Conway's letter had first to go by coach to
London, and then a two days' journey by the mail to Liverpool, then by
the sailing packet across to Dublin, and then down to Cork by coach.
He had already written expressing his regret at the news of Mr.
Penfold's death.
"My dear mother," he began. "It is awfully good of you to talk about
making an allowance to me. After what you say, of course I cannot
think of refusing it, though I would do so if I thought the payment
would in the slightest way inconvenience you. But as you say that now
I am away it will make something like that sum difference in your
expenses, I must of course let you do as you like, and can only thank
you very heartily for it. But I could really have got on very well
without it. I fancy that a good many men in the regiment have nothing
but their pay, and as they manage very well there is no reason I could
not manage too.
"Of course in war times things are not kept up so expensively as they
were before, and lots of men get commissions who would not have done
so when the army was only half its present size, and was considered as
a gentlemanly profession instead of a real fighting machine. However,
as you say, it is a great deal more pleasant having nine shilling a
day to live on instead of four and sixpence.
"I am getting on capitally here.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196