the red acorn-第30节

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ing；　and　so　on；　according　to　their　mental　idiosyncrasies；　and　the　state　of　their　digestion。〃

The　breakfast　did　not　help　remove　the　unpleasant　impressions　already　made　upon　her　mind。　　The　cloth　that　covered　the　coarse　planks　of　the　table　was　unmistakably　a　well…worn　sheet。　　Tin　cups　and　platters　made　humble　substitution　for　china；　and　were　appropriately　accompanied　by　cast…iron　knives　and　two　tined　forks。

Two　Hospital　Stewardsdenoted　by　the　green　bands；　embroidered　with　CADUCEI；　around　their　armsand　the　same　number　of　Wardmasters；　formed　the　mess　which　sat　down　with　Dr。　Denslow　and　Rachel；　on　benches　around　the　table。

What　bouyant　cheerfulness　could　do　to　raise　Rachel's　spirits　and　give　an　appetizing　flavor　to　the　coarse　viands；　Dr。　Denslow　did。

〃I　apprehend；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　suspect　that　in　obtaining　this　steak　the　indefatigable　cook　made　a　mistake；　and　sliced　a　piece　from　a　side　of　sole　leather　hanging　near。　　This　was　not　the　case。　　It　was　selected　with　a　deep　physiological　design。　　Meat　of　this　character　consists　almost　wholly　of　fibrine；　the　least　heat…producing　constituent　of　flesh。　　By　excluding　all　fats　and　other　tender　portions；　and　confining　ourselves　to　fibrine；　we　are　the　better　able　to　stand　this　torrid　weather。〃

One　of　the　Hospital　Stewards　groaned　deeply。

〃What　is　the　matter；　'Squills'？〃　said　the　Doctor；　kindly。

〃I　was　thinking　of　the　monstrous　fibber…in　here；〃　said　〃Squills；〃　lugubriously。

〃'Squills；'　I　don't　know　how　I　can　properly　punish　the　disrespect　shown　our　young　lady　guest　and　your　superior　officer；　by　that　vile　pun　and　the　viler　implication　contained　in　it。〃

〃This　sugar；〃　continued　the　Doctor；　lifting　some　out　of　an　old　tomato　can　with　a　large　iron　spoon；　and　tendering　it　to　Rachel　for　her　coffee；　〃has　a　rich　golden　color；　which　is　totally　absent　from　the　paler　varieties　to　which　you　are　accustomed。　　Its　deeper　hue　comes　from　having　caught　more　of　the　Cuban　yellow　sun's　rays。〃

〃Yes；〃　interjected　〃Squills；〃　〃all　the　Cuban's　yellow　sons　raise。　Their　daughters；　too；　are　sometimes　almost　brown。〃

Dr。　Denslow　frowned。

〃What　a　queer　odor　it　has；〃　said　Rachel；　sniffing　it；　and　staying　the　spool　just　over　her　cup。

〃Has　it？〃　said　the　Doctor；　sniffing　too。　　〃O；　that's　nothing。　That's　only　chloroform。　　The　ants　were　very　bad；　and　we　put　some　in　to　kill　them　off。〃

〃I　don't　believe　I'll　take　any　in　my　coffee；　thank　you；〃　said　Rachel；　calmly。　　〃There　are　times　when　I　don't　like　it　sweetened。〃

〃But　you'll　certainly　take　cream；　then；〃　he　said；　breaking　off　the　cover　of　a　can　of　condensed　milk。　　〃Here　is　some　put　in　the　reverse　of　the　homeopathic　plan。　　Instead　of　being　the　30th　dilution；　it　is　about　the　30th　concentration。　　With　this　little　can；　and　his　pump　in　good　order；　a　milkman　could　supply　a　good　big　route　with　'pure　grass…fed　milk。'　　Within　these　narrow　walls　are　compressed　the　nutritive　juices　of　an　acre　of　fragrant　white　clover。〃

〃The　Doctor　was　formerly　a　lecturer　in　a　medical　college；〃　said　〃Squills〃　〃sotto　voce〃　to　Rachel。

