_Tuesday, September 22nd._--Got back to Le Mans at 2 A.M.--motor-ambulanced up to the hospital, where an orderly made lovely beds for us on stretchers, with brown blankets and pillows, in the theatre, and labelled the door "Operation," in case any one should disturb us. At 6 we went to our respective diggings for a wash and breakfast, and reported to Matron at 8. We have been two days and two nights in our clothes; food where, when, and what one could get; one wash only on a station platform at a tap which a sergeant kindly pressed for me while I washed! one cleaning of teeth in the dark on the line between trucks. They have no water on trains or at stations, except on the engine, which makes tea in cans for you for the men when it stops. We are to rest to-day, to be ready for another train to-night if necessary. The line from the front to Rouen--where there are two General Hospitals--is cut; hence this appalling over-crowding at our base. When we got back this morning, nine of those we took off the trains on Sunday afternoon had died here, and one before he reached the hospital--three of tetanus. I haven't heard how many at the other hospital at the Jesuit school--tetanus there too. Some of the amputations die of septic absorption and shock, and you wouldn't wonder if you saw them. I went to the 9 o'clock Choral High Mass this morning at that glorious and beautiful Cathedral--all gorgeous old glass and white and grey stone, slender Gothic and fat Norman. It was very fine and comforting. The sick officers are frightfully pleased to see 'The Times,' no matter how old; so are we. I've asked M. to collect their 1/2d. picture daily papers once a week for the men. _Wednesday, September 23rd._--Have been helping in the wards at No.-- to-day. The Sisters and orderlies there have all about twice what they can get through--the big dressings are so appalling and new cases have been coming in--all stretcher cases. As soon as they begin to recover at all they are sent down to the base to make room for worse ones off the trains. To-morrow I am on station duty again--possibly for another train. There is a rumour that three British cruisers have been sunk by a submarine--it can't be true. I don't see why this battle along the French frontier should ever come to an end, at any rate till both armies are exhausted, and decide to go to bed. The men say we can't spot their guns--they are too well hidden in these concrete entrenchments. The weather is absolutely glorious all day, and the stars all night. Orion, with his shining bodyguard, from Sirius to Capella, is blazing every morning at 4.