a
large and elaborate cement grotto, and a statue of the Blessed Virgin
stood in a niche at the back. Seats for worshippers were placed in
front. The Countesses were moved by piety to keep a number of candles
blazing in the grotto all night, invoking thereby the protection of
Our Lady. Our staff, who walked not by faith but by sight, were much
worried by the strong light which could easily be seen from a German
aeroplane. However, no one could muster up courage enough to interfere
with the devotion of our hostesses, and as a matter of fact we never
had any bombing raids at Villers Chatel. It was a question among (p. 257)
the officers as to whether our immunity should be attributed to the
power of prayer or to extraordinary good-luck.

At the end of the lawn facing the Chateau was a forest of magnificent
trees. It was in the fields at the back of this wood that we had held
the memorial service for the 2nd Brigade, which I have already
described. One of the forest paths was in the form of a pergola. The
trees had been trimmed so that the boughs overhead were interlaced and
it went for about half a mile into the forest, like the vaulted aisle
of a church. The sunlight through the green leaves overhead cast on
the pathway a mysterious light suggestive of fairyland.

Our battalions were once more in their old billets in the
neighbourhood, and as we were still at rest I had many opportunities
of visiting them. How well I remember going about and delivering my
lecture on our leave trip to Rome. As I look back upon my
war-memories, I think that those talks were the most delightful
experiences I have ever had. I really had nothing to say, but I knew
that anything which could occupy and amuse the minds of those brave
lads, who were daily preparing to hurl themselves against the enemy,
was worth while. I would go to the C.O. of a battalion and say,
"Colonel, I would like to come and give your men a talk on our leave
trip to Rome." He would always take the matter very seriously,
thinking I had some learned discourse on architecture, or some other
absolutely futile subject to give the men. But being too polite to
tell me to go to Jericho, or somewhere else, he would say, "Yes, I am
sure it would be very interesting. How long will the lecture last?" On
my replying, "About two hours and a half," his countenance would fall.
He was struggling between his fear of offending me and his fear of
doing something which would bore the men.