[ Ailments, curses, it makes no difference to Beatrice how exactly they're referred to, but there's something annoying about the way she's corrected. Hmph. Curses are curses! ]

An ailment comes from some sort of a disease. Curses are magical in their nature.

[ Prissily, as though she's correcting an obvious mistake. ]

Still, you're right. It's an awful way to go. I'm quite glad to have avoided it--and I'm sure you are too.