“No; that would be suicidal.  Every one unwilling to bear arms would thus be allowed to go.”

“And a premium would be put upon desertion?”

“In a certain sense—­yes.”

“Can a State’s duty conflict with the duty of her citizens?”

“That is a hard question, Doctor; if I should be compelled to reply, I should say no.”

“Then if it is South Carolina’s duty to call you into military service, is it not your duty to serve?”

“Yes; but have you shown that it is her duty to make me serve?”

“That brings up the question whether it is a citizen’s duty to serve his country in a wrong cause, and you have already said that a man should obey her laws or else renounce his citizenship.”

“Yes, Doctor, that seems the only alternative.”

“Then you are going to serve again, or get out of the country?”

“You are putting it very strongly, Doctor; can there be no exception to rules?”

“The only exception to the rule is that the alternative does not exist in time of war.  The Confederate States have called into military service all males between eighteen and forty-five.  You could not leave the country—­excuse me for saying it; I speak in an impersonal sense—­even if you should wish to leave it.  Every man is held subject to military service; as you have already said, the State would commit suicide if she renounced the population from which she gets her soldiers.  But, in any case, what would you do if you were not forced into service?”

“I am helpless,” I said gloomily.

“No; I don’t want you to look at it in that way; you are not helpless.  What I have already suggested will relieve you.  We can attach, you to any company that you may choose, with the condition that as soon as your friends are found you are to be handed over to them—­I mean, of course, handed over to your original company.  It seems to me that such a course is not merely the best thing to do, but the only thing to do.”

“Doctor,” said I, “you and your friends are placing me under very heavy obligations.  You have done much yourself, and your friends show me kindness.  Perhaps I could do no better than to ask you to act for me.  I know the delicacy of your offer.  Another man might have refused to discuss or explain; he had the power to simply order me back into the ranks.”

“No,” said he; “I am not so sure that any such power could have been exercised.  To order you back into the ranks is not a surgeon’s duty to his patient.  There seems to be nothing whatever in the army regulations applying to such a case as yours.  You have been kept here without authority, except the general authority which empowers the surgeon to help the wounded.  But I have no control over you whatever.  If you choose, nobody would prevent you from leaving this hospital.  I cannot make a report of your case on any form furnished me.  It was this difficulty, in your case, that