castle rackrent-第19节

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urself　into　my　hands；　and　as　I　don't　deny　but　what　you　may　have　had　some　things　to　complain　of；'to　be　sure　he　was　thinking　then　of　Judy；　or　of　the　whisky…punch；　one　or　t'other；　or　both；'and　as　I　don't　deny　but　you　may　have　had　something　to　complain　of；　my　dear；　it　is　but　fair　you　should　have　something　in　the　form　of　compensation　to　look　forward　to　agreeably　in　future；　besides；　it's　an　act　of　justice　to　myself；　that　none　of　your　friends；　my　dear；　may　ever　have　it　to　say　against　me；　I　married　for　money；　and　not　for　love。'

'That　is　the　last　thing　I　should　ever　have　thought　of　saying　of　you；　Sir　Condy；'　said　my　lady；　looking　very　gracious。

'Then；　my　dear；'　said　Sir　Condy；　'we　shall　part　as　good　friends　as　we　met；　so　all's　right。'

I　was　greatly　rejoiced　to　hear　this；　and　went　out　of　the　parlour　to　report　it　all　to　the　kitchen。　　The　next　morning　my　lady　and　Mrs。　Jane　set　out　for　Mount　Juliet's　Town　in　the　jaunting…car。　Many　wondered　at　my　lady's　choosing　to　go　away；　considering　all　things；　upon　the　jaunting…car；　as　if　it　was　only　a　party　of　pleasure；　but　they　did　not　know　till　I　told　them　that　the　coach　was　all　broke　in　the　journey　down；　and　no　other　vehicle　but　the　car　to　be　had。　　Besides；　my　lady's　friends　were　to　send　their　coach　to　meet　her　at　the　cross…roads；　so　it　was　all　done　very　proper。

My　poor　master　was　in　great　trouble　after　my　lady　left　us。　The　execution　came　down；　and　everything　at　Castle　Rackrent　was　seized　by　the　gripers；　and　my　son　Jason；　to　his　shame　be　it　spoken；　amongst　them。　　I　wondered；　for　the　life　of　me；　how　he　could　harden　himself　to　do　it；　but　then　he　had　been　studying　the　law；　and　had　made　himself　Attorney　Quirk；　so　he　brought　down　at　once　a　heap　of　accounts　upon　my　master's　head。　　To　cash　lent；　and　to　ditto；　and　to　ditto；　and　to　ditto　and　oats；　and　bills　paid　at　the　milliner's　and　linen…draper's；　and　many　dresses　for　the　fancy　balls　in　Dublin　for　my　lady；　and　all　the　bills　to　the　workmen　and　tradesmen　for　the　scenery　of　the　theatre；　and　the　chandler's　and　grocer's　bills；　and　tailor's；　besides　butcher's　and　baker's；　and；　worse　than　all；　the　old　one　of　that　base　wine　merchant's；　that　wanted　to　arrest　my　poor　master　for　the　amount　on　the　election　day；　for　which　amount　Sir　Condy　afterwards　passed　his　note　of　hand；　bearing　lawful　interest　from　the　date　thereof；　and　the　interest　and　compound　interest　was　now　mounted　to　a　terrible　deal　on　many　other　notes　and　bonds　for　money　borrowed；　and　there　was；　besides；　hush…money　to　the　sub…sheriffs；　and　sheets　upon　sheets　of　old　and　new　attorneys'　bills；　with　heavy　balances；　'as　per　former　account　furnished；'　brought　forward　with　interest　thereon；　then　there　was　a　powerful　deal　due　to　the　Crown　for　sixteen　years'　arrear　of　quit…rent　of　the　town…lands　of　Carrickshaughlin；　with　driver's　fees；　and　a　compliment　to　the　receiver　every　year　for　letting　the　quit…rent　run　on　to　oblige　Sir　Condy；　and　Sir　Kit　afore　him。　　Then　there　were　bills　for　spirits　and　ribands　at　the　election　time；　and　the　gentlemen　of　the　committee's　accounts　unsettled；　and　their　subscription　never　gathered；　and　there　were　cows　to　be　paid　for；　with　the　smith　and　farrier's　bills　to　be　set　against　the　rent　of　the　demesne；　with　calf　and　hay　money；　then　there　was　all　the　servants'　wages；　since　I　don't　know　when；　coming　due　to　them；　and　sums　advanced　for　them　by　my　son　Jason　for　clothes；　and　boots；　and　whips；　and　odd　moneys　for　sundries　expended　by　them　in　journeys　to　town　and　elsewhere；　and　pocket…　money　for　the　master　continually；　and　messengers　and　postage　before　his　being　a　Parliament　man。　　I　can't　myself　tell　you　what　besides；　but　this　I　know；　that　when　the　evening　came　on　the　which　Sir　Condy　had　appointed　to　settle　all　with　my　son　Jason；　and　when　he　comes　into　the　parlour；　and　sees　the　sight　of　bills　and　load　of　papers　all　gathered　on　the　great　dining…table　for　him；　he　puts　his　hands　before　both　his　eyes；　and　cried　out；　'Merciful　Jasus！　what　is　it　I　see　before　me？'　　Then　I　sets　an　arm…chair　at　the　table　for　him；　and　with　a　deal　of　difficulty　he　sits　him　down；　and　my　son　Jason　hands　him　over　the　pen　and　ink　to　sign　to　this　man's　bill　and　t'other　man's　bill；　all　which　he　did　without　making　the　least　objections。　　Indeed；　to　give　him　his　due；　I　never　seen　a　man　more　fair　and　honest；　and　easy　in　all　his　dealings；　from　first　to　last；　as　Sir　Condy；　or　more　willing　to　pay　every　man　his　own　as　far　as　he　was　able；　which　is　as　much　as　any　one　can　do。

