castle rackrent-第25部分

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liged　his　landlord；　the　agent　sent　to　him　for　his　duty　work；　and　Thady　does　not　exaggerate　when　he　says；　that　the　tenants　were　often　called　from　their　own　work　to　do　that　of　their　landlord。　　Thus　the　very　means　of　earning　their　rent　were　taken　from　them：　　whilst　they　were　getting　home　their　landlord's　harvest；　their　own　was　often　ruined；　and　yet　their　rents　were　expected　to　be　paid　as　punctually　as　if　their　time　had　been　at　their　own　disposal。　　This　appears　the　height　of　absurd　injustice。

In　Esthonia；　amongst　the　poor　Sclavonian　race　of　peasant　slaves；　they　pay　tributes　to　their　lords；　not　under　the　name　of　duty　work；　duty　geese；　duty　turkeys；　etc。；　but　under　the　name　of　RIGHTEOUSNESSES。　The　following　ballad　is　a　curious　specimen　of　Esthonian　poetry：

　This　is　the　cause　that　the　country　is　ruined；　　And　the　straw　of　the　thatch　is　eaten　away；　　The　gentry　are　come　to　live　in　the　land　　Chimneys　between　the　village；　　And　the　proprietor　upon　the　white　floor！　　The　sheep　brings　forth　a　lamb　with　a　white　forehead；　　This　is　paid　to　the　lord　for　a　RIGHTEOUSNESS　SHEEP。　　The　sow　farrows　pigs；　　They　go　to　the　spit　of　the　lord。　　The　hen　lays　eggs；　　They　go　into　the　lord's　frying…pan。　　The　cow　drops　a　male　calf；　　That　goes　into　the　lord's　herd　as　a　bull。　　The　mare　foals　a　horse　foal；　　That　must　be　for　my　lord's　nag。　　The　boor's　wife　has　sons；　　They　must　go　to　look　after　my　lord's　poultry。

GLOSSARY　10。　OUT　OF　FORTY…NINE　SUITS　WHICH　HE　HAD；　HE　NEVER　LOST　ONE　BUT　SEVENTEEN。Thady's　language　in　this　instance　is　a　specimen　of　a　mode　of　rhetoric　common　in　Ireland。　　An　astonishing　assertion　is　made　in　the　beginning　of　a　sentence；　which　ceases　to　be　in　the　least　surprising；　when　you　hear　the　qualifying　explanation　that　follows。　Thus　a　man　who　is　in　the　last　stage　of　staggering　drunkenness　will；　if　he　can　articulate；　swear　to　you'Upon　his　conscience　now；　and　may　he　never　stir　from　the　spot　alive　if　he　is　telling　a　lie；　upon　his　conscience　he　has　not　tasted　a　drop　of　anything；　good　or　bad；　since　morning　at…all…at…all；　but　half　a　pint　of　whisky；　please　your　honour。'

