Francis. If I were
to take her work over at this point I'd nullify whatever advance she's
made and not help my own research by as much as an inch." If C can't
replace F, I don't know who can. Very despondent, but wrote just the
same. Can't give in to moods.

_97._ _August 7_: BBC announced this morning the Grass is in Bordeaux
and under the Defense of the Realm Act every man and woman is
automatically in service and will be solely responsible for a hundred
square feet of the island's surface, their stations to be assigned by
the chief county constable. Tried to get Sir H C--no phone service.

Wrote on my history till noon. What a lot of bluster professional
authors make over the writing of a book--they should have had the
necessity every businessman knows for sticking eternally to it, and
experience in a newspaper cityroom--as I had. Just before luncheon an
overworked looking police constable bicycled over with designations of
the areas each of us is responsible for. Sir H very thoughtfully
allotted the patrolling of my library to me.

_August 8_: Grass in Troyes and Chalons. The assignment of everyone to a
definite post has raised the general spirit. Ive always said discipline
was what people needed in times of crisis--takes their minds off their
troubles.

The prime minister spoke briefly over the wireless, announcing he was in
constant touch with all the researchworkers, including Miss Francis.
Annoyed at his going over my head this way--a quite unnecessary
discourtesy.

Marked incivility and slipshodness among the staff. Spoke to Mrs H and
to S; both agreed it was deplorable, saw no immediate help for it. So
upset by petty annoyances I could not write on my history.

_August 9_: Glorious news. The BBC announced the antiGrass compound
would be perfected before Christmas.

_August 10_: F denies validity of the wireless report. Said no one with
the remotest trace of intelligence would make such a statement. "Is it
impossible to have the compound by then?" I asked her.

"It's not impossible to have it by tomorrow morning. Good heavens,
Weener, can't you understand? I'm not a soothsayer."

Can it be some scientist I know nothing of is getting ahead of her? Very
dishonorable of the government if so.

Despite uncertainties wrote three more pages.

_August 11_: Riots in Manchester and Birmingham. Demagogues pointing out
that even if the antiGrass compound is perfected by Christmas it will be
too late to save