castle rackrent-第21节

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only　two　rooms　at　the　Lodge；　except　what　was　locked　up　full　of　Jason's　furniture　and　things；　the　house　was　soon　as　full　and　fuller　than　it　could　hold；　and　the　heat；　and　smoke；　and　noise　wonderful　great；　and　standing　amongst　them　that　were　near　the　bed；　but　not　thinking　at　all　of　the　dead；　I　was　startled　by　the　sound　of　my　master's　voice　from　under　the　greatcoats　that　had　been　thrown　all　at　top；　and　I　went　close　up；　no　one　noticing。

'Thady；'　says　he；　'I've　had　enough　of　this；　I'm　smothering；　and　can't　hear　a　word　of　all　they're　saying　of　the　deceased。'

'God　bless　you；　and　lie　still　and　quiet；'　says　I；　'a　bit　longer；　for　my　shister's　afraid　of　ghosts；　and　would　die　on　the　spot　with　fright　was　she　to　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　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　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　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。'

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　seethough　she　did　not　seem　to　be　clear　of　it　herselflittle　likely　to　be　my　Lady　Rackrent　now；　should　there　be　a　second　toss…up　to　be　made。　　But　I　told　him　the　whole　story　out　of　the　face；　just　as　Judy　had　told　it　to　me；　and　he　sent　off　a　messenger　with　his　compliments　to　Mount　Juliet's　Town　that　evening；　to　learn　the　truth　of　the　report；　and　Judy　bid　the　boy　that　was　going　call　in　at　Tim　M'Enerney's　shop　in　O'Shaughlin's　Town　and　buy　her　a　new　shawl。

'Do　so；'　Said　Sir　Condy；　'and　tell　Tim　to　take　no　money　from　you；　for　I　must　pay　him　for　the　shawl　myself。'　　At　this　my　shister　throws　me　over　a　look；　and　I　says　nothing；　but　turned　the　tobacco　in　my　mouth；　whilst　Judy　began　making　a　many　words　about　it；　and　saying　how　she　could　not　be　beholden　for　shawls　to　any　gentleman。　I　left　her　there　to　consult　with　my　shister；　did　she　think　there　was　anything　in　it；　and　my　shister　thought　I　was　blind　to　be　asking　her　the　question；　and　I　thought　my　shister　must　see　more　into　it　than　I　did；　and　recollecting　all　past　times　and　everything；　I　changed　my　mind；　and　came　over　to　her　way　of　thinking；　and　we　settled　it　that　Judy　was　very　like　to　be　my　Lady　Rackrent　after　all；　if　a　vacancy　should　have　happened。

The　next　day；　before　his　honour　was　up；　somebody　comes　with　a　double　knock　at　the　door；　and　I　was　greatly　surprised　to　see　it　was　my　son　Jas