Reflections in a Golden Eye by Carson Mccullers Page B

Captain was drawn toward the Middle Ages and had made a careful study of European
     history during feudal times. His imaginings of the barracks were flavored by this
     predilection. As he thought of the two thousand men living together in this great
     quadrangle, he felt suddenly alone. He sat in the dark car and as he stared at the
     lighted, crowded rooms inside, as he heard the sounds of shouts and ringing voices, the
     tears came to his glassy eyes. A bitter loneliness gnawed in him. He drove quickly home.
    Leonora Penderton was resting in the hammock by the edge of the woods when her husband
     arrived. She went into the house and helped Susie finish in the kitchen, as they were to
     dine at home that evening and then go out to a party. A friend had sent them half a dozen
     quail and she planned to take over a tray to Alison, who had had a bad heart attack on the
     night of their party more than two weeks ago, and was now kept permanently in bed. Leonora
     and Susie arranged the food on a huge silver waiter. On a service plate they put two quail
     and generous helpings of several vegetables, the juices of which ran together to form a
     little pool in the middle of the plate. There were a good many other dainties besides, and
     when Leonora staggered out carrying the big waiter, Susie had to follow after her with a
     tray holding the overflow.
    'Why didn't you bring Morris home with you?' the Captain asked when she returned.
    'Poor fellow!' said Leonora. 'He was already gone. Eating his meals at the Officers'
     Club. Think of it!'
    They had dressed for the evening and were standing before the fire in the sitting room
     with a bottle of whiskey and their glasses on the mantelpiece. Leonora wore her red crepe
     frock and the Captain his tuxedo. The Captain was nervous and kept tinkling the ice in his
     glass.
    'Hah! Listen!' he said suddenly. 'Here is a pretty good one I heard today.' He put his
     forefinger along the side of his nose and drew his lips back over his teeth. He was going
     to tell a story, and was sketching out the skeleton in advance. The Captain had a nice
     feeling for wit and was a sharp gossip.
    'Not long ago there was a telephone call for the General, and the Adjutant, recognizing
     Alison's voice, put it through immediately. “General, here is a request,” said the voice
     in a very poised and cultivated manner. “I want you to do me the great service of seeing
     to it that that soldier does not get up and blow his bugle at six o'clock in the morning.
     It disturbs Mrs. Langdon's rest.” There was a long pause and at last the General said: “I
     beg your pardon, but I don't believe I quite understand you.” The request was repeated,
     and there was a still longer pause. “And pray tell me,” the General said finally, “whom do
     I have the honor of addressing?” The voice answered: “This is the garcon de maison to Mrs.
     Langdon, Anacleto. I thank you.”'
    The Captain waited soberly, for he was not one to laugh at his own jokes. Neither did
     Leonora laugh she seemed puzzled.
    'What did he say he was?' she asked.
    'He was trying to say “houseboy” in French.'
    'And you mean Anacleto called up like that about reveille. Well, if that doesn't beat
     anything I ever heard. I can hardly believe it!'
    'Nit wit!' said the Captain. 'It didn't really happen. It's just a story, a joke.'
    Leonora did not get the point. She was no gossip. First, she always found it a little
     difficult to picture a situation that did not actually take place in the room with her.
     Also, she was not in the least malicious.
    'Why, how mean!' she said. 'If it didn't happen, why should anyone go to the trouble to
     make it up? It makes Anacleto sound like a fool. Who do you suppose started it?'
    The Captain shrugged and finished his drink. He had fabricated any number of ridiculous
     anecdotes about Alison and Anacleto, and they had all gone the rounds of the post with
     great success.