“You must not be too sorry for me, dear. After a time I shall be happier to have Henri like this than never to have known what became of him. But for his own sake, that is what is hardest to bear. He would so much rather have gone out altogether.”
“But don’t you think he will grow better in time?” Nona asked, wondering again at Eugenia’s strength.
“I don’t know. I am going to hope for it and fight for it with all my strength and with all the skill we can find in the world. I shall not give up my work if it is possible to keep on, but my husband must be first. He will come here to the hospital; Madame Bonnèt and I think that best just now. We can care for him here and the great thing will be first to make him physically strong. He did not seem to wish to come tonight, but tomorrow everything will be arranged.”
“And Jeanne?” Nona inquired almost involuntarily. “What is to become of her?”
But she might have known.
“Jeanne? Why she will come here to be with us too. At least, I think she will. I shall do my best. Of course she does not like me now; she feels that I must inevitably separate her from her Captain. But I think I will be able to persuade her that her Captain still needs her. He turned to her with such relief from me when she came back to join us. Oh, yes, it is pretty hideous, Nona. But after a while——”
And Nona was glad to see Gene’s courage fail for a little time.
Then she added: “Do you mind my talking? Somehow it is a relief to talk. You see, after three years of war nursing I have not many illusions left. And if ever this war is over, we women must not allow another war in this world. It is our responsibility, our sin, I sometimes feel. We have accepted this world as men have made it and we have not tried to mold it nearer to our ideals. But there——” and Eugenia smiled. “What a time for me to be talking suffrage and how all this modern woman attitude hurts Henri’s preconceived ideas! I am still filled with wonder at his ever having cared for me. It helps to know that Jeanne declares Henri is already better in the months she has been his friend. It is odd isn’t it, that our names should sound somewhat alike? Yet somehow I keep thinking of the great Jeanne whom Madame Renane impersonated the other night. For it was almost an impersonation, we saw the Jeanne d’Arc so plainly. Well, a little Saint Jeanne has appeared to me! But good-night, Nona, we must both go to sleep.”
And Nona did go to sleep immediately, and so could not know when Eugenia was able to follow her example.