‘What was his crime, sir?’ asked I, with seeming unconcern.
‘Nothing more than exciting to rebellion a people with whom he had no tie of blood or kindred! He was a Frenchman, and devoted himself to the cause of Ireland,* as they call it, from pure sympathy——’
‘And a dash of Popery,’ broke in Hill.
‘It’s hard to say even that; my own opinion is, that French Jacobinism cares very little for the Pope. Am I right, young gentleman—you don’t go very often to confession?’
‘I should do so less frequently if I were to be subjected to such a system of interrogatory as yours,’ said I tartly.
They both took my impertinent speech in good part, and laughed heartily at it; and thus, half amicably, half in earnest, we entered the little town of Letterkenny, just as night was falling.
‘If you’ll be our guest for this evening, sir,’ said Hill, ‘we shall be happy to have your company.’
I accepted the invitation, and followed them into the inn.