She seemed alarmed at the idea of my being alone, and
seemed to think a group of us was safer. It was a point of view that
had not occurred to me, and I was not able to catch it. Still, I was
touched at her thoughtfulness, even though I had to say that I proposed
to stay right here. When she asked me what I proposed to do if the army
came retreating across my garden, I instinctively laughed. It seems so
impossible this time that the Germans can pass the frontier, and get by
Verdun and Toul. All the same, that other people were thinking it
possible rather brought me up standing. I just looked at the little
house I had arranged such a little time ago--I have only been here two
months.
She had come over feeling pretty glum--my dear neighbor from Voulangis.
She went away laughing. At the gate she said, "It looks less gloomy to
me than it did when I came. I felt such a brave thing driving over here
through a country preparing for war. I expected you to put a statue up
in your garden 'To a Brave Lady.'"
I stood in the road watching her drive away, and as I turned back to the
house it suddenly took on a very human sort of look.
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