_Greater Love_
Of course there was but one decision possible and Nona volunteered to
bring Eugenia to Madame Bonnèt’s.
She was not to give a reason for her coming except to say that Madame
Bonnèt wished to speak to Madame Castaigne on a matter of great
importance.
Yet even this responsibility Barbara refused to share with Nona. For,
although finally agreeing that Eugenia must be told, she vanished at
once after reaching the hospital and went on duty without seeing her
friend, for fear there might be something in her expression that would
arouse suspicion.
Naturally, Nona felt the same fear; however, she could not escape the
situation and Eugenia must have the friends who cared for her with
her at so crucial an hour. Nona could scarcely conceive of Eugenia’s
failing one of them at a time of like need.
She managed to have a moment with Mildred Thornton and to confide
their impression to her. But Nona did not feel that there could be any
possibility of a mistake. Another point had been that Duke had refused
to return to the hospital with them, that so far neither physical force
nor persuasion had induced him to leave the French soldier’s side.
There could be no one save Captain Castaigne to whom he would show this
allegiance.
It chanced that Eugenia was extremely busy when Nona found her to
deliver Madame Bonnèt’s message. A number of American soldiers, who had
been fighting as volunteers with the French army, having been wounded
at the front, had just been sent on to Eugenia’s hospital for special
care.
“I am sorry, I shall not be able to see Madame Bonnèt until tomorrow.
Someone will please deliver my message to her; not you, Nona dear, you
already look tired,” and Eugenia had actually started to move away to
her work, as if the conversation were closed.
But to Nona any postponement appeared impossible. Eugenia herself would
never forgive them, should anything now interfere with her meeting with
her husband, however tragically he may have changed.
“But, dear, it is something _really_ important Madame Bonnèt wishes to
tell you. I don’t think you should wait until tomorrow. Please come
with me at once.”
Then Eugenia had turned around and looked at Nona searchingly.
“Very well, Nona, as soon as you have had lunch. You feel you wish to
go with me to Madame Bonnèt’s? You would rather I did not go alone?”
And Nona nodded, not trusting herself to speak and praying that Eugenia
would ask no more questions.
Nor did she, even during their walk to Madame Bonnèt’s, which seemed to
Nona Davis about five times longer than it had when she had taken it
alone on the morning of the same day.
Eugenia talked of matters connected with the hospital. Once she said
that she hoped Barbara would now be content to devote more energy to
her Red Cross nursing. They would be a good deal busier at the hospital
in the future and she had merely allowed Barbara a greater freedom in
her hours of work, expecting that she would be more content to adjust
herself to the regular hospital routine later on.
“Marriage does not seem to have made Bab settle down; it appears rather
to have had the opposite effect,” Eugenia had commented.
She had smiled at the moment, but Nona did not feel so convinced
afterwards that Eugenia had not been more conscious of Barbara’s
attitude than she had believed.
Then, just before they entered the garden at Madame Bonnèt’s, Eugenia
stopped a moment.
“Nona, has Madame Bonnèt’s wish to see me anything to do with news of
my husband?”
Eugenia asked the question quietly, yet she must have had the thought
in her mind all the while. Her face was a little white, but except for
this her self-control was wonderful.
“Yes,” Nona answered, not appreciating that her own expression made it
impossible for Madame Castaigne to think the information she so desired
could be of a happy kind.
For Nona’s one predominating fear was that Jeanne would be outdoors
with her soldier and that Eugenia should first see her husband being
led about by his little French friend. Yet would she recognize him in
such a situation? Nona could not feel sure.
However, Madame Bonnèt was watching for their approach and came out at
once and put her arm through Eugenia’s.
“We have news of your husband, Captain Castaigne. No, it is not good
news, my dear, although he is not dead, nor is he a prisoner,” she said
without waiting, knowing how hard delay would be for Eugenia.
Besides, she must take up her burden.
“You would rather not be with us, Nona. Then you stay here in the
garden while I talk to Madame Castaigne alone.”
Nona had a sensation of utter gratitude when she saw Eugenia and Madame
Bonnèt enter the tiny little French house together. There had been
that in Madame Bonnèt’s face and manner which made Nona feel no one
else could be so wise or so kind. Besides, Eugenia would be braver than
most people. She had not been so young as the rest of the group of
American Red Cross girls at the beginning of the war and certainly her
experiences since had left their impression.
Nona found a little bench in the garden at some distance from Madame
Bonnèt’s house and sat down. She had not fully realized how her knees
were trembling and how utterly cowardly she felt, so much so that she
wished even now to be as far away as possible, so as not by any chance
to see Eugenia’s meeting with her husband, or hear any sound that she
might make.
