To my greatest surprise I received my Swiss francs in no time. So I hastened to get some letters of introduction and to get my things ready and was off on a nice, I believe Friday afternoon. – Of course I was nearly late for the train arrived only 10 minutes before departure but strangely enough everyone seemed to arrive after me. So I retained a corner seat, at the door though. There was a middle aged, or younger Roumanian couple. The lady was most grotesquely though inadequately dressed. A Mother + Son occupied the seats at the window. They turned out to be coming the same way, as a matter of fact up till Lausanne, so eventually we decided to keep together. Against my former plans I did not stay in Zürich for a longer time, but for the day only, we arrived there at noon, and went off with my acquaintances at midnight to Lausanne. We spent the night comfortably enough, the lady even shared her rug with me. They were an amusing couple on the whole. Seemed to get on extraordinary well together, though the m? bossed Sonny. When it came to deciding however I had to do the job as I found in Zürich. On the German line the train was struck full with soldiers, we had a few too. One of them was careless enough to tell that just went home to say goodbye to their families, they had a 24 hours leave and then they’d go to the “war” against Poland. At that time it sounded slightly phantastic though it made us a bit uneasy, the three of us hoped loudly that our holidays wouldn’t be spoiled. – They were rather nice these people, though the lady did develop hysteries when we were arriving Zürich and they couldn’t roll up their rugs. It was most uncomfortable for me. – We had looked the town, a really lovely place, marvellously situated at the Züricher See. We say some lovely old buildings too, and some gorgeous shopwindows. We had a drink at one of the cafés. I went to see the Exhibition too, quite wonderful, while they most kindly looked after my things. Our journey to Lausanne was most comfortable, an entirely empty carriage. They arrived just in time to catch their train to Champéry, a little watering place in the Vandris (?) (sic!). I too arrived at an unearthly hour. Put my luggage in the cloak room. Went to mess at the Notre Dame, just across the station, then took a taxi to the Chalet Internationale.

This is a new chapter of my holidays of which every week was completely different. The first passed with lectures and conferences. The second was full with excursions + forming English friendships. The third the exciting forecast of war, an unwanted + unforeseen stay in Geneva spent in lazing, planning and new experiences. I met Sid Jaffe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnapping_of_Sidney_Jaffe) too in that time when I wouldn’t have been at the Chalet otherwise.

When I arrived at the Chalet no one was about, though the house was wide open. The driver woke poor Mme Bel up, who asked me to stop in the lounge and to have a look at the wooden building, the real chalet. At breakfast time the people appeared one by one. The first I saw was an elderly gent. whom I didn’t like much at first but with whom we became very good friends later, the father of one of he man, Rosenheim-Norta’s (?). I have a grievance against the young one though. Then I met Bob Something a big blond American and a charming Belgian whos name I forgot. He was quite nice, one of those who would make love to everyone but utterly charming to me. I think I got on rather well with everyone on the whole. Kept away from complications. A good thing I had to come home soon after meeting Sid Jaffe. Complications would have been too strong for me I’m afraid. Good think too I took no notice of him at first except for amused indifference. I still have a vivid recollections of some of the incidents. How he smiled at me so timidly across the table. His spending a whole evening at my side making a good semblance of reading. How he rushed off at the recollection of it next time. The long and polite talk he had with Dr Beardly (?) one night, how kindly he took it though it was slightly boring. Misunderstanding a question of mine, the obedient way he turned back and with what grateful forever he answered. The morning I departed, how many times he came up to tell he thought I really should wait a day or two, and how many times he came to ask did I really go after all, didn’t I think it over, didn’t you change your mind, are you really going. Then he took me to the station in his absurd little car, gave me the chou (???), (ordered my lunchcarrier beforehand), and finally stopped there until the train left. How he told me I’d get across etc. when he saw I wouldn’t return. That was my last view of him, and the fair Irish boy. Silly of me to have taken it so on. It is all a dream. I’ll never see him again.

