castle rackrent-第15部分

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！


'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；'　rejoins　he；　'that　he　is　where　he　is；　for　was　he　anywhere　else　but　in　the　chair；　this　minute　he'd　be　in　a　worse　place；　for　I　was　sent　down　on　purpose　to　put　him　up；　＇TO　PUT　HIM　UP：　to　put　him　in　gaol＇　and　here's　my　order　for　so　doing　in　my　pocket。'

It　was　a　writ　that　villain　the　wine　merchant　had　marked　against　my　poor　master　for　some　hundreds　of　an　old　debt；　which　it　was　a　shame　to　be　talking　of　at　such　a　time　as　this。

'Put　it　in　your　pocket　again；　and　think　no　more　of　it　anyways　for　seven　years　to　come；　my　honest　friend；'　says　I；　'he's　a　member　of　Parliament　now；　praised　be　God；　and　such　as　you　can't　touch　him：　and　if　you'll　take　a　fool's　advice；　I'd　have　you　keep　out　of　the　way　this　day；　or　you'll　run　a　good　chance　of　getting　your　deserts　amongst　my　master's　friends；　unless　you　choose　to　drink　his　health　like　everybody　else。'

'I've　no　objection　to　that　in　life；'　said　he。　　So　we　went　into　one　of　the　public…houses　kept　open　for　my　master；　and　we　had　a　great　deal　of　talk　about　this　thing　and　that。　　'And　how　is　it；'　says　he；　'your　master　keeps　on　so　well　upon　his　legs？　　I　heard　say　he　was　off　Holantide　twelvemonth　past。'

'Never　was　better　or　heartier　in　his　life；'　said　I。

'It's　not　that　I'm　after　speaking　of'　said　he；　'but　there　was　a　great　report　of　his　being　ruined。〃

'No　matter；'　says　I；　'the　sheriffs　two　years　running　were　his　particular　friends；　and　the　sub…sheriffs　were　both　of　them　gentlemen；　and　were　properly　spoken　to；　and　so　the　writs　lay　snug　with　them；　and　they；　as　I　understand　by　my　son　Jason　the　custom　in　them　cases　is；　returned　the　writs　as　they　came　to　them　to　those　that　sent　'em　much　good　may　it　do　them！with　a　word　in　Latin；　that　no　such　person　as　Sir　Condy　Rackrent；　Bart。；　was　to　be　found　in　those　parts。'

'Oh；　I　understand　all　those　ways　betterno　offencethan　you；'　says　he；　laughing；　and　at　the　same　time　filling　his　glass　to　my　master's　good　health；　which　convinced　me　he　was　a　warm　friend　in　his　heart　after　all；　though　appearances　were　a　little　suspicious　or　so　at　first。　　'To　be　sure；'　says　he；　still　cutting　his　joke；　'when　a　man's　over　head　and　shoulders　in　debt；　he　may　live　the　faster　for　it；　and　the　better　if　he　goes　the　right　way　about　it；　or　else　how　is　it　so　many　live　on　so　well；　as　we　see　every　day；　after　they　are　ruined？'

'How　is　it；'　says　I；　being　a　little　merry　at　the　time'how　is　it　but　just　as　you　see　the　ducks　in　the　chicken…yard；　just　after　their　heads　are　cut　off　by　the　cook；　running　round　and　round　faster　than　when　alive？'

At　which　conceit　he　fell　a…laughing；　and　remarked　he　had　never　had　the　happiness　yet　to　see　the　chicken…yard　at　Castle　Rackrent。

'It　won't　be　long　so；　I　hope；'　says　I；　'you'll　be　kindly　welcome　there；　as　everybody　is　made　by　my　master：　　there　is　not　a　freer…　spoken　gentleman；　or　a　better　beloved；　high　or　low；　in　all　Ireland。'

