My darling – you sent me a most delightful letter – just what I wanted. It is strange that we are still without any list of the casualties, but at latest we must get it to-morrow morning. Kitchener got a mutilated telegram from some unknown source yesterday, but it only contained 6 or 7 names & may be quite unauthentic. Among them, so far as he remembered, was only 1 killed – a boy called Vereker who I see was in the same battalion of the Grenadiers as John Manners, & only joined a year ago. French was fighting all day yesterday against no less than 48 German Corps & 3 Cavalry divisions, and all the time making his way to his new position between St Quentin & Amiens. He has now the support of 3 French Cavalry divisions on his left, and a fresh French Army Corps is coming from the South to Amiens. He has not been well treated by the French who ought to have been much more active in protecting his retreat, but he speaks handsomely of their Regulars: says their spirit is high, that they are very good troops and well led by their officers. The new line of the whole Allied army (this is quite secret) will be from Amiens to Rheims, and as they will have 17 Army Corps & 9 Cavalry divisions they ought to be able to hold their own. Joffre’s first plan miscarried, apparently because he hadn’t sufficiently realised the difficult character of the country in the Ardennes: one wd. have thought that after 40 years of study the French staff ought to have been sufficiently alive to this! He (French) was still fighting when he telegraphed last night, but hoped to ‘shake off’ the enemy to-day. He has certainly had to bear the brunt of more than his share of the fighting so far, but he seems to be in quite good heart & spirit: very anxious, of course, as are all Generals in the field, for reinforcements. We have filled up all his gaps, but are loth to send out a fresh division until the course of things is more decided. I am afraid he must have had a lot of further casualties, but in any case the Germans have lost tremendously. With the Russian wave moving slowly towards them on the East, every day is to them of vital importance, and they are prepared to sacrifice almost any number of men to break through the French line. Of course I will telegraph to you at once as soon as I hear anything. Meanwhile Winston has been scoring some small but not unimportant points. His 3000 Marines have taken Ostend & are scouting about the country in that region, and the Kaiser Wilhelm – a huge armed German liner which was pirating about off the coast of W. Africa – has been sunk by the Highflyer, a rather venerable specimen of the light cruiser type. I am writing from the House in a brief breathing space before I receive a Trade Union deputation. Our main business was to pass an address in honour of the Belgians, and you will read what I said. I hope you will like & approve; you know that is the verdict for which I care far the most. The House was quite appreciative. Violet has gone to-day to Stanway whence Elizabeth has just returned. We are intending to go again to Lympne for Sunday. We are going to dine with the Islingtons to-morrow night. The House will probably rise on Monday for 10 days or a fortnight: so the ‘crisis’ is once more put off – for the last time I suspect. I still have a feeling that we shall round that corner: I dare say you think I am rather a gross & purblind optimist! The Impeccable is, I am told, in a very disgruntled mood: in trouble about his soul; and talks moodily to his familiars about shouldering a musket & going to the front! I have strange visitors in these days – I told you of Ld. Roberts, who was followed by F. E. Smith & Harry Cust, both profuse in offers of service. I wish I had something to read at nights. I always finish off with your letter: can you suggest anything for the preceding 1 hour? The Bud & her lot are apparently still at Brussels. I am well, except for a bloodshot eye, the result of motoring en plein air from Lympne in the small hours of Monday morning. I wonder sometimes what you are wearing. I suppose the stripes are abjured. I have just received the deputation & listened & talked to them for the best part of an hour. They were quite sensible Trade Unionists of the old fashioned Lancashire type, & I soothed them with soft words. This is a very poor letter, but I have been rather hard pressed to-day & have only time to save the post. But that hasn’t prevented me from thinking often of you my darling, and the thought of you to-day as always lightens the burdens of my life. Bless you, and believe always in my never ceasing & ever growing love.