John and I went for a walk up the Downs, returning via Coldharbour, where we collected two ewe lambs and drove them to Glatting. After tea I made a hurdle pen in the orchard—the sheep were a bit bewildered. … zfl zwk zpt zdc
Wednesday 8th
… I read ‘The Brook Kerith’ [a novel by George Moore] after lunch in the garden, and then walked with John to the Holdings’ for tea, the others joining by car. We had a good tea and saw a lot of Holding’s lovely paintings. zbn zhy zat zmh
I went back by car; on the pub was chalked below a Union Jack the words ITALY SURRENDERS. She has, unconditionally. Very interesting. We drank to it for supper. I wish John was not so blasted disillusioned, or to use a description he frequently uses himself, bloody minded. One has to feel apologetic if you’re enthusiastic when he’s around—especially about Russia. zwg zfl zpn zem zmh
Stalino and the whole Donetz Basin is taken. Things are happening. zru zlb
Thursday 9th
I received a letter today (a rare occurrence) from Hilary Rubinstein—he is going to print [my] article on the objective attitude in the next Phoenix [student magazine of the Inter-Schools Conferences]. Good. I have written another about internal school democracy—’Training for Democracy?’—I’ll send it off as it’s written, but I doubt if he’ll print both. zic znw zwt zpm
We have made a landing near Naples, the Russians have captured an important but unpronounceable railway junction. zwg zlb zru
Went for a very pleasant walk with John, and thoroughly disgraced myself tree-climbing. … zwk zfl
