I was thinking what a pity
it is that you are only an amateur nurse."
"I hate nursing."
"How unwomanly! Lots of women hate it--but few admit it. However, it
wasn't a nurse's duties I was thinking of, but a patient's
privileges. You see, if you were a professional nurse I could call
you 'Nurse Desire.'"
"Do you mean that you want to call me by my first name?"
"Since you put it more bluntly than I should dare to,--yes. It is a
charming name. But perhaps--"
"Oh, you may use it if you like," said the owner of the name
indifferently. "It sounds more natural. I am not accustomed to 'Miss
Fair.'"
This ought to have been satisfactory. But it wasn't. And after he
had led up to it so tactfully, too! Not for the first time did it
occur to our psychologist that tact was wasted upon this downright
young person. He decided not to be tactful any longer.
"I'm getting well so rapidly," he said, "that I shall have to admit
it soon."
The girl nodded.
"Are you glad?"
"Of course I am glad."
"I shall walk with a cane almost in no time. And when I can walk, I
shall have to go away."
"Yes." There was no hesitation in her prompt agreement. Neither did
she add any polite regrets. The professor felt unduly irritated. He
had never become used to her ungirlish taciturnity. It always
excited him. The women he had known, especially the younger women,
had all been chatterers. They had talked and he had not listened.
This girl said little and her silences seemed to clamour in his
ears.
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