"No—" said the doctor, "I believe not. I think these gentlemen are put here to look after the grey coats—the cadets, Daisy, The cadets are here in training, you know."
"But that officer who just went out—who is walking over the plain now—he wore a sword, Dr. Sandford; and a red sash. They do not all wear them. What is that for?"
"What is under discussion?" said Mrs. Sandford, coming out. "How well Daisy looks this morning, don't she?"
"She has caught the military fever already," said the doctor. "I brought her here for a sedative; but I find it is no such matter."
"Sedative!" said Mrs. Sandford; but at this instant my ears were "caught" by a burst of music on the plain. Mrs. Sandford broke into a fit of laughter. The doctor's hand touched my shoulder.
"Get your hat, Daisy," he said, "I will go with you to hear it."
I might tell of pleasure from minute to minute of that day, and of the days following. The breath of the air, the notes of the wind instruments, the flicker of sunlight on the gravel, all come back to me as I write, and I taste them again. Dr. Sandford and I went down the road I have described, leading along the edge of the plain at its northern border; from which the view up over the river, between the hills, was very glorious. Fine young trees shaded this road; on one side a deep hollow or cup in the green plain excited my curiosity; on the other, lying a little down the bank, a military work of some odd sort planted with guns. Then one or two pyramidal heaps of cannon-balls by the side of the road, marked this out as unlike all other roads I had ever traversed. At the farther side of the plain we came to the row of houses I had seen from a distance, which ran north and south, looking eastward over all the plain. The road which skirted these houses was shaded with large old trees, and on the edge of the greensward under the trees we found a number of
iron seats placed for the convenience of spectators. And here, among many others, Dr. Sandford and I sat down.
There was a long line of the grey uniforms now drawn up in front of us; at some little distance; standing still and doing nothing, that I could see. Nearer to us and facing them stood a single grey figure; I looked hard, but could not make out that it was Preston. Nearer still, stood with arms folded one of those whom the doctor had said were army officers; I thought, the very one I had seen leave the hotel; but all like statues, motionless and fixed. Only the band seemed to have some life in them.