“I am sorry, ladies, but it is quite impossible——”
“Eight punches for our ward, Miss ——, are they ready?”
“Yes, Williams, standing on the shelf there; take them on that waiter.”
“The surgeon in charge has given strict orders that no visitors are to be admitted to that ward, as there are some men dangerously ill there, and he wishes it kept perfectly quiet.”
“But we’ve come a great way to see him, and we must get in.”
“Are you friends of his? If so, I will see the surgeon about it.”
“Friends of a rebel! Not exactly, thank you. We want to see what he’s like.”
“I am sorry, but you cannot see him. However, I can assure you that he is exactly like any of these men you see around you; were you to go into the ward you could not distinguish him, unless he were pointed out to you.”
Enter a man, with a large glass bowl of jelly.
“Mrs. ——’s compliments, and please give me the bowl to take back.”