castle rackrent-第12节

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ly　knew　one　human　creature　from　another；　her　imprisonment　lasted　above　twenty　years。　　These　circumstances　may　appear　strange　to　an　English　reader；　but　there　is　no　danger　in　the　present　times　that　any　individual　should　exercise　such　tyranny　as　Colonel　M'Guire's　with　impunity；　the　power　being　now　all　in　the　hands　of　Government；　and　there　being　no　possibility　of　obtaining　from　Parliament　an　Act　of　indemnity　for　any　cruelties。＇

Then　his　honour　had　a　great　deal　of　company　to　dine　with　him；　and　balls　in　the　house；　and　was　as　gay　and　gallant；　and　as　much　himself　as　before　he　was　married；　and　at　dinner　he　always　drank　my　Lady　Rackrent's　good　health　and　so　did　the　company；　and　he　sent　out　always　a　servant　with　his　compliments　to　my　Lady　Rackrent；　and　the　company　was　drinking　her　ladyship's　health；　and　begged　to　know　if　there　was　anything　at　table　he　might　send　her；　and　the　man　came　back；　after　the　sham　errand；　with　my　Lady　Rackrent's　compliments；　and　she　was　very　much　obliged　to　Sir　Kit　she　did　not　wish　for　anything；　but　drank　the　company's　health。　The　country；　to　be　sure；　talked　and　wondered　at　my　lady's　being　shut　up；　but　nobody　chose　to　interfere　or　ask　any　impertinent　questions；　for　they　knew　my　master　was　a　man　very　apt　to　give　a　short　answer　himself；　and　likely　to　call　a　man　out　for　it　afterwards：　　he　was　a　famous　shot；　had　killed　his　man　before　he　came　of　age；　and　nobody　scarce　dared　look　at　him　whilst　at　Bath。　Sir　Kit's　character　was　so　well　known　in　the　country　that　he　lived　in　peace　and　quietness　ever　after；　and　was　a　great　favourite　with　the　ladies；　especially　when　in　process　of　time；　in　the　fifth　year　of　her　confinement；　my　Lady　Rackrent　fell　ill　and　took　entirely　to　her　bed；　and　he　gave　out　that　she　was　now　skin　and　bone；　and　could　not　last　through　the　winter。　　In　this　he　had　two　physicians'　opinions　to　back　him　（for　now　he　called　in　two　physicians　for　her）；　and　tried　all　his　arts　to　get　the　diamond　cross　from　her　on　her　death…bed；　and　to　get　her　to　make　a　will　in　his　favour　of　her　separate　possessions；　but　there　she　was　too　tough　for　him。　　He　used　to　swear　at　her　behind　her　back　after　kneeling　to　her　face；　and　call　her　in　the　presence　of　his　gentleman　his　stiff…necked　Israelite；　though　before　he　married　her　that　same　gentleman　told　me　he　used　to　call　her　（how　he　could　bring　it　out；　I　don't　know）　'my　pretty　Jessica！'　　To　be　sure　it　must　have　been　hard　for　her　to　guess　what　sort　of　a　husband　he　reckoned　to　make　her。　　When　she　was　lying；　to　all　expectation；　on　her　death…bed　of　a　broken　heart；　I　could　not　but　pity　her；　though　she　was　a　Jewish；　and　considering　too　it　was　no　fault　of　hers　to　be　taken　with　my　master；　so　young　as　she　was　at　the　Bath；　and　so　fine　a　gentleman　as　Sir　Kit　was　when　he　courted　her；　and　considering　too；　after　all　they　had　heard　and　seen　of　him　as　a　husband；　there　were　now　no　less　than　three　ladies　in　our　county　talked　of　for　his　second　wife；　all　at　daggers　drawn　with　each　other；　as　his　gentleman　swore；　at　the　balls；　for　Sir　Kit　for　their　partnerI　could　not　but　think　them　bewitched；　but　they　all　reasoned　with　themselves　that　Sir　Kit　would　make　a　good　husband　to　any　Christian　but　a　Jewish；　I　suppose；　and　especially　as　he　was　now　a　reformed　rake；　and　it　was　not　known　how　my　lady's　fortune　was　settled　in　her　will；　nor　how　the　Castle　Rackrent　estate　was　all　mortgaged；　and　bonds　out　against　him；　for　he　was　never　cured　of　his　gaming　tricks；　but　that　was　the　only　fault　he　had；　God　bless　him！

