castle rackrent-第24部分

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before　your　honour；　because　he　had　a　spite　against　me　about　some　oats　I　sold　your　honour；　which　he　was　jealous　of；　and　a　shawl　his　wife　got　at　my　shister's　shop　there　without；　and　never　paid　for；　so　I　offered　to　set　the　shawl　against　the　grazing；　and　give　him　a　receipt　in　full　of　all　demands；　but　he　wouldn't　out　of　spite；　please　your　honour；　so　he　brought　me　before　your　honour；　expecting　your　honour　was　mad　with　me　for　cutting　down　the　tree　in　the　horse　park；　which　was　none　of　my　doing；　please　your　honourill…luck　to　them　that　went　and　belied　me　to　your　honour　behind　my　back！　　So　if　your　honour　is　pleasing；　I'll　tell　you　the　whole　truth　about　the　horse　that　he　swopped　against　my　mare　out　of　the　face。　　Last　Shrove　fair　I　met　this　man；　Jemmy　Duffy；　please　your　honour；　just　at　the　corner　of　the　road；　where　the　bridge　is　broken　down；　that　your　honour　is　to　have　the　presentment　for　this　yearlong　life　to　you　for　it！　　And　he　was　at　that　time　coming　from　the　fair　of　Gurtishannon；　and　I　the　same　way。　　〃How　are　you；　Jemmy？〃　says　I。　　〃Very　well；　I　thank　ye　kindly；　Bryan；〃　says　he；　〃shall　we　turn　back　to　Paddy　Salmon's　and　take　a　naggin　of　whisky　to　our　better　acquaintance？〃　　〃I　don't　care　if　I　did；　Jemmy；〃　says　I；　〃only　it　is　what　I　can't　take　the　whisky；　because　I'm　under　an　oath　against　it　for　a　month。〃　　Ever　since；　please　your　honour；　the　day　your　honour　met　me　on　the　road；　and　observed　to　me　I　could　hardly　stand；　I　had　taken　so　much；　though　upon　my　conscience　your　honour　wronged　me　greatly　that　same　timeill…luck　to　them　that　belied　me　behind　my　back　to　your　honour！　　Well；　please　your　honour；　as　I　was　telling　you；　as　he　was　taking　the　whisky；　and　we　talking　of　one　thing　or　t'other；　he　makes　me　an　offer　to　swop　his　mare　that　he　couldn't　sell　at　the　fair　of　Gurtishannon；　because　nobody　would　be　troubled　with　the　beast；　please　your　honour；　against　my　horse；　and　to　oblige　him　I　took　the　maresorrow　take　her！　　and　him　along　with　her！　　She　kicked　me　a　new　car；　that　was　worth　three　pounds　ten；　to　tatters　the　first　time　I　ever　put　her　into　it；　and　I　expect　your　honour　will　make　him　pay　me　the　price　of　the　car；　anyhow；　before　I　pay　the　grazing；　which　I've　no　right　to　pay　at…all…at…all；　only　to　oblige　him。　　But　I　leave　it　all　to　your　honour；　and　the　whole　grazing　he　ought　to　be　charging　for　the　beast　is　but　two　and　eightpence　halfpenny；　anyhow；　please　your　honour。　　So　I'll　abide　by　what　your　honour　says；　good　or　bad。　I'll　leave　it　all　to　your　honour。

I'll　leave　IT　all　to　your　honourliterally　means；　I'll　leave　all　the　trouble　to　your　honour。

The　Editor　knew　a　justice　of　the　peace　in　Ireland　who　had　such　a　dread　of　HAVING　IT　ALL　LEFT　TO　HIS　HONOUR；　that　he　frequently　gave　the　complainants　the　sum　about　which　they　were　disputing；　to　make　peace　between　them；　and　to　get　rid　of　the　trouble　of　hearing　their　stories　OUT　OF　THE　FACE。　But　he　was　soon　cured　of　this　method　of　buying　off　disputes；　by　the　increasing　multitude　of　those　who；　out　of　pure　regard　to　his　honour；　came　'to　get　justice　from　him；　because　they　would　sooner　come　before　him　than　before　any　man　in　all　Ireland。'

