bled, and two or three
mess-waiters were engaged in removing the signs of last night's
debauch, and restoring a semblance of decorum to a very rackety-looking
apartment. The walls were scrawled over with absurd caricatures, in
charcoal or ink, of notorious characters of the capital, and a very
striking 'battle-piece' commemorated the 'Races of Castlebar,' as that
memorable action was called, in a spirit, I am bound to say, of
little flattery to the British arms. There were, to be sure, little
compensatory illustrations here and there of French cavalry in Egypt,
mounted on donkeys, or revolutionary troops on parade, ragged as
scarecrows, and ill-looking as highwaymen; but a most liberal justice
characterised all these frescoes, and they treated both Trojan and
Tyrian alike.

I had abundant time given me to admire them, for although summoned for
seven o'clock, it was nine before the first officer of the court-martial
made his appearance, and he having popped in his head, and perceiving
the room empty, sauntered out again, and disappeared. At last a very
noisy jaunting-car rattled into the square, and a short, red-faced
man was assisted down from it, and entered the mess-room. This was Mr.
Peters, the Deputy Judge Advocate, whose presence was the immediate
signal for the others, who now came dropping in from every side, the
President, a Colonel Daly, arriving the last.

A few tradespeople, loungers, it seemed to me, of the barracks, and some
half-dozen non-commissioned officers off duty, made up the public; and I
could not but feel a sense of my insignificance in the utter absence of
interest my fate excited. The listless indolence and informality, too,
offended and insulted me; and when the President politely told me to
be seated, for they were obliged to wait for some books or papers left
behind at his quarters, I actually was indignant at his coolness.

As we thus waited, the officers gathered round the fireplace, chatting
and laughing pleasantly together, discussing the social events of the
capital, and the gossip of the day; everything, in fact, but the case of
the individual on whose future fate they were about to decide.

At length the long-expected books made their appearance, and a few
well-thumbed volumes were spread over the table, behind which the Court
took their places, Colonel Daly in the centre, with the judge upon his
left.

The members being sworn, the Judge Advocate arose, and in a hurried,
humdrum