August 7, 2025 • 26 mins
17 - Book 4, Chapter 37. A Farewell to Arms.
Ernest Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms is often referred to as a war novel, which is true enough. There is certainly blood and gore, along with a measure of dark humor, but the novel is more a love story than an account of battles between soldiers. Hemingway introduces us to Frederic Henry, an American volunteer serving in the sanitary services of the Italian Army in the north of Italy during World War One. He is a Lieutenant supervising ambulance drivers and is often near the front lines. Badly wounded by a shell, Henry passes through a number of surgeries and, while convalescing, meets Catherine Barkley with whom he begins an affair. Their story follows them from Gorizia, to Milan, to Stresa, and, finally, and ironically, to Switzerland, a neutral nation.
Ernest Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms is often referred to as a war novel, which is true enough. There is certainly blood and gore, along with a measure of dark humor, but the novel is more a love story than an account of battles between soldiers. Hemingway introduces us to Frederic Henry, an American volunteer serving in the sanitary services of the Italian Army in the north of Italy during World War One. He is a Lieutenant supervising ambulance drivers and is often near the front lines. Badly wounded by a shell, Henry passes through a number of surgeries and, while convalescing, meets Catherine Barkley with whom he begins an affair. Their story follows them from Gorizia, to Milan, to Stresa, and, finally, and ironically, to Switzerland, a neutral nation.
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Book four, chapter thirty seven of a Farewell to Arms
by Ernest Hemingway. This Sleebrivox reporting is in the public domain.
I rode in the dark, keeping the wind in my face.
The rain had stopped and only came occasionally in Guss.
It was very dark and the wind was cold. I
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could see Catherine in the stern, but I could not
see the water where the blades of the oars dipped.
The oars were long and there were no leathers to
keep them from slipping out. I pulled, raised, leaned forward,
found the water dipped, and pulled growing as easily as
I could. I did not feather the oars because the
wind was with us. I knew my hands would blister,
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and I wanted to delay it as long as I could.
The boat was light and rowed easily. I pulled it
along in the dark water I could not see, and
hoped we had soon come opposite Palanza. We never saw Lanza.
The wind was blowing up the lake, and we passed
the point that hides Palanza in the dark and never
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saw the lights. When we finally saw some lights, much
further up the lake and close to the shore, it
was intra but for a long time. We did not
see any lights, nor did we see the shore, but
rowed steadily in the dark, riding with the waves. Sometimes
I missed the water with the oars in the dark
as a wave lifted the boat. It was quite rough,
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but I kept on rowing until suddenly we were close
ashore against a point of rock that rose beside us,
the wave striking against it, rushing high up and falling back.
I pulled hard on the right oar and backed water
with the other, and we went out into the lake again.
The point was out of sight and we were going
on up the lake. We're across the lake. I said
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to Catherine, weren't we going to see Palanza? We've missed it.
How are you, darling, I'm fine. I could take the
oars a while. No, I'm fine, poor Ferguson, Catherine said,
in the morning she'll come to the hotel and find
we're gone. I'm not worrying so much about that, I said,
as about getting into the Swiss part of the lake
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before its daylight and the custom guards see us sit
a long way. It's thirty some kilometers from here. I
rode all night. Finally, my hands were so sore I
could hardly close them over the oars. We were nearly
smashed up on the shore. Several times. I kept fairly
close to the shore because I was afraid of getting
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lost on the lake and losing time. Sometimes we were
so close we could see a row of trees and
the road along the shore with the mountains behind. The
rain stopped and the wind drove the clouds so that
the moon shone through and look you back. I could
see the long dark point of Gastanola in the lake
with white caps, and beyond the moon on the high
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snow mountains. Then the clouds came over the moon again,
and the mountains in the lake were gone, but it
was much lighter than it had been before, and we
could see the shore. I could see it too clearly,
and pulled out where they would not see the boat
if there were custom guards along the Palanza road. When
the moon came out again, we could see white villas
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on the shore, on the slopes of the mountain, and
the white road where it showed through the trees. All
the time I was rowing, the lake widened and across
it on the shore at the foot of the mountains
on the other side, we saw a few lights. That
should be Luino. I saw a wedge like gap between
the mountains on the other shore, and I thought that
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must be Luino. If it was, we were making good time.
I pulled in the oars and lay back on the seat.
I was very, very tired of rowing. My arms and
shoulders and back ached and my hands were sore. I
could hold the umbrella. Catherine said, we could sail with
that with the wind. Can you steer? I think so.