GLOSSARY　11。　FAIRY　MOUNTSBarrows。　It　is　said　that　these　high　mounts　were　of　great　service　to　the　natives　of　Ireland　when　Ireland　was　invaded　by　the　Danes。　　Watch　was　always　kept　on　them；　and　upon　the　approach　of　an　enemy　a　fire　was　lighted　to　give　notice　to　the　next　watch；　and　thus　the　intelligence　was　quickly　communicated　through　the　country。　　SOME　YEARS　AGO；　the　common　people　believed　that　these　barrows　were　inhabited　by　fairies；　or；　as　they　called　them；　by　the　GOOD　PEOPLE。　　'Oh；　troth；　to　the　best　of　my　belief；　and　to　the　best　of　my　judgment　and　opinion；'　said　an　elderly　man　to　the　Editor；　'it　was　only　the　old　people　that　had　nothing　to　do；　and　got　together；　and　were　telling　stories　about　them　fairies；　but　to　the　best　of　my　judgment　there's　nothing　in　it。　Only　this　I　heard　myself　not　very　many　years　back　from　a　decent　kind　of　a　man；　a　grazier；　that；　as　he　was　coming　just　FAIR　AND　EASY　（QUIETLY）　from　the　fair；　with　some　cattle　and　sheep；　that　he　had　not　sold；　just　at　the　church　of　…　at　an　angle　of　the　road　like；　he　was　met　by　a　good…looking　man；　who　asked　him　where　he　was　going？　　And　he　answered；　〃Oh；　far　enough；　I　must　be　going　all　night。〃　　〃No；　that　you　mustn't　nor　won't　（says　the　man）；　you'll　sleep　with　me　the　night；　and　you'll　want　for　nothing；　nor　your　cattle　nor　sheep　neither；　nor　your　BEAST　（HORSE）；　so　come　along　with　me。〃　　With　that　the　grazier　LIT　（ALIGHTED）　from　his　horse；　and　it　was　dark　night；　but　presently　he　finds　himself；　he　does　not　know　in　the　wide　world　how；　in　a　fine　house；　and　plenty　of　everything　to　eat　and　drink；　nothing　at　all　wanting　that　he　could　wish　for　or　think　of。　　And　he　does　not　MIND　（RECOLLECT　or　KNOW）　how　at　last　he　falls　asleep；　and　in　the　morning　he　finds　himself　lying；　not　in　ever　a　bed　or　a　house　at　all；　but　just　in　the　angle　of　the　road　where　first　he　met　the　strange　man：　　there　he　finds　himself　lying　on　his　back　on　the　grass；　and　all　his　sheep　feeding　as　quiet　as　ever　all　round　about　him；　and　his　horse　the　same　way；　and　the　bridle　of　the　beast　over　his　wrist。　　And　I　asked　him　what　he　thought　of　it；　and　from　first　to　last　he　could　think　of　nothing；　but　for　certain　sure　it　must　have　been　the　fairies　that　entertained　him　so　well。　　For　there　was　no　house　to　see　anywhere　nigh　hand；　or　any　building；　or　barn；　or　place　at　all；　but　only　the　church　and　the　MOTE　（BARROW）。　　There's　another　odd　thing　enough　that　they　tell　about　this　same　church；　that　if　any　person's　corpse；　that　had　not　a　right　to　be　buried　in　that　churchyard；　went　to　be　burying　there　in　it；　no；　not　all　the　men；　women；　or　childer　in　all　Ireland　could　get　the　corpse　anyway　into　the　churchyard；　but　as　they　would　be　trying　to　go　into　the　churchyard；　their　feet　would　seem　to　be　going　backwards　instead　of　forwards；　ay；　continually　backwards　the　whole　funeral　would　seem　to　go；　and　they　would　never　set　foot　with　the　corpse　in　the　churchyard。　　Now　they　say　that　it　is　the　fairies　do　all　this；　but　it　is　my　opinion　it　is　all　idle　talk；　and　people　are　after　being　wiser　now。

The　country　people　in　Ireland　certainly　HAD　great　admiration　mixed　with　reverence；　if　not　dread；　of　fairies。　　They　believed　that　beneath　these　fairy　mounts　were　spacious　subterraneous　palaces；　inhabited　by　THE　GOOD　PEOPLE；　who　must　not　on　any　account　be　disturbed。　　When　the　wind　raises　a　little　eddy　of　dust　upon　the　road；　the　poor　people　believe　that　it　is　raised　by　the　fairies；　that　it　is　a　sign　that　they　are　journeying　from　one　of　the　fairies'　mounts　to　another；　and　they　say　to　the　fairies；　or　to　the　dust　as　it　passes；　'God　speed　ye；　gentlemen；　God　speed　ye。'　This　averts　any　evil　that　THE　GOOD　PEOPLE　might　be　inclined　to　do　them。　　There　are　innumerable　stories　told　of　the　friendly　and　unfriendly　feats　of　these　busy　fairies；　some　of　these　tales　are　ludicrous；　and　some　romantic　enough　for　poetry。　　It　is　a　pity　that　poets　should　lose　such　convenient；　though　diminutive　machinery。　　By　the　bye；　Parnell；　who　showed　himself　so　deeply　'skilled　in　faerie　lore；'　was　an　Irishman；　and　though　he　has　presented　his　fairies　to　the　world　in　the　ancient　English　dress　of　'Britain's　isle；　and　Arthur's　days；'　it　is　probable　that　his　first　acquaintance　with　them　began　in　his　native　country。

