was startled, on entering the room that night, to find her master, whom she had imagined to be in France, sitting with his wife in the firelight, both, as she believed, in tears; while little Pamela, not yet two years old, had been brought down from her bed in order that her father might take leave of her. It was the last meeting of husband and wife for over a month-their last meeting but one, so far as any record remains, on this side of the grave. Other matters besides purely personal ones must have been discussed that night; for on the following day-the statement is made on the authority of Mr. Reynolds's son-the informer had an interview with Pamela, when she handed over to him on Lord Edward's behalf certain sums due to the funds of the Society, Reynolds being still an accredited member of it. She also gave him a ring to serve as a guarantee of the authenticity of any communication he might have occasion to send to her; and finally complained to him of her own lack of available money, in consequence of which the compassionate Reynolds sent her fifty pounds, having placed the like sum at Lord Edward's disposal on the previous day. The statement may be taken for what it is worth. It is a singular coincidence, and one which does not tend to corroborate it, that in Lady Sarah Napier's diary there is an entry the very day before that of Pamela's interview with the informer, to the effect that she had sent her nephew's wife the sum of twenty pounds, in case she might find herself in want of ready money, which sum Pamela had returned, saying she had plenty by her. It is of course possible that she had not been aware at the time that some of the money at hand belonged to the Society, and was not available for personal use; but in any case it is difficult to believe that, in case of need, she would not have preferred to be indebted to her husband's aunt rather than to the ex-silk-mercer. At Denzille Street, as before at Leinster House, the weeks that followed must have been weeks of ceaseless anxiety. It cannot be doubted that the desire of Government to lay hands upon the only man whose acquaintance with military affairs could qualify him to conduct an insurrection with any chance of success grew stronger and stronger as they acquired fresh proofs of the extent of the conspiracy, nor can they be blamed for it. The energy displayed in filling up the gaps made by the recent action of the Government in the organisation of the Society, and the prompt reconstruction of the Directory, were proofs that the losses it had suffered had not been fatal to its vital forces. It is said that on the very evening of the arrests three appointments were made to fill the vacancies left in the Leinster Executive; and a handbill put into circulation only five days later gives an idea of the unwearying efforts at work to keep up the courage and spirits of the national party. Preserved by Moore, it is worth summarising here. "For us," so it runs, "the keen but momentary anxiety occasioned by the situation of our invaluable friends subsided into a calm tranquillity, a consoling conviction of mind that they are as safe as innocence can make men now; and to these sentiments were quickly added a redoubled energy, a tenfold activity of exertion which has already produced the happiest effects. The organisation of the capital is perfect; . . the sentinels whom you have appointed to watch over your interests stand firm at their posts, vigilant of events, and prompt to give you notice and advice, which, on every occasion at all requiring it, you may rely on receiving. Your enemies talk of treachery, in the vain and fallacious hope of creating it; but you, who scorn equally to be their dupes or their slaves, will meet their forgeries with dignified contempt, incapable of being either goaded into untimely violence or sunk into pusillanimous despondency. Be firm, Irishmen, but be cool and cautious; be patient yet awhile; trust to no unauthorised communications; and above all we warn you, again and again we warn you, against doing the work of your tyrants by premature, by partial or divided exertion. If Ireland shall be forced to throw away the scabbard, let it be at her own time, not at theirs." Evidence of the unbroken and undaunted spirit displayed cannot have been wanting to the Government; and as more and more information reached the authorities, the measures they adopted increased proportionately in stringency and rigour. They |