“The chaplain of the ----th told me,” Cary explained, watching her.
“Oh, yes!” Fanny’s eyes met his straightforwardly. She was made up for the stage but he didn’t mind that, because he knew it had to be. “It was so strange to see him, in uniform. He’s looking every inch a soldier, isn’t he?--even though he’s not one.”
“I’m not so sure he isn’t. Yes, he’s great--and you’re greater! It’s all in the nature of things that he should come over and do his bit, but you could hardly have been expected to do yours.”
“Why not? Just because I’ve always been a frivolous thing, is that any reason why I shouldn’t sober down now and be useful?”
Cary smiled. “You don’t look exactly sobered down, you know,” he told her, glancing from the dashing scarlet feather in the little cap set at an angle on her blonde head, to the high-heeled scarlet slippers on her pretty feet.
“Oh, but I am. I’m giving myself more seriously to being a little fool than I ever did to trying to seem wise.”
“And in doing it, you’re wisest of all!” Cary exulted. “Fanny--I’ve something to tell you. I wouldn’t have been sure once, whether it was something that would give you pleasure to hear or not, but--yes--I’m fairly sure now. You knew--you must have known, what I used to be, though you didn’t see much of me till that was pretty well over. I want you to know that--it’s all over now. I’ve had every sort of test, as you may imagine, since I left Jane--and Mr. Black, and Doctor Burns--the people who stood by me when I was down--and I haven’t given in once. Perhaps I will give in, some day, but I don’t think it. You see--I can’t disappoint them. And--I’d like to think--you care too whether--I make good.”
A great burst of applause came from the ranks upon the grass, followed by a roar of laughter. Cary drew Fanny a step or two farther away, though they two were already in deep shadow, made the deeper by contrast with the circle of radiance cast by the torches.
“Of course, I care,” she answered, and he strained his eyes in the darkness in the effort to see her face. “Cary, I want _you_ to know that--ever so many things look different to me, over here. I--perhaps you won’t believe it, but it’s true--absolutely true--that when I face an audience like that one out there I feel like--almost like--a mother to those boys. And I just want to--be good to them--and help them forget the hard things they’ve seen, for a little while.”