Volume I Part 73 (2/2)
”I wonder what would pay for _that_ loss,” said Fleda, indignantly.
”Why, the point was gained! and it did not signify what the cost was, so we did that. My poor boys were a small part of it.”
”What point do you mean?”
”I mean the point we had in view, which was taking the place.”
”And what was the advantage of gaining the place?”
”Pshaw! the advantage of doing one's duty.”
”But what made it duty?” said Hugh.
”Orders.”
”I grant you,” said Fleda; ”I understand that ? but bear with me, Charlton ? what was the advantage to the army or the country?”
”The advantage of great honour if we succeeded, and avoiding the shame of failure.”
”Is that all?” said Hugh.
”All!” said Charlton.
”Glory must be a precious thing, when other men's lives are so cheap to buy it,” said Fleda.
”We did not risk theirs without our own,” said Charlton, colouring.
”No; but still theirs were risked for you.”
”Not at all; why, this is absurd! you are saying that the whole war was for nothing.”
”What better than nothing was the end of it? We paid Mexico for the territory she yielded to us, didn't we, uncle Rolf?”
”Yes.”
”How much?”
”Twenty millions, I believe.”
”And what do you suppose the war has cost?”
”Hum ? I don't know ? a hundred.”
”A hundred million! Besides ? how much besides! And don't you suppose, uncle Rolf, that for half of that sum Mexico would have sold us peaceably what she did in the end?”
”It is possible ? I think it is very likely.”
”What was the fruit of the war, Captain Rossitur?”
<script>