and all, they set up a whillaluh that could be heard to the farthest end of the street; and one—­fine boy he was—­that my master had given an apple to that morning, cried the loudest; but they all were the same sorry, for Sir Condy was greatly beloved amongst the childer, for letting them go a-nutting in the demesne, without saying a word to them, though my lady objected to them.  The people in the town, who were the most of them standing at their doors, hearing the childer cry, would know the reason of it; and when the report was made known, the people one and all gathered in great anger against my son Jason, and terror at the notion of his coming to be landlord over them, and they cried, ’No Jason! no Jason!  Sir Condy!  Sir Condy!  Sir Condy Rackrent for ever!’ And the mob grew so great and so loud, I was frightened, and made my way back to the house to warn my son to make his escape, or hide himself for fear of the consequences.  Jason would not believe me till they came all round the house, and to the windows with great shouts.  Then he grew quite pale, and asked Sir Condy what had he best do?

‘I’ll tell you what you had best do,’ said Sir Condy, who was laughing to see his fright; ’finish your glass first, then let’s go to the window and show ourselves, and I’ll tell ’em—­or you shall, if you please—­that I’m going to the Lodge for change of air for my health, and by my own desire, for the rest of my days.’

‘Do so,’ said Jason, who never meant it should have been so but could not refuse him the Lodge at this unseasonable time:  Accordingly, Sir Condy threw up the sash and explained matters, and thanked all his friends, and bid them look in at the punchbowl, and observe that Jason and he had been sitting over it very good friends; so the mob was content, and he sent them out some whisky to drink his health, and that was the last time his honour’s health was ever drunk at Castle Rackrent.

The very next day, being too proud, as he said to me, to stay an hour longer in a house that did not belong to him, he sets off to the Lodge, and I along with him not many hours after.  And there was great bemoaning through all O’Shaughlin’s Town, which I stayed to witness, and gave my poor master a full account of when I got to the Lodge.  He was very low, and in his bed, when I got there, and complained of a great pain about his heart; but I guessed it was only trouble and all the business, let alone vexation, he had gone through of late; and knowing the nature of him from a boy, I took my pipe, and whilst smoking it by the chimney began telling him how he was beloved and regretted in the county, and it did him a deal of good to hear it.

’Your honour has a great many friends yet that you don’t know of, rich and poor, in the county,’ says I; ’for as I was coming along the road I met two gentlemen in their own carriages, who asked after you, knowing me, and wanted to know where you was and all about you, and even how old I was.  Think of that.’