My　lady　had　a　sort　of　fit；　and　it　was　given　out　that　she　was　dead；　by　mistake：　　this　brought　things　to　a　sad　crisis　for　my　poor　master。　　One　of　the　three　ladies　showed　his　letters　to　her　brother；　and　claimed　his　promises；　whilst　another　did　the　same。　I　don't　mention　names。　　Sir　Kit；　in　his　defence；　said　he　would　meet　any　man　who　dared　to　question　his　conduct；　and　as　to　the　ladies；　they　must　settle　it　amongst　them　who　was　to　be　his　second；　and　his　third；　and　his　fourth；　whilst　his　first　was　still　alive；　to　his　mortification　and　theirs。　　Upon　this；　as　upon　all　former　occasions；　he　had　the　voice　of　the　country　with　him；　on　account　of　the　great　spirit　and　propriety　he　acted　with。　　He　met　and　shot　the　first　lady's　brother：　　the　next　day　he　called　out　the　second；　who　had　a　wooden　leg；　and　their　place　of　meeting　by　appointment　being　in　a　new…ploughed　field；　the　wooden…leg　man　stuck　fast　in　it。　　Sir　Kit；　seeing　his　situation；　with　great　candour　fired　his　pistol　over　his　head；　upon　which　the　seconds　interposed；　and　convinced　the　parties　there　had　been　a　slight　misunderstanding　between　them：　　thereupon　they　shook　hands　cordially；　and　went　home　to　dinner　together。　This　gentleman；　to　show　the　world　how　they　stood　together；　and　by　the　advice　of　the　friends　of　both　parties；　to　re…establish　his　sister's　injured　reputation；　went　out　with　Sir　Kit　as　his　second；　and　carried　his　message　next　day　to　the　last　of　his　adversaries：　　I　never　saw　him　in　such　fine　spirits　as　that　day　he　went　outsure　enough　he　was　within　ames…ace　of　getting　quit　handsomely　of　all　his　enemies；　but　unluckily；　after　hitting　the　toothpick　out　of　his　adversary's　finger　and　thumb；　he　received　a　ball　in　a　vital　part；　and　was　brought　home；　in　little　better　than　an　hour　after　the　affair；　speechless　on　a　hand…barrow　to　my　lady。　　We　got　the　key　out　of　his　pocket　the　first　thing　we　did；　and　my　son　Jason　ran　to　unlock　the　barrack…room；　where　my　lady　had　been　shut　up　for　seven　years；　to　acquaint　her　with　the　fatal　accident。　　The　surprise　bereaved　her　of　her　senses　at　first；　nor　would　she　believe　but　we　were　putting　some　new　trick　upon　her；　to　entrap　her　out　of　her　jewels；　for　a　great　while；　till　Jason　bethought　himself　of　taking　her　to　the　window；　and　showed　her　the　men　bringing　Sir　Kit　up　the　avenue　upon　the　hand…barrow；　which　had　immediately　the　desired　effect；　for　directly　she　burst　into　tears；　and　pulling　her　cross　from　her　bosom；　she　kissed　it　with　as　great　devotion　as　ever　I　witnessed；　and　lifting　up　her　eyes　to　heaven；　uttered　some　ejaculation；　which　none　present　heard；　but　I　take　the　sense　of　it　to　be；　she　returned　thanks　for　this　unexpected　interposition　in　her　favour　when　she　had　least　reason　to　expect　it。　　