"I am glad you have told us all about it, Doctor," Mrs. Doolan
said; "and, of course, no one would dream of blaming him. I had
heard that story about his leaving the army years ago; but although
I had only seen him once or twice, I did not believe it for a
minute. What you tell us now, Doctor, explains the whole matter. I
pity him sincerely. It must be something awful for a man at a time
like this not to be able to take his part in the defense, especially
when there are us women here. Why, it would pain me less to see
Jim brought in dead, than for him to show the white feather. What
can we do for the poor fellow?"
"Treat him just as usual. There is nothing else you can do, Mrs.
Doolan. Any tone of sympathy, still less of pity, would be the
worst thing possible. He is in the lowest depths at present; but
if he finds by your tone and manner that you regard him on the same
footing as before, he will gradually come round, and I hope that
before the end of the siege he will have opportunities of retrieving
himself. Not under fire--that is hopeless; but in other ways."
"You may be sure we will do all we can, Doctor," Mrs. Doolan said
warmly; "and there are plenty of ways he will be able to make
himself most useful. There is somebody wanted to look after all
those syces and servants, and it would be a comfort to us to have
someone to talk to occasionally; besides, all the children are fond
of him."
This sentiment was warmly echoed; and thus, when the determination
at which the men had arrived to cut Bathurst became known, there
was something like a feminine revolution.
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