The audience whispered among themselves, and the lord-lieutenant could not help smiling.
"For God's sake, what are you about?" whispered Mr. Kriver. "Turn a leaf!" Baron Shoskuty, turning a leaf, and looking the picture of blank despair, continued:
"Here thou seekest vainly for science—vainly for patriotic merits—vainly dost thou seek for all that mankind have a right to be proud of——"
The members of the deputation became unruly.
"They are peasants, thou beholdest,——"
Here a storm of indignation burst forth.
"In their Sunday dresses——"
"Are you mad, Baron Shoskuty?"
"But good Christians, all of them," sighed the wretched baron, with angelic meekness: "there is not a single heretic among my flock."
"He is mad! let us cheer!—Eljen! Eljen!"