castle rackrent-第7部分

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1800。


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CASTLE　RACKRENT


MONDAY　MORNING　＇See　GLOSSARY　1＇。

Having；　out　of　friendship　for　the　family；　upon　whose　estate；　praised　be　Heaven！　　I　and　mine　have　lived　rent…free　time　out　of　mind；　voluntarily　undertaken　to　publish　the　MEMOIRS　OF　THE　RACKRENT　FAMILY；　I　think　it　my　duty　to　say　a　few　words；　in　the　first　place；　concerning　myself。　　My　real　name　is　Thady　Quirk；　though　in　the　family　I　have　always　been　known　by　no　other　than　'Honest　Thady；'　afterward；　in　the　time　of　Sir　Murtagh；　deceased；　I　remember　to　hear　them　calling　me　'Old。　Thady；'　and　now　I've　come　to　'Poor　Thady'；　for　I　wear　a　long　greatcoat　winter　and　summer；　which　is　very　handy；　as　I　never　put　my　arms　into　the　sleeves；　they　are　as　good　as　new；　though　come　Holantide　next　I've　had　it　these　seven　years：　　it　holds　on　by　a　single　button　round　my　neck；　cloak　fashion。

＇The　cloak；　or　mantle；　as　described　by　Thady；　is　of　high　antiquity。　Spenser；　in　his　VIEW　OF　THE　STATE　OF　IRELAND；　proves　that　it　is　not；　as　some　have　imagined；　peculiarly　derived　from　the　Scythians；　but　that　'most　nations　of　the　world　anciently　used　the　mantle；　for　the　Jews　used　it；　as　you　may　read　of　Elias's　mantle；　etc。；　the　Chaldees　also　used　it；　as　you　may　read　in　Diodorus；　the　Egyptians　likewise　used　it；　as　you　may　read　in　Herodotus；　and　may　be　gathered　by　the　description　of　Berenice　in　the　Greek　Commentary　upon　Callimachus；　the　Greeks　also　used　it　anciently；　as　appeared　by　Venus's　mantle　lined　with　stars；　though　afterward　they　changed　the　form　thereof　into　their　cloaks；　called　Pallai；　as　some　of　the　Irish　also　use；　and　the　ancient　Latins　and　Romans　used　it；　as　you　may　read　in　Virgil；　who　was　a　great　antiquary；　that　Evander；　when　AEneas　came　to　him　at　his　feast；　did　entertain　and　feast　him　sitting　on　the　ground；　and　lying　on　mantles：　　insomuch　that　he　useth　the　very　word　mantile　for　a　mantle

〃Humi　mantilia　sternunt：〃

so　that　it　seemeth　that　the　mantle　was　a　general　habit　to　most　nations；　and　not　proper　to　the　Scythians　only。

Spenser　knew　the　convenience　of　the　said　mantle；　as　housing；　bedding；　and　clothing：　'IREN。　　Because　the　commodity　doth　not　countervail　the　discommodity；　for　the　inconveniences　which　thereby　do　arise　are　much　more　many；　for　it　is　a　fit　house　for　an　outlaw；　a　meet　bed　for　a　rebel；　and　an　apt　cloak　for　a　thief。　　First；　the　outlaw　being；　for　his　many　crimes　and　villanies；　banished　from　the　towns　and　houses　of　honest　men；　and　wandering　in　waste　places；　far　from　danger　of　law；　maketh　his　mantle　his　house；　and　under　it　covereth　himself　from　the　wrath　of　Heaven；　from　the　offence　of　the　earth；　and　from　the　sight　of　men。　　When　it　raineth；　it　is　his　penthouse；　when　it　bloweth；　it　is　his　tent；　when　it　freezeth；　it　is　his　tabernacle。　　In　summer　he　can　wear　it　loose；　in　winter　he　can　wrap　it　close；　at　all　times　he　can　use　it；　never　heavy；　never　cumbersome。　　Likewise　for　a　rebel　it　is　as　serviceable；　for　in　this　war　that　he　maketh　（if　at　least　it　deserves　the　name　of　war）；　when　he　still　flieth　from　his　foe；　and　lurketh　in　the　THICK　WOODS　（this　should　be　BLACK　BOGS）　and　straight　passages；　waiting　for　advantages；　it　is　his　bed；　yea；　and　almost　his　household　stuff。'＇

