'John, I had Barbara married from here
because she has no people of her own. I think Billy would have liked
it.'
'That was the thing to do, Ellen. Nice of you. I remember everything
now. It's Dering she has married. He was once my gardener!'
'The world is all being re-made, dear. He is worthy of her.'
He lets this pass. He has remembered something almost as surprising,
'Ellen, is Barbara a nurse?'
'Yes, John, and one of the staidest and most serene. Who would have
thought it of the merry madcap of other days! They are coming here,
John, to say good-bye to you. They have only a few days' leave. She is
in France, too, you know. She was married in her nurse's uniform.'
'Was she? She told me to-day that--no, it couldn't have been to-day.'
'You have been fancying you saw them, I suppose.' She grows tremulous
again. 'You will be nice to them, John, won't you, and wish them luck?
They have their trials before them.'
He says eagerly, 'Tell me what to do, Ellen.'
'Don't say anything about Billy boy, John.'
'No, no, let's pretend.'
'And I wouldn't talk about the garden, John; just in case he is a little
touchy about that.
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