A GARDEN DIARY Ill 
“Quite true ma’am. Quite true ladies. You'll 
find it written up at the War Office.” 
‘But how? Where did they get in from ? 
The enemy were right across; so 
“Well ladies, as I understand it were like 
this. General French was sent north, and he 
fetched a big circuit as it were so. And 
With our umbrellas we drew a hasty but 
effectual scheme of attack upon the park gravel, 
then hurried away from our gold-braided in- 
formant in the direction of Pall Mall. 
Oddly enough St. James’s Palace did not 
appear to be in the least irradiated by the in- 
telligence! its grim old face remained as un- 
responsive, and as dirty as usual. Everything 
else however had caught the glamour. It shone 
upon the cabs, or at any rate upon their cabbies ; 
it lit up the sea of mud; it seemed to float along 
the pavements scoured by a recent shower. Men 
were coming out of the clubs in groups, talking 
loudly ; everyone talked loudly ; not an acquaint- 
ance was in sight, yet they seemed to be all 
acquaintances ; more than acquaintances, friends, 
dear friends; we looked benignantly at them, 
and they looked benignantly back at us. In 
London; in St. James’ Street! Tall or short, 
stiff or pompous, young or old, it was all one; 
they were brothers; brothers in a common joy, 
brothers in a common relief from an all but 
maddening dread. To smile for no reason in 
