little likely, as far as I could see--though she did not seem to be
clear of it herself--little likely to be my Lady Rackrent now, should
there be a second toss-up to be made. But I told him the whole story out
of the face, just as Judy had told it to me, and he sent off a messenger
with his compliments to Mount Juliet’s Town that evening, to learn the
truth of the report, and Judy bid the boy that was going call in at Tim
M’Enerney’s shop in O’Shaughlin’s Town and buy her a new shawl. “Do so,”
said Sir Condy, “and tell Tim to take no money from you, for I must pay
him for the shawl myself.” At this my shister throws me over a look, and
I says nothing, but turned the tobacco in my mouth, whilst Judy began
making a many words about it, and saying how she could not be beholden
for shawls to any gentleman. I left her there to consult with my
shister, did she think there was any thing in it, and my shister thought
I was blind to be asking her the question, and I thought my shister must
see more into it than I did; and recollecting all past times and every
thing, I changed my mind, and came over to her way of thinking, and we
settled it that Judy was very like to be my Lady Rackrent after all, if
a vacancy should have happened.
The next day, before his honour was up, somebody comes with a double
knock at the door, and I was greatly surprised to see it was my son
Jason. “Jason, is it you?” said I; “what brings you to the Lodge?” says
I; “is it my Lady Rackrent? we know that already since yesterday.” “May
be so,” says he, “but I must see Sir Condy about it.” “You can’t see him
yet,” says I; “sure he is not awake.” “What then,” says he, “can’t he be
wakened? and I standing at the door.” “I’ll not be disturbing his honour
for you, Jason,” says I; “many’s the hour you’ve waited in your time,
and been proud to do it, till his honour was at leisure to speak to you.
His honour,” says I, raising my voice, at which his honour wakens of
his own accord, and calls to me from the room to know who it was I was
speaking to. Jason made no more ceremony, but follows me into the room.
“How are you, Sir Condy?” says he; “I’m happy to see you looking so
well; I came up to know how you did to-day, and to see did you want for
any thing at the Lodge.” “Nothing at all, Mr. Jason, I thank you,” says
he; for his honour had his own share of pride, and did not choose, after
all that had passed, to be beholden, I suppose, to my son; “but pray
take a chair and be seated, Mr. Jason.” Jason sat him down upon the
chest, for chair there was none, and after he had set there some time,
and a silence on all sides, “What news is there stirring in the country,
Mr. Jason M’Quirk?” says Sir Condy, very easy, yet high like. “None
that’s news to you, Sir Condy, I hear,” says Jason: “I am sorry to hear
of my Lady Rackrent’s accident.” “I’m much obliged to you, and so is
her ladyship, I’m sure,” answered Sir Condy, still stiff; and there was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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