"What if I am?"
"Only that you can earn five hundred pounds as easily as you ever earned
a shilling," said he.
"Indeed! how?"
"By giving the government some information."
"As to what?"
"The plans of the United Irishmen."
"Who are they?" said I.
"Come, don't pretend to be innocent. The money's safe, I tell you."
"And I tell you," said I, bridling up, "that I know no more of the
United Irishmen or their plans than you do. I saw Lord Edward for the
first time in my life to-day. Our business had nothing to do with
politics; and if it had, I would not sell it to you or your masters for
ten thousand pounds. If you want news, go to Lord Edward himself; and
wear a thick coat, for he carries a cane."
The man growled out some sort of threat or defiance and disappeared.
But it showed me that, as matters then were, there was no doing anything
in a corner, and the sooner I was north the better for every one.
So when next morning my captain and I, on the top of the coach, rumbled
out of the gate at which only yesterday my little mistress had waved her
hand, I was glad, despite many forebodings, to find myself once more on
the wing.