'Well；'　says　he；　joking　like　with　Jason；　'I　wish　we　could　settle　it　all　with　a　stroke　of　my　grey　goose　quill。　　What　signifies　making　me　wade　through　all　this　ocean　of　papers　here；　can't　you　now；　who　understand　drawing　out　an　account；　debtor　and　creditor；　just　sit　down　here　at　the　corner　of　the　table　and　get　it　done　out　for　me；　that　I　may　have　a　clear　view　of　the　balance；　which　is　all　I　need　be　talking　about；　you　know？'

'Very　true；　Sir　Condy；　nobody　understands　business　better　than　yourself；'　says　Jason。

'So　I've　a　right　to　do；　being　born　and　bred　to　the　bar；'　says　Sir　Condy。　　'Thady；　do　step　out　and　see　are　they　bringing　in　the　things　for　the　punch；　for　we've　just　done　all　we　have　to　do　for　this　evening。'

I　goes　out　accordingly；　and　when　I　came　back　Jason　was　pointing　to　the　balance；　which　was　a　terrible　sight　to　my　poor　master。

'Pooh！　pooh！　pooh！'　says　he。　　'Here's　so　many　noughts　they　dazzle　my　eyes；　so　they　do；　and　put　me　in　mind　of　all　I　suffered　larning　of　my　numeration　table；　when　I　was　a　boy　at　the　day…school　along　with　you；　Jasonunits；　tens；　hundreds；　tens　of　hundreds。　　Is　the　punch　ready；　Thady？'　says　he；　seeing　me。

'Immediately；　the　boy　has　the　jug　in　his　hand；　it's　coming　upstairs；　please　your　honour；　as　fast　as　possible；'　says　I；　for　I　saw　his　honour　was　tired　out　of　his　life；　but　Jason；　very　short　and　cruel；　cuts　me　off　with'Don't　be　talking　of　punch　yet　awhile；　it's　no　time　for　punch　yet　a　bitunits；　tens；　hundreds；'　goes　he　on；　counting　over　the　master's　shoulder；　units；　tens；　hundreds；　thousands。

'A…a…ah！　　hold　your　hand；'　cries　my　master。　　'Where　in　this　wide　world　am　I　to　find　hundreds；　or　units　itself；　let　alone　thousands？'

