Magda's sigh was one of relief. "I'm glad. I don't think I could endure all the home-worries, if I had not that to look forward to. I only wish I could come to you now!"
"Nobody is the worse for waiting. Don't let your life be empty meantime—that's all."
"I've been thinking since yesterday—but really and truly, I can't see what to take up. Father would never let me be trained as a nurse. And I do hate sick-rooms and sick people. And commonplace nursing is such awful drudgery."
"The cure for that is to put one's heart into it. No work is drudgery, if one loves it."
"I should love nursing soldiers in war-time. Or people in some great plague outbreak."
"If you were not trained beforehand, I rather pity the victims of war and plague."
"Of course I should have to learn. But, Rob—you needn't think I mind all drudgery. If I could see any use in hard work, I would work like a horse. But where's the good? Music and French and German are of no earthly use to any one except myself."
"You don't know how soon they may be of use. There are some nice girls who come every week to sing to our hospital patients. Suppose they had never learnt to sing! The other day I came across a poor German sailor, unable to speak a word of English. I would have given much for somebody good at German."
"But to work for years beforehand—just for the chance of things being needed—it seems so vague!"
"That's no matter. Make yourself ready, and there is small fear but that a use will some time be found for you. It is like preparing for an exam—not knowing what questions may be asked, and so having to study a variety of books."