“The authorities would make you out an emissary of France, sir,--as if France had not enough on her hands already, without embroiling herself in a quarrel from which no benefit could accrue; not to speak of the little likelihood that any one on such an errand would take up his abode, as you have, in the most public hotel of Dublin.” “I have no apprehensions as to any charges they may bring against me. I am conscious of no crime, saving having left my country a boy, and returning to it a man.” “You were in the service of France, then?” “Yes; since 1801 I have been a soldier.” “So long? You must have been but a mere boy when you quitted Ireland. How have they connected you with the troubles of that period?” I hesitated for a second or two, uncertain what answer, if any, I should return to this abrupt question. A glance at the manly and frank expression of the stranger's face soon satisfied me that no unworthy curiosity had prompted the inquiry; and I told him in a few words, how, as a child, the opinions of the patriotic party had won me over to embark in a cause I could neither fathom nor understand. I traced out rapidly the few leading events of my early career down to the last evening I spent in Ireland. When I came to this part of my story, the stranger became unusually attentive, and more than once questioned me respecting the origin of my quarrel with Crofts, and the timely appearance of Darby; of whose name and character, however, I gave him no information, merely speaking of him as an old and attached follower of my family. “Since that period, then, you have not been in Ireland?” said he, as I concluded. “Never: nor had I any intention of returning until lately, when circumstances induced me to leave the Emperor's service; and from very uncertainty I came back here, without well knowing why.” “Of course, then, you have never heard the catastrophe of your adventure with Crofts. It was a lucky hit for him.” “How so? I don't understand you.” “Simply this: Crofts was discovered in the morning, severely wounded, where you left him; his account being, that he had been waylaid by a party of rebels, who had obtained the countersign of the night, and passed the sentry in various disguises. You yourself--for so, at least, I surmise it must have been--were designated the prime mover of the scheme, and a Government reward was offered for your apprehension. Crofts was knighted, and appointed to the staff,--the reward of his loyalty and courage; of the exact details of which my memory is unfortunately little tenacious.” “And the truth of the occurrence was never known?”