thought　of　a　contest。　　My　master　did　not　relish　the　thoughts　of　a　troublesome　canvass；　and　all　the　ill…will　he　might　bring　upon　himself　by　disturbing　the　peace　of　the　county；　besides　the　expense；　which　was　no　trifle；　but　all　his　friends　called　upon　one　another　to　subscribe；　and　they　formed　themselves　into　a　committee；　and　wrote　all　his　circular　letters　for　him；　and　engaged　all　his　agents；　and　did　all　the　business　unknown　to　him；　and　he　was　well　pleased　that　it　should　be　so　at　last；　and　my　lady　herself　was　very　sanguine　about　the　election；　and　there　was　open　house　kept　night　and　day　at　Castle　Rackrent；　and　I　thought　I　never　saw　my　lady　look　so　well　in　her　life　as　she　did　at　that　time。　　There　were　grand　dinners；　and　all　the　gentlemen　drinking　success　to　Sir　Condy　till　they　were　carried　off；　and　then　dances　and　balls；　and　the　ladies　all　finishing　with　a　raking　pot　of　tea　in　the　morning　＇See　GLOSSARY　25＇。　　Indeed；　it　was　well　the　company　made　it　their　choice　to　sit　up　all　nights；　for　there　were　not　half　beds　enough　for　the　sights　of　people　that　were　in　it；　though　there　were　shake…downs　in　the　drawing…room　always　made　up　before　sunrise　for　those　that　liked　it。　　For　my　part；　when　I　saw　the　doings　that　were　going　on；　and　the　loads　of　claret　that　went　down　the　throats　of　them　that　had　no　right　to　be　asking　for　it；　and　the　sights　of　meat　that　went　up　to　table　and　never　came　down；　besides　what　was　carried　off　to　one　or　t'other　below　stair；　I　couldn't　but　pity　my　poor　master；　who　was　to　pay　for　all；　but　I　said　nothing；　for　fear　of　gaining　myself　ill…will。　　The　day　of　election　will　come　some　time　or　other；　says　I　to　myself；　and　all　will　be　over；　and　so　it　did；　and　a　glorious　day　it　was　as　any　I　ever　had　the　happiness　to　see。

'Huzza！　　huzza！　　Sir　Condy　Rackrent　for　ever！'　　was　the　first　thing　I　hears　in　the　morning；　and　the　same　and　nothing　else　all　day；　and　not　a　soul　sober　only　just　when　polling；　enough　to　give　their　votes　as　became　'em；　and　to　stand　the　browbeating　of　the　lawyers；　who　came　tight　enough　upon　us；　and　many　of　our　freeholders　were　knocked　off；　having　never　a　freehold　that　they　could　safely　swear　to；　and　Sir　Condy　was　not　willing　to　have　any　man　perjure　himself　for　his　sake；　as　was　done　on　the　other　side；　God　knows；　but　no　matter　for　that。　　Some　of　our　friends　were　dumbfounded　by　the　lawyers　asking　them：　　Had　they　ever　been　upon　the　ground　where　their　freeholds　lay？　　Now；　Sir　Condy　being　tender　of　the　consciences　of　them　that　had　not　been　on　the　ground；　and　so　could　not　swear　to　a　freehold　when　cross…examined　by　them　lawyers；　sent　out　for　a　couple　of　cleavesful　of　the　sods　of　his　farm　of　Gulteeshinnagh；　＇At　St。　Patrick's　meeting；　London；　March　1806；　the　Duke　of　Sussex　said　he　had　the　honour　of　bearing　an　Irish　title；　and；　with　the　permission　of　the　company；　he　should　tell　them　an　anecdote　of　what　he　had　experienced　on　his　travels。　When　he　was　at　Rome　he　went　to　visit　an　Irish　seminary；　and　when　they　heard　who　it　was；　and　that　he　had　an　Irish　title；　some　of　them　asked　him；　'Please　your　Royal　Highness；　since　you　are　an　Irish　peer；　will　you　tell　us　if　you　ever　trod　upon　Irish　ground？'　　When　he　told　them　he　had　not；　'Oh；　then；'　said　one　of　the　Order；　'you　shall　soon　do　so。'　　They　then　spread　some　earth；　which　had　been　brought　from　Ireland；　on　a　marble　slab；　and　made　him　stand　upon　it。＇　　and　as　soon　as　the　sods　came　into　town；　he　set　each　man　upon　his　sod；　and　so　then；　ever　after；　you　know；　they　could　fairly　swear　they　had　been　upon　the　ground。　　＇This　was　actually　done　at　an　election　in　Ireland。＇　　We　gained　the　day　by　this　piece　of　honesty　＇See　GLOSSARY　26＇。　　I　thought　I　should　have　died　in　the　streets　for　joy　when　I　seed　my　poor　master　chaired；　and　he　bareheaded；　and　it　raining　as　hard　as　it　could　pour；　but　all　the　crowds　following　him　up　and　down；　and　he　bowing　and　shaking　hands　with　the　whole　town。

'Is　that　Sir　Condy　Rackrent　in　the　chair？'　　says　a　stranger　man　in　the　crowd。

'The　same；'　says　I。　　'Who　else　should　it　be？　　God　bless　him！'

'And　I　take　it；　then；　you　belong　to　him？'　　says　he。

'Not　at　all；'　says　I；　'but　I　live　under　him；　and　have　done　so　these　two　hundred　years　and　upwards；　me　and　mine。'

'It's　lucky　for　you；　then；'