But they got tipsy, and frightened her more than imaginary enemies

From The Great Mutiny by Christopher Hibbert. Page 164.

In Calcutta, Lord and Lady Canning were endeavouring to maintain an appearance of calm amongst people who behaved as though they were threatened with imminent slaughter. Lady Canning continued to take her evening drive with a small escort. Lord Canning, agreeing with his wife that they 'ought not to appear in a state of mourning for this temporary outbreak', insisted that the ball at Government House, customarily held on the Queen's birthday, should take place as usual and that the offer of the European guard of honour to remain in the basement until the festivities were over should not be accepted: no alteration would be made to the usual practice of leaving house and guests under the protection of Indian soldiers. As it happened the ball was 'a very fair one'. 'The respectable and serious made a point of coming, and a number of natives', though most of the Armenians and half-castes stayed away, being 'thoroughly frightened'; and one English lady, perturbed by a rumour that villainous Indians would take advantage of the ball to murder all the leading members of the community, declined the invitation and hired two British sailors to stay in her house for the night to protect her, 'but they got tipsy, and frightened her more than imaginary enemies.'