To return to facts I spent my first day mostly in the company of Jessie Storrie (?) a really nice Canadian girl and the “header” of the “Delegation” of the Külügyi Dr. Szilágyi. Here is a man who is unique. I think I’ll leave describing him to a later time. Fact is that by evening both Jessie and I were completely fed up with the man. She was lucky enough to manage some other friends but I, being the same nationality, had to put of with the monster. There was a Reception at the International Club and I was quite embarrassed when that awful creature talked politics to the English in English. It gave me quite hard work to make right all that he spoilt by his silly talk. I got tired of correcting the wrong impression he made very soon. It was real hard work. I met a nice English teacher there with whom we were quite friendly and another lady who has been in Budapest on a former holiday. Next day the conferences started. Dr Gilbert Murray was the first to speak, the usual English lecturer. Mildly interesting, polite, urbane. Then A. Baster a f? Exeter lecturer, a young man whom I liked rather much. An I L. O. worker. In the afternoon Sir Norman Angel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Angell) gave a lecture it was at the building of the League. He seemed to be rather famous, though I don’t know why. I couldn’t find his talk extraordinary. It was rather loose. To our greatest surprise and horror Szilágyi was mad enough to get up and put a question or a statement I really don’t know what because it couldn’t possibly be understood. Dienes, the other man, tried to explain it, but could explain a few incorrect sentences only. What I liked most was that though no one know what the man talked about these English managed to give an answer. How I hated that Szilágyi. Wished I could dissolve in the thin air, I found it so painful. We were taken round the building + the rooms

Made a mass of things again. Had a disagreement with my brother on account of that young woman Judith. Told him to have the tact of keeping away people from me + my friends if his attachment to them were not completely pure. He rather hurt me and Mother caught me shedding bitter tears in my room. Shouldn’t have thought it would case such an upheaval. Must take more care in future. – Met Marietta in church this morning. It was quite funny. I went to the ? on account of F. Omer to whom I wanted to go to confess. Meeting Marietta there by chance we both looked for him without success. I even went to enquire at the ? Then just before we left who should be walking in front of us but he. It was a shock. I told her about my trouble with the Swiss Fr.s. She advised me to go to their Dr for med. cert. so we went in the afternoon. The man was most awfully nice + glad to see her. Gave the cert. at once. He is much younger + nicer than I expected. There is a great resemblance between him + his wife, they must be very fond of each other. I met Marietta’s brother also. Had a little chat with Feri, our opinions seemed to be exactly the same. Dear Michael is getting quite handsome, the holiday did him good though he is thinner. Nowadays, however, I get on with his older brother much better. I daren’t make plans or take it seriously though considering my former affairs. Should anyone want anything from me, let them make the first and all the consequent moves. This time I want to be sure. – Funny to have obtained this med. cert this way. As a matter of fact I rang up the man Dr Laki (?) recommended, but his having his holiday, then tried to persuade Father + Bro. to get it from their Dr. acquaintances, then wrote to Dr Laki (?) a most silly thing to do, even ‘phoned old exfriend Vin. In case of latter was most happy and relieved to find that he leaves me completely “cold” as a matter of fact was shamelessly bored with the man. Now, in the knowledge of all the former experiences can anyone or anything hurt me. Hope I’ll always realize how things pass. In the case of that other man too, it is the same. I’m glad it is so, and I’m frightened of myself. Am I thoroughly superficial or is it only because I mistook those for the right thing. Was it utter lack of experience only. I do hope so. Only fundamentals must leave lasting impression.

Wedding anniversary of the parents. Both rather moved. Gave them a wall vase.

Today I feel rotten again with a splitting headache. Can’t decide about my holiday. Balaton is off as Cica returned yesterday. Don’t know what to do. Maybe it is this early rise I had to manage this morning as the Mass for Nora was at 6 a.m. Awful. We were at the cemetery too.

My little holiday in Zebegény was quite nice. Weather cool, but it just came in time as I couldn’t bathe, it cleared by Sunday when we had a jolly dip. The place is most picturesque, one can make lovely walks and excursions. The village is very pretty with little gardens full of flowers, crooked little lanes and walks, a jolly little stream with funny bridges. One arrives sometimes in strange ? most unexpectedly. People are not too ? however as I found the church closed in the daytime, open in the mornings only. The kids were quite alright, the younger a little darling. I made an awful discovery however, Margareth + husband are as cynical as parents, laugh at questions I take seriously, and am convinced I’m right, do not take religious duties in consideration at all. I think it is Margareth’s fault. If she would have suggested these things, going to mass, confession etc. her husband would have changed his mind about these questions. Instead of which she too is quite hardboiled + cynical. I’m afraid she won’t be glad to see such a living conscience again. I’m sorry for them both + the kids. On the whole I enjoyed it all and this little rest did me good. I returned home quite late on Sunday night.  – Have been with Marietta at night at the Church of Sacred Heart. Spoke with her brother in the afternoon. Dear Michael is to return. An old fellow pilgrim was at Marietta’s in the afternoon just before I arrived. F. Juf, who is a curate we think somewhere in the country. Sorry I didn’t meet him. He was with his sister. We’ll visit them one day we resolved.  

