castle rackrent-第17章

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een；　and　he　fell　straight　on　his　knees　before　her；　and；　like　a　good…　hearted　cratur　as　he　was；　ordered　the　whisky…punch　out　of　the　room；　and　bid　'em　throw　open　all　the　windows；　and　cursed　himself：　and　then　my　lady　came　to　herself　again；　and　when　she　saw　him　kneeling　there；　bid　him　get　up；　and　not　forswear　himself　any　more；　for　that　she　was　sure　he　did　not　love　her；　and　never　had。　This　we　learned　from　Mrs。　Jane；　who　was　the　only　person　left　present　at　all　this。

'My　dear；'　returns　my　master；　thinking；　to　be　sure；　of　Judy；　as　well　he　might；　'whoever　told　you　so　is　an　incendiary；　and　I'll　have　'em　turned　out　of　the　house　this　minute；　if　you'll　only　let　me　know　which　of　them　it　was。'

'Told　me　what？'　said　my　lady；　starting　upright　in　her　chair。

'Nothing　at　all；　nothing　at　all；'　said　my　master；　seeing　he　had　overshot　himself；　and　that　my　lady　spoke　at　random；　'but　what　you　said　just　now；　that　I　did　not　love　you；　Bella；　who　told　you　that？'

'My　own　sense；'　she　said；　and　she　put　her　handkerchief　to　her　face；　and　leant　back　upon　Mrs。　Jane；　and　fell　to　sobbing　as　if　her　heart　would　break。

'Why　now；　Bella；　this　is　very　strange　of　you；'　said　my　poor　master；　'if　nobody　has　told　you　nothing；　what　is　it　you　are　taking　on　for　at　this　rate；　and　exposing　yourself　and　me　for　this　way？'

'Oh；　say　no　more；　say　no　more；　every　word　you　say　kills　me；'　cried　my　lady；　and　she　ran　on　like　one；　as　Mrs。　Jane　says；　raving；　'Oh；　Sir　Condy；　Sir　Condy！　　I　that　had　hoped　to　find　in　you'

'Why　now；　faith；　this　is　a　little　too　much；　do；　Bella；　try　to　recollect　yourself；　my　dear；　am　not　I　your　husband；　and　of　your　own　choosing；　and　is　not　that　enough？'

'Oh；　too　much！　too　much！'　cried　my　lady；　wringing　her　hands。

'Why；　my　dear；　come　to　your　right　senses；　for　the　love　of　heaven。　See；　is　not　the　whisky…punch；　jug　and　bowl　and　all；　gone　out　of　the　room　long　ago？　　What　is　it；　in　the　wide　world；　you　have　to　complain　of？'

But　still　my　lady　sobbed　and　sobbed；　and　called　herself　the　most　wretched　of　women；　and　among　other　out…of…the…way　provoking　things；　asked　my　master；　was　he　fit　company　for　her；　and　he　drinking　all　night？　　This　nettling　him；　which　it　was　hard　to　do；　he　replied；　that　as　to　drinking　all　night；　he　was　then　as　sober　as　she　was　herself；　and　that　it　was　no　matter　how　much　a　man　drank；　provided　it　did　noways　affect　or　stagger　him：　that　as　to　being　fit　company　for　her；　he　thought　himself　of　a　family　to　be　fit　company　for　any　lord　or　lady　in　the　land；　but　that　he　never　prevented　her　from　seeing　and　keeping　what　company　she　pleased；　and　that　he　had　done　his　best　to　make　Castle　Rackrent　pleasing　to　her　since　her　marriage；　having　always　had　the　house　full　of　visitors；　and　if　her　own　relations　were　not　amongst　them；　he　said　that　was　their　own　fault；　and　their　pride's　fault；　of　which　he　was　sorry　to　find　her　ladyship　had　so　unbecoming　a　share。　　So　concluding；　he　took　his　candle　and　walked　off　to　his　room；　and　my　lady　was　in　her　tantarums　for　three　days　after；　and　would　have　been　so　much　longer；　no　doubt；　but　some　of　her　friends；　young　ladies；　and　cousins；　and　second　cousins；　came　to　Castle　Rackrent；　by　my　poor　master's　express　invitation；　to　see　her；　and　she　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　up；　as　Mrs。　Jane　called　it；　a　play　for　them；　and　so　got　well；　and　was　as　finely　dressed；　and　as　happy　to　look　at；　as　ever；　and　all　the　young　ladies；　who　used　to　be　in　her　room　dressing　of　her；　said　in　Mrs。　Jane's　hearing　that　my　lady　was　the　happiest　bride　ever　they　had　seen；　and　that　to　be　sure　a　love…　match　was　the　only　thing　for　happiness；　where　the　parties　could　any　way　afford　it。