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You take this oar and hold it under your arm,
close to the side of the boat, and steer and
I'll hold the umbrella. I went back to the stern
and showed her how to hold the oar. I took
the big umbrella the porter had given me and sat
facing the bow and opened it. It opened with a clap.
I held it on both sides, sitting astride. The handle
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hooked over the seat. The wind was full in it,
and I felt the boat suck forward while I held
as hard as I could to the two edges. It
pulled hard. The boat was moving fast. We're going beautifully,
Catherine said. All I could see was umbrella ribs. The
umbrella strained and pulled, and I felt us driving along
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with it. I braced my feet and held back on it.
Then suddenly it buckled. I felt a rib snap on
my forehead. I tried to grab the top that was
bending with the wind, and the whole thing buckled and
went inside out, and I was astride the handle of
an inside out ripped umbrella where I had been holding
a wind filled pulling sail. I and hooked the handle
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from the seat, laid the umbrella in the bow and
went back to Catherine for the ore. She was laughing.
She took my hand and kept on laughing. What's the matter?
I took the ore. You look so funny holding that thing,
I suppose, so don't be cross, darling. It was awfully funny.
You looked twenty feet broad and very affectionate holding the
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umbrella by the edges. She choked. I'll row take a
rest and a drink to grand night. We've come a
long way. I have to keep the boat out of
the trough of the waves. I'll get you a drink,
then rest a little while, Darling. I held the oars
up and we sailed with them. Catherine was opening the bag.
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She handed me the brandy bottle. I pulled the cork
with my pocket knife and took a long drink. It
was smooth and hot, and the heat went all through me,
and I felt warmed and cheerful, lovely brandy, I said.
The moon was under again, but I see the shore.
There seemed to be another point going out, a long
way ahead into the lake. Are you warm enough, Cat,
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I'm splendid. I'm a little stiff. Bail out that water
and you can put your feet down. Then I rode
and listened to the oarlocks in the dip and scrape
of the baling tin under the stern seat. Would you
give me the baler, I said, I want a drink.
It's awfully dirty. That's all right, I'll rinse it. I
heard Catherine rinsing it over the side. Then she handed
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it to me, dipped full of water. I was thirsty
after the brandy, and the water was icy cold, so
cold it made my teeth ache. I looked toward the shore.
We were closer to the long point. There were lights
in the bay ahead. Thanks, I said, and hand it
back the tin pail. You're ever so welcome, Catherine said,
there's more if you want it. Don't you want to
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eat something? No, I'll be hungry in a little while.
We'll save it till then. All right, what looked like
a point ahead was a long, high headland. I went
further out in the lake to pass it. The lake
was much narrower now, the moon was out again, and
the GUARDI at the Fianza could have seen our boat
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black on the water if they had been watching. How
are you, cat, I asked, I'm all right. Where are we?
I don't think we have more than about eight miles more.
That's a long way to row, you poor sweet, aren't
you dead? No, I'm all right. My hands are sore
as all. We went on up the lake. There was
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a break in the mountains on the right bank, a
flattening out with a low shore line that I thought
must be Cannobio. I stayed a long way out, because
it was from now on that we ran the most
danger of meeting Guardia. There was a high, dome capped
mountain on the other shore of way ahead. I was tired.
It was no great distance to row, but when you
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were out of condition it had been a long way.
I knew I had to pass that mountain and go
up the lake at least five miles further before we
would be in Swiss water. The moon was almost down now,
but before it went down the sky clouded over again,
and it was very dark. I stayed well out in
the lake, rowing awhile and resting and holding the oars
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so that the wind struck the blades. Let me row awhile,
Catherine said, I don't think you ought to nonsense. It
would be good for me. It would keep me from
being too stiff. I don't think you should cat nonsense.
Rowing in moderation is very good for the pregnant lady.
All right, you row a little moderately. I'll go back,
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then you come up. Hold on to both gunwales when
you come up. I sat in the stern with my
coat on and the collar turned up, and watched Catherine row.
She rowed very well, but the oars were too long
and bothered her. I opened the bag and ate a
couple of sandwiches and took a drink of the brandy.
It made everything much better, and I took another drink.
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Tell me when you're tired, I said. Then a little later,
watch out the ore doesn't pop you in the tummy.
