"Fine."
"Well, go on and tell us. You are a nice major."
"Thank you. In the first place, as you may remember I said it
would be, the lists of casualties are greatly reduced."
"Casualties?" said Mrs. Sandford. "What is that? I am learning
so many new things."
"The lists of the killed and wounded."
"Oh! That is what a military man calls casualties, Daisy, my
dear."
"It is the term in common use -" said the major, looking
somewhat taken aback.
"I know. Pray, Major Fairbairn, have the officers of the army
the reputation of making good husbands and heads of families?"
"I have always heard that they did," said the major, colouring
a little and by no means free of his astonishment.
"I don't see how they can have any sympathy for little common
heartaches and headaches, though, when to be run through the
body is such a trifle. They can't, I think, major."
"But Mrs. Sandford -"
"For instance," the lady went on, unmercifully, - "for
instance, Miss Randolph has her head taken off by a cannon
ball. The doctor and I are desolate; but Major Fairbairn says
it is a 'casualty.' Or, the doctor himself may be hit by a
shot not intended for him, and put out of charge of his
hospital for ever. Miss Randolph and I are in ashes; but our
friend Major Fairbairn says it is only a 'casualty.' "
"But friends, Mrs. Sandford, -" the major began.
"Everybody has friends," said Mrs. Sandford. "I was reading in
the paper just now a list of these little accidents. One man
had his leg shattered by a minie ball; it killed him in a few
hours. Another had a charge of grape-shot in his breast; it
struck the spine. He is dead. What is grape-shot, Major
Fairbairn?"
The major hastily passed to the sideboard in the other room
and brought me a glass of water.
"Daisy!" Mrs. Sandford exclaimed. "Are you faint, my dear?
These are only casualties. My dear, are you faint? what is the
matter? - Bless me, how white you are! What is it?"
I drank the water, and struggled back into composure, at least
outwardly; being very much surprised at myself.
"But what is the matter, Daisy? what is the matter? I have
said nothing in the world. Cannot you bear that?"
"Major Fairbairn was going to tell us something, ma'am," I
said, endeavouring to throw my thoughts off.
"That can wait until you are better."
"No," I said, "do not wait. I am well. What were you going to
say, major?"
"Only that things are much better than they were supposed to
be yesterday."
"You said that before. Please go on."
"Well, it is always so," said the major. "At first all the
stragglers are counted for lost. Then they come in. They are
coming in now, by scores, all the while. Instead of thousands
killed and wounded, it is found to-day that there are but five
or six hundred; and without being particularly hard-hearted, I
rejoice at it. That is part of what I was going to say."