“There’s the end of that,” he said. “Philistines! Barbarians!” she said indignantly. “I suppose they are acting to the best of their judgment,” said he. “I dare say they have never heard of me.” “My dear, don’t be so cynical,” said Phœbe. “Well, well! Certainly I am bitterly disappointed.” He took up the morning paper. “Bitterly!” he said again. “Hallo! Our airmen bombed Mannheim two nights ago, and dropped three tons of high explosives. Well, that is very interesting. Captain Traill said that perhaps some of those bombs which we saw being filled would make a mess in Mannheim. I hope they were those actual ones.” “So do I,” said Phœbe. “Was there much damage done?” “The German account says that there was hardly any, but of course that is the German account. A few people were wounded and cut by fragments of the bombs. Cut!” He got up and could hardly refrain from dancing round the table among the rushes. “Some deep cuts, I shouldn’t wonder,” he said. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Countess of Lowndes Square and Other Stories, by E. F. Benson