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           Theonlytroublewasheforgottoposthisefforts,withtheresultthattwoorthreemonthswouldgobywithoutaword,andthenDroghedawouldreceivedozensonthesamemailrun.TheloquaciousJustinewrotelengthymissiveswhichwerepurestream-of-consciousness,rudeenoughtoevokeblushesandclucksofalarm,andentirelyfascinating.Meggiewroteonceeverytwoweeksonly,tobothherchildren.ThoughJustineneverreceivedlettersfromhergrandmother,Danedidquiteoften.Healsogotwordregularlyfromallhisuncles,aboutthelandandthesheepandthehealthoftheDroghedawomen,fortheyseemedtothinkitwastheirdutytoassurehimallwastrulywellathome.However,theydidn’textendthistoJustine,whowouldhavebeenflabbergastedbyitanyway.Fortherest,Mrs.Smith,Minnie,CatandAnneMueller,correspondencewentasmightbeexpected.

           Itwaslovelyreadingletters,andaburdenwritingthem.Thatis,forallsaveJustine,whoexperiencedtwingesofexasperationbecausenooneeversentherthekindshedesired—fat,wordyandfrank.ItwasfromJustinetheDroghedapeoplegotmostoftheirinformationaboutDane,forhislettersneverplungedhisreadersrightintothemiddleofascene.WhereasJustine’sdid.

           RainflewintoLondontoday[shewroteonce],andhewastellingmehesawDaneinRomelastweek.Well,heseesalotmoreofDanethanofme,sinceRomeisatthetopofhistravelagendaandLondonisrockbottom.SoImustconfessRainisoneoftheprimereasonswhyImeetDaneinRomeeveryyearbeforewecomehome.