If it did, Catherine said, between strokes, life might be
much simpler. I took another drink of the brandy. How
are you going all right? Tell me when you want
to stop? All right? I took another drink of the brandy,
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then took hold of the two gunwales of the boat
moved forward. No, I'm going beautifully, going back to the stern.
I've had a grand rest for a while with the brandy.
I rowed easily and steadily. Then I began to catch crabs,
and soon I was just chopping along again, with a
thin brown taste of bile from having rowed too hard
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after the brandy. Give me a drink of water, will you?
I said, that's easy, Catherine said. Before daylight it started
to drizzle. The wind was down or we were protected
by mountains that bound at the curve of the lake
had made. When I knew daylight was coming, I settled
down and rowed hard. I did not know where we were,
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and I wanted to get into the Swiss part of
the lake. When it was beginning to be daylight, we
were quite close to the shore. I could see the
rocky shore and the trees. What's that, Catherine said. I
rested on the oars and listened. Was a motor boat
chugging out on the lake. I pulled close up to
the shore and lay quiet. The chucking came closer. Then
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we saw the motor boat in the rain, a little
astern of us. There were four GUARDIADVI, Fianza and the Stern,
their Alpini hats pulled down, their cape collars turned up,
and their carbines slung across their backs. They all looked
sleepy so early in the morning. I could see the
yellow on their hats and the yellow marks on their
cape collars. The motor boat chugged on and out of
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sight in the rain. I pulled out into the lake.
If we were that close to the border, I did
not want to be hailed by a sentry along the road.
I stayed out where I could just see the shore
and rowe on for three quarters of an hour in
the rain. We heard a motor boat once more, but
I kept quiet until the noise of the engine went
away across the lake. I think we're in Switzerland, cat,
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I said, really, there's no way to know until we
see Swiss troops or the Swiss Navy. The Swiss Navy's
no joke for us. That last motor boat we heard
was probably the Swiss Navy. We're in Switzerland. Let's have
a big breakfast. They have wonderful rolls and butter and
jam in Switzerland. It was clear daylight now and a
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fine rain was falling. The wind was still blowing outside
up the lake, and we could see the tops of
the white caps going away from us and up the lake.
I was sure we were in Switzerland now. There were
many houses back in the trees from the shore and
up the shore away was a village with stone houses,
some villas on the hills, and a church. I'd been
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looking at the road that skirted the shore for guards,
but did not see any. The road came quite close
to the lake now, and I saw a soldier coming
out of a cafe on the road. He wore a
gray green uniform in a helmet like the Germans. He
had a healthy looking face and a little toothbrush mustache.
He looked at us waved to him. I said to Catherine.
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She waved, and this soldier smiled embarrassedly and gave a
wave of his hand. I eased up, rowing we were
passing the water front of the village. We must be
well inside the border. I said, we want to be sure, Darling,
we don't want them to turn us back at the frontier.
The frontier is a long way back. I think this
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is the customs town. I'm pretty sure it's Prizago. Won't
there be Italians there? There are always both sides at
a custom town. Not in war time. I don't think
they let the Italians cross the frontier. It was a
nice looking little town. There were many fishing boats along
the quay and nets were spread on racks. There was
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a fire November, rain falling, but it looked cheerful and
clean even with the rain. Should we land then and
have breakfast? All right? I pulled hard on the left
door and came in close. Then straightened out when we
were close to the quay and brought the boat alongside.
I pulled in the oars, took hold of an iron ring,
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stepped up on the wet stone, and was in Switzerland.
I tied the boat and held my hand down to Catherine.
Come on up, Kat, it's a grand feeling. What about
the bags? Leave them in the boat. Catherine stepped up,
and we're in Switzerland together. What a lovely country, she said,
isn't it grand? Let's go out and have breakfast. Isn't
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it a grand country. I loved the way it feels
under my shoes. I'm so stiff, I can't feel it
very well, but it feels like a splendid country. Darling.
Do you realize we're here and out of that bloody place?
I do, I really do. I've never realized anything before.
Look at the houses. Isn't this a fine square? There's
a place we can get breakfast. Isn't the rain fine?
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They never had rain like this in Italy. It's cheerful rain.
And we're here, darling? Do you realize we're here? We
went inside the cafe and sat down at a clean,
wooden table. We were cock eyed excited. A splendid, clean
looking woman with an apron came and asked us what
we wanted, rolls and jam and coffee. Katherine said, I'm sorry,
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we haven't any rolls in wartime. Bred Then I can
make you some toast, all right? I want some eggs
fried too, How many eggs for the gentleman? Three? Take four, darling,
four eggs? The woman went away. I kissed Katherine and
held her hand very tight. We looked at each other
and at the cafe, Darling, darling, isn't it lovely? It's
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grand I said, I don't mind there not being rolls.