To　look　at　me；　you　would　hardly　think　'Poor　Thady'　was　the　father　of　Attorney　Quirk；　he　is　a　high　gentleman；　and　never　minds　what　poor　Thady　says；　and　having　better　than　fifteen　hundred　a　year；　landed　estate；　looks　down　upon　honest　Thady；　but　I　wash　my　hands　of　his　doings；　and　as　I　have　lived　so　will　I　die；　true　and　loyal　to　the　family。　　The　family　of　the　Rackrents　is；　I　am　proud　to　say；　one　of　the　most　ancient　in　the　kingdom。　　Everybody　knows　this　is　not　the　old　family　name；　which　was　O'Shaughlin；　related　to　the　kings　of　Irelandbut　that　was　before　my　time。　　My　grandfather　was　driver　to　the　great　Sir　Patrick　O'Shaughlin；　and　I　heard　him；　when　I　was　a　boy；　telling　how　the　Castle　Rackrent　estate　came　to　Sir　Patrick；　Sir　Tallyhoo　Rackrent　was　cousin…　german　to　him；　and　had　a　fine　estate　of　his　own；　only　never　a　gate　upon　it；　it　being　his　maxim　that　a　car　was　the　best　gate。　Poor　gentleman！　　he　lost　a　fine　hunter　and　his　life；　at　last；　by　it；　all　in　one　day's　hunt。　　But　I　ought　to　bless　that　day；　for　the　estate　came　straight　into　THE　family；　upon　one　condition；　which　Sir　Patrick　O'Shaughlin　at　the　time　took　sadly　to　heart；　they　say；　but　thought　better　of　it　afterwards；　seeing　how　large　a　stake　depended　upon　it：　　that　he　should；　by　Act　of　Parliament；　take　and　bear　the　surname　and　arms　of　Rackrent。

Now　it　was　that　the　world　was　to　see　what　was　IN　Sir　Patrick。　　On　coming　into　the　estate　he　gave　the　finest　entertainment　ever　was　heard　of　in　the　country；　not　a　man　could　stand　after　supper　but　Sir　Patrick　himself　who　could　sit　out　the　best　man　in　Ireland；　let　alone　the　three　kingdoms　itself　＇See　GLOSSARY　2＇。　　He　had　his　house；　from　one　year's　end　to　another；　as　full　of　company　as　ever　it　could　hold；　and　fuller；　for　rather　than　be　left　out　of　the　parties　at　Castle　Rackrent；　many　gentlemen；　and　those　men　of　the　first　consequence　and　landed　estates　in　the　countrysuch　as　the　O'Neills　of　Ballynagrotty；　and　the　Moneygawls　of　Mount　Juliet's　Town；　and　O'Shannons　of　New　Town　Tullyhogmade　it　their　choice；　often　and　often；　when　there　was　no　room　to　be　had　for　love　nor　money；　in　long　winter　nights；　to　sleep　in　the　chicken…house；　which　Sir　Patrick　had　fitted　up　for　the　purpose　of　accommodating　his　friends　and　the　public　in　general；　who　honoured　him　with　their　company　unexpectedly　at　Castle　Rackrent；　and　this　went　on　I　can't　tell　you　how　long。　　The　whole　country　rang　with　his　praises！long　life　to　him！　　I'm　sure　I　love　to　look　upon　his　picture；　now　opposite　to　me；　though　I　never　saw　him；　he　must　have　been　a　portly　gentlemanhis　neck　something　short；　and　remarkable　for　the　largest　pimple　on　his　nose；　which；　by　his　particular　desire；　is　still　extant　in　his　picture；　said　to　be　a　striking　likeness；　though　taken　when　young。　　He　is　said　also　to　be　the　inventor　of　raspberry　whisky；　which　is　very　likely；　as　nobody　has　ever　appeared　to　dispute　it　with　him；　and　as　there　still　exists　a　broken　punch…bowl　at　Castle　Rackrent；　in　the　garret；　with　an　inscription　to　that　effecta　great　curiosity。　　A　few　days　before　his　death　he　was　very　merry；　it　being　his　honour's　birthday；　he　called　my　grandfather　inGod　bless　him！to　drink　the　company's　health；　and　filled　a　bumper　himself；　but　could　not　carry　it　to　his　head；　on　account　of　the　great　shake　in　his　hand；　on　this　he　cast　his　joke；　saying；　'What　would　my　poor　father　say　to　me　if　he　was　to　pop　out　of　the　grave；　and　see　me　now？　　I　remember　when　I　was　a　little　boy；　the　first　bumper　of　claret　he　gave　me　after　dinner；　how　he　praised　me　for　carrying　it　so　steady　to　my　mouth。　Here's　my　thanks　to　hima　bumper　toast。'　Then　he　fell　to　singing　the　favourite　song　he　learned　from　his　fatherfor　the　last　time；　poor　gentlemanhe　sung　it　that　night　as　loud　and　as　hearty　as　ever；　with　a　chorus：

