"
"But you are as useful in that way as you would be in the other,"
she said. "I don't feel humiliated because I can only help in
nursing the sick while the others are fighting for us. We have all
of us our gifts. Few men have more than you. You have courage and
coolness in other ways, and you are wrong to care nothing for your
life because of the failing, for which you are not accountable, of
your nerves to stand the sound of firearms.. I can understand your
feelings and sympathize with you, but it is of no use to exaggerate
the importance of such a matter. You might live a thousand lives
without being again in a position when such a failing would be of
the slightest importance, one way or the other. Now come in with
me. Certainly this is not the moment for you to give way about
it; for whatever your feelings may have been, or whatever may have
impelled you to the act, you have on this occasion fought nobly."
"Not nobly, Mrs. Doolan," he said, rising to his feet; "desperately,
or madly, if you like."
At this moment Wilson came out. "Halloa, Bathurst, what are doing
here? Breakfast is just ready, and everyone is asking for you. I
am sure you must want something after your exertions. You should
have seen him laying about him with that iron mace, Mrs. Doolan..
I have seen him using the pick, and knew how strong ho was, but
I was astonished, I can tell you. It was a sort of Coeur de Lion
business. He used to use a mace, you know, and once rode through
the Saracens and smashed them up, till at last, when he had done,
he couldn't open his hand.
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