t. If he is wise, he will surely be able to unite all Ireland under
him; save of course the fanatics of the north, who, however, can do
nothing against the whole strength of the country, since Hamilton's
little force, alone, has been sufficient to put down all opposition, save
where they remain shut up behind the walls of Derry and Enniskillen.

"It is not with them that we have to cope alone--they would be utterly
powerless--it is with the army of England and Scotland we shall have to
fight. Unfortunately we have no fleet, and they can land wherever they
choose; but now the king is really among us, all who have hitherto
wavered will join. Let England and Scotland choose their king as they
will, but there is no reason why Ireland should desert its rightful
monarch at their bidding."

"When will the king arrive at Dublin, father?"

"He goes first to Cork, Walter. Tyrconnell has set out, and will meet him
there. They say he will be here in about ten days' time. The French
ambassador, the Marquis d'Avaux, comes with him, and many French nobles."

"Do you think, father, he will at once order that his friends shall
receive the land again which was taken from them by Cromwell's soldiers?"

"I hope not, my boy. It is his interest and not our own we must think of
now; and if Ireland is to resist, successfully, the English and
continental troops of Dutch William, we must be united--we must be
Irishmen first, Catholics and Protestants afterwards. I trust that he
will issue such proclamations as will allay the alarm of the Protestants,
and bind us all together.

"King James is not like his father. In no single case, since he came to
the throne, has he broken his royal word once given; therefore, all may
feel confidence in any promises he may make. I have, of course, no hope
that anything he can say will influence the fanatics of Derry and
Enniskillen, but we can afford to disregard them. They are entailing
misery and suffering upon themselves, without the slightest benefit to
the cause they advocate. If we beat the English, of course those places
must finally surrender. If the English beat us, they will get their Dutch
William as king, without any effort on their part. I think, myself, that
it will be very unwise to attempt anything against those two places. The
people there can shut themselves up in their walls, as long as they like,
and by so doing can in no way harm us. If we take their towns, it will
only add to the bad b