"You are seeing the world of men made over," said Drusilla, "but the
most wonderful thing is seeing the women made over."
"I don't want to see the women made over," the Doctor groaned. "They
are nice enough as it is. I want my little Jean gay and smiling--and
Derry tells me that she is a nun in a white veil."
"She is more than that," Derry said, and a great light came into his
eyes. "I sometimes feel that she and Drusilla are holding hands across
the sea--two brave women in different spheres."
Drusilla, wise Drusilla pondered. "Perhaps the war will teach men like
Bruce that women aren't playthings--"
"Don't be too hard on me, Drusilla."
"I am not hard. I am telling the truth."
"I'll forgive you, because in these weeks you've taught me a lot--"
Bruce McKenzie's world would not have recognized in this tired and
serious gentleman its twinkling, teasing man of medicine. Weary feet
on the stones--
"I must go to them," Drusilla said.
She went out on the step. They saw the men cluster about her--French
and English, Scotch--a few Americans.
Her voice soared:
"In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea,
With the glory in his bosom which transfigures you and me.
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free--
While God is marching on--"
"Look," said the Doctor. "Do you see their faces, Derry?"
Gazing up at her as if they drank her in, the men listened. She was
the daughter of a nation of dreamers, the daughter of a nation _which
made its dreams come true_.
Tired and spent, they saw in her hope personified. They saw America
coming fresh and unworn to fight a winning battle to the end. So they
turned their faces towards Drusilla. She was more to them than a
singing woman. Behind her stood a steadfast people--and God was
marching on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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