’Then why are you in bed?’ I inquired politely.
’Matron’s orders,’ snapped the soldier bit of him. ’Drat the woman,’ said my brother.
He hasn’t altered much, though the war has painted shadows and grim lines about his mouth; his eyes, too, are sterner than they used to be, otherwise he is the same good-looking, big, teasing, maddening brother. He thought I hadn’t changed, and seemed the ’same rum kid.’ I saw matron afterwards. She told me that his arm is very badly injured, and she feared at first that he would lose it, but it is on the mend at last, though it will be months before he can go out again, ’for which,’ she said, ’you won’t be sorry.’ Then she added, ’I don’t know if you’ve any plans, but he would be much better if he could be somewhere where it’s quiet. When the pain comes on we simply cannot keep the place quiet enough. The slamming of a door, the noise of footsteps in the room make his pain almost unendurable. It’s the shot nerve, you know. You can’t, in a house like this, keep every door from banging, though we do our best. He would be much better with you in the country, though you would need a nurse. A right arm makes a man so helpless; he can’t cut his food up, or dress himself. Of course, there’s Sam,’ and then she laughed. ’He’ll probably be leaving his hospital soon; he’s close by, you know.’
’But could he manage? How could he wait on Ross if he can’t walk?’
’Oh, he can walk enough for that,’ she said. ’He’s already interviewed me on the subject more than once. He says the captain only wants an arm which _he_ has got. If you could let him rest his knee all day and just help your brother night and morning it might do, though you’d have the pair of them really on your hands.’
’But do the men ever get leave from hospital like that?’ I asked.
’Oh, there is such a thing as extended hospital furlough,’ said matron; ’it doesn’t usually apply to knees, but all the hospitals are crammed. I dare say I could work it. You’d have to give him time off sometimes to go before his M.O.’
’Well, if you think you can work it,’ I said doubtfully.
’You can work most things, if you know how! Your brother’s very angry with me to-day because I made him stay in bed after the excitement of your arrival. I am in very deep disgrace,’ said matron, smiling.