And　of　what　passed　after　this　I'm　not　sensible；　for　we　drank　Sir　Candy's　good　health　and　the　downfall　of　his　enemies　till　we　could　stand　no　longer　ourselves。　　And　little　did　I　think　at　the　time；　or　till　long　after；　how　I　was　harbouring　my　poor　master's　greatest　of　enemies　myself。　　This　fellow　had　the　impudence；　after　coming　to　see　the　chicken…yard；　to　get　me　to　introduce　him　to　my　son　Jason；　little　more　than　the　man　that　never　was　born　did　I　guess　at　his　meaning　by　this　visit：　　he　gets　him　a　correct　list　fairly　drawn　out　from　my　son　Jason　of　all　my　master's　debts；　and　goes　straight　round　to　the　creditors　and　buys　them　all　up；　which　he　did　easy　enough；　seeing　the　half　of　them　never　expected　to　see　their　money　out　of　Sir　Condy's　hands。　　Then；　when　this　base…　minded　limb　of　the　law；　as　I　afterwards　detected　him　in　being；　grew　to　be　sole　creditor　over　all；　he　takes　him　out　a　custodiam　on　all　the　denominations　and　sub…denominations；　and　even　carton　and　half…carton　upon　the　estate　＇See　GLOSSARY　27＇；　and　not　content　with　that；　must　have　an　execution　against　the　master's　goods　and　down　to　the　furniture；　though　little　worth；　of　Castle　Rackrent　itself。　　But　this　is　a　part　of　my　story　I'm　not　come　to　yet；　and　it's　bad　to　be　forestalling：　　ill　news　flies　fast　enough　all　the　world　over。

To　go　back　to　the　day　of　the　election；　which　I　never　think　of　but　with　pleasure　and　tears　of　gratitude　for　those　good　times：　　after　the　election　was　quite　and　clean　over；　there　comes　shoals　of　people　from　all　parts；　claiming　to　have　obliged　my　master　with　their　votes；　and　putting　him　in　mind　of　promises　which　he　could　never　remember　himself　to　have　made：　　one　was　to　have　a　freehold　for　each　of　his　four　sons；　another　was　to　have　a　renewal　of　a　lease；　another　an　abatement；　one　came　to　be　paid　ten　guineas　for　a　pair　of　silver　buckles　sold　my　master　on　the　hustings；　which　turned　out　to　be　no　better　than　copper　gilt；　another　had　a　long　bill　for　oats；　the　half　of　which　never　went　into　the　granary　to　my　certain　knowledge；　and　the　other　half　was　not　fit　for　the　cattle　to　touch；　but　the　bargain　was　made　the　week　before　the　election；　and　the　coach　and　saddle…horses　were　got　into　order　for　the　day；　besides　a　vote　fairly　got　by　them　oats；　so　no　more　reasoning　on　that　head。　　But　then　there　was　no　end　to　them　that　were　telling　Sir　Condy　he　had　engaged　to　make　their　sons　excisemen；　or　high　constables；　or　the　like；　and　as　for　them　that　had　bills　to　give　in　for　liquor；　and　beds；　and　straw；　and　ribands；　and　horses；　and　post…chaises　for　the　gentlemen　freeholders　that　came　from　all　parts　and　other　counties　to　vote　for　my　master；　and　were　not；　to　be　sure；　to　be　at　any　charges；　there　was　no　standing　against　all　these；　and；　worse　than　all；　the　gentlemen　of　my　master's　committee；　who　managed　all　for　him；　and　talked　how　they'd　bring　him　in　without　costing　him　a　penny；　and　subscribed　by　hundreds　very　genteelly；　forgot　to　pay　their　subscriptions；　and　had　laid　out　in　agents'　and　lawyers'　fees　and　secret　service　money　to　the　Lord　knows　how　much；　and　my　master　could　never　ask　one　of　them　for　their　subscription　you　are　sensible；　nor　for　the　price　of　a　fine　horse　he　had　sold　one　of　them；　so　it　all　was　left　at　his　door。　　He　could　never；　God　bless　him　again！　　I　say；　bring　himself　to　ask　a　gentleman　for　money；　despising　such　sort　of　conversation　himself；　but　others；　who　were　not　gentlemen　born；　behaved　very　uncivil　in　pressing　him　at　this　very　time；　and　all　he　could　do　to　content　'em　all　was　to　take　himself　out　of　the　way　as　fast　as　possible　to　Dublin；　where　my　lady　had　taken　a　house　fitting　for　him　as　a　member　of　Parliament；　to　attend　his　duty　in　there　all　the　winter。　　I　was　very　lonely　when　the　whole　family　was　gone；　and　all　the　things　they　had　ordered　to　go；　and　forgot；　sent　after　them　by　the　car。　　There　was　then　a　great　silence　in　Castle　Rackrent；　and　I　went　moping　from　room　to　room；　hearing　the　doors　clap　for　want　of　right　locks；　and　the　wind　through　the　broken　windows；　that　the　glazier　never　would　come　to　mend；　and　the　rain　coming　through　the　roof　and　best　ceilings　all　over　the　house　for　want　of　the　slater；　whose　bill　was　not　paid；　besides　our　having　no　slates　or　shingles　for　that　part　of　the　old　building　which　was　shingled　and　burnt　when　the　chimney　took　fire；　and　had　been　open　to　the　weather　ever　since。　I　took　myself　to　the　servants'　hall　in　the　evening　to　smoke　my　pipe　as　usual；　but　missed　the　bit　of　talk　we　used　to　have　there　sadly；　and　ever　after　was　content　to　stay　in　the　kitchen　and　boil　my　little　potatoes；　＇MY　LITTLE　POTATOES。Thady　does　not　mean　by　this　expression　that　his　potatoes　were　less　than　other　people's；　or　less　than　the　usual　size。　LITTLE　is　here　used　only　as　an　Italian　diminutive；　expressive　of　fondness。＇　and　put　up　my　bed　there；　and　every　post…day　I　looked　in　the　newspaper；　but　no　news　of　my　master　in　the　House；　he　never　spoke　good　or　bad；　but；　as　the　butler　wrote　down　word　to　my　son　Jason；　was　very　ill…used　by　the　Government　about　a　place　that　was　promised　him　and　never　given；　after　his　supporting　them　against　his　conscience　very　honourably；　and　being　greatly　abused　for　it；　which　hurt　him　greatly；　he　having　the　name　of　a　great　patriot　in　the　country　before。　　The　house　and　living　in　Dublin　too　were　not　to　be　had　for　nothing；　and　my　son　Jason　said；　'Sir　Condy　must　soon　be　looking　out　for　a　new　agent；　for　I've　done　my　part；　and　can　do　no　more。　　If　my　lady　had　the　bank　of　Ireland　to　spend；　it　would　go　all　in　one　winter；　and　Sir　Condy　would　never　gainsay　her；　though　he　does　not　care　the　rind　of　a　lemon　for　her　all　the　while。'

