'So I've a right to do, being born and bred to the bar,' says Sir Condy. 'Thady, do step out and see are they bringing in the things for the punch, for we've just done all we have to do for this evening.'
I goes out accordingly, and when I came back Jason was pointing to the balance, which was a terrible sight to my poor master.
'Pooh! pooh! pooh!' says he. 'Here's so many noughts they dazzle my eyes, so they do, and put me in mind of all I suffered larning of my numeration table, when I was a boy at the day-school along with you, Jason--units, tens, hundreds, tens of hundreds. Is the punch ready, Thady?' says he, seeing me.
'Immediately; the boy has the jug in his hand; it's coming upstairs, please your honour, as fast as possible,' says I, for Isaw his honour was tired out of his life; but Jason, very short and cruel, cuts me off with--'Don't be talking of punch yet awhile; it's no time for punch yet a bit--units, tens, hundreds,'
goes he on, counting over the master's shoulder, units, tens, hundreds, thousands.
'A-a-ah! hold your hand,' cries my master. 'Where in this wide world am I to find hundreds, or units itself, let alone thousands?'
'The balance has been running on too long,' says Jason, sticking to him as I could not have done at the time, if you'd have given both the Indies and Cork to boot; 'the balance has been running on too long, and I'm distressed myself on your account, Sir Condy, for money, and the thing must be settled now on the spot, and the balance cleared off,' says Jason.
'I'll thank you if you'll only show me how,' says Sir Condy.
'There's but one way,' says Jason, 'and that's ready enough. When there's no cash, what can a gentleman do but go to the land?'
'How can you go to the land, and it under custodiam to yourself already?' says Sir Condy; 'and another custodiam hanging over it? And no one at all can touch it, you know, but the custodees.'
'Sure, can't you sell, though at a loss? Sure you can sell, and I've a purchaser ready for you,' says Jason.
'Have you so?' says Sir Condy. 'That's a great point gained.
But there's a thing now beyond all, that perhaps you don't know yet, barring Thady has let you into the secret.'
'Sarrah bit of a secret, or anything at all of the kind, has he learned from me these fifteen weeks come St. John's Eve,' says I, 'for we have scarce been upon speaking terms of late. But what is it your honour means of a secret?'
'Why, the secret of the little keepsake I gave my Lady Rackrent the morning she left us, that she might not go back empty-handed to her friends.'
'My Lady Rackrent, I'm sure, has baubles and keepsakes enough, as those bills on the table will show,' says Jason; 'but whatever it is,' says he, taking up his pen, 'we must add it to the balance, for to be sure it can't be paid for.'
'No, nor can't till after my decease,' says Sir Condy; 'that's one good thing.' Then colouring up a good deal, he tells Jason of the memorandum of the five hundred a-year jointure he had settled upon my lady; at which Jason was indeed mad, and said a great deal in very high words, that it was using a gentleman who had the management of his affairs, and was, moreover, his principal creditor, extremely ill to do such a thing without consulting him, and against his knowledge and consent. To all which Sir Condy had nothing to reply, but that, upon his conscience, it was in a hurry and without a moment's thought on his part, and he was very sorry for it, but if it was to do over again he would do the same; and he appealed to me, and I was ready to give my evidence, if that would do, to the truth of all he said.
So Jason with much ado was brought to agree to a compromise.
'The purchaser that I have ready,' says he, 'will be much displeased, to be sure, at the encumbrance on the land, but Imust see and manage him. Here's a deed ready drawn up; we have nothing to do but to put in the consideration money and our names to it.'
'And how much am I going to sell!--the lands of O'Shaughlin's Town, and the lands of Gruneaghoolaghan, and the lands of Crookagnawaturgh,' says he, just reading to himself. 'And--oh, murder, Jason! sure you won't put this in--the castle, stable, and appurtenances of Castle Rackrent?'
'Oh, murder!' says I, clapping my hands; 'this is too bad, Jason.'
'Why so?' said Jason. 'When it's all, and a great deal more to the back of it, lawfully mine, was I to push for it.'
'Look at him,' says I, pointing to Sir Condy, who was just leaning back in his arm-chair, with his arms falling beside him like one stupefied; 'is it you, Jason, that can stand in his presence, and recollect all he has been to us, and all we have been to him, and yet use him so at the last?'
'Who will you find to use him better, I ask you?' said Jason;'if he can get a better purchaser, I'm content; I only offer to purchase, to make things easy, and oblige him; though I don't see what compliment I am under, if you come to that. I have never had, asked, or charged more than sixpence in the pound, receiver's fees, and where would he have got an agent for a penny less?'
'Oh, Jason! Jason! how will you stand to this in the face of the county, and all who know you?' says I; 'and what will people think and say when they see you living here in Castle Rackrent, and the lawful owner turned out of the seat of his ancestors, without a cabin to put his head into, or so much as a potato to eat?'
Jason, whilst I was saying this, and a great deal more, made me signs, and winks, and frowns; but I took no heed, for I was grieved and sick at heart for my poor master, and couldn't but speak.
'Here's the punch,' says Jason, for the door opened; 'here's the punch!'
Hearing that, my master starts up in his chair, and recollects himself, and Jason uncorks the whisky.
'Set down the jug here,' says he, making room for it beside the papers opposite to Sir Condy, but still not stirring the deed that was to make over all.
