p.

quiet & v. cheap. I went up to Haifa Wednesday afternoon,
Xmas Eve, by bus; 60 miles for 2/6. Everything, & Jack
Hopkins in particular, was in a big flap when I arrived,
as a 10,000 ton oil tanker had just blown up in the
Port of Suez, & was burning furiously. The Captain was
in hospital, poor Jack was more or less in charge.
It had probably been caused by a delayed action mine,
from months ago - rottenest luck - fortunately, [ ?]
loss of life was very small and the fire was soon under
control but burned for over 2 hours. You see
from this letter, I stayed until Sunday, it was thoughtfully
kind & good of them to have me for so long, & I did
not outstay my welcome, because when I left they made
me promise not to be so long in coming to see them
again next time. We really did nothing all the
time, except eat turkey, drink champagne & stuff, to
read & talk & sleep & go to bed. I enjoyed it very
much. Jack had to work every day, & they are a bit
handicapped in the evenings by only having a young
Arab girl to look after the child. But I did not mind
a bit not going out & in fact I rather preferred it.
We had a lucky escape on Xmas day. The Captain,
being in hospital, his wife [Gladys ?] , the Admiral's
daughter, & about whom I have told you before, was
pretty well [wished over ?] the Hopkin's for dinner. But at
the last moment, the Captain was let out of
hospital, & so she did not come - except to
call in in the morning. She really is bloody