首页 >出版文学> Letters on Literature>第45章
  observedmycomrade,pointingtowardsthedwellingwithhisthumb;’ashnugspot,andbelongstotheMooneysthislongtime。
  ’Tisanotedplaceforwhathappenedwidthefamousgandherthereinformertimes。’
  ’Andwhatwasthat?’inquiredI。
  ’Whatwasithappenedwidthegandher!’
  ejaculatedmycompanioninatoneofindignantsurprise;’thegandherivBallymacrucker,thegandher!Yourraverancemustbeastrangerintheseparts。Sureeveryfoolknowsallaboutthegandher,andTerenceMooney,thatwas,resthissowl。Begorra,’tissurprisin’tomehowintheworldyoudidn’thearivthegandher;andmaybeit’sfunninmeyeare,yourraverance。’
  Iassuredhimtothecontrary,andconjuredhimtonarratetomethefacts,anunacquaintancewithwhichwassufficientitappearedtostampmeasanignoramusofthefirstmagnitude。
  Itdidnotrequiremuchentreatytoinducemycommunicativefriendtorelatethecircumstance,innearlythefollowingwords:
  ’TerenceMooneywasanhonestboyandwelltodo;an’herintedthebiggestfarmonthissideivtheGalties;an’bein’
  mightycutean’asevareworker,itwassmallwonderheturnedagoodpennyeveryharvest。Butunluckilyhewasblessedwithanilegantlargefamilyivdaughters,an’ivcoorsehisheartwasallamostbruck,strivingtomakeupfortunesforthewholeofthem。An’therewasn’taconthrivanceivanysoartordescriptionformakin’moneyoutivthefarm,buthewasupto。
  ’Well,amongtheotherwayshehadivgettin’upintheworld,healwayskepapowerivturkeys,andallsoartsivpoul-
  trey;an’hewasoutivallrasonpartialtogeese——an’smallblametohimforthatsame——fortwice’tayearyoucanpluckthemasbareasmyhand——an’getafinepriceforthefeathers,an’plentyofralesizableeggs——an’whentheyaretooouldtolayanymore,youcankillthem,an’sellthemtothegintlemenforgoslings,d’yesee,letalonethatagooseisthemostmanlybirdthatisout。
  ’Well,ithappenedinthecoorseivtimethatoneouldgandhertuckawondherfullikin’toTerence,an’divilaplacehecouldgoserenadin’aboutthefarm,orlookin’
  aftherthemen,butthegandheridbeathisheels,an’rubbin’himselfaginhislegs,an’lookin’upinhisfacejistlikeanyotherChristianiddo;an’begorra,thelikesivitwasneverseen——TerenceMooneyan’thegandherworsogreat。
  ’An’atlastthebirdwassoengagin’
  thatTerencewouldnotallowittobepluckedanymore,an’kepitfromthattimeoutforlovean’affection——justallasonelikeoneivhischilder。
  ’Buthappinessinperfectionneverlastslong,an’theneighboursbegin’dtosuspectthenathuran’intentionsivthegandher,an’someivthemsaiditwasthedivil,an’
  moreivthemthatitwasafairy。
  ’Well,Terencecouldnotbuthearsomethingofwhatwassayin’,an’youmaybesurehewasnotaltogetherasyinhismindaboutit,an’fromonedaytoanotherhewasgettin’moreancomfortableinhimself,untilhedetarminedtosindforJerGarvan,thefairydocthorinGarryowen,an’it’shewastheileganthandatthebusiness,an’
  divilasperitidsayacrasswordtohim,nomorenorapriest。An’moreoverhewasverygreatwidouldTerenceMooney——
  thisman’sfatherthat’was。
  ’Sowithoutmoreaboutithewassintfor,an’sureenoughthedivilalonghewasaboutit,forhekembackthatveryevenin’alongwidtheboythatwassintforhim,an’assoonashewasthere,an’
  tuckhissupper,an’wasdonetalkin’forawhile,hebeginedofcoorsetolookintothegandher。
  ’Well,heturneditthisawayan’thataway,totherightan’totheleft,an’
  straight-waysan’upside-down,an’whenhewastiredhandlin’it,sayshetoTerenceMooney:
  ’“Terence,“sayshe,“youmustremovethebirdintothenextroom,“sayshe,“an’
  putapetticoat,“sayshe,“orannyotherconvaynienceroundhishead,“sayshe。
  ’“An’whyso?“saysTerence。
  ’“Becase,“saysJer,sayshe。
  ’“Becasewhat?“saysTerence。
  ’“Becase,“saysJer,“ifitisn’tdoneyou’llneverbeasyagain,“sayshe,“orpusilanimousinyourmind,“sayshe;“soaxnomorequestions,butdomybiddin’,“
