"But what made it duty?" said Hugh.
"Orders."
"I grant you," said Fleda,--"I understand that--but bear with me, Charlton,--what was the advantage to the army or the country?"
"The advantage of great honour if we succeeded, and avoiding the shame of failure."
"Is that all?" said Hugh.
"All!" said Charlton.
"Glory must be a precious thing when other men's lives are so cheap to buy it," said Fleda.
"We did not risk theirs without our own," said Charlton colouring.
"No,--but still theirs were risked for you."
"Not at all;--why this is absurd! you are saying that the whole war was for nothing."