Well, my son Jason put in a word about the lodge, and Sir Condy was fain to take the purchase-money to settle matters, for there were two writs come down against him to the sheriff, who was no friend of his.  Then there came a general election, and Sir Condy was called upon by all his friends to stand candidate; they would do all the business, and it should not cost him a penny.

There was open house then at Castle Rackrent, and grand dinners, and all the gentlemen drinking success to Sir Condy till they were carried off.  The election day came, and a glorious day it was.  I thought I should have died with joy in the street when I saw my poor master chaired, and the crowd following him up and down.  But a stranger man in the crowd gets me to introduce him to my son Jason, and little did I guess his meaning.  He gets a list of my master’s debts from him, and goes round and buys them up, and so got to be sole creditor over all, and must needs have an execution against the master’s goods and furniture.

After the election shoals of people came from all parts, claiming to have obliged him with votes, and to remind him of promises he never made.  Worst of all, the gentlemen who had managed everything and subscribed by hundreds very genteelly forgot to pay, and it was all left at my master’s door.  All he could do to content ’em was to take himself off to Dublin, where my lady had taken a house fitting for a member of parliament.

Soon my son Jason said, “Sir Condy must look out for another agent.  If my lady had the Bank of Ireland to spend, it would all go in one winter.”

I could scarcely believe my own old eyes when I saw my son’s name joined in the custodian, that the villain who got the list of debts brought down in the spring; but he said it would make it easier for Sir Condy.

IV.—­The Last of the Rackrents

When Sir Condy and his lady came down in June, he was pleased to take me aside to complain of my son and other matters; not one unkind word of my lady, but he wondered that her relations would do nothing for them in their great distress.  He did not take anything long to heart; let it be as it might this night, it was all out of his head before he went to bed.  Next morning my lady had a letter from her relations, and asked to be allowed to go back to them.  He fell back as if he was shot, but after a minute said she had his full consent, for what could she do at Castle Rackrent with an execution coming down?  Next morning she set off for Mount Juliet.

Then everything was seized by the gripers, my son Jason, to his shame be it spoken, among them.  On the evening Sir Condy had appointed to settle all, when he sees the sight of bills and loads of papers on the table, he says to Jason, “Can’t you now just sit down here and give me a clear view of the balance, you know, which is all I need be talking about?  Thady, do just step out, and see they are bringing the things for the punch.”  When I came back Jason was pointing to the balance, a terrible sight for my poor master.