按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He was at the table in the room ＇THE ROOMthe principal room in
the house＇； drinking with the excise…man and the gauger； who came up to
see his honour； and we were standing over the fire in the kitchen。
'I don't much care is he drinking my health or not；' says Judy； 'and it is
not Sir Condy I'm thinking of； with all your jokes； whatever he is of me。'
'Sure you wouldn't refuse to be my Lady Rackrent； Judy； if you had the
offer？' says I。
'But if I could do better！' says she。
88
… Page 89…
Castle Rackrent
'How better？' says I and my shister both at once。
'How better？' says she。 'Why； what signifies it to be my Lady Rackrent
and no castle？ Sure what good is the car； and no horse to draw it？'
'And where will ye get the horse； Judy？' says I。
'Never mind that；' says she； 'maybe it is your own son Jason might find
that。'
'Jason！' says I； 'don't be trusting to him； Judy。 Sir Condy； as I have
good reason to know； spoke well of you when Jason spoke very
indifferently of you； Judy。'
'No matter；' says Judy； 'it's often men speak the contrary just to what
they think of us。'
'And you the same way of them； no doubt；' answered I。 'Nay； don't he
denying it； Judy； for I think the better of ye for it； and shouldn't be proud
to call ye the daughter of a shister's son of mine； if I was to hear ye talk
ungrateful； and anyway disrespectful of his honour。'
'What disrespect；' says she； 'to say I'd rather； if it was my luck； be the
wife of another man？'
'You'll have no luck； mind my words； Judy；' says I； and all I
remembered about my poor master's goodness in tossing up for her afore
he married at all came across me； and I had a choking in my throat that
hindered me to say more。
'Better luck； anyhow； Thady；' says she； 'than to be like some folk；
following the fortunes of them that have none left。'
Oh！ King of Glory！' says I； 'hear the pride and ungratitude of her； and
he giving his last guineas but a minute ago to her childer； and she with the
fine shawl on her he made her a present of but yesterday！'
'Oh； troth； Judy； you're wrong now；' says my shister； looking at the
shawl。
'And was not he wrong yesterday； then；' says she； 'to be telling me I
was greatly altered； to affront me？'
'But； Judy；' says I； 'what is it brings you here then at all。 in the mind
you are in； is it to make Jason think the better of you？'
'I'll tell you no more of my secrets； Thady；' says she； 'nor would have
told you this much； had I taken you for such an unnatural fader as I find
89
… Page 90…
Castle Rackrent
you are； not to wish your own son prefarred to another。'
'Oh； troth； you are wrong now； Thady；' says my shister。
Well； I was never so put to it in my life： between these womens； and
my son and my master； and all I felt and thought just now； I could not；
upon my conscience； tell which was the wrong from the right。 So I said
not a word more； but was only glad his honour had not the luck to hear all
Judy had been saying of him； for I reckoned it would have gone nigh to
break his heart； not that I was of opinion he cared for her as much as she
and my shister fancied； but the ungratitude of the whole from Judy might
not plase him； and he could never stand the notion of not being well
spoken of or beloved like behind his back。 Fortunately for all parties
concerned； he was so much elevated at this time； there was no danger of
his understanding anything； even if it had reached his ears。 There was a
great horn at the Lodge； ever since my master and Captain Moneygawl
was in together； that used to belong originally to the celebrated Sir Patrick；
his ancestor； and his honour was fond often of telling the story that he
learned from me when a child； how Sir Patrick drank the full of this horn
without stopping； and this was what no other man afore or since could
without drawing breath。 Now Sir Condy challenged the gauger； who
seemed to think little of the horn； to swallow the contents； and had it filled
to the brim with punch； and the gauger said it was what he could not do
for nothing； but he'd hold Sir Condy a hundred guineas he'd do it。
'Done；' says my master； 'I'll lay you a hundred golden guineas to a
tester you don't。' ＇TESTER： sixpence； from the French word TETE； a
heada piece of silver stamped with a head； which in old French was
called UN TESTION； and which was about the value of an old English
sixpence。 'Tester' is used in Shakspeare。＇
'Done；' says the gauger； and done and done's enough between two
gentlemen。 The gauger was cast； and my master won the bet； and
thought he'd won a hundred guineas； but by the wording it was adjudged
to be only a tester that was his due by the exciseman。 It was all one to him；
he was as well pleased； and I was glad to see him in such spirits again。
The gaugerbad luck to him！was the man that next proposed to my
master to try himself； could he take at a draught the contents of the great
90
… Page 91…
Castle Rackrent
horn。
'Sir Patrick's horn！' said his honour； 'hand it to me： I'll hold you your
own bet over again I'll swallow it。'
'Done；' says the gauger； 'I'll lay ye anything at all you do no such
thing。'
'A hundred guineas to sixpence I do；' says he； 'bring me the
handkerchief。' I was loth； knowing he meant the handkerchief with the
gold in it； to bring it out in such company； and his honour not very able to
reckon it。 'Bring me the handkerchief； then； Thady；' says he； and stamps
with his foot； so with that I pulls it out of my greatcoat pocket； where I
had put it for safety。 Oh； how it grieved me to see the guineas counting
upon the table； and they the last my master had！ Says Sir Condy to me；
'Your hand is steadier than mine to…night； old Thady； and that's a wonder；
fill you the horn for me。' And so； wishing his honour success； I did； but I
filled it； little thinking of what would befall him。 He swallows it down；
and drops like one shot。 We lifts him up； and he was speechless； and
quite black in the face。 We put him to bed； and in a short time he wakened；
raving with a fever on his brain。 He was shocking either to see or hear。
'Judy！ Judy！ have you no touch of feeling？ Won't you stay to help
us nurse him？' says I to her； and she putting on her shawl to go out of the
house。
'I'm frightened to see him；' says she； 'and wouldn't nor couldn't stay in
it； and what use？ He can't last till the morning。' With that she ran off。
There was none but my shister and myself left near him of all the many
friends he had。
The fever came and went； and came and went； and lasted five days；
and the sixth he was sensible for a few minutes； and said to me； knowing
me very well； 'I'm in a burning pain all withinside of me； Thady。' I could
not speak； but my shister asked him would he have this thing or t'other to
do him good？ 'No；' says he； 'nothing will do me good no more；' and he
gave a terrible screech with the torture he was in； then again a minute's
ease'brought to this by drink；' says he。 'Where are all the friends？
where's Judy？ Gone； hey？ Ay； Sir Condy has been a fool all his days；'
said he； and there was the last word he spoke； and died。 He had but a
91
… Page 92…
Castle Rackrent
very poor funeral after all。
If you want to know any more； I'm not very well able to tell you； but
my Lady Rackrent did not die； as was expected of her； but was only
disfigured in the face ever after by the fall and bruises she got； and she and
Jason； immediately after my poor master's death； set about going to law
about that jointure； the memorandum not be