'The　balance　has　been　running　on　too　long；'　says　Jason；　sticking　to　him　as　I　could　not　have　done　at　the　time；　if　you'd　have　given　both　the　Indies　and　Cork　to　boot；　'the　balance　has　been　running　on　too　long；　and　I'm　distressed　myself　on　your　account；　Sir　Condy；　for　money；　and　the　thing　must　be　settled　now　on　the　spot；　and　the　balance　cleared　off；'　says　Jason。

'I'll　thank　you　if　you'll　only　show　me　how；'　says　Sir　Condy。

'There's　but　one　way；'　says　Jason；　'and　that's　ready　enough。　When　there's　no　cash；　what　can　a　gentleman　do　but　go　to　the　land？'

'How　can　you　go　to　the　land；　and　it　under　custodiam　to　yourself　already？'　　says　Sir　Condy；　'and　another　custodiam　hanging　over　it？　　And　no　one　at　all　can　touch　it；　you　know；　but　the　custodees。'

'Sure；　can't　you　sell；　though　at　a　loss？　　Sure　you　can　sell；　and　I've　a　purchaser　ready　for　you；'　says　Jason。

'Have　you　so？'　　says　Sir　Condy。　　'That's　a　great　point　gained。　But　there's　a　thing　now　beyond　all；　that　perhaps　you　don't　know　yet；　barring　Thady　has　let　you　into　the　secret。'

'Sarrah　bit　of　a　secret；　or　anything　at　all　of　the　kind；　has　he　learned　from　me　these　fifteen　weeks　come　St。　John's　Eve；'　says　I；　'for　we　have　scarce　been　upon　speaking　terms　of　late。　　But　what　is　it　your　honour　means　of　a　secret？'

'Why；　the　secret　of　the　little　keepsake　I　gave　my　Lady　Rackrent　the　morning　she　left　us；　that　she　might　not　go　back　empty…handed　to　her　friends。'

'My　Lady　Rackrent；　I'm　sure；　has　baubles　and　keepsakes　enough；　as　those　bills　on　the　table　will　show；'　says　Jason；　'but　whatever　it　is；'　says　he；　taking　up　his　pen；　'we　must　add　it　to　the　balance；　for　to　be　sure　it　can't　be　paid　for。'

'No；　nor　can't　till　after　my　decease；'　says　Sir　Condy；　'that's　one　good　thing。'　　Then　colouring　up　a　good　deal；　he　tells　Jason　of　the　memorandum　of　the　five　hundred　a…year　jointure　he　had　settled　upon　my　lady；　at　which　Jason　was　indeed　mad；　and　said　a　great　deal　in　very　high　words；　that　it　was　using　a　gentleman　who　had　the　management　of　his　affairs；　and　was；　moreover；　his　principal　creditor；　extremely　ill　to　do　such　a　thing　without　consulting　him；　and　against　his　knowledge　and　consent。　　To　all　which　Sir　Condy　had　nothing　to　reply；　but　that；　upon　his　conscience；　it　was　in　a　hurry　and　without　a　moment's　thought　on　his　part；　and　he　was　very　sorry　for　it；　but　if　it　was　to　do　over　again　he　would　do　the　same；　and　he　appealed　to　me；　and　I　was　ready　to　give　my　evidence；　if　that　would　do；　to　the　truth　of　all　he　said。

So　Jason　with　much　ado　was　brought　to　agree　to　a　compromise。

'The　purchaser　that　I　have　ready；'　says　he；　'will　be　much　displeased；　to　be　sure；　at　the　encumbrance　on　the　land；　but　I　must　see　and　manage　him。　　Here's　a　deed　ready　drawn　up；　we　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　put　in　the　consideration　money　and　our　names　to　it。'

'And　how　much　am　I　going　to　sell！the　lands　of　O'Shaughlin's　Town；　and　the　lands　of　Gruneaghoolaghan；　and　the　lands　of　Crookagnawaturgh；'　says　he；　just　reading　to　himself。　　'Andoh；　murder；　Jason！　　sure　you　won't　put　this　inthe　castle；　stable；　and　appurtenances　of　Castle　Rackrent？'

'Oh；　murder！'　　says　I；　clapping　my　hands；　'this　is　too　bad；　Jason。'