It's a kind of scandal in London and it has its serious effect.

Everybody talks about it all the time: "Will you explain to me why it is that your great Government has no Embassy: it's very odd!" "What a frugal Government you have!" "It's a damned mean outfit, your American Government." Mrs.Page collapses many an evening when she gets to her room.

"If they'd only quit talking about it!" The other Ambassadors, now that we're coming to know them fairly well, commiserate us.

It's a constant humiliation.

Of course this aspect of it doesn't worry me much--I've got hardened to it.