My dear, this country is most enchanting. Far away from nasty noises,
full of unexpected wooded valleys and willowy streams.

All the little shrines are, as usual, surrounded by half-clipped trees.

And the wild-flowers. Clear pale blue succory is the most charming of
all, and I am going to send you some plants as soon as they have ceased
flowering.


_August 6._

You can't think how difficult it is to take any interest in military
matters sometimes. The inclination to let things slide. The feeling that
an order is not so terrifying as it once was; that after all, who will
know or bother if one furtive subaltern creeps out one evening to
sketch?


_August 8._

Do you know, it's unintelligent, but I do so enjoy being here away from
the fevers of war. War is getting tedious, and the summer is all too
short.

Swallow is coming back. Isn't it splendid! The General finds him too
irritating and tiresome. Jezebel will be glad, for she doesn't like the
ghost-horse Moonlight, and she never really disliked Swallow. I can't
say she liked him, because she likes no one, dear lamb. But she used to
look on Swallow with rather less suspicion, somehow. And Swallow has a