"You are not speaking to Mrs. Randolph," I said, half under my
breath.
He looked up eagerly in my face. "You do not think as she
does!" he said. "You do not believe in fighting, under any
circumstances?"
"Yes, I do, Mr. Marshall," I said; and I felt myself colour.
"I do believe in fighting, when it is to relieve the
oppressed, to deliver those who are trampled upon, or to save
ourselves or others from worse than death."
"Our friends at the South can hardly be said to be in such
extremity," he said, looking rather perplexed; "unless you
believe all that the papers say about Yankee invaders; and I
for one am not ready to do that."
"Nor I," I said; "I know them too well."
"Then who is so bitterly oppressed just now, Miss Randolph?"
"If you do not know of anybody, I would not fight, Mr.
Marshall."
"Really?" said he. "Perhaps I ought to go home and take care
of my twelve hundred people at Vincennes. Is that your
thought?"
"Are they in need of care?" I asked.
" 'Pon my word, I don't know. Perhaps it would be nearer right
to say, take care of myself; for if the war should come the
way of Vicksburg, and Yankee arms have a little success, there
might be the mischief to pay at Vincennes. On reflection, I
don't see how I could take care of myself, either. Then you do
not bid me go?" he asked again.
"You remember our words one day about insignificant lives?"
"Yes!" he cried eagerly; "and I have been longing ever since
to ask you to explain more fully what interested me so much. I
never could get a chance. I assure you, I have felt to the
bottom of my heart what it is to have one's existence really
worth nothing, to anybody. How may it be better? My life has
to do with nothing but insignificant things."
"But you must define insignificance," I said.
"Is it needful?"
"I think so. What makes things insignificant? Not their being
small, - or common?"
"What then, Miss Randolph?"
"Small things, and common things, are often to the last degree
important, you know, Mr. Marshall."
"Yes; but however small and common, I cannot feel that I am
important, in any degree," he said, half laughing.
"We were talking of lives, and things."
"Yes. Excuse me. Well?"
"I think I see the crowns of two hats, down below, which
belong to some people that we know."
"Is it they?" he exclaimed; - "and I wish they were farther
off. Finish what you were going to say, Miss Daisy! Do not
leave me in ignorance now, after bringing me so far."
"I can only tell you what I think," I said.
"And that is precisely what I want to hear," he answered
earnestly.