The party had drawn rein at his approach, and he rode up to one who was evidently a general officer.
"Sir, I surrender as a prisoner of war.

My name is Kennedy, and I am a captain on the staff of the Duke of Orleans." "And what are you doing here, sir ?" "I am surveying the road, General, by which the allied army is likely to advance.

Our information on that score is very defective, and I believe the duke wishes to ascertain, from my report, the state of the roads by which the advance would most probably be made." The general's question had been in French, and he replied in the same language.
"You do not bear a French name, sir," the general said.
"No, sir, I am an Irishman," Kennedy replied, in English.

"I belonged, before I received a staff appointment, to one of the regiments of the Irish Brigade." "You are a daring fellow, thus to venture so far across the frontier." "I simply obeyed my orders, sir; and, had I been ordered to reconnoitre Lisbon, I should have attempted to do so." "Well, sir, I shall have an opportunity of talking to you, later on.

I, as you see, am engaged in precisely the same work as you are; namely, in ascertaining, for myself, the state of the roads across these mountains." "Then, General," Desmond said, with a smile, "I should say that your investigations are hardly satisfactory." The general also smiled.
"Not so much so as I could wish," he said.