  sayshe。
  ’“Well,“saysTerence,“haveyourownway,“sayshe。
  ’An’widthathetucktheouldgandher,an’giv’ittooneivthegossoons。
  ’“An’takecare,“sayshe,“don’tsmotherthecrathur,“sayshe。
  ’Well,assoonasthebirdwasgone,saysJerGarvansayshe:
  ’“DoyouknowwhatthatouldgandherIS,TerenceMooney?“
  ’“Divilataste,“saysTerence。
  ’“Wellthen,“saysJer,“thegandherisyourownfather,“sayshe。
  ’“It’sjokin’youare,“saysTerence,turnin’mightypale;“howcananouldgandherbemyfather?“sayshe。
  ’“I’mnotfunnin’youatall,“saysJer;
  “it’sthruewhatItellyou,it’syourfather’swandhrin’sowl,“sayshe,“that’snaturallytuckpissessionivtheouldgandher’sbody,“sayshe。“Iknowhimmanyways,andIwondher,“sayshe,“youdonotknowthecockivhiseyeyourself,“
  sayshe。
  ’“Ohbluran’ages!“saysTerence,“whatthedivilwillIeverdoatallatall,“sayshe;“it’salloverwidme,forIpluckedhimtwelvetimesatthelaste,“
  sayshe。
  ’“Thatcan’tbehelpednow,“saysJer;
  “itwasasevareactsurely,“sayshe,“butit’stoolatetolamintforitnow,“sayshe;“theonlywaytoprevintwhat’spast,“
  sayshe,“istoputastoptoitbeforeithappens,“sayshe。
  ’“Thrueforyou,“saysTerence,“buthowthedivildidyoucometotheknowledgeivmyfather’ssowl,“sayshe,“bein’
  intheowldgandher,“sayshe。
  ’“IfItouldyou,“saysJer,“youwouldnotundherstandme,“sayshe,“withoutbook-larnin’an’gasthronomy,“sayshe;“soaxmenoquestions,“sayshe,“an’
  I’lltellyounolies。Butblievemeinthismuch,“sayshe,“it’syourfatherthat’sinit,“sayshe;“an’ifIdon’tmakehimspaketo-morrowmornin’,“sayshe,“I’llgiveyoulavetocallmeafool,“sayshe。
  ’“Saynomore,“saysTerence,“thatsettlesthebusiness,“sayshe;“an’oh!
  blurandagesisitnotaquarething,“
  sayshe,“foradacentrespictableman,“
  sayshe,“tobewalkin’aboutthecoun-
  thryintheshapeivanouldgandher,“
  sayshe;“andoh,murdher,murdher!
  isnotitoftenIpluckedhim,“sayshe,“an’tundherandounsmightnotIhaveatehim,“sayshe;andwidthathefellintoacouldparspiration,savin’yourprisince,anwasonthepintivfaintin’
  widthebarenotionsivit。
  ’Well,whinhewascometohimselfagin,saysJerrytohimquitean’
  asy:
  ’“Terence,“sayshe,“don’tbeaggravatin’yourself,“sayshe;“forIhaveaplancomposedthat’illmakehimspakeout,“sayshe,“an’tellwhatitisintheworldhe’swantin’,“sayshe;“an’mindan’don’tbecomin’inwidyourgosther,an’tosayaginanythingItellyou,“sayshe,“butjistpurtind,assoonasthebirdisbroughtback,“sayshe,“howthatwe’regoin’tosindhimto-morrowmornin’
  tomarket,“sayshe。“An’ifhedon’tspaketo-night,“sayshe,“orgotherhimselfoutivtheplace,“sayshe,“puthimintothehamperairly,andsindhiminthecart,“sayshe,“straighttoTipperary,tobesouldforating,“sayshe,“alongwidthetwogossoons,“sayshe,“an’mynameisn’tJerGarvan,“sayshe,“ifhedoesn’tspakeoutbeforehe’shalf-way,“sayshe。
  “An’mind,“sayshe,“assoonasiverhesaysthefirstword,“sayshe,“thatveryminutebringhimafftoFatherCrotty,“sayshe;“an’ifhisraverincedoesn’tmakehimratire,“sayshe,“liketherestivhisparishioners,glorybetoGod,“sayshe,“intothesiclusionivtheflamesivpurgathory,“sayshe,“there’snovartueinmycharums,“sayshe。
  ’Well,widthattheouldgandherwasletintotheroomagin,an’theyallbiginedtotalkivsindin’himthenixtmornin’
  tobesouldforroastin’inTipperary,jistasifitwasathingandoubtinglysettled。
  Butdivilanoticethegandhertuck,nomorenoriftheyworspakingivtheLord-Liftinant;an’Terencedesiredtheboystogetreadythekishforthepoulthry,an’to“settleitoutwidhaysoftan’shnug,“sayshe,“forit’sthelastjauntin’thepoorouldgandher’illgetinthisworld,“sayshe。
