He looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then he smiled.
“Walk a little way home with me,” said he.
So I followed him out, the members present saluting as he passed through them, and wondering, no doubt, what high official of the society was this whom the leader of Ireland chose thus to honour.
“Now,” said Lord Edward, as we got to the end of the street, “what is this mystery?”
“Shortly, my lord, I am in love,” began I.
He laughed pleasantly at that.
“There we agree entirely,” said he.
“I am a servant to his Majesty, and have sworn him allegiance,” I continued.
“His Majesty has more than he deserves.”
“I am a sailor, sir, on leave. I arrived only yesterday in Dublin after four years’ absence. To-morrow (unless you or your society shoot me through the head) I start northward, hoping to get a glimpse of her I love. By chance to-day I heard her father’s name mentioned in the street as a man whose life was in peril. In a weak moment I so far forgot my duty to my king as to pass myself off to my informant as a United Irishman, in the hope of obtaining information which might enable me to help him.”