Catherine said, I've thought about them all night, but I
don't mind it. I don't mind it at all. Pose
pretty soon they will arrest us. Never mind, darling, we'll
have breakfast first. You won't mind being arrested after breakfast,
and then there's nothing they can do to us. We're
British and American citizens in good standing. You have a passport,
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haven't you. Of course, Well, let's not talk about it.
Let's be happy. I couldn't be any happier, I said.
A fat gray cat with a tail that lifted up
like a plume, crossed the floor to our table and
curved against my leg to purr each time she rubbed.
I reached down and stroked her. Catherine smiled at me,
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very happily. Here comes to coffee, she said. They arrested
us after breakfast. We took a little walk through the
village and then went down to the quay to get
our bags. A soldier was standing guard over the boat.
Is this your boat? Yes? Where do you come from
up the lake? Then I have to ask you to
come with me. How about the bags and carry the bags?
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I carried the bags and Catherine walked beside me, and
the soldier walked along behind us to the old custom house.
In the custom house, a lieutenant, very thin and military,
questioned us what nationality are you? American and British. Let
me see your passports. I gave him mine and Catherine
got hers out of her handbag. He examined them for
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a long time. Why do you enter Switzerland this way
in a boat? I am a sportsman, I said, Rowing
is my great sport. I always row when I get
a chance. Why do you come here for the winter sport.
We are tourists and we want to do the winter sport.
This is no place for winter sport. We know it.
We want to go where they have winter sport. What
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have you been doing in Italy? I've been studying architecture.
My cousin has been studying art. Why do you leave there?
We want to do the winter sport. With the war
going on, you cannot stand the architecture. You will please
stay where you are, the lieutenant said. He went back
into the building with her passports. Your splendid darling, Catherine said,
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keep on the same track. You want to do the
winter sport. Do you know anything about art? Ruben's, said Katherine,
large and fat. I said Titchian. Catherine said, Titchian herod.
I said, how about Montega. Don't ask hard ones. Catherine said,
I know him though, very bitter, very bitter. I said,
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lots of nail holes. You see. I'll make you a
fine wife. Catherine said, I'll be able to talk art
with your customers. Here he comes, I said, The thin
lieutenant came down the length of the custom house, holding
our passports. I will have to send you into Locarno.
He said, you can get a carriage and a soldier
will go in with you. All right, I said, what
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about the boat? The boat is confiscated. What have you
in those bags? He went all through the two bags
and held up the quarter bottle of bread. Would you
join me in a drink? I asked, no, thank you.
He straightened up. How much money have you twenty five
hundred lire? He was favorably impressed. How much has your
cousin Catherine had a little over twelve hundred liire. The
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lieutenant was pleased. His attitude towards us became less haughty.
If you are going for winter sports, he said, Wingan
is the place my father has a very fine hotel
at WinGen. It is open all the time. That's splendid.
I said, could you give me the name, I will
write it on a card. He handed me the card
very politely. The soldier will take you in to Locarno.
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He will keep your passports. I regret this, but it
is necessary. I have good hopes they will give you
a visa or a police perman at Locarno. He handed
the two passports to the soldier, and carrying the bags,
we started into the village to order a carriage. Hi,
the lieutenant called to the soldier. He said something in
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a German dialect to him. The soldier slung his rifle
on his back and picked up the bags. It's a
great country, I said to Catherine. It's so practical. Thank
you very much, I said to the lieutenant. He waved
his hand service he said. We followed our guard into
the village. We drove to Locarno in a carriage with
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the soldiers sitting on the front seat with the driver.
At Locarno, we did not have a bad time. They
questioned us, but they were polite because we had passports
and money. I do not think they believed a word
of the story, and I thought it was silly, but
it was like a law court. You do not want
something reasonable, you wanted something technical and then stuck to
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it without explanations. But we had passports and we would
spend the money. So they gave us provisional visas. At
any time, this visa might be withdrawn. We were to
report to the police wherever we went. Could we go
wherever we wanted? Yes? Where did we want to go?
