Cruse party last night great success. Several old friends. Farewell to Jim after 20 years and to Jane after ten. Brian brought interesting Canadian woman. Evening ideal, rose in courtyard for speeches still hanging 15 foot of white flowers. 30 of them, trying not to close down for lack of cash . Mary left 5pm for Lambeth, Cruse a rrived at 6pm R. rang to say Robbie has first for this years work.
CannesJune 30th 1939
Bus to San Remo 8.15.Nice 9.30.Went by the top road. Stopped twice for ten minutes for lovely views over Cap Ferrat and Monte Carlo. Visit to Scent Factory at La Turbie. bus open so sat right at the back to be out of the sun.Through Menton and the frontier at 11.30 long wait with passports and Duane.Ate my lunch in bus. Italian side not so lovely much barer and mountains smaller.Stopped at San Remo for lunch.Very,very hot.didnt like the town. decided to go on with some of the party to Alassio at 2pm. Driver nice, gave me cigarette and didnt charge me the extra 15 francs. 2 waiters came too and were with me on the back seat.One had lived in England. Knew far more about English history and politics than I did.
Italian point of view: We are 163 to the square mile to your 60. We have already sent 10 million (?) Italians to Abyssinia. English budget about 30 times as much. He read Shakespeare, Milton, Dante, and all the french as well. Extremely learned man but considers it all wasted. Fish out of water. Hates germans, adores England cant go back.Divorce from wife after 8 years.Half hour at Alassio. Agonising heat. He bought me an ice.On way back he bcame much more personal in the usual way but he was really very nice. Left San remo at 5.15, at house by 9.0. Henri,son of house is home as he has passed his Bacc.V.large, seems nice. Champagne. Fooling with Fred and Kirsten in upstairs passage,drank bottle of brandy between us.
(ED. sudden introduction of so much alcohol when last week we were eating biscuits is confusing. Perhaps it was Henri’s homecoming ?AP)
