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by one of their own buses. These men cast ungly glances in 
our direction and not because we were foreigners but because
we wore hats, showing that we belonged to the much hated 
'signore' class.
We returned home and were astonished to hear that our 
maid (the one we took for a Pole) had received orders from
the German military authorities to leave at once and join
other Germans somewhere on the outskirts of Florence. Does
it mean that the Germans are about to evacuate Florence?
N. received a letter from a friend who describes Paris
as going through the same nightmare as we are experiencing 
here.
May 14th  The maid came back to tell us that she is to work at a Villa near Florence, Huge wages, some three thousand lire a
month, have done much to dry her tears. She had become far 
less agressive, and though sufficiently fed by Antonio, unknown to us she was receiving extra food rations from the 
German authorities. But it was irrelevant that she should be
fattened up to work for Americans. 'Your country needs you.'
she was told. 
May 24th  In the opinion of many we are about to pass through the 
worst moment of the war. Our Sfollati and others have warned 
us that in all probability tomorrow will be an eventful day:
a communist uprising is expected; the Allies are to land at
Genoa; shoals of parachutists are to join the rebel army hiding