As　to　affording　it；　God　knows　it　was　little　they　knew　of　the　matter；　my　lady's　few　thousands　could　not　last　for　ever；　especially　the　way　she　went　on　with　them；　and　letters　from　tradesfolk　came　every　post　thick　and　threefold；　with　bills　as　long　as　my　arm；　of　years'　and　years'　standing。　　My　son　Jason　had　'em　all　handed　over　to　him；　and　the　pressing　letters　were　all　unread　by　Sir　Condy；　who　hated　trouble；　and　could　never　be　brought　to　hear　talk　of　business；　but　still　put　it　off　and　put　it　off；　saying；　'Settle　it　anyhow；'　or；　'Bid　'em　call　again　to…　morrow；'　or；　'Speak　to　me　about　it　some　other　time。'　　Now　it　was　hard　to　find　the　right　time　to　speak；　for　in　the　mornings　he　was　a…bed；　and　in　the　evenings　over　his　bottle；　where　no　gentleman　chooses　to　be　disturbed。　　Things　in　a　twelvemonth　or　so　came　to　such　a　pass　there　was　no　making　a　shift　to　go　on　any　longer；　though　we　were　all　of　us　well　enough　used　to　live　from　hand　to　mouth　at　Castle　Rackrent。　　One　day；　I　remember；　when　there　was　a　power　of　company；　all　sitting　after　dinner　in　the　dusk；　not　to　say　dark；　in　the　drawing…room；　my　lady　having　rung　five　times　for　candles；　and　none　to　go　up；　the　housekeeper　sent　up　the　footman；　who　went　to　my　mistress；　and　whispered　behind　her　chair　how　it　was。

'My　lady；'　says　he；　'there　are　no　candles　in　the　house。'

'Bless　me；'　says　she；　'then　take　a　horse　and　gallop　off　as　fast　as　you　can　to　Carrick　O'Fungus；　and　get　some。'

'And　in　the　meantime　tell　them　to　step　into　the　playhouse；　and　try　if　there　are　not　some　bits　left；'　added　Sir　Condy；　who　happened；　to　be　within　hearing。　　The　man　was　sent　up　again　to　my　lady；　to　let　her　know　there　was　no　horse　to　go；　but　one　that　wanted　a　shoe。

'Go　to　Sir　Condy　then；　I　know　nothing　at　all　about　the　horses；'　said　my　lady；　'why　do　you　plague　me　with　these　things？'　　How　it　was　settled　I　really　forget；　but　to　the　best　of　my　remembrance；　the　boy　was　sent　down　to　my　son　Jason's　to　borrow　candles　for　the　night。　　Another　time；　in　the　winter；　and　on　a　desperate　cold　day；　there　was　no　turf　in　for　the　parlour　and　above　stairs；　and　scarce　enough　for　the　cook　in　the　kitchen。　　The　little　GOSSOON　was　sent　off　to　the　neighbours；　to　see　and　beg　or　borrow　some；　but　none　could　he　bring　back　with　him　for　love　or　money；　　＇GOSSOON：　a　little　boyfrom　the　French　word　GARCON。　In　most　Irish　families　there　used　to　be　a　barefooted　gossoon；　who　was　slave　to　the　cook　and　the　butler；　and　who；　in　fact；　without　wages；　did　all　the　hard　work　of　the　house。　　Gossoons　were　always　employed　as　messengers。　The　Editor　has　known　a　gossoon　to　go　on　foot；　without　shoes　or　stockings；　fifty…one　English　miles　between　sunrise　and　sunset。＇　so；　as　needs　must；　we　were　forced　to　trouble　Sir　Condy'Well；　and　if　there's　no　turf　to　be　had　in　the　town　or　country；　why；　what　signifies　talking　any　more　about　it；　can't　ye　go　and　cut　down　a　tree？'

'Which　tree；　please　your　honour？'　I　made　bold　to　say。

'Any　tree　at　all　that's　good　to　burn；'　said　Sir　Condy；　'send　off　smart　and　get　one　down；　and　the　fires　lighted；　before　my　lady　gets　up　to　breakfast；　or　the　house　will　be　too　hot　to　hold　us。'

He　was　always　very　considerate　in　all　things　about　my　lady；　and　she　wanted　for　nothing　whilst　he　had　it　to　give。　　Well；　when　things　were　tight　with　them　about　this　time；　my　son　Jason　put　in　a　word　again　about　the　Lodge；　and　made　a　genteel　offer　to　lay　down　the　purchase…money；　to　relieve　Sir　Condy's　distresses。　　Now　Sir　Condy　had　it　from　the　best　authority　that　there　were　two　writs　come　down　to　the　sheriff　against　his　person；　and　the　sheriff；　as　ill…luck　would　have　it；　was　no　friend　of　his；　and　talked　how　he　must　do　his　duty；　and　how　he　would　do　it；　if　it　was　against　the　first　man　in　the　country；　or　even　his　own　brother；　let　alone　one　who　had　voted　against　him　at　the　last　election；　as　Sir　Condy　had　done。　　So　Sir　Condy　was　fain　to　take　the　purchase…　money　of　the　Lodge　from　my　son　Jason　to　settle　matters；　and　sure　enough　it　was　a　good　bargain　for　both　parties；　for　my　son　bought　the　fee…simple　of　a　good　house　for　him　and　his　heirs　for　ever；　for　little　or　nothing；　and　by　selling　of　it　for　that　same　my　master　saved　himself　from　a　gaol。　　Every　way　it　turned　out　fortunate　for　Sir　Condy；　for　before　the　money　was　all　gone　there　came　a　general　election；　and　he　being　so　well　beloved　in　the　county；　and　one　of　the　oldest　families；　no　one　had　a　better　right　to　stand　candidate　for　the　vacancy；　and　he　was　called　upon　by　all　his　friends；　and　the　whole　county　I　may　say；　to　declare　himself　against　the　old　member；　who　had　little　thought　of　a　contest。　　My　master　did　not　relish　the　thoughts　of　a　troublesome　canvass；　and　all　the　ill…will　he　might　bring　u