Their
grandmother, ill with sorrow and terror, had to be cared for
at once. Finally they met the young daughter coming back. In
one case an old man and two infirm persons could not keep
the daughter who was their sole support. And everywhere the
enemy sneered, adding vexatious annoyance to their hateful
task. In the house of the doctor, who is B.'s uncle, they
gave his wife the choice between two maids. She preferred
the elder and they said, "Well, then she is the one we are
going to take." Mlle. L., the young one who has just got
over typhoid and bronchitis, saw the non-commissioned
officer who took away her nurse coming up to her. "What a
sad task they are making us do." "More than sad, sir, it
could be called barbarous." "That is a hard word, are you
not afraid that I will sell you?" As a matter of fact the
wretch denounced her. They allowed her seven minutes and
took her away bare-headed, just as she was, to the Colonel
who commanded this noble battle and who also ordered her to
go, against the advice of a physician. Only on account of
her tireless energy and the sense of decency of one who was
less ferocious than the rest, did she obtain permission, at
five o'clock in the afternoon, to be discharged, after a day
which had been a veritable Calvary.
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