Some　remote　origin　for　the　most　superstitious　or　romantic　popular　illusions　or　vulgar　errors　may　often　be　discovered。　　In　Ireland；　the　old　churches　and　churchyards　have　been　usually　fixed　upon　as　the　scenes　of　wonders。　　Now　antiquaries　tell　us；　that　near　the　ancient　churches　in　that　kingdom　caves　of　various　constructions　have　from　time　to　time　been　discovered；　which　were　formerly　used　as　granaries　or　magazines　by　the　ancient　inhabitants；　and　as　places　to　which　they　retreated　in　time　of　danger。　　There　is　（p。84　of　the　R。　I。　A。　TRANSACTIONS　for　1789）　a　particular　account　of　a　number　of　these　artificial　caves　at　the　west　end　of　the　church　of　Killossy；　in　the　county　of　Kildare。　　Under　a　rising　ground；　in　a　dry　sandy　soil；　these　subterraneous　dwellings　were　found：　　they　have　pediment　roofs；　and　they　communicate　with　each　other　by　small　apertures。　　In　the　Brehon　laws　these　are　mentioned；　and　there　are　fines　inflicted　by　those　laws　upon　persons　who　steal　from　the　subterraneous　granaries。　　All　these　things　show　that　there　was　a　real　foundation　for　the　stories　which　were　told　of　the　appearance　of　lights；　and　of　the　sounds　of　voices；　near　these　places。　　The　persons　who　had　property　concealed　there；　very　willingly　countenanced　every　wonderful　relation　that　tended　to　make　these　places　objects　of　sacred　awe　or　superstitious　terror。

GLOSSARY　12。　WEED　ASHES。By　ancient　usage　in　Ireland；　all　the　weeds　on　a　farm　belonged　to　the　farmer's　wife；　or　to　the　wife　of　the　squire　who　holds　the　ground　in　his　own　hands。　　The　great　demand　for　alkaline　salts　in　bleaching　rendered　these　ashes　no　inconsiderable　perquisite。

GLOSSARY　13。　SEALING　MONEY。Formerly　it　was　the　custom　in　Ireland　for　tenants　to　give　the　squire's　lady　from　two　to　fifty　guineas　as　a　perquisite　upon　the　sealing　of　their　leases。　　The　Editor　not　very　long　since　knew　of　a　baronet's　lady　accepting　fifty　guineas　as　sealing　money；　upon　closing　a　bargain　for　a　considerable　farm。

GLOSSARY　14。　SIR　MURTAGH　GREW　MADSir　Murtagh　grew　angry。

GLOSSARY　15。　THE　WHOLE　KITCHEN　WAS　OUT　ON　THE　STAIRSmeans　that　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　kitchen　came　out　of　the　kitchen；　and　stood　upon　the　stairs。　　These；　and　similar　expressions；　show　how　much　the　Irish　are　disposed　to　metaphor　and　amplification。

GLOSSARY　16。　FINING　DOWN　THE　YEAR'S　RENT。When　an　Irish　gentleman；　like　Sir　Kit　Rackrent；　has　lived　beyond　his　income；　and　finds　himself　distressed　for　ready　money；　tenants　obligingly　offer　to　take　his　land　at　a　rent　far　below　the　value；　and　to　pay　him　a　small　sum　of　money　in　hand；　which　they　call　fining　down　the　yearly　rent。　　The　temptation　of　this　ready　cash　often　blinds　the　landlord　to　his　future　interest。

GLOSSARY　17。　DRIVER。A　man　who　is　employed　to　drive　tenants　for　rent；　that　is；　to　drive　the　cattle　belonging　to　tenants　to　pound。　　The　office　of　driver　is　by　no　means　a　sinecure。

GLOSSARY　18。　I　THOUGHT　TO　MAKE　HIM　A　PRIEST。It　was　customary　amongst　those　of　Thady's　rank　in　Ireland；　whenever　they　could　get　a　little　money；　to　send　their　sons