Rachel's　appetite　had　seemed　sufficient　for　almost　any　food；　but　she　confined　her　breakfast　to　two　or　three　crackers　of　hard　bread；　and　a　few　sups　of　coffee。　　The　pleasantry　had　failed　of　its　desired　effect。　　It　was　like　vinegar　upon　niter；　or　the　singing　of　songs　to　an　heavy　heart。

As　they　rose　from　the　table　the　Doctor　informed　her　that　he　and　the　Stewards　were　about　to　make　their　morning　round　of　the　wards；　and　that　she　had　better　accompany　them。　　She　went　along　without　a　word。

They　walked　slowly　up　and　down　the　long　aisles　behind　the　Doctor；　who　stopped　before　each　cot；　and　closely　examined　its　occupant's　tongue；　pulse；　and　other　indicators　of　his　condition；　and　gave　prescriptions；　which　the　Steward　wrote　down；　as　to　medicine　and　food。　　What　was　better　still　were　his　words　of　sympathy　for　the　very　ill　and　of　cheery　encouragement　for　the　convalescent；　which　he　bestowed　upon　every　one。

〃A　visit　from　Dr。　Denslow　does　a　sick　man　more　good；〃　whispered　〃Squills〃　to　Rachel；　as　he　saw　her　eyes　light　up　with　admiration　at　the　Doctor's　tactful　kindliness；　〃than　all　the　drugs　in　the　dispensary。　　I　sometiems　believe　he's　one　of　them　that　can　cure　by　a　simple　laying…on　of　hands。　　He's　just　the　opposite　of　old　Moxon；　who'd　counteract　the　effect　of　the　best　medicine　in　the　world。〃

〃No。　19；　Quin。　Sulph。；　grains　16；　make　four　powders；　one　every　three　hours；〃　continued　〃Squills；〃　repeating　the　directions　as　he　received　them；　〃Spiritus　Frumenti；　1　oz。；　at　evening。　　No。　2　diet。　No。　20；　Dover's　powder　10　grains；　at　bedtime。　　No　1　diet。　　You；〃　addressing　himself　to　Rachel　again；　〃will　do　even　better　than　Dr。　Denslow；　soon。　　Can't　you　see　how　the　mere　sight　of　you　brightens　up　everybody　around　here？〃

Rachel　had　no　reply　ready　for　so　broad　a　compliment；　but　its　assertion　of　her　high　usefulness　went　far　to　reconcile　her　to　her　position。

She　wondered　silently　if　her　mission　was　to　be　confined　to　posing　as　a　thing　of　beauty　and　a　joy　forever。

This　differed　much　from　her　expectations；　for　she　dreaded　at　each　step　lest　the　next　bring　her　fact　to　face　with　some　horrible　task；　which　she　would　be　expected　to　undertake。　　But　the　Doctor；　with　his　usual　tact；　was　almost　imperceptibly　inducting　her　into　her　duties。

〃Would　Miss　Bond　kindly　shake　this　powder　into　that　cup　of　water　and　give　it　to　that　boy？〃

She　did　so；　and　was　rewarded　by　the　recipient's　grateful　look；　as　he　said：

〃It　don't　seem　at　all　nasty　when　YOU　give　it　to　me。〃

〃Would　she　hand　tht　one　this　bit　of　magnesia　for　his　heartburn？〃

It　was　a　young　Irishman；　who　received　the　magnesia　with　a　gallant　speech：

〃Faith；　your　white　fingers　have　made　it　swater　than　loaf…sugar。〃

Rachel　colored　deeply；　and　those　within　hearing　laughed。

At　the　next　cot　a　feverish　boy　tossed　wearily。　　Rachel　noticed　the　uncomfortable　arrangement　of　the　folded　blanket　which　did　duty　as　a　pillow。　　She　stepped　quickly　to　the　head　of　the　cot；　took　the　blanket　out；　refolded　it　with　a　few　deft；　womanly　motinos；　and　replaced　it　with　a　cool　surface　uppermost。

