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.