castle rackrent-第24章

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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　Jason。

'Jason；　is　it　you？'　said　I；　'what　brings　you　to　the　Lodge？'　says　I。　　'Is　it　my　Lady　Rackrent？　　We　know　that　already　since　yesterday。'

'Maybe　so；'　says　he；　'but　I　must　see　Sir　Condy　about　it。'

'You　can't　see　him　yet；'　says　I；　'sure　he　is　not　awake。'

'What　then；'　says　he；　'can't　he　be　wakened；　and　I　standing　at　the　door？'

'I'll　not：　be　disturbing　his　honour　for　you；　Jason；'　says　I；　'many's　the　hour　you've　waited　in　your　time；　and　been　proud　to　do　it；　till　his　honour　was　at　leisure　to　speak　to　you。　　His　honour；'　says　I；　raising　my　voice；　at　which　his　honour　wakens　of　his　own　accord；　and　calls　to　me　from　the　room　to　know　who　it　was　I　was　speaking　to。　　Jason　made　no　more　ceremony；　but　follows　me　into　the　room。

'How　are　you；　Sir　Condy？'　　says　he；　'I'm　happy　to　see　you　looking　so　well；　I　came　up　to　know　how　you　did　to…day；　and　to　see　did　you　want　for　anything　at　the　Lodge；'

'Nothing　at　all；　Mr。　Jason；　I　thank　you；'　says　he；　for　his　honour　had　his　own　share　of　pride；　and　did　not　choose；　after　all　that　had　passed；　to　be　beholden；　I　suppose；　to　my　son；　'but　pray　take　a　chair　and　be　seated；　Mr。　Jason。'

Jason　sat　him　down　upon　the　chest；　for　chair　there　was　none；　and　after　he　had　set　there　some　time；　and　a　silence　on　all　sides。

'What　news　is　there　stirring　in　the　country；　Mr。　Jason　M'Quirk？'　says　Sir　Condy；　very　easy；　yet　high　like。

'None　that's　news　to　you；　Sir　Condy；　I　hear；'　says　Jason。　'I　am　sorry　to　hear　of　my　Lady　Rackrent's　accident。'

'I'm　much　obliged　to　you；　and　so　is　her　ladyship；　I'm　sure；'　answered　Sir　Condy；　still　stiff；　and　there　was　another　sort　of　a　silence；　which　seemed　to　lie　the　heaviest　on　my　son　Jason。

'Sir　Condy；'　says　he　at　last；　seeing　Sir　Condy　disposing　himself　to　go　to　sleep　again；'Sir　Condy；　I　daresay　you　recollect　mentioning　to　me　the　little　memorandum　you　gave　to　Lady　Rackrent　about　the　L500　a　year　jointure。'

'Very　true；'　said　Sir　Condy；　'it　is　all　in　my　recollection。'　'But　if　my　Lady　Rackrent　dies；　there's　an　end　of　all　jointure；'　says　Jason。

'Of　course；'　says　Sir　Condy。

'But　it's　not　a　matter　of　certainty　that　my　Lady　Rackrent　won't　recover；'　says　Jason。

'Very　true；　sir；'　says　my　master。

'It's　a　fair　speculation；　then；　for　you　to　consider　what　the　chance　of　the　jointure　of　those　lands；　when　out　of　custodiam；　will　be　to　you。'

'Just　five　hundred　a　year；　I　take　it；　without　any　speculation　at　all；'　said　Sir　Condy。

'That's　supposing　the　life　dropt；　and　the　custodiam　off；　you　know；　begging　your　pardon；　Sir　Condy；　who　understands　business；　that　is　a　wrong　calculation。'

'Very　likely　so；'　said　Sir　Condy；　'but；　Mr。　Jason；　if　you　have　anything　to　say　to　me　this　morning　about　it；　I'd　be　obliged　to　you　to　say　it；　for　I　had　an　indifferent　night's　rest　last　night；　and　wouldn't　be　sorry　to　sleep　a　little　this　morning。'

'I　have　only　three　words　to　say；　and　those　more　of　consequence　to　you；　Sir　Condy；　than　me。　　You　are　a　little　cool；　I　observe；　but　I　hope　you　will　not　be　offended　at　what　I　have　brought　here　in　my　pocket；'　and　he　pulls　out　two　long　r