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of the German army. If the Allies' supplies continue to arrive by land or by sea without hindrance, how can it be possible for one lone nation to win the war, no matter how superlative its efforts. Communist disorder looming up before us. Will Rome be at the mercy of the Vandals? .....and the Pope does he expect to be saved? Will the Balkan States be saved? Will Spain escape another bloody revolution? .... but enough. These questions beset one all day and every day. Their answers would prove no more oracular when put down on paper than when retained unanswered in the mind.
Yesterday van-loads of refugees passed through Florence from Rome. At present no visitor is allowed to remain in Florence more than five days running. Rome is blocked and food scarce: forty lire for one egg. Our Sfollata encourages us to believe that the Allies will soon be here bringing with them plenty of food supplies[[strikethrough]],[[/strikethrough]]and coal. She is sure that there is much exaggeration concerning the Communists. 'Wait',she says, 'and you will see that there will be no change whatever.'
February 8th. At ten o'clock this morning there was bombing near the Poggio Imperiale not ten minutes walk from here. A villa and a farm were destroyed, some eight bombs falling. We are told that a 'grande artists' from Rome lost her life in the villa.
So our hill has now become a target!
Siena is also being bombed daily, the Osservanza destroyed. During the alarm this morning we are glad to huddle together in the refuge. The noise was terrific. I arrived