ing
in and out. And sometimes the farmer's youngest--a nice little chap of
eight--comes to look at me. I teach him English--or I try--but when I
say the English words, he just doubles up with laughing and runs away.
Nelly, my precious--if I shut my eyes--I can fancy your little head
there--just inside the door--and your eyes looking at me!...May the Lord
give us good luck--and may we all be home by Christmas!--Mind you finish
that sketch!'

She put the letter down with a rather tremulous hand. It had depressed
her, and made her anxious. She read in it that George had been through
horrible things--and had suffered.

Then all that she had seen in the hospital came back upon her, and
rising restlessly she threw herself, without undressing, face downwards
on her bed. That officer, blanched to the colour of white wax, who had
lost a leg after frightful haemorrhage; that other, the merest boy,
whose right eye had been excised--she could not get them out of her
mind, nor the stories they had told her of the actions in which they had
been wounded.

'George--George!' It was a moan of misery, stifled in the darkness.

Then, suddenly, she remembered she had not said good-night to Bridget.
She had forgotten Bridget. She had been unkind. She got up, and sped
along the passage to Bridget's room.

'Bridget!' She just opened the door. 'May I come in?'

'Come in.'

Bridget was already in bed. In her hands was a cup of steaming chocolate
which a maid had just brought her, and she was lingering over it with a
face of content.

Nelly opened her eyes in astonishment.

'Did you ask for it, Bridget?'

'I did--or rather the housemaid asked what I would have. She
said--"ladies have just what they like in their rooms." So I asked for
chocolate.'

Nelly sat down on the bed.

'Is it good?'

'Excellent,' said Bridget calmly. 'Whatever did you expect?'

'We seem to have been eating ever since we came!' said Nelly
frowning,--'and they call it economising!'

Bridget threw back her head with a quiet laugh.

'Didn't I tell you so?'

'I wondered how you got on at dinner?' said Nelly hesitating. 'Captain
Marsworth didn't seem to be taking much trouble?'

'It didn't matter to me,' said Bridget. 'That kind of man always behaves
like that,'

Nelly flushed.

'You mean soldiers behave like that?'

'Well, I don't like soldiers--brothers-in-law excepted, of course.' And
Bridget gave her short, rather harsh laugh.

Nelly got up.