6 March 1911 – 12 March 1911

If I die I should like to be buried in the cherry orchards at V----. How the beastly mob loves a tragedy! The sudden death of the Bank Manager is simply thrilling the town, and the newspapers sell like hot cakes. Scarcely before the body is cold the coincidence of his death on the anniversary of his birth is discussed in every household; every one tells everybody else where they saw him last "he looked all right then." The policeman and the housemaid, the Mayor and the Town Clerk, the cabman and the billposter, stand and discuss the deceased gentleman's last words or what the widow's left with. "Ah! well, it is very sad," they remark to one another with no emotion and continue on their way.

On coming downstairs in the evening played Ludo with H----. At one stage I laughed so much in conjunction with that harlequin H---- that I got cramp in the abdominal muscles and the tears trickled down my face.