castle rackrent-第21章

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e　in　such　a　hurry；　he　that　never　thought　of　such　a　thing　as　doing　business　afore　breakfast　in　the　whole　course　of　his　life；　for　any　man　living；　but　this　was　for　my　lady；　as　I　afterwards　found；　and　the　more　genteel　of　him　after　all　her　treatment。

I　was　just　witnessing　the　paper　that　he　had　scrawled　over；　and　was　shaking　the　ink　out　of　my　pen　upon　the　carpet；　when　my　lady　came　in　to　breakfast；　and　she　started　as　if　it　had　been　a　ghost；　as　well　she　might；　when　she　saw　Sir　Condy　writing　at　this　unseasonable　hour。

'That　will　do　very　well；　Thady；'　says　he　to　me；　and　took　the　paper　I　had　signed　to；　without　knowing　what　upon　the　earth　it　might　be；　out　of　my　hands；　and　walked；　folding　it　up；　to　my　lady。

'You　are　concerned　in　this；　my　Lady　Rackrent；'　said　he；　putting　it　into　her　hands；　'and　I　beg　you'll　keep　this　memorandum　safe；　and　show　it　to　your　friends　the　first　thing　you　do　when　you　get　home；　but　put　it　in　your　pocket　now；　my　dear；　and　let　us　eat　our　breakfast；　in　God's　name。'

'What　is　all　this？'　said　my　lady；　opening　the　paper　in　great　curiosity。

'It's　only　a　bit　of　a　memorandum　of　what　I　think　becomes　me　to　do　whenever　I　am　able；'　says　my　master；　'you　know　my　situation；　tied　hand　and　foot　at　the　present　time　being；　but　that　can't　last　always；　and　when　I'm　dead　and　gone　the　land　will　be　to　the　good；　Thady；　you　know；　and　take　notice　it's　my　intention　your　lady　should　have　a　clear　five　hundred　a　year　jointure　out　the　estate　afore　any　of　my　debts　are　paid。'　　'Oh；　please　your　honour；'　says　I；　'I　can't　expect　to　live　to　see　that　time；　being　now　upwards　of　fourscore　years　of　age；　and　you　a　young　man；　and　likely　to　continue　so；　by　the　help　of　God。'

I　was　vexed　to　see　my　lady　so　insensible　too；　for　all　she　said　was；　'This　is　very　genteel　of　you；　Sir　Condy。　　You　need　not　wait　any　longer；　Thady。'　　So　I　just　picked　up　the　pen　and　ink　that　had　tumbled　on　the　floor；　and　heard　my　master　finish　with　saying；　'You　behaved　very　genteel　to　me；　my　dear；　when　you　threw　all　the　little　you　had　in　your　power　along　with　yourself　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