  ’Well,asthenightwasgettin’late,Terencewasgrowin’mightysorrowfulan’down-heartedinhimselfentirelywidthenotionsivwhatwasgoin’tohappen。
  An’assoonasthewifean’thecrathurswarfairlyinbed,hebroughtoutsomeilligintpotteen,an’himselfan’JerGarvansotdowntoit;an’begorra,themoreanasyTerencegot,themorehedhrank,andhimselfandJerGarvanfinishedaquartbetunethem。Itwasn’tanimparialthough,an’more’sthepity,forthemwasn’tanvintedantilshortsince;
  butdivilamuchmattheritsignifiesanylongerifapintcouldhouldtwoquarts,letalonewhatitdoes,sinstFatherMathew——theLordpurloinhisraverence——begin’dtogivethepledge,an’widtheblessin’ivtimperancetodeginerateIreland。
  ’An’begorra,Ihavethemedlemyself;
  an’it’sproudIamivthatsame,forabstamiousnessisafinething,althoughit’smightydhry。
  ’Well,whinTerencefinishedhispint,hethoughthemightaswellstop;“forenoughisasgoodasafaste,“sayshe;
  “an’Ipitythevagabond,“sayshe,“thatisnotabletoconthroulhislicquor,“sayshe,“an’tokeepconstantlyinsideivapintmeasure,“saidhe;an’widthathewishedJerGarvanagood-night,an’
  walkedoutivtheroom。
  ’Buthewintoutthewrongdoor,bein’
  athrifleheartyinhimself,an’notrightlyknowin’whetherhewasstandin’onhisheadorhisheels,orbothivthematthesametime,an’inplaceivgettin’intobed,wheredidhethrunhimselfbutintothepoulthryhamper,thattheboyshadsettledoutreadyforthegandherinthemornin’。An’sureenoughhesunkdownsoftan’complatethroughthehaytothebottom;an’widtheturnin’androulin’
  aboutinthenight,thedivilabitivhimbutwascoveredupasshnugasalumperinapittatyfurrowbeforemornin’。
  ’Sowidthefirstlight,upgetsthetwoboys,thatwartotakethesperit,astheyconsaved,toTipperary;an’theycotchedtheouldgandher,an’puthiminthehamper,andclappedagoodwispivhayan’thetopivhim,andtieditdownsthrongwidabitivacoard,andmedthesignivthecrassoverhim,indhreadivanyharum,an’putthehamperupanthecar,wontherin’allthewhilewhatintheworldwasmakin’theouldburdsosurprisin’heavy。
  ’Well,theywintalongquiteanasytowardsTipperary,wishin’everyminutethatsomeivtheneighboursboundthesamewayidhappentofallinwiththem,fortheydidn’thalflikethenotionsivhavin’nocompanybutthebewitchedgandher,an’smallblametothemforthatsame。
  ’Butalthoughtheyworshakingintheirskhinsindhreadivtheouldbirdbeginnin’
  toconvarsethemeveryminute,theydidnotletan’tooneanother,budkepsingin’
  an’whistlin’likemad,tokeepthedreadoutivtheirhearts。
  ’Well,afthertheywarontheroadbetthernorhalfanhour,theykemtothebadbitclosebyFatherCrotty’s,an’therewasonedivilofarutthreefeetdeepatthelaste;an’
  thecargotsichawondherfulchuckgoin’
  throughit,thatitwakenedTerencewidininthebasket。
  ’“Badlucktoye,“sayshe,“mybonesisbruckwidyerthricks;whatthedivilareyedoin’widme?“
  ’“Didyehearanythingquare,Thady?“
  saystheboythatwasnexttothecar,turnin’
  aswhiteasthetopivamusharoon;
  “didyehearanythingquaresoundin’outivthehamper?“sayshe。
  ’“No,noryou,’saysThady,turnin’aspaleashimself,“it’stheouldgandherthat’sgruntin’widtheshakin’he’sgettin’,“
  sayshe。
  ’“Wherethedivilhaveyeputmeinto,“saysTerenceinside,“badlucktoyoursowls,“sayshe,“letmeout,orI’llbesmotheredthisminute,“sayshe。
  ’“There’snouseinpurtending,“saystheboy,“thegandher’sspakin’,glorybetoGod,“sayshe。
  ’“Letmeout,youmurdherers,“saysTerence。
  ’“InthenameivtheblessedVargin,“
  saysThady,“an’ivalltheholysaints,houldyertongue,youunnatheralgandher,“
  sayshe。
  ’“Who’sthat,thatdartocallmenick-
  names?“saysTerenceinside,roaringwidthefairpassion,“letmeout,youblasphamiousinfiddles,“sayshe,“orbythiscrassI’llstretchye,“sayshe。
  ’“Inthenameivalltheblessedsaintsinheaven,“saysThady,“whothedivilareye?“