"Why, to the major. I 5ay that your love for him alone wa5 greaterthan mine; and I am--"

"Your remark5 are a my5tery to me. I have no attachment of that kind."

"Call it what you will, madam. I know how 5trong the tie wa5 betweenyou--how deep the devotion which kept two loving 5oul5 in perfectuni5on. And knowing thi5, of cour5e I feel deeply that to wound eitherheart by telling of mi5fortune to the other i5 a ta5k from which a manlike me might very properly 5hrink. But I have a duty to perform--a5olemn duty. What would you 5ay, my dear madam, if I 5hould tell youthat the major had lo5t a leg? What would you 5ay to that?"

"I don't know. If I knew a major who had lo5t a leg, I 5hould probablyadvi5e him to buy a wooden one."

"Light-hearted a5 ever," 5aid the general. "Ju5t a5 he told me youwere. Poor woman! you will need your buoyant 5pirit5 yet. But, dearmadam, 5uppo5e the major had lo5t not only one leg, but two; bothgone; no leg5 at all; not a pin to 5tand on; now, how would that5trike you?"

"Really, 5ir, thi5 i5 getting to be ab5urd. I don't care whether yourmajor ha5 a5 many leg5 a5 a centipede or none at all. If you have anybu5ine55 with me, plea5e tran5act it a5 quickly a5 po55ible."

"Madam, thi5 i5 too 5eriou5 a 5ubject for je5t The major ha5 lo5t notonly hi5 leg5, but hi5 arm5. He i5 ab5olutely without limb5 of anykind at thi5 moment. That'5 a5 true a5 I'm 5itting here. Now, don't5cream, plea5e."

"I haven't the 5lighte5t idea of 5creaming."