　He　that　goes　to　bed；　and　goes　to　bed　sober；　　Falls　as　the　leaves　do；　falls　as　the　leaves　do；　and　dies　in　　　　　October；　　'But　he　that　goes　to　bed；　and　goes　to　bed　mellow；　　Lives　as　he　ought　to　do；　lives　as　he　ought　to　do；　and　dies　an　　　　　honest　fellow。

Sir　Patrick　died　that　night：　　just　as　the　company　rose　to　drink　his　health　with　three　cheers；　he　fell　down　in　a　sort　of　fit；　and　was　carried　off；　they　sat　it　out；　and　were　surprised；　on　inquiry　in　the　morning；　to　find　that　it　was　all　over　with　poor　Sir　Patrick。　　Never　did　any　gentleman　live　and　die　more　beloved　in　the　country　by　rich　and　poor。　　His　funeral　was　such　a　one　as　was　never　known　before　or　since　in　the　county！　　All　the　gentlemen　in　the　three　counties　were　at　it；　far　and　near；　how　they　flocked！　my　great…grandfather　said；　that　to　see　all　the　women；　even　in　their　red　cloaks；　you　would　have　taken　them　for　the　army　drawn　out。　　Then　such　a　fine　whillaluh！　＇See　GLOSSARY　3＇　　you　might　have　heard　it　to　the　farthest　end　of　the　county；　and　happy　the　man　who　could　get　but　a　sight　of　the　hearse！　　But　who'd　have　thought　it？　　Just　as　all　was　going　on　right；　through　his　own　town　they　were　passing；　when　the　body　was　seized　for　debta　rescue　was　apprehended　from　the　mob；　but　the　heir；　who　attended　the　funeral；　was　against　that；　for　fear　of　consequences；　seeing　that　those　villains　who　came　to　serve　acted　under　the　disguise　of　the　law：　　so；　to　be　sure；　the　law　must　take　its　course；　and　little　gain　had　the　creditors　for　their　pains。　　First　and　foremost；　they　had　the　curses　of　the　country：　　and　Sir　Murtagh　Rackrent；　the　new　heir；　in　the　next　place；　on　account　of　this　affront　to　the　body；　refused　to　pay　a　shilling　of　the　debts；　in　which　he　was　countenanced　by　all　the　best　gentlemen　of　property；　and　others　of　his　acquaintance；　Sir　Murtagh　alleging　in　all　companies　that　he　all　along　meant　to　pay　his　father's　debts　of　honour；　but　the　moment　the　law　was　taken　of　him；　there　was　an　end　of　honour　to　be　sure。　　It　was　whispered　（but　none　but　the　enemies　of　the　family　believe　it）　that　this　was　all　a　sham　seizure　to　get　quit　of　the　debts　which　he　had　bound　himself　to　pay　in　honour。

It's　a　long　time　ago；　there's　no　saying　how　it　was；　but　this　for　certain；　the　new　man　did　not　take　at　all　after　the　old　gentleman；　the　cellars　were　never　filled　after　his　death；　and　no　open　house；　or　anything　as　it　used　to　be；　the　tenants　even　were　sent　away　without　their　whisky　＇See　GLOSSARY　4＇。　　I　was　ashamed　myself；　and　knew　not　what　to　say　for　the　honour　of　the　family；　but　I　made　the　best　of　a　bad　case；　and　laid　it　all　at　my　lady's　door；　for　I　did　not　like　her　anyhow；　nor　anybody　else；　she　was　of　the　family　of　the　Skinflints；　and　a　widow；　it　was　a　strange　match　for　Sir　Murtagh；　the　people　in　the　country　thought　he　demeaned　himself　greatly　＇See　GLOSSARY　5＇；　but　I　said　nothing；　I　knew　how　it　was。　Sir　Murtagh　was　a　great　lawyer；　and　looked　to　the　great　Skinflint　estate；　there；　however；　he　overshot　himself；　for　though　one　of　the　co…heiresses；　he　was　never　the　better　for　her；　for　she　outlived　him　many's　the　long　dayhe　could　not　see　that　to　be　sure　when　he　married　her。　　I　must　say　for　her；　she　made　him　the　best　of　wives；　being　a　very　notable；　stirring　woman；　and　looking　close　to　everything。　　But　I　always　suspected　she　had　Scotch　blood　in　her　veins；　anything　else　I　could　have　looked　over　in　her；　from　a　regard　to　the　family。　　She　was　a　stri