GLOSSARY　25。　A　RAKING　POT　OF　TEA。we　should　observe；　this　custom　has　long　since　been　banished　from　the　higher　orders　of　Irish　gentry。　　The　mysteries　of　a　raking　pot　of　tea；　like　those　of　the　Bona　Dea；　are　supposed　to　be　sacred　to　females；　but　now　and　then　it　has　happened　that　some　of　the　male　species；　who　were　either　more　audacious；　or　more　highly　favoured　than　the　rest　of　their　sex；　have　been　admitted　by　stealth　to　these　orgies。　　The　time　when　the　festive　ceremony　begins　varies　according　to　circumstances；　but　it　is　never　earlier　than　twelve　o'clock　at　night；　the　joys　of　a　raking　pot　of　tea　depending　on　its　being　made　in　secret；　and　at　an　unseasonable　hour。　　After　a　ball；　when　the　more　discreet　part　of　the　company　has　departed　to　rest；　a　few　chosen　female　spirits；　who　have　footed　it　till　they　can　foot　it　no　longer；　and　till　the　sleepy　notes　expire　under　the　slurring　hand　of　the　musician；　retire　to　a　bedchamber；　call　the　favourite　maid；　who　alone　is　admitted；　bid　her　PUT　DOWN　THE　KETTLE；　lock　the　door；　and　amidst　as　much　giggling　and　scrambling　as　possible；　they　get　round　a　tea…table；　on　which　all　manner　of　things　are　huddled　together。　Then　begin　mutual　railleries　and　mutual　confidences　amongst　the　young　ladies；　and　the　faint　scream　and　the　loud　laugh　is　heard；　and　the　romping　for　letters　and　pocket…books　begins；　and　gentlemen　are　called　by　their　surnames；　or　by　the　general　name　of　fellows！　　pleasant　fellows！　　charming　fellows！　　odious　fellows！　abominable　fellows！　　and　then　all　prudish　decorums　are　forgotten；　and　then　we　might　be　convinced　how　much　the　satirical　poet　was　mistaken　when　he　said

There　is　no　woman　where　there's　no　reserve。

The　merit　of　the　original　idea　of　a　raking　pot　of　tea　evidently　belongs　to　the　washerwoman　and　the　laundry…maid。　　But　why　should　not　we　have　LOW　LIFE　ABOVE　STAIRS　as　well　as　HIGH　LIFE　BELOW　STAIRS？

GLOSSARY　26。　WE　GAINED　THE　DAY　BY　THIS　PIECE　OF　HONESTY。In　a　dispute　which　occurred　some　years　ago　in　Ireland；　between　Mr。　E。　and　Mr。　M。；　about　the　boundaries　of　a　farm；　an　old　tenant　of　Mr。　M。's　cut　a　SOD　from　Mr。　M。's　land；　and　inserted　it　in　a　spot　prepared　for　its　reception　in　Mr。　E。's　land；　so　nicely　was　it　inserted；　that　no　eye　could　detect　the　junction　of　the　grass。　The　old　man；　who　was　to　give　his　evidence　as　to　the　property；　stood　upon　the　inserted　sod　when　the　VIEWERS　came；　and　swore　that　the　ground　he　THEN　STOOD　UPON　belonged　to　his　landlord；　Mr。　M。

The　Editor　had　flattered　himself　that　the　ingenious　contrivance　which　Thady　records；　and　the　similar　subterfuge　of　this　old　Irishman；　in　the　dispute　concerning　boundaries；　were　instances　of　'CUTENESS　unparalleled　in　all　but　Irish　story：　　an　English　friend；　however；　has　just　mortified　the　Editor's　national　vanity　by　an　account　of　the　following　custom；　which　prevails　in　part　of　Shropshire。　　It　is　discreditable　for　women　to　appear　abroad　after　the　birth　of　their　children　till　they　have　been　CHURCHED。　　To　avoid　this　reproach；　and　at　the　same　time　to　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　gadding；　whenever　a　woman　goes　abroad　before　she　has　been　to　church；　she　takes　a　tile　from　the　roof　of　her　house；　and　puts　it　upon　her　head：　　wearing　this　panoply　all　the　time　she　pays　her　visits；　her　conscience　is　perfectly　at　ease；　for　she　can　afterwards　safely　declare　to　the　clergyman；　that　she　'has　never　been　from　under　her　own　roof　till　she　came　to　be　churched。'