My　master　was　greatly　lamented：　　there　was　no　life　in　him　when　we　lifted　him　off　the　barrow；　so　he　was　laid　out　immediately；　and　'waked'　the　same　night。　　The　country　was　all　in　an　uproar　about　him；　and　not　a　soul　but　cried　shame　upon　his　murderer；　who　would　have　been　hanged　surely；　if　he　could　have　been　brought　to　his　trial；　whilst　the　gentlemen　in　the　country　were　up　about　it；　but　he　very　prudently　withdrew　himself　to　the　Continent　before　the　affair　was　made　public。　　As　for　the　young　lady　who　was　the　immediate　cause　of　the　fatal　accident；　however　innocently；　she　could　never　show　her　head　after　at　the　balls　in　the　county　or　any　place；　and　by　the　advice　of　her　friends　and　physicians；　she　was　ordered　soon　after　to　Bath；　where　it　was　expected；　if　anywhere　on　this　side　of　the　grave；　she　would　meet　with　the　recovery　of　her　health　and　lost　peace　of　mind。　　As　a　proof　of　his　great　popularity；　I　need　only　add　that　there　was　a　song　made　upon　my　master's　untimely　death　in　the　newspapers；　which　was　in　everybody's　mouth；　singing　up　and　down　through　the　country；　even　down　to　the　mountains；　only　three　days　after　his　unhappy　exit。　　He　was　also　greatly　bemoaned　at　the　Curragh　＇See　GLOSSARY　22＇；　where　his　cattle　were　well　known；　and　all　who　had　taken　up　his　bets　were　particularly　inconsolable　for　his　loss　to　society。　　His　stud　sold　at　the　cant　at　the　greatest　price　ever　known　in　the　county　＇See　GLOSSARY　23＇；　his　favourite　horses　were　chiefly　disposed　of　amongst　his　particular　friends；　who　would　give　any　price　for　them　for　his　sake；　but　no　ready　money　was　required　by　the　new　heir；　who　wished　not　to　displease　any　of　the　gentlemen　of　the　neighbourhood　just　upon　his　coming　to　settle　amongst　them；　so　a　long　credit　was　given　where　requisite；　and　the　cash　has　never　been　gathered　in　from　that　day　to　this。

But　to　return　to　my　lady。　　She　got　surprisingly　well　after　my　master's　decease。　　No　sooner　was　it　known　for　certain　that　he　was　dead；　than　all　the　gentlemen　within　twenty　miles　of　us　came　in　a　body；　as　it　were；　to　set　my　lady　at　liberty；　and　to　protest　against　her　confinement；　which　they　now　for　the　first　time　understood　was　against　her　own　consent。　　The　ladies　too　were　as　attentive　as　possible；　striving　who　should　be　foremost　with　their　morning　visits；　and　they　that　saw　the　diamonds　spoke　very　handsomely　of　them；　but　thought　it　a　pity　they　were　not　bestowed；　if　it　had　so　pleased　God；　upon　a　lady　who　would　have　become　them　better。　　All　these　civilities　wrought　little　with　my　lady；　for　she　had　taken　an　unaccountable　prejudice　against　the　country；　and　everything　belonging　to　it；　and　was　so　partial　to　her　native　land；　that　after　parting　with　the　cook；　which　she　did　immediately　upon　my　master's　decease；　I　never　knew　her　easy　one　instant；　night　or　day；　but　when　she　was　packing　up　to　leave　us。　　Had　she　meant　to　make　any　stay　in　Ireland；　I　stood　a　great　chance　of　being　a　great　favourite　with　her；　for　when　she　found　I　understood　the　weathercock；　she　was　always　finding　some　pretence　to　be　talking　to　me；　and　asking　me　which　way　the　wind　blew；　and　was　it　likely；　did　I　think；　to　continue　fair　for　England。　　B