to the French officer, in whose presence he seemed by no means at his
ease. Darby dropped his voice to its most humble cadence, and said,--

"Might I be so bould as to have a word with ye, Master Tom?"

There was something in the way this request was made that seemed to
imply a desire for secrecy,--so, at least, the Frenchman understood
it,--and turning hastily rounds he said,--

"Yes, to be sure. I 'll go into my dressing-room; there is nothing to
prevent your speaking here."

No sooner was the door closed, than Darby drew a chair close to me, and
bending down his head, whispered,--

"Don't trust him,--not from here to that window. They 're going to do it
without him; Mahony told me so himself. But my name was not drawn, and I
'm to be off to Kildare this evening. There 's a meeting of the boys at
the Curragh, and I want you to come with me."

The state of doubt and uncertainty which had harassed my mind for
the last twenty-four hours was no longer tolerable; so I boldly asked
M'Keown for an explanation as to the people in whose house I was,--their
objects and plans, and how far I was myself involved in their designs.

In fewer words than I could convey it. Darby informed me that the house
was the meeting place of the United Irishmen, who still cherished the
hope of reviving the scenes of '98; that, conscious the failure before
was attributable to their having taken the field as an army when
they should have merely contented themselves with secret and indirect
attacks, they had resolved to adopt a different tactique. It was, in
fact, determined that every political opponent to their party should be
marked,--himself, his family, and his property; that no opportunity was
to be lost of injuring him or his, and, if need be, of taking away his
life; that various measures were to be propounded to Parliament by their
friends, to the maintenance of which threats were to be freely used to
the Government members; and with respect to the great measure of the
day,--the Union,--it was decided that on the night of the division a
certain number of people should occupy the gallery above the Ministerial
benches, armed with hand-grenades and other destructive missiles; that,
on a signal given, these were to be thrown amongst them, scattering
death and ruin on all sides.

"It will be seen, then," said Darby, with a fiendish grin, "how the
enemies of Ireland pay for their hatred of her! Maybe they 'll vote away
their country aft