She had been sitting there alone for several moments when the little
French girl, Jeanne, came slowly down the path toward her. For the
first time Jeanne was without her Captain and for the first time she
appeared unhappy. Indeed, she looked as if she were fighting back tears.
“She wished to see him alone and without me,” Jeanne explained, taking
the seat next her, which Nona indicated. “I think it would have been
wiser had I stayed with him. Madame Bonnèt came out to tell me that he
did not know her when they first met. She thinks he may know her later.
Madame Bonnèt left them alone, also, but I hope she will not ask him
any questions. It makes him so tired when people ask questions.”
Nona noticed that Jeanne carefully avoided using Eugenia’s name or even
Captain Castaigne’s. But it was simple enough to understand Jeanne’s
emotions, they were not so unlike many older persons’. She had found
her Captain’s friends; more than that, she had discovered the one human
being who cared for him most, and this was what they had set out upon
their pilgrimage to seek. But now her Captain had no longer the same
need for her and Jeanne had no one else.
Understanding her mood, Nona slipped her arm across the little girl’s
shoulders, but very gently and hesitatingly, for Jeanne might not care
for her caress. She had a curious pride and dignity, this little
French Jeanne, which no one could fail to respect.
“But, Jeanne, Madame Castaigne, and Captain Castaigne’s old mother,
indeed all of his friends must be always grateful to you. You see,
without you they might never have known what had become of him and he
could never have had the same care. Now he may grow so much better that
he will some day be able to thank you himself.”
Nona did not really believe this last part of her speech, but Jeanne
looked a little happier.
“He is better _now_,” she returned, “and I could have cared for him. He
understands almost everything I say and you see he must have recognized
Duke, since he has wished to have him beside him since their meeting
thus morning.”
Jeanne spoke as proudly as a mother would speak of a child, but her
words and manner made Nona almost ill, remembering Captain Castaigne as
she had known him.
She was grateful when, a little later, Eugenia sent word that she
return to the hospital and leave her for a time with Madame Bonnèt.
She was to ask Mildred Thornton to take charge of the hospital for the
rest of the day, Eugenia would return toward evening.
Since she occupied the same room with her, Nona dreaded the return. But
it chanced that she did not know when Eugenia finally came back.
It was ten o’clock when Nona, having competed her hospital work, was
free to go to bed.
Then she found Eugenia in their bedroom already undressed.
“I was tired, Nona. I hope things at the hospital have gone on all
right without me. But then I know they have, Mildred is more capable
than I am.”
Then, when Nona came and put her arms about her friend, Eugenia said:
“You must not be too sorry for me, dear. After a time I shall be
happier to have Henri like this than never to have known what became of
him. But for his own sake, that is what is hardest to bear. He would so
much rather have gone out altogether.”
“But don’t you think he will grow better in time?” Nona asked,
wondering again at Eugenia’s strength.
“I don’t know. I am going to hope for it and fight for it with all my
strength and with all the skill we can find in the world. I shall not
give up my work if it is possible to keep on, but my husband must be
first. He will come here to the hospital; Madame Bonnèt and I think
that best just now. We can care for him here and the great thing will
be first to make him physically strong. He did not seem to wish to come
tonight, but tomorrow everything will be arranged.”
“And Jeanne?” Nona inquired almost involuntarily. “What is to become of
her?”
But she might have known.
“Jeanne? Why she will come here to be with us too. At least, I think
she will. I shall do my best. Of course she does not like me now; she
feels that I must inevitably separate her from her Captain. But I think
I will be able to persuade her that her Captain still needs her. He
turned to her with such relief from me when she came back to join us.
Oh, yes, it is pretty hideous, Nona. But after a while----”
And Nona was glad to see Gene’s courage fail for a little time.
Then she added: “Do you mind my talking? Somehow it is a relief to
talk. You see, after three years of war nursing I have not many
illusions left. And if ever this war is over, we women must not allow
another war in this world. It is our responsibility, our sin, I
sometimes feel. We have accepted this world as men have made it and
we have not tried to mold it nearer to our ideals. But there----” and
Eugenia smiled. “What a time for me to be talking suffrage and how
all this modern woman attitude hurts Henri’s preconceived ideas! I am
still filled with wonder at his ever having cared for me. It helps
to know that Jeanne declares Henri is already better in the months
she has been his friend. It is odd isn’t it, that our names should
sound somewhat alike? Yet somehow I keep thinking of the great Jeanne
whom Madame Renane impersonated the other night. For it was almost an
impersonation, we saw the Jeanne d’Arc so plainly. Well, a little Saint
Jeanne has appeared to me! But good-night, Nona, we must both go to
sleep.”
And Nona did go to sleep immediately, and so could not know when
Eugenia was able to follow her example.