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- I20 -

from the Allies.
Last night we had to suffer from a new gun planted on the hills at our backs. Its range is some forty kilometres. The house shakes and the noise if far worse than anything hi thereto experienced. This mammoth, called by the English the Black Widow, belched away at short intervals the whole night through. Surely these are the guns that are making the Germans retreat on all fronts.
September 4th Mrs. P. came to see us. She entertains at her house officers and soldiers from all the Allied countries. She tells us that the South Africans dislike the English; that the English and American dislike each other, but that on one point they all seem to agree; to join hands in the next fight against the Bolshevists. She thinks Germany is beaten, that there will be no great stand before the end, and that the aeroplanes have brought about this defeat. I remember the American Consul before leaving Florence in 1940, saying 'Wait till they have our aeroplanes overhead.'
September 6th For the first time no guns sounded last night. We have no electricity, no gas, and only what water we can get in from the garden cistern; nor is there food except two hundred grammes of bread a day and soups made of unknown ingredients. Yesterday news was brought us that a shop will soon open and rations be dealt out to the English and Americans. This sounds hopeful until one realizes the many of our