I began to look at all the people present. No Dr. Bresser. What to do now? To whom to address myself? I stopped one of the men passing----
“You mean the director of the Sick Depôt--Staff-surgeon S----. He is standing there.”
He was not the person I meant, but perhaps he would be able to give me information about Dr. Bresser. I approached the place he pointed out. The staff-surgeon was speaking to a gentleman standing near him.
“It is a pity,” I heard him say. “Here and at Turnau depôts have been founded for all the hospitals of the theatre of war. Gifts are flowing in in masses--linen, food, bandages as much as you can wish, but what is to be done with them? How are they to be unpacked? how sorted? how sent out? We have no hands. We could occupy a hundred active officers.”
I was just going to speak to the staff-surgeon when I saw a man hurrying towards him in whom--O joy!--I recognised Dr. Bresser. In my excitement I fell on the neck of my old family friend.
“You! you! Baroness Tilling! Whatever are you doing here?”
“I am come to help--to nurse. Is not Frederick in one of your hospitals?”
Was this a disappointment or a relief? I do not know. He was not there, and therefore either dead or unhurt ... besides, Bresser could not possibly know all the wounded in the neighbourhood. I must search through all the hospitals myself.
“She has been here now some hours. A splendid woman! quick in decision, prudent. Just now she is busied in getting the wounded who are lying here carried into empty railway trucks. She has discovered that in a village near, at Horonewos, the need is the greatest. She is going there, and I am to accompany her.”
“And I also, Dr. Bresser, let me go with you.”
“Baroness Martha, where are you thinking of going? You, so delicate and unaccustomed to such hard, bitterly hard work as this?”
“What else have I got to do here?” I said, interrupting him. “If you are my friend, doctor, help me to carry out my purpose. I will really do anything, perform any service. Introduce me to Frau Simon as a volunteer nurse; but take me with you--for mercy’s sake take me with you.”
“Very well; your will shall be done. The brave lady is there. Come.”
When Dr. Bresser brought me to Frau Simon and introduced me to her as a sick nurse she nodded, but turned away at once to give some order. I was not able to see her features in the dubious light.
