to thaw them the next morning before we could put them on.  If we hadn’t had three saucepans we should have died.  When we went dahn the hills two of us had to hold every horse by his head and tail to keep them from falling.  However, nearly all the horses died, and then we took the packs off them and tried to drag the packs along by hand; but we soon stopped that.  All the bridle-paths were littered with dead horses and oxen.  And when we came up with the Serbian Army we saw soldiers just drop down and die in the snow.  I read in the paper there were no children in the retreat, but I saw lots of children, strapped to their mother’s backs.  Yes; and they fell down together and froze to death.  Then we got to Scutari, and glad I was.”

She glanced round defiantly, but not otherwise moved, at the committee, the hitherto invisible gods of hospitals and medical units.  The nipping wind of reality had blown into the back drawing-room.  The committee was daunted.  But some of its members, less daunted than the rest, had the presence of mind to wonder why it seemed strange and strangely chilling that a rather coarse, stout woman with a cockney accent and little social refinement should have passed through, and emerged so successfully from, the unimaginable retreat.  If Nurse Smaith had been beautiful and slim and of elegant manners they could not have controlled their chivalrous enthusiasm.

“Very interesting,” said someone.

Glancing at G.J., Nurse Smaith proceeded: 

“You sy I didn’t come home.  But the money for my journey was due to me.  That’s what I sy.  Twenty-five francs for two weeks’ wages and ninety-five francs journey money.”

“As regards the journey money,” observed Sir Stephen blandly, “we’ve never paid so much, if my recollection serves me.  And of course we have to remember that we’re dealing with public funds.”

Nurse Smaith sprang up, looking fixedly at Concepcion.  Concepcion had thrown herself back in her chair, and her face was so drawn that it was no more the same face.

“Even if it is public funds,” Concepcion shrieked, “can’t you give ninety-five francs in memory of those three saucepans?” Then she relapsed on to the table, her head in her hands, and sobbed violently, very violently.  The sobs rose and fell in the scale, and the whole body quaked.

G.J. jumped to his feet.  Half the shocked and alarmed committee was on its feet.  Nurse Smaith had run round to Concepcion and had seized her with a persuasive, soothing gesture.  Concepcion quite submissively allowed herself to be led out of the room by Nurse Smaith and Sir Stephen.  Her sobs weakened, and when the door was closed could no longer be heard.  A lady member had followed the three.  The committee was positively staggered by the unprecedented affair.  G.J., very pale, said: 

“Mrs. Smith is in competent hands.  We can’t do anything.  I think we had better sit down.”  He was obeyed.