life lived day to day with no thought of to-morrow,
into this other life of unlimited bookish leisure.

We are like monks in a convent. We're almost entirely out of touch
with the outside world. We hear rumors of what is taking place at the
front, and now and then get a budget of stale news from newly arrived
prisoners. But for all this we are so completely out of it all that it
seems as though the war must have come to an end. Until now this
cloistered life has been very pleasant. I've had time to think and to
make plans for a future which, comparatively speaking, seems assured.
One has periods of restlessness, of course. When these come I console
myself as best I may. Even for prisoners of war there are
possibilities for quite interesting adventure, adventure in
companionship. Thrown into such intimate relationships as we are here,
and under these peculiar circumstances, we make rather surprising
discoveries about ourselves and about each other. There are obvious
superficial effects which I can trace back to causes quite easily. But
there are others which have me guessing. By Jove! this is an
interesting place! Conrad would find material here which would set
him to work at once. I can imagine how he would revel in it.

Well, I'm getting to be a very wise man. I'm deeply learned in many
kinds, or, better, phases, of human psychology and I'm increasing my
fund of knowledge every day. Therefore, I've decided that, when the
war is over, I'll be no more a wanderer. I'll settle down in Boston
for nine months out of the year and create deathless literature. And
for vacations, I've already planned the first one, which is to be a
three months' jaunt by aeroplane up and down the United States east
and west, north and south. You will see the possibilities of adventure
in a trip of this sort. By limiting myself somewhat as to itinerary I
can do the thing. I've found just the man here to share the journey
with, an American in the British Air Force. He is enthusiastic about
the plan. If only I can keep him from getting married for a year or so
after getting home!

I had a very interesting experience, immediately after being taken
prisoner on May 7th. I was taken by some German aviators to their
aerodrome and had lunch with them before I was sent on to the
hospital. Some of them spoke English and some of them French, so that
there was no difficulty in conversing. I was suffering a good deal
from my twisted ankles and had to be g