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populous quarter on the outskirts of Florence, which on the day before yesterday, was terrifically bombed. We thought he was killed but he turned up this morning and told of his escape. He was standing outside during the alarm when a small plane dived so low that he could see an aviator standing up and gesticulating as though to warn the people. Our gardener had just time to get behind a big stone when the machine-gun began firing. He thinks that the gesticulating aviator was one of the dissident Italians that are now being used by the allies because of their topographical knowledge of the country. The people are evidently stunned. They stare up at the planes; instead of making for safety. The gardener saw many killed in this fashion. But if some people are careless there are others who are very careful. Across the valley we can see a red bus arriving full of the employés of the tram-lines. These men get out of the bus and climb down to a gallery beneath the road, a very safe refuge. This bus arrives and departs regularly and as many times as there are air-alarms. Sfollato and his maids (at times the Signora too) running across the fields to join our peasants near the underground canal. Yesterday there came swarms of aeroplanes over the house before the alarm sounded. Antonio rushed up to tell us to hasten down, but as it was too late we remained in bed.