castle rackrent(拉克伦特堡)-第26节
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see you come to life all on a sudden this way without the least
preparation。'
So he lays him still； though well nigh stifled； and I made all haste to
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tell the secret of the joke； whispering to one and t'other； and there was a
great surprise； but not so great as we had laid out it would。 'And aren't
we to have the pipes and tobacco； after coming so far to…night？' said
some； but they were all well enough pleased when his honour got up to
drink with them； and sent for more spirits from a shebeen…house
＇'Shebeen… house；' a hedge alehouse。 Shebeen properly means weak；
small… beer； taplash。＇； where they very civilly let him have it upon credit。
So the night passed off very merrily； but to my mind Sir Condy was rather
upon the sad order in the midst of it all； not finding there had been such a
great talk about himself after his death as he had always expected to hear。
The next morning； when the house was cleared of them； and none but
my shister and myself left in the kitchen with Sir Condy； one opens the
door and walks in； and who should it be but Judy M'Quirk herself！ I
forgot to notice that she had been married long since； whilst young
Captain Moneygawl lived at the Lodge； to the captain's huntsman； who
after a whilst 'listed and left her； and was killed in the wars。 Poor Judy
fell off greatly in her good looks after her being married a year or two； and
being smoke…dried in the cabin； and neglecting herself like； it was hard for
Sir Condy himself to know her again till she spoke； but when she says； 'It's
Judy M'Quirk； please your honour； don't you remember her？'
'Oh； Judy； is it you？' says his honour。 'Yes； sure； I remember you very
well； but you're greatly altered； Judy；'
'Sure it's time for me；' says she。 'And I think your honour； since I seen
you lastbut that's a great while agois altered too。'
'And with reason； Judy；' says Sir Condy； fetching a sort of a sigh。 'But
how's this； Judy？' he goes on。 'I take it a little amiss of you that you
were not at my wake last night。'
'Ah； don't be being jealous of that；' says she； 'I didn't hear a sentence of
your honour's wake till it was all over； or it would have gone hard with me
but I would have been at it； sure； but I was forced to go ten miles up the
country three days ago to a wedding of a relation of my own's； and didn't
get home till after the wake was over。 But；' says she； 'it won't be so； I
hope； the next time； please your honour。' ＇At the coronation of one of our
monarchs the King complained of the confusion which happened in the
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procession。 'The great officer who presided told his Majesty that 'it
should not be so next time。'＇
'That we shall see； Judy；' says his honour； 'and maybe sooner than you
think for； for I've been very unwell this while past； and don't reckon
anyway I'm long for this world。'
At this Judy takes up the corner of her apron； and puts it first to one
eye and then to t'other； being to all appearance in great trouble； and my
shister put in her word； and bid his honour have a good heart； for she was
sure it was only the gout that Sir Patrick used to have flying about him；
and he ought to drink a glass or a bottle extraordinary to keep it out of his
stomach； and he promised to take her advice； and sent out for more spirits
immediately； and Judy made a sign to me； and I went over to the door to
her； and she said； 'I wonder to see Sir Condy so low： has he heard the
news？'
'What news？' says I。
'Didn't ye hear it； then？' says she； 'my Lady Rackrent that was is kilt
＇See GLOSSARY 29＇ and lying for dead； and I don't doubt but it's all over
with her by this time。'
'Mercy on us all；' says I； 'how was it？'
'The jaunting…car it was that ran away with her；' says Judy。 'I was
coming home that same time from Biddy M'Guggin's marriage； and a
great crowd of people too upon the road； coming from the fair of
Crookaghnawaturgh； and I sees a jaunting…car standing in the middle of
the road； and with the two wheels off and all tattered。 〃What's this？〃 says
I。 〃Didn't ye hear of it？〃 says they that were looking on； 〃it's my Lady
Rackrent's car； that was running away from her husband； and the horse
took fright at a carrion that lay across the road； and so ran away with the
jaunting…car； and my Lady Rackrent and her maid screaming； and the
horse ran with them against a car that was coming from the fair with the
boy asleep on it； and the lady's petticoat hanging out of the jaunting…car
caught； and she was dragged I can't tell you how far upon the road； and it
all broken up with the stones just going to be pounded； and one of the
road…makers； with his sledge…hammer in his hand； stops the horse at the
last； but my Lady Rackrent was all kilt and smashed；〃 ＇KILT AND
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SMASHED。Our author is not here guilty of an anti…climax。 The mere
English reader； from a similarity of sound between the words 'kilt' and
'killed；' might be induced to suppose that their meanings are similar； yet
they are not by any means in Ireland synonymous terms。 Thus you may
hear a man exclaim； 'I'm kilt and murdered！' but he frequently means only
that he has received a black eye or a slight contusion。 'I'm kilt all over'
means that he is in a worse state than being simply 'kilt。' Thus； 'I'm kilt
with the cold；' is nothing to 'I'm kilt all over with the rheumatism。'＇ and
they lifted her into a cabin hard by； and the maid was found after where
she had been thrown in the gripe of a ditch； her cap and bonnet all full of
bog water； and they say my lady can't live anyway。〃 Thady； pray now is
it true what I'm told for sartain； that Sir Condy has made over all to your
son Jason？'
'All；' says I。
'All entirely？' says she again。
'All entirely' says I。
'Then；' says she； 'that's a great shame； but don't be telling Jason what I
say。'
'And what is it you say？' cries Sir Condy； leaning over betwixt us；
which made Judy start greatly。 'I know the time when Judy M'Quirk would
never have stayed so long talking at the door and I in the house。'
'Oh！' says Judy； 'for shame； Sir Condy； times are altered since then；
and it's my Lady Rackrent you ought to be thinking of。'
'And why should I be thinking of her； that's not thinking of me now？'
says Sir Condy。
'No matter for that；' says Judy； very properly； 'it's time you should be
thinking of her； if ever you mean to do it at all； for don't you know she's
lying for death？'
'My Lady Rackrent！' says Sir Condy； in a surprise； 'why it's but two
days since we parted； as you very well know； Thady； in her full health and
spirits； and she； and her maid along with her； going to Mount Juliet's Town
on her jaunting…car。
'She'll never ride no more on her jaunting…car；' said Judy； 'for it has
been the death of her； sure enough。'
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And is she dead then？' says his honour。
'As good as dead； I hear；' says Judy； 'but there's Thady here as just
learnt the whole truth of the story as I had it； and it's fitter he or anybody
else should be telling it you than I； Sir Condy： I must be going home to
the childer。'
But he stops her； but rather from civility in him； as I could see very
plainly； than anything else； for Judy was； as his honour remarked at her
first coming in； greatly changed； and little likely； as far as I could see
though she did not seem to be clear of it herselflittle likely to be my
Lady Rackrent now；
