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Aside from these great happenings of the past there were also the tragic happenings of the present day; owing to the rain the very soil under the ruins of her house had now become a black stream of mud running into the sewer below. This sewer had been converted into a huge crater and soon all that remained of her villa would be drawn into it, lost for ever! Her husband, the Professor, had severely berated her for not raising her voice in defence of their own mud under their own ruins. But what could she do? Ever since the bombing, was not the whole hill in need of being bolstered up to prevent it from crumbling away? It was indeed a predicament!
   
November 28th. Our neighbour, Natalie's devoted "friend for life", fell down and split the bone of her arm while performing some self-imposed household task. Because of this accident a maid was procured, but from what I hear, the arrangement has not proved a success since the maid insists on going down daily to take care of a paralysed cat which belongs to a former American mistress. This maid does not like her place and aspires to come to us, but only one glimpse of her baboon face behind the bars of our neighbour's gate has decided us in favour of our own witch at home.
   
Our neighbour must sit bolstered up with pillows night and day, her arm tied tightly to her side. She brightens up, however, when telling about all the good things she intends making for her son, a prisoner of war in Germany: ginger snaps, nut-brittles, almond biscuits;