Daisy in the Field Read online

  Warner, Susan, 1819-1885, Daisy in the field, 1868, Ward Lock edition n.d.

  Produced by Daniel FROMONT

  DAISY IN THE FIELD

  BYELIZABETH WETHERELL

  Author of "The Wide, Wide World," "Queechy," etc., etc.

  WARD, LOCK &CO., LIMITEDLONDON AND MELBOURNE

  Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER I. THE FIRST SMOKE OF THE BATTLEFIELD

  CHAPTER II. AT THE RENDEZVOUS

  CHAPTER III. IN REVIEW

  CHAPTER IV. ON FOOT

  CHAPTER V. ON HORSEBACK

  CHAPTER VI. IN THE FIRE

  CHAPTER VII. DETAILED FOR DUTY

  CHAPTER VIII. DAISY'S POST

  CHAPTER IX. SKIRMISHING

  CHAPTER X. WAITING

  CHAPTER XI. A VICTORY

  CHAPTER XII. AN ENGAGEMENT

  CHAPTER XIII. A TRUCE

  CHAPTER XIV. FLIGHT

  CHAPTER XV. OLD BATTLEFIELDS

  CHAPTER XVI. THE FORLORN HOPE

  CHAPTER XVII. OUT OF THE SMOKE

  CHAPTER XVIII. A MARKED BATTERY

  CHAPTER XIX. ONE FALLEN

  CHAPTER XX. THE WOUNDED

  CHAPTER XXI. THE HOSPITAL

  CHAPTER XXII. ORDERS

  CHAPTER XXIII. "HERE!"

  "My half-day's work is done;And this is all my part -I give a patient GodMy patient heart.

  "And clasp his banner still,Though all the blue be dim.These stripes, no less than stars,Lead after Him."

  CHAPTER I.

  THE FIRST SMOKE OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

  While Miss Cardigan went with her nephew to the door, Iremained standing by the fire, which could have witnessed toso much done around it that night. I felt strong, but Iremember my cheeks had an odd sensation as if the blood hadleft them. I did not know Miss Cardigan had come back, till Isaw her standing beside me and looking at me anxiously.

  "Will you go and lie down now, my lamb?"

  "Oh, no!" I said. "Oh, no - I do not want to lie down. I havenot done my studying yet, that I came to do."

  "Studying!" said Miss Cardigan.

  "Yes. I want something out of some of your books. I have notdone it. I will sit down and do it now."

  "You're much more fit to lie down and go to sleep," said she,sorrowfully. "Let be the study, Daisy; and take some rest,while ye can."

  "I shall have plenty of time," I said. "I do not want anyrest, more than I shall get so."

  Miss Cardigan sighed - I had heard more sighs from her thatnight than in all my knowledge of her before; and I sat downon the floor again, to pull out again the volumes I had putup, and begin my school work anew. As I touched them, I felthow much had come into my hands, and fallen out of my hands,since I took them up before, just a few hours ago. It wouldnot do to think of that. I resolutely put it back, and setmyself about getting out of the books the facts I wanted formy work. Miss Cardigan left the room; and for a time I turnedover leaves vigorously. But the images of modern warfare beganto mix themselves inconveniently with the struggles of longago. Visions of a grey uniform came blending in dissolvingviews with the visions of monarchs in their robes of state andsoldiers in heavy armour; it meant much, that grey uniform;and a sense of loss and want and desolation by degrees creptover me, which had nothing to do with the ruin of kingdoms.The books grew heavy; my hands trembled; yet still I tried tomake good work, and bade myself deal with the present and letthe past and the future alone. The "present" being representedby my school day and my studies. Could I do it? The past andthe future rushed in at last, from opposite sides as it were,and my "present" was overthrown. I dropped my books and myselftoo, as nearly as possible; my heart gave way in a deeppassion of tears.