〃O；　that　is　SO　good；〃　murmured　the　boy；　half…unclosing　his　eyes。　〃It's　just　as　mother　would've　done。〃

Dr。　Denslow　looked　earnest　approval。

Rachel　began　to　feel　an　interest　kindling　in　her　work。　　It　was　not　in　a　womanly　nature　to　resist　this　cordial　appreciation　of　all　she　did。

A　few　cots　farther　on　a　boy　wanted　a　letter　written　home。　　She　was　provided　with　stationary；　and　taking　her　place　by　the　side　of　the　cot；　received　his　instructions；　and　wrote　to　his　anxious　parents　the　first　news　they　had　from　their　only　son　since　they　had　been　informed；　two　weeks　before；　that　he　had　been　sent　to　the　hospital。　When　she　had　finished　she　rejoined　the　Doctor；　who　had　by　this　time　nearly　completed　his　round　of　the　ward。　　As　soon　as　he　was　through　he　dismissed　Stewards　and　Wardmasters　to　their　duties；　adn　returned　with　her　to　her　room。　　It　was　so　changed　that　she　thought　she　ahd　made　a　mistake　when　she　opened　the　door。　　The　time　of　her　absence　had　been　well　employed　by　a　detail　of　men；　whom　the　Doctor　had　previously　instructed。　　The　floor　was　as　white　and　clean　as　strong　arms　with　an　abundance　of　soap　and　hot　water　could　scrupt　it；　the　walls　and　ceiling　were　neatly　papered　with　〃Harper's　Weeklies；〃　and　〃Frank　Leslies；〃　other　papers　concealed　the　roughness　of　the　table　and　shelves；　white　sheet　and　pillow…cases　had　given　the　cot　an　air　of　inviting　neatness；　and　before　it　lay　a　square　of　rag　carpet。　　The　window　was　shaded　with　calico　curtains；　the　tin　basin　and　dipper　had　been　scoured　to　brightness；　and　beside　them　stood　a　cedar　water…pail　with　shining　brass　hoops。

〃Ah；〃　she　said；　with　brightening　face；　〃this　is　something　like　living。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Dr。　Denslow；　〃I　imagine　it　IS　some　improvement　upon　the　sandy　desert　in　which　you　spent　the　night。　　I　hope　we　will　soon　be　able　to　make　it　still　more　comfortable。　　We　have　just　started　this　hospital；　and　we　are　sadly　destitute　of　many　of　the　commonest　necessaries　of　such　an　institution。　　But　everything　will　get　better　in　a　week　or　so；　and　while　I　can　not　exactly　promise　you　the　comforts　of　a　home；　I　can　assure　you　that　life　will　be　made　more　endurable　than　it　seems　to　be　possible　now。〃

〃I　do　hope　none　of　this　has　been　taken　away　from　any　sick　man　who　needs　it　more　than　I？〃　said　Rachel；　with　a　remembrance　of　how　much　the　boys　in　the　ward　needed。

〃Do　not　disturb　yourself　with　any　such　thought。　　Your　comfort　has　not　been　bought　at　the　expense　of　any　one　else's。　　I　would　not　give；　even　to　you；　anything　taht　would　help　restore　a　sick　soldier　to　his　regiment　or　his　home。　　My　first　duty；　as　that　of　yours　and　all　of　us；　is　to　him。　　He　is　the　man　of　the　occasion。　　All　the　rest　of　us　are　mere　adjuncts　to　him。　　We　have　no　reason　for　being；　except　to　increase　his　effectiveness。〃

The　earnestness　with　which　he　spoke；　so　different　from　his　light　bantering　at　the　breakfast　table；　made　her　regard　him　more　attentively。

〃I　begin　to　get　a　glimmering；〃　she　said　at　length；　〃of　the　inspiration　in　this　kind　of　work。　　Before　it　has　all　seemed　unutterably　repulsive　to　me。　　But　it　has　its　rewards。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　he；　lapsing　still　deeper　into　a　mood　which　she　soon　came　to　recognize　in　him　as　a　frequent　one　of　spiritual　ex