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’Sir，Ihope，ifopportunityoffers，I
shallprovetodeservethehonourabletermsinwhichyouarepleasedtospeakofme。InarighteouscauseIfearnotwoundsordeath；andindischargingmydutytomyGodandmyking，Iamreadyforanyhazardoranyfate。Nametheserviceyourequire，andifitlieswithinthecompassofmywitorpower，Iwillfullyandfaithfullyperformit。HaveIsaidenough？’
’Thatiswell，verywell，myfriend；
youspeakwell，andmanfully，’repliedthegeneral。’IwantyoutoconveytothehandsofGeneralBoisleau，nowinthecityofLimerick，asmallwrittenpacket；
thereissomedanger，markme，ofyourfallinginwithsomeoutpostorstragglingpartyoftheprince’sarmy。Ifyouaretakenunawaresbyanyoftheenemyyoumustdisposeofthepacketinsideyourperson，ratherthanletitfallintotheirhands——thatis，youmusteatit。Andiftheygotoquestionyouwiththumb-
screws，orthelike，answernothing；letthemknockyourbrainsoutfirst。’Inillustration，Isuppose，ofthelatteralternative，heknockedtheashesoutofhispipeuponthetableasheutteredit。
’Thepacket，’hecontinued，’youshallhaveto-morrowmorning。Meantimecomfortyourselfwithfood，andafterwardswithsleep；youwillwant，mayhap，allyourstrengthandwitsonthemorrow。’
Iappliedmyselfforthwithtothehomelyfarewhichtheyhadprovided，andIconfessthatInevermadeamealsoheartilytomysatisfaction。
Itwasabeautiful，clear，autumnmorning，andthebrightbeamsoftheearlysunwereslantingoverthebrownheathwhichclothedthesidesofthemountain，andglitteringinthethousandbrightdropswhichthemeltinghoar-frosthadleftbehindit，andthewhitemistswerelyinglikebroadlakesinthevalleys，when，withmypedlar’spackuponmyback，andGeneralSarsfield’spreciousdespatchinmybosom，Isetforth，refreshedandcourageous。
AsIdescendedthehill，myheartexpandedandmyspiritsroseundertheinfluenceswhichsurroundedme。Thekeen，clear，bracingairofthemorning，thebright，slantingsunshine，themerrysongsofthesmallbirds，andthedistantsoundsofawakeninglabourthatfloatedupfromtheplains，allconspiredtostirmyheartwithinme，andmorelikeamad-capboy，brokenloosefromschool，thanamanofsoberyearsuponamissionofdoubtanddanger，Itrodlightlyon，whistlingandsingingalternatelyforveryjoy。
AsIapproachedtheobjectofmyearlymarch，Ifellinwithacountryman，eager，asaremostofhiskind，fornews。
IgavehimwhatlittleIhadcollected，andprofessinggreatzealfortheking，which，indeed，Ialwayscherished，Iwonuponhisconfidencesofar，thathebecamemuchmorecommunicativethanthepeasantryinthosequartersaregenerallywonttobetostrangers。
FromhimIlearnedthattherewasacompanyofdragoonsinWilliam’sservice，quarteredatWillaloe；buthecouldnottellwhetherthepassageofthebridgewasstoppedbythemornot。Witharesolution，atallevents，tomaketheattempttocross，Iapproachedthetown。
WhenIcamewithinsightoftheriver，Iquicklyperceivedthatitwassoswollenwiththerecentrains，as，indeed，thecountrymanhadtoldme，thatthefordswerewhollyimpassable。
Istoppedthen，uponaslighteminenceoverlookingthevillage，withaviewtoreconnoitreandtoarrangemyplansincaseofinterruption。Whilethusengaged，thewindblowinggentlyfromthewest，inwhichquarterLimericklay，Idistinctlyheardtheexplosionofthecannon，whichplayedfromandagainstthecity，thoughatadistanceofelevenmilesattheleast。
Ineveryetheardthemusicthathadformehalftheattractionsofthatsullensound，andasInotedagainandagainthedistantthunderthatproclaimedtheperils，andthevalour，andthefaithfulnessofmybrethren，myheartswelledwithpride，andthetearsrosetomyeyes；andliftingupmyhandstoheaven，IprayedtoGodthatImightbesparedtotakeapartintherighteousquarrelthatwastheresobravelymaintained。
Ifelt，indeed，atthismomentalonging，moreintensethanIhavethepowertodescribe，tobeatoncewithmybravecompanionsinarms，andsoinwardlyexcitedandstirredupasifIhadbeenactuallywithinfiveminutes’marchofthefieldofbattle。
Itwasnowalmostnoon，andIhadwalkedhardsincemorningacrossadifficultandbrokencountry，sothatI
wasalittlefatigued，andinnosmalldegreehungry。AsIapproachedthehamlet，Iwasgladtoseeinthewindowofapoorhovelseverallargecakesofmealdisplayed，asiftoinducepurchaserstoenter。
Iwasrightinregardingthisexhi-
bitionasanintimationthatentertainmentmightbeprocuredwithin，foruponenteringandinquiring，Iwasspeedilyinvitedbythepoorwoman，who，itappeared，keptthishumblehouseofrefreshment，tolaydownmypackandseatmyselfbyaponderoustable，uponwhichshepromisedtoservemewithadinnerfitforaking；andindeed，tomymind，sheamplyfulfilledherengagement，supplyingmeabundantlywitheggs，bacon，andwheatencakes，whichI
discussedwithazealwhichalmostsurprisedmyself。
Having