  Now I tried to reason myself out of this. What had I lost? Iasked myself. What were these tears for? What had I lost, thatI had not been without until only twelve hours before? Indeedrather, what had I not gained? But my reasonings were of nouse. Against them all, some vision of Thorold's face, somesparkle of his eyes, some touch of his hand, would come backto me, and break down my power and unlock fresh fountains oftears. This passion of self-indulgence was not like me, andsurprised myself. I suppose the reason was, I had been so longalone; I had been working my way and waiting, in exile fromhome as it were, so many days and years; nobody that loved mebetter than I loved myself had been near me for so very long;that the sweetness so suddenly given and so suddenly takenaway left me a little unsteady. Was it wonderful? The joy andthe grief were both new; I was not braced for either; the oneseemed to add poignancy to the other; and between the twofacts, that Thorold loved me, and that he was gone from meinto what might be a duty of danger, - that he was gone intodanger and that he loved me, - for a little while my soul wastossed back and forth like a ship on a stormy sea, unable tomake any headway at all. And so Miss Cardigan found me. Shehalf lifted half drew me up, I remember; made me lie downagain on the sofa, gave me some hot tea to drink; and when shehad made me drink it, she sat still looking at me, silent, andI thought a good deal disturbed. It would be difficult to tellwhy I thought so. Perhaps it was because she said nothing. Ilay quiet with my face hid in my hands.

  "What do you think to do with yourself to-day, now?" - was atlast her practical question.

  "What o'clock is it?" I whispered.

  "It's just on the stroke of six, Daisy."

  "I'll get up and go on with my work," I said; and I raisedmyself to a sitting posture accordingly.

  "Work!" echoed Miss Cardigan. "You look like much of that!Your cheeks" (and she touched them) "they are the colour of mymagnolia there that has just opened. A night's work Christianhas made of it! I suppose he is travelling off as content asif he had something to praise himself for. The pride of thesemen! -"

  I could not help laughing, and laughing made me cry. MissCardigan promptly put me back on the cushions and bade me liestill; and she sat in front of me there like a good shaggyhuman watch dog. I should not say _shaggy_, for she was entirelyneat and trim; but there was something of sturdy anduncompromising about her which suggested the idea. I laystill, and by and by went off into a sleep. That restored me.I woke up a couple of hours later all right and quite myselfagain. I was able to rush through the bit of study I hadwanted; and went over to Mme. Ricard's just a minute beforeschool opened.

  I had expected some uncomfortable questioning about my stayingout all night; but things do not happen as one expects. I gotno questioning, except from one or two of the girls. Mme.Ricard was ill, that was the news in school; the otherteachers had their hands full, and did not give themselves anyextra trouble about the doings of so regular and trusted aninmate as myself. The business of the day rolled on and rolledoff, as if last night had never been; only that I walked in adream; and when night came I was free to go to bed early andopen my budget of thoughts and look at them. From without, allwas safe.

  All day my thoughts had been rushing off, away from theschoolroom and from studies and masters, to look at a recedingrailway train, and follow a grey coat in among the crowd ofits fellows, where its wearer mingled in all the business andavocations of his interrupted course of life. Interrupted!yes, what a change had come to his and to mine; and yet allwas exactly the same outwardly. But the difference was, that Iwas thinking of Thorold, and Thorold was thinking of me. Howstrange it was! and what a great treasure of joy it was. Ifelt rich; with the most abounding, satisfying, inexhaustibletreasure of riches. All day I had known I was rich; now I tookout my gold and counted it, and could not count it, and gavefull-hearted thanks over it.

  If the brightness wanted a foil, it was there; the goldglittered upon a cloudy background. My treasure was notexactly in my hand to enjoy. There might be many days beforeThorold and I
saw each other's faces again. Dangers laythreatening him, that I could not bear to think of; although Iknew they were there. And even were this cloud all clearedaway, I saw the edges of another rising up along the horizon.My father and my mother. My mother especially; what would shesay to Daisy loving an officer in the Northern army? Thatcloud was as yet afar off; but I knew it was likely to risethick and black; it might shut out the sun. Even so I mytreasure was my treasure still, through all this. Thoroldloved me and belonged to me; nothing could change that.Dangers, and even death, would not touch it. My mother'scommand could not alter it. She might forbid his marrying me;I must obey her; but the fact that we loved each other was afact beyond her reach and out of her, power, as out of mine.Thorold belonged to me, in this higher and indestructiblesense, and also I belonged to him. And in this joy I rejoiced,and counted my treasure with an inexpressible triumph of joythat it was uncountable.

  I wondered too, very much. I had had no idea