第 13 节
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莫再讲 更新:2022-04-14 11:04 字数:9322
asking me which way the wind blew; and was it likely; did I think; to continue fair for England。 But when I saw she had made up her mind to spend the rest of her days upon her own income and jewels in England; I considered her quite as a foreigner; and not at all any longer as part of the family。 She gave no vails to the servants at Castle Rackrent at parting; notwithstanding the old proverb of 'as rich as a Jew;' which she; being a Jewish; they built upon with reason。 But from first to last she brought nothing but misfortunes amongst us; and if it had not been all along with her; his honour; Sir Kit; would have been now alive in all appearance。 Her diamond cross was; they say; at the bottom of it all; and it was a shame for her; being his wife; not to show more duty; and to have given it up when he condescended to ask so often for such a bit of a trifle in his distresses; especially when he all along made it no secret he married for money。 But we will not bestow another thought upon her。 This much I thought it lay upon my conscience to say; in justice to my poor master's memory。
'Tis an ill wind that blows nobody no good: the same wind that took the Jew Lady Rackrent over to England brought over the new heir to Castle Rackrent。
Here let me pause for breath in my story; for though I had a great regard for every member of the family; yet without compare Sir Conolly; commonly called; for short; amongst his friends; Sir Condy Rackrent; was ever my great favourite; and; indeed; the most universally beloved man I had ever seen or heard of; not excepting his great ancestor Sir Patrick; to whose memory he; amongst other instances of generosity; erected a handsome marble stone in the church of Castle Rackrent; setting forth in large letters his age; birth; parentage; and many other virtues; concluding with the compliment so justly due; that 'Sir Patrick Rackrent lived and died a monument of old Irish hospitality。'
CONTINUATION OF THE MEMOIRS OF THE RACKRENT FAMILY
HISTORY OF SIR CONOLLY RACKRENT
Sir Condy Rackrent; by the grace of God heir…at…law to the Castle Rackrent estate; was a remote branch of the family。 Born to little or no fortune of his own; he was bred to the bar; at which; having many friends to push him and no mean natural abilities of his own; he doubtless would in process of time; if he could have borne the drudgery of that study; have been rapidly made King's Counsel at the least; but things were disposed of otherwise; and he never went the circuit but twice; and then made no figure for want of a fee; and being unable to speak in public。 He received his education chiefly in the college of Dublin; but before he came to years of discretion lived in the country; in a small but slated house within view of the end of the avenue。 I remember him; bare footed and headed; running through the street of O'Shaughlin's Town; and playing at pitch…and…toss; ball; marbles; and what not; with the boys of the town; amongst whom my son Jason was a great favourite with him。 As for me; he was ever my white…headed boy: often's the time; when I would call in at his father's; where I was always made welcome; he would slip down to me in the kitchen; and; love to sit on my knee whilst I told him stories of the family and the blood from which he was sprung; and how he might look forward; if the then present man should die without childer; to being at the head of the Castle Rackrent estate。 This was then spoke quite and clear at random to please the child; but it pleased Heaven to accomplish my prophecy afterwards; which gave him a great opinion of my judgment in business。 He went to a little grammar…school with many others; and my son amongst the rest; who was in his class; and not a little useful to him in his book…learning; which he acknowledged with gratitude ever after。 These rudiments of his education thus completed; he got a…horseback; to which exercise he was ever addicted; and used to gallop over the country while yet but a slip of a boy; under the care of Sir Kit's huntsman; who was very fond of him; and often lent him his gun; and took him out a…shooting under his own eye。 By these means he became well acquainted and popular amongst the poor in the neighbourhood early; for there was not a cabin at which he had not stopped some morning or other; along with the huntsman; to drink a glass of burnt whisky out of an eggshell; to do him good and warm his heart and drive the cold out of his stomach。 The old people always told him he was a great likeness of Sir Patrick; which made him first have an ambition to take after him; as far as his fortune should allow。 He left us when of an age to enter the college; and there completed his education and nineteenth year; for as he was not born to an estate; his friends thought it incumbent on them to give him the best education which could be had for love or money; and a great deal of money consequently was spent upon him at College and Temple。 He was a very little altered for the worse by what he saw there of the great world; for when he came down into the country to pay us a visit; we thought him just the same man as everhand and glove with every one; and as far from high; though not without his own proper share of family pride; as any man ever you see。 Latterly; seeing how Sir Kit and the Jewish lived together; and that there was no one between him and the Castle Rackrent estate; he neglected to apply to the law as much as was expected of him; and secretly many of the tenants and others advanced him cash upon his note of hand value received; promising bargains of leases and lawful interest; should he ever come into the estate。 All this was kept a great secret for fear the present man; hearing of it; should take it into his head to take it ill of poor Condy; and so should cut him off for ever by levying a fine; and suffering a recovery to dock the entail 'See GLOSSARY 24'。 Sir Murtagh would have been the man for that; but Sir Kit was too much taken up philandering to consider the law in this case; or any other。 These practices I have mentioned to account for the state of his affairsI mean Sir Condy's upon his coming into the Castle Rackrent estate。 He could not command a penny of his first year's income; which; and keeping no accounts; and the great sight of company he did; with many other causes too numerous to mention; was the origin of his distresses。 My son Jason; who was now established agent; and knew everything; explained matters out of the face to Sir Conolly; and made him sensible of his embarrassed situation。 With a great nominal rent…roll; it was almost all paid away in interest; which being for convenience suffered to run on; soon doubled the principal; and Sir Condy was obliged to pass new bonds for the interest; now grown principal; and so on。 Whilst this was going on; my son requiring to be paid for his trouble and many years' service in the family gratis; and Sir Condy not willing to take his affairs into his own hands; or to look them even in the face; he gave my son a bargain of some acres which fell out of lease at a reasonable rent。 Jason set the land; as soon as his lease was sealed; to under…tenants; to make the rent; and got two hundred a year profit rent; which was little enough considering his long agency。 He bought the land at twelve years' purchase two years afterwards; when Sir Condy was pushed for money on an execution; and was at the same time allowed for his improvements thereon。 There was a sort of hunting…lodge upon the estate; convenient to my son Jason's land; which he had his eye upon about this time; and he was a little jealous of Sir Condy; who talked of setting it to a stranger who was just come into the countryCaptain Moneygawl was the man。 He was son and heir to the Moneygawls of Mount Juliet's Town; who had a great estate in the next county to ours; and my master was loth to disoblige the young gentleman; whose heart was set upon the Lodge; so he wrote him back that the Lodge was at his service; and if he would honour him with his company at Castle Rackrent; they could ride over together some morning and look at it before signing the lease。 Accordingly; the captain came over to us; and he and Sir Condy grew the greatest friends ever you see; and were for ever out a…shooting or hunting together; and were very merry in the evenings; and Sir Condy was invited of course to Mount Juliet's Town; and the family intimacy that had been in Sir Patrick's time was now recollected; and nothing would serve Sir Condy but he must be three times a week at the least with his new friends; which grieved me; who knew; by the captain's groom and gentleman; how they talked of him at Mount Juliet's Town; making him quite; as one may say; a laughing…stock and a butt for the whole company; but they were soon cured of that by an accident that surprised 'em not a little; as it did me。 There was a bit of a scrawl found upon the waiting…maid of old Mr。 Moneygawl's youngest daughter; Miss Isabella; that laid open the whole; and her father; they say; was like one out of his right mind; and swore it was the last thing he ever should have thought of; when he invited my master to his house; that his daughter should think of such a match。 But their talk sign