Warm — it was, yet; we went slowly down the road, in shadow
and sunshine; tasting the pleasantness, it seems to me, of
every tree, and feeling the sweetness of each breath; in that
slight exhilaration of spirits which loses nothing and forgets
nothing. At least I have a good memory for such times. There
was a little excitement, no doubt, about going this walk with
a cadet and a stranger, which helped the whole effect.
I made use of my opportunity to gain a great deal of
information which Dr. Sandford could not give. I wanted to
understand the meaning and the use of many things I saw about
the Point. Batteries and fortifications were a mysterious
jumble to me; shells were a horrible novelty; the whole art
and trade of a soldier, something well worth studying, but
difficult to see as a reasonable whole. The adaptation of
parts to an end, I could perceive; the end itself puzzled me.
"Yet there has always been fighting," — said my companion.
"Yes," — I assented.
"Then we must be ready for it.
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