I cast my mind over the Ægean Islands, from which Mudros sprang up very large, and everything else sank into oblivion. "I'm afraid I don't," I owned apologetically.
"Thought perhaps you might. L-E first word, H-A-V-R-E second—Leeharver."
"Oh-h, to be sure, Le Havre. I mean—yes, now you mention it, I think I have heard of it. And is your son still there?"
Me son, 'e ses the vermin there was something shocking, and they spent all their spare time 'unting theirselves."
"What? not in the hospital? Oh, I see; you mean in the trenches."
"And 'im," she continued, not noticing my remark, 'and 'im that partic'lar 'bout 'is linen; couldn't use a 'andkerchief not unless it was spotless; must 'av a clean one every Sunday as reg'lar as the week come round. It do seem 'ard, don't it? They've pinched his sweater too. S'pose I shall 'av to get 'im another, s'pose I shall; but it's a job to know how to get along these times. And now margarine's up this week, that's the latest."
"But your son," I ventured tentatively—"is his foot still bad?"
"Oh, 'is foot's right enough. It's 'is teeth that's the worry. 'E ses to me, 'Mother,' he ses, 'afore I can do any good I must 'ave me teeth seen to.' Oh, this fighting's cruel work!"
Could he have been wounded in the jaw? The thought was horrible, but I remarked with affected cheerfulness, "Well, come, anyhow he is able to write."
"Oh, 'e can write right enough—got the prize at school for 'rithmatic, 'e did."