Theregimentwasstandingatorderarmsatthesideofalane,waitingforthecommandtomarch,whensuddenlytheyouthrememberedthelittlepacketenwrappedinafadedyellowenvelopewhichtheloudyoungsoldierwithlugubriouswordshadintrustedtohim.Itmadehimstart. Heutteredanexclamationandturnedtowardhiscomrade. Hisfriend,athissideintheranks,wasthoughtfullystaringdowntheroad. Fromsomecausehisexpressionwasatthatmomentverymeek. Theyouth,regardinghimwithsidelongglances,feltimpelledtochangehispurpose.“Oh,nothing,”hesaid. Hisfriendturnedhisheadinsomesurprise,“Why,whatwasyehgoin’t’say?” “Oh,nothing,”repeatedtheyouth. Heresolvednottodealthelittleblow.Itwassufficientthatthefactmadehimglad.Itwasnotnecessarytoknockhisfriendontheheadwiththemisguidedpacket. Hehadbeenpossessedofmuchfearofhisfriend,forhesawhoweasilyquestioningscouldmakeholesinhisfeelings. Lately,hehadassuredhimselfthatthealteredcomradewouldnottantalizehimwithapersistentcuriosity,buthefeltcertainthatduringthefirstperiodofleisurehisfriendwouldaskhimtorelatehisadventuresofthepreviousday. Henowrejoicedinthepossessionofasmallweaponwithwhichhecouldprostratehiscomradeatthefirstsignsofacross-examination.Hewasmaster. Itwouldnowbehewhocouldlaughandshoottheshaftsofderision. Thefriendhad,inaweakhour,spokenwithsobsofhisowndeath. Hehaddeliveredamelancholyorationprevioustohisfuneral,andhaddoubtlessinthepacketofletters,presentedvariouskeepsakestorelatives. Buthehadnotdied,andthushehaddeliveredhimselfintothehandsoftheyouth. Thelatterfeltimmenselysuperiortohisfriend,butheinclinedtocondescension.Headoptedtowardhimanairofpatronizinggoodhumor. Hisself-pridewasnowentirelyrestored. Intheshadeofitsflourishinggrowthhestoodwithbracedandself-confidentlegs,andsincenothingcouldnowbediscoveredhedidnotshrinkfromanencounterwiththeeyesofjudges,andallowednothoughtsofhisowntokeephimfromanattitudeofmanfulness. Hehadperformedhismistakesinthedark,sohewasstillaman. Indeed,whenherememberedhisfortunesofyesterday,andlookedatthemfromadistancehebegantoseesomethingfinethere.Hehadlicensetobepompousandveteranlike. Hispantingagoniesofthepastheputoutofhissight. Inthepresent,hedeclaredtohimselfthatitwasonlythedoomedandthedamnedwhoroaredwithsincerityatcircumstance.Fewbuttheyeverdidit. Amanwithafullstomachandtherespectofhisfellowshadnobusinesstoscoldaboutanythingthathemightthinktobewronginthewaysoftheuniverse,orevenwiththewaysofsociety. Lettheunfortunatesrail;theothersmayplaymarbles. Hedidnotgiveagreatdealofthoughttothesebattlesthatlaydirectlybeforehim. Itwasnotessentialthatheshouldplanhiswaysinregardtothem. Hehadbeentaughtthatmanyobligationsofalifewereeasilyavoided. Thelessonsofyesterdayhadbeenthatretributionwasalaggardandblind. Withthesefactsbeforehimhedidnotdeemitnecessarythatheshouldbecomefeverishoverthepossibilitiesoftheensuingtwenty-fourhours.Hecouldleavemuchtochance. Besides,afaithinhimselfhadsecretlyblossomed. Therewasalittleflowerofconfidencegrowingwithinhim.Hewasnowamanofexperience. Hehadbeenoutamongthedragons,hesaid,andheassuredhimselfthattheywerenotsohideousashehadimaginedthem. Also,theywereinaccurate;theydidnotstingwithprecision. Astoutheartoftendefied,anddefying,escaped. And,furthermore,howcouldtheykillhimwhowasthechosenofgodsanddoomedtogreatness? Herememberedhowsomeofthemenhadrunfromthebattle. Asherecalledtheirterror-struckfaceshefeltascornforthem. Theyhadsurelybeenmorefleetandmorewildthanwasabsolutelynecessary.Theywereweakmortals. Asforhimself,hehadfledwithdiscretionanddignity. Hewasarousedfromthisreveriebyhisfriend,who,havinghitchedaboutnervouslyandblinkedatthetreesforatime,suddenlycoughedinanintroductoryway,andspoke. Thefriendputhishanduptohismouthandcoughedagain.Hefidgetedinhisjacket. “Well,”hegulpedatlast,“Iguessyehmightaswellgivemebackthemletters.”Dark,pricklingbloodhadflushedintohischeeksandbrow. “Allright,Wilson,”saidtheyouth.Heloosenedtwobuttonsofhiscoat,thrustinhishand,andbroughtforththepacket.Asheextendedittohisfriendthelatter’sfacewasturnedfromhim. Hehadbeenslowintheactofproducingthepacketbecauseduringithehadbeentryingtoinventaremarkablecommentontheaffair. Hecouldconjureupnothingofsufficientpoint. Hewascompelledtoallowhisfriendtoescapeunmolestedwithhispacket. Andforthishetookuntohimselfconsiderablecredit.Itwasagenerousthing. Hisfriendathissideseemedsufferinggreatshame. Ashecontemplatedhim,theyouthfelthisheartgrowmorestrongandstout. Hehadneverbeencompelledtoblushinsuchmannerforhisacts;hewasanindividualofextraordinaryvirtues. Hereflected,withcondescendingpity:“Toobad!Toobad!Thepoordevil,itmakeshimfeeltough!” Afterthisincident,andashereviewedthebattlepictureshehadseen,hefeltquitecompetenttoreturnhomeandmaketheheartsofthepeopleglowwithstoriesofwar. Hecouldseehimselfinaroomofwarmtintstellingtalestolistener.Hecouldexhibitlaurels. Theywereinsignificant;still,inadistrictwherelaurelswereinfrequent,theymightshine. Hesawhisgapingaudiencepicturinghimasthecentralfigureinblazingscenes. Andheimaginedtheconsternationandtheejaculationsofhismotherandtheyoungladyattheseminaryastheydrankhisrecitals. Theirvaguefeminineformulaforbelovedonesdoingbravedeedsonthefieldofbattlewithoutriskoflifewouldbedestroyed. 