GLOSSARY　27。　CARTON　AND　HALF…CARTON；Thady　means　cartron；　and　half…cartron。　（According　to　the　old　record　in　the　black　book　of　Dublin；　a　CANTRED　is　said　to　contain　30　VILLATAS　TERRAS；　which　are　also　called　QUARTERS　of　land　（quarterons；　CARTRONS）；　every　one　of　which　quarters　must　contain　so　much　ground　as　will　pasture　400　cows；　and　17　plough…lands。　A　knight's　fee　was　composed　of　8　hydes；　which　amount　to　160　acres；　and　that　is　generally　deemed　about　a　PLOUGH…LAND'

The　Editor　was　favoured　by　a　learned　friend　with　the　above　extract；　from　a　MS。　of　Lord　Totness's　in　the　Lambeth　library。

GLOSSARY　28。　WAKE。A　wake　in　England　means　a　festival　held　upon　the　anniversary　of　the　saint　of　the　parish。　　At　these　wakes；　rustic　games；　rustic　conviviality；　and　rustic　courtship；　are　pursued　with　all　the　ardour　and　all　the　appetite　which　accompany　such　pleasures　as　occur　but　seldom。　　In　Ireland　a　wake　is　a　midnight　meeting；　held　professedly　for　the　indulgence　of　holy　sorrow；　but　usually　it　is　converted　into　orgies　of　unholy　joy。　　When　an　Irish　man　or　woman　of　the　lower　order　dies；　the　straw　which　composed　the　bed；　whether　it　has　been　contained　in　a　bag　to　form　a　mattress；　or　simply　spread　upon　the　earthen　floor；　is　immediately　taken　out　of　the　house；　and　burned　before　the　cabin　door；　the　family　at　the　same　time　setting　up　the　death　howl。　The　ears　and　eyes　of　the　neighbours　being　thus　alarmed；　they　flock　to　the　house　of　the　deceased；　and　by　their　vociferous　sympathy　excite　and　at　the　same　time　soothe　the　sorrows　of　the　family。

It　is　curious　to　observe　how　good　and　bad　are　mingled　in　human　institutions。　　In　countries　which　were　thinly　inhabited；　this　custom　prevented　private　attempts　against　the　lives　of　individuals；　and　formed　a　kind　of　coroner's　inquest　upon　the　body　which　had　recently　expired；　and　burning　the　straw　upon　which　the　sick　man　lay　became　a　simple　preservative　against　infection。　　At　night　the　dead　body　is　waked；　that　is　to　say；　all　the　friends　and　neighbours　of　the　deceased　collect　in　a　barn　or　stable；　where　the　corpse　is　laid　upon　some　boards；　or　an　unhinged　door；　supported　upon　stools；　the　face　exposed；　the　rest　of　the　body　covered　with　a　white　sheet。　　Round　the　body　are　stuck　in　brass　candlesticks；　which　have　been　borrowed　perhaps　at　five　miles'　distance；　as　many　candles　as　the　poor　person　can　beg　or　borrow；　observing　always　to　have　an　odd　number。　　Pipes　and　tobacco　are　first　distributed；　and　then；　according　to　the　ABILITY　of　the　deceased；　cakes　and　ale；　and　sometimes　whisky；　are　DEALT　to　the　company

　Deal　on；　deal　on；　my　merry　men　all；　　Deal　on　your　cakes　and　your　wine；　　For　whatever　is　dealt　at　her　funeral　to…day　　Shall　be　dealt　to…morrow　at　mine。

After　a　fit　of　universal　sorrow；　and　the　comfort　of　a　universal　dram；　the　scandal　of　the　neighbourhood；　as　in　higher　circles；　occupies　the　company。　　The　young　lads　and　lasses　romp　with　one　another；　and　when　the　fathers　and　mothers　are　at　last　overcome　with　sleep　and　whisky　（VINO　ET　SOMNO）；　the　youth　become　more　enterprising；　and　are　frequently　successful。　　It　is　said　that　more　matches　are　made　at　wakes　than　at　weddings。

GLOSSARY　29。　KILT。This　word　frequently　occurs　in　the　preceding　pages；　where　it　means　not　KILLED；　but　much　HURT。　In　Ireland；　not　only　cowards；　but　the　brave　'die　many　times　before　their　death。'There　KILLING　IS　NO　MURDER。




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