So I followed Dr. Sandford one morning to his den, as he
called it.
"Are you getting tired of hospital life?" he asked me? with a
smile. "I see you want to speak to me."
"You know I am not tired."
"I know you are not. There is something in a woman that likes
suffering, I think, if only she can lay her hand on it and
relieve it."
"That is making it a very selfish business, Dr. Sandford."
"We are all selfish," said the doctor. "The difference is,
that some are selfish for themselves, and some for other
people."
"Now you are cynical."
"I am nothing of the kind. What do you want with me?"
"Preston is doing very well, is he not, Dr. Sandford."
"Perfectly well. He will be out just as soon as in the nature
of things it is possible. I suppose, or am I not to suppose,
that then you will consider your work done?"
"I do not think he wants me a quarter as much as other people,
now."
"He does not want you at all, in the sense of needing. In the
other sense, I presume different people might put in a claim
to be attended to."
"But, Dr. Sandford, I wish I knew who of all these people in
the ward need me most."
"You are doing all you can for all of them."
"If I had that knowledge, though, I might serve them better -
or with more judicious service."
"No you could not," said the doctor. "You are twice as
judicious as Miss Yates now; though she is twice as old as
you. You do the right thing in the right place always."
"I wish you would do this thing for me, nevertheless, Dr.
Sandford. I wish it very much."
"What thing?"
"Let me know the various states of the patients, and their
prospect of recovery."
"Most of them have a very fair prospect of recovery," said the
doctor.
"Will you do it for me, Dr. Sandford? - I ask it as a great
favour."
"Gary's all right," he said, with a full look at me.
"Yes, I know; but I would like to know how it is with the
others. I could better tell how to minister to them, and what
to do."
"The thing to be done would not vary at all with your
increased knowledge, Daisy."
"Not the things in your line, I know; but the things in mine."
"You would know better how to sing, to wit?" said the doctor.
"And to pray -" I said half under my breath.
"Daisy, I haven't a schedule of the cases here; and if I told
you, you might forget, among so many, which was which. Anyhow,
I have not the schedule."