Page:Madame Butterfly; Purple eyes; A gentleman of Japan and a lady; Kito; Glory (1904).djvu/239

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
GLORY
223

long, and everywhere the wounded needed her, and she became a nurse. Soon there was not a field-hospital where the wan face of the "Spirit Nurse," as the soldiers affectionately called her, was not known. If a soldier had his eyes closed by her hands he died with a better hope of Nirvana.

And one day the great commander himself came to see and thank her. She told him quite simply all her little story. And he, looking into her worn face, told her, with generous untruth, that Ji-Saburo had been made a colonel, had gone home to marry her, had not found her there. He would be with her in six days now. She must rest a great deal—sleep—and Ji-Saburo would come.

A courier left for the front within an hour. He carried to Ji-Saburo this message:

"Your general commands you to appear here within six days. He awaits you. Fail not."

And Glory did as she was commanded. But her resting was the subsiding of the spirit. She smiled happily on the preparations they made for her wedding. It was to be a stately military function. This was the