The Publishers have considered it best to alter some of the personal
names in the following pages.




CHRISTINE


_Lutzowstrasse 49, Berlin,
Thursday, May 28th, 1914_.

My blessed little mother,

Here I am safe, and before I unpack or do a thing I'm writing you a
little line of love. I sent a telegram at the station, so that you'll
know at once that nobody has eaten me on the way, as you seemed rather
to fear. It is wonderful to be here, quite on my own, as if I were a
young man starting his career. I feel quite solemn, it's such a great
new adventure, Kloster can't see me till Saturday, but the moment I've
had a bath and tidied up I shall get out my fiddle and see if I've
forgotten how to play it between London and Berlin. If only I can be
sure you aren't going to be too lonely! Beloved mother, it will only
be a year, or even less if I work fearfully hard and really get on, and
once it is over a year is nothing. Oh, I know you'll write and tell me
you don't mind a bit and rather like it, but you see your Chris hasn't
lived with you all her life for nothing; she knows you very well
now,--at least, as much of your dear sacred self that you will show
her. Of course I know you're going to be brave and all that, but one
can be very unhappy while one is being brave, and besides, one isn't