“I mean in relation to the war,” said Mr. Murray.
“Good gracious, what can they possibly do about the war down here? But if you want to see them they will all be with us to-night. So you had better come along. But we shall have to hurry, Lloyd; I have a lot of things to do and a lot of people to feed. We have got to live, haven't we?” she added as the launch got under way.
“Got to live,” said Mr. McPherson after they had gone. “Ah, even that necessity has been changed. The necessity for living, which I am afraid most of us have considered to be of first importance, has suddenly given place to another necessity.”
“And that?” said Mr. Murray.
“The necessity not to live, but to do our duty. Life has become all at once a very simple thing.”
“Well, we have got to keep going in the meantime at any rate,” said Mr. Murray.
“Going, yes; but going where?” said Mr. McPherson. “All roads now, for us, lead to one spot.”
“And that spot?” said Mr. Murray.
“The battlefield.”
“Why, Mr. McPherson, we must not lose our heads; we must keep sane and reasonable. Eh, Doctor?”