But that was
entirely Randall's affair. The stomach that he had for fighting
with Germans would stand him in good stead against Gedge,
especially as he had formed so contemptuous an estimate of the
latter's valour.
I emerged again into my little world. I saw most of my friends.
Phyllis lay in wait for me at the hospital, radiant and blushing,
ostensibly to congratulate me on recovery from my illness, really
(little baggage!) to hear from my lips a word or two in praise of
Randall. Apparently he had come, in his warrior garb, seen, and
conquered on the spot. I saw Mrs. Holmes, who, gladdened by the
Distinguished Conduct Medallist's return, had wiped from her
memory his abominably unfilial behaviour. I saw Betty and I saw
Boyce.
Now here I come to a point in this chronicle where I am faced by
an appalling difficulty. Hitherto I have striven to tell you no
more about myself and my motives and feelings than was demanded by
my purpose of unfolding to you the lives of others. Primarily I
wanted to explain Leonard Boyce. I could only do it by showing you
how he reacted on myself--myself being an unimportant and
uninteresting person. It was all very well when I could stand
aside and dispassionately analyse such reactions.
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