Came to Zebegény in the afternoon. Suggested Mariatta’s husband to join us as Brother was taking me. We met her Father too, so we were quite a party when we arrived. Weather foul, but we hope it’ll clear.

To day I returned the little car to it’s rightful owner so now at last Mother needn’t be anxious. In the afternoon, was in town on business.

It was awful job last week to get ready with everything by the time our parents arrived. They were a day earlier too then expected, arrived on Wednesday. They look alright, the holiday did at least their nerves good. I’ve been going about with the little car every day, though Mother doesn’t like it a bit. Yesterday I made a mass though, did some damage to its side when taking it in the garage. Brother managed to mend it since though.

On Friday I went to St. Margareth Island to an evening performance with Pertile the Italian singer. A ballet followed. It was Irene who produced the tickets, she rang me up in the morning. We were still in the most awful mess as the painter has not finished, but I didn’t mind and made her sit down in the middle of it. My brother arrived just when we started to go and he advised me to take the little car he just brought home so we went. It was quite alright, but at the parking place we had a good laugh as I had to move backwards also which is my weak point. It was pouring in a few minutes and as we were too early and the performance didn’t start in time owing to the rain we had to wait about an hour. It was quite good fun though. The performance itself was very good. When coming home the car stopped and I, thinking it must have run out of petrol again, tried to get some, then ‘phoned home in vain. At last I found out though what was wrong and got home safe. On the 14^th we went  to see Dr Laki in Érsekújvár. As the Árvás told they couldn’t come late in the evening only we thought we’d be going alone, so Ervin rang up a young female who eventually joined us. I asked Gizi and husband to come and they did with the greatest pleasure. The way there was quite uneventfull. Komárom was nice, but the strip between that and our Dr Laki was quite plain and hot. He quite gave up hope of seeing us in spite of my writing so beforehand it was a bit late. He isn’t settled in yet as his rooms are to be free in August only. He was nice, but hardly got a word with him, as he asked the whole lot of us up naturally when finding out we weren’t alone. The hospital itself is much larger than one should think at first impression. The village itself is a large peasant (?) place. I don’t know what to think, feel or say. Had an uncomfortable day afterwards but am not going to let myself be downhearted in future on account of a mere man. So I just leave it all to Providence. We stopped for about 15-20 minutes only and though the visit itself might have famed his vanity, the crowd and circumstances were perhaps an antidote, so I hope I did nothing wrong. In spite of everything I like the man. Should it be the same with it is up to him to do something about it. We spent the afternoon in Zebegény, where Margareth welcomed us very kindly. It was very hot. We got home a bit later than I planned.

We are in a most awful mess. Some of the walls are being distempered and one cleaned. Never thought it meant all this. Can’t move from dirt. Of course couldn’t keep appointment on Tuesday. ‘Phoned it off, arranged for Wednesday, but couldn’t keep it either. Didn’t ‘phone however. This time I’ll only ‘phone when I’ll be actually going. We had a letter from the Parents today saying Father’s heart wasn’t in order, his special baths had to be stopped. They even hinted at returning on Sunday, which would be a bit of bad luck as we aren’t half ready yet and there is quite a lot to be done next week. I hope things aren’t as bad as they sound, but he is getting injections, I mean Father. Though how on earth can they understand each other so well is a mystery to me, as in their first letter they told me, the Prof. they go to can’t speak German. Unless they go to another Dr. now. – We arranged to got to see Dr Laki on Sunday and Margareth in the afternoon. I wrote him to day to tell so. A bit late I suppose, but he wrote the other day that he’d be at home on that date. I have some misgivings as to the wiseness of that step. But somehow I had them all along. Now I don’t know if this is just my beautiful reserved nature, the so called true feeling for him, or if I may put it so, premonition. Keep off premises. I’m asking for the leading hand of Providence and like usually I’m sure of help. But it becomes apparent only on retrospect and to be in the flow of events is rather an uncomfortable if not painful.