And it is a nice tent. It is dark blue with two gilded poles inside sort of keeping the roof up and it is much bigger than the soldiers’ who, if they have tents, they are only big enough for a man to lie in and if he’s tall his feet stick out. It is in two parts and there are two beds in one part for Ooldra and me and they are on the floor but very comfy and we can sit on them too and we have a ciothes-chest each, all ready waiting for us when we came in (soldiers had taken them from the back of the carriage and brought them here while we were on the wall) and the other part is a sort of bed and kitchen place for the woman. Glurbia wantd to be her but I think my mother thought Ooldra and Glurbia might disagree over the way I was to behave and the woman, thank all the dear gods, is one of my mother’s palace women whom I’ve never seen before and who obeys me the minute I suggest something.

And never argues.

Actually I hardly ever see her, her name is Tilia and she’s rather bosomy.

“When is the evening meal?” Ooldra asked.

“Well, actually, whenever you like,” the leader said, shuffling rather.

“You mean—?”

“The General,” he said, discovering a formula, “thought you might like the privacy of dining in your own—um—private tents sooner than the strain and lack of privacy in the officers’ dining mess.”

“But surely he must intend condescending to meet his hostages some time?” Ooldra inquired.

He’d expected her to say that. You could watch him thinking what a nuisance it was dealing with the entry into the camp of hostages who were used to considering themselves important in their own little lands.

He repeated his formula but Ooldra interrupted him.

“When shall we meet him?”

“Well, naturally if you’re keen—he’d be only too pleased— consider himself honoured—two such charming ladies —noblewomen, I mean—I mean, I could take you to him this evening—after he’s eaten—”

“It would be suitable to meet him. Will you eat with us?”

“Be most grateful to. Thank you very much.”

He accepted with alacrity, probably glad for any way of changing the subject. Also it was only polite for someone to take notice of us, our first night in camp.

So he went in and sat down and Tilia gave us a meal of roast flesh and white roots with a lot of very nice vegetables and spicy sauces but, though Ooldra seemed as usual and the leader was very enthusiastic and kept saying: “What a good cook you’ve got yourselves,” I could hardly swallow anything. Chewing was a strain and I kept wishing I could go to bed and just sleep the whole business away.

It is bedtime now.