“Are you comfortable, Laura?” was the first word the Colonel could get out.
“You see,” she replied. “I can’t say it’s exactly comfortable.”
“Are you cold?”
“It is pretty chilly. The stone floor is like ice. It chills me through to step on it. I have to sit on the bed.”
“Poor thing, poor thing. And can you eat any thing?”
“No, I am not hungry. I don’t know that I could eat any thing, I can’t eat that.”
“Oh dear,” continued the Colonel, “it’s dreadful. But cheer up, dear, cheer up;” and the Colonel broke down entirely.