’We were impatient for my father, when we heard this joyful news; he had not yet returned, and we looked out of the window in hopes of seeing him; but we could see only a great number of people of the town shaking hands with each other.  This lasted a few minutes, and then the crowd gathered in silence round one man, who spoke with angry vehemence and gesticulation, stamping, and frequently wiping his forehead.  We thought he was a mountebank haranguing the populace, till we saw that he wore a uniform.  Listening with curiosity to hear what he was saying, we observed that he looked up towards us, and we thought we heard him pronounce the names of my father and brother in tones of insult.  We could scarcely believe what we heard him say.  Pointing up to the top of the court-house, he exclaimed, “That young Edgeworth ought to be dragged down from the top of that house.”

’Our housekeeper burst into the room, so much terrified she could hardly speak.

’"My master, ma’am!—­it is all against my master.  The mob say they will tear him to pieces, if they catch hold of him.  They say he ’s a traitor, that he illuminated the gaol to deliver it up to the French.”

’No words can give an idea of our astonishment.  “Illuminated!” What could be meant by the gaol being illuminated?  My father had literally but two farthing candles, by the light of which he had been reading the newspaper late the preceding night.  These, however, were said to be signals for the enemy.  The absurdity of the whole was so glaring that we could scarcely conceive the danger to be real, but our pale landlady’s fears were urgent; she dreaded that her house should be pulled down.

’We wrote immediately to the commanding officer, informing him of what we had heard, and requesting his advice and assistance.  He came to us, and recommended that we should send a messenger to warn Mr. Edgeworth of his danger, and to request that he would not return to Longford that day.  The officer added that, in consequence of the rejoicings for the victory, his men would probably be all drunk in a few hours, and that he could not, answer for them.  This officer, a captain of yeomanry, was a good-natured but inefficient man, who spoke under considerable nervous agitation, and seemed desirous to do all he could, but not to be able to do anything.  We wrote instantly, and with difficulty found a man who undertook to convey the note.  It was to be carried to meet him on one road, and Mrs. Edgeworth and I determined to drive out to meet him on the other.  We made our way down a back staircase into the inn yard, where the carriage was ready.  Several gentlemen spoke to us as we got into the carriage, begging us not to be alarmed:  Mrs. Edgeworth answered that she was more surprised than alarmed.  The commanding officer and the sovereign of Longford walked by the side of the carriage through the town; and as the mob believed that we were going away not to return, we got through without much molestation.  We went