Now　I　could　not　bear　to　hear　Jason　giving　out　after　this　manner　against　the　family；　and　twenty　people　standing　by　in　the　street。　Ever　since　he　had　lived　at　the　Lodge　of　his　own　he　looked　down；　howsomever；　upon　poor　old　Thady；　and　was　grown　quite　a　great　gentleman；　and　had　none　of　his　relations　near　him；　no　wonder　he　was　no　kinder　to　poor　Sir　Condy　than　to　his　own　kith　or　kin。　＇KITH　AND　KIN：　family　or　relations。　KIN　from　KIND；　KITH　from　we　know　not　what。＇　In　the　spring　it　was　the　villain　that　got　the　list　of　the　debts　from　him　brought　down　the　custodiam；　Sir　Condy　still　attending　his　duty　in　Parliament　and　I　could　scarcely　believe　my　own　old　eyes；　or　the　spectacles　with　which　I　read　it；　when　I　was　shown　my　son　Jason's　name　joined　in　the　custodiam；　but　he　told　me　it　was　only　for　form's　sake；　and　to　make　things　easier　than　if　all　the　land　was　under　the　power　of　a　total　stranger。　Well；　I　did　not　know　what　to　think；　it　was　hard　to　be　talking　ill　of　my　own；　and　I　could　not　but　grieve　for　my　poor　master's　fine　estate；　all　torn　by　these　vultures　of　the　law；　so　I　said　nothing；　but　just　looked　on　to　see　how　it　would　all　end。

It　was　not　till　the　month　of　June　that　he　and　my　lady　came　down　to　the　country。　　My　master　was　pleased　to　take　me　aside　with　him　to　the　brewhouse　that　same　evening；　to　complain　to　me　of　my　son　and　other　matters；　in　which　he　said　he　was　confident　I　had　neither　art　nor　part；　he　said　a　great　deal　more　to　me；　to　whom　he　had　been　fond　to　talk　ever　since　he　was　my　white…headed　boy　before　he　came　to　the　estate；　and　all　that　he　said　about　poor　Judy　I　can　never　forget；　but　scorn　to　repeat。　　He　did　not　say　an　unkind　word　of　my　lady；　but　wondered；　as　well　he　m