Where do you want to go? Cat Montreal, Montre? It
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is a very nice place, the official said, I think
you will like that place. Here at Locarno is a
very nice place. Another official said, I'm sure you would
like it here very much at Locarno. Locarno is a
very attractive place. We would like some place where there
is winter sport. There is no winter sport at Montre.
I beg your pardon, the other official said, I come
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from Montreal. There is very certainly winter sport on the
montro Operland Fernoi railway. It would be false for you
to deny that. I do not deny it. I simply
said there is no winter sport at Montre. I question that.
The other official said, I question that statement. I hold
to that statement, I myself have loosed into the streets
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of Montre. I've done it, not once, but several times.
Luji is certainly winter sport. The other official turn to me,
is luzing your idea of winter sports? Sir? I tell
you would be very comfortable here in Locarno. You would
find the climate healthy, you would find the environs attractive.
You would like it very much. The gentleman has expressed
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a wish to go to montrou What is luging, I asked,
you see, he has never even heard of Luzian. That
meant a great deal to the second official. It was
pleased by that. Luging said, the first official is tobogganing.
I beg to differ. The other official shook his head.
I must differ again. The toboggan is very different from
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the luge. The toboggan is constructed in Canada of flat lathes.
The luge is a comet sled with runners. Accuracy means something.
Couldn't we toboggan? I asked, Of course you could toboggan.
The first official said, you could toboggan very well. Excellent
Canadian toboggans are sold in Montrou. Oakes brothers sell toboggans.
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They import their own toboggans. The second official turned away. Tobogganing,
he said requires a special peace. You could not to
boggin into the streets of Montroe. Where are you stopping here?
We don't know, I said, we just drove in from Brisago.
The carriage is outside. You will make no mistake in
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going to Montroe, the first official said, you will find
the climate delightful and beautiful. You will have no distance
to go for winter sport. If you really want winter sport,
the second official said, you will go to the Ingadine
or to Miran. I must protest against your being advised
to go to Montreal for the winter sport. At Levant's
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above Montree, there is excellent winter sport of every sort.
The champion of Montroe glared at his colleague. Gentlemen, I said,
I am afraid we must go. My cousin is very tired.
We will go tentatively to Montrou. I congratulate you. The
first official shook my hand. I believe that you will
regret leaving Lacarno. The second official said, at any rate,
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you will report to the police at Montroll. There will
be no unpleasantness with the police. The first official assured
me you will find all the inhabitants extremely courteous and friendly.
Thank you both very much, I said, we appreciate your
advice very much. Good bye. Catherine said, thank you both
very much. They BAEd us to the door, the champion
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of Lacarno a little coldly. We went down the steps
and into the carriage. My god, darling, Catherine said, couldn't
we have gotten away any sooner? I gave the name
of a hotel one of the officials had recommended to
the driver. He picked up the reins. You've forgotten the army,
Catherine said. The soldier was standing by the carriage. I
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gave him a tinlerane. I have no Swiss money yet,
I said. He thanked me, salute it and went off.
The carriage started and we drove to the hotel. How
did you happen to pick out Montree? I asked, Catherine?
Do you really want to go? There was the first
place I could think of. She said, it's not a
bad place. We can find some place up in the mountains.
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Are you sleepy? I'm asleep right now. We'll get a
good sleep. Poor cat, you have had a long, bad night.
I had a lovely time, Catherine said, specially when you
sailed with the umbrella. Can you realize we're in Switzerland. No,
I'm afraid I'll wake up and it won't be true.
I am too. It is true, isn't it, darling. I'm
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not just driving down to the Stazione and Milan to
see you off. I hope not. Don't say that. It
frightens me. Maybe that's where we're going. I'm so groggy.
I don't know. I said, let me see your hands.
I put them out. They were both blistered raw. There's
no hole in my side. I said, don't be sacrilegious.
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I felt very tired and vague in the head. The
exhilaration was all gone. The carriage was going along the street.
Poor hands. Catherine said, don't touch them. I said, by god,
I don't know where we are. Where are we going? Driver?
The driver stopped his horse to the hotel Metropol. Don't
you want to go there? Yes? I said, it's all right, Kat,
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it's all right, darling. Don't be upset. We'll get a
good sleep and you won't feel groggy tomorrow. I feel
pretty groggy, I said, it's like a comic opera to day.
Maybe I'm hungry. You're just tired, darling. You'll be fine.
The carriage pulled up before the hotel. Some one came
out to take our bags. I feel all right, I said.
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We were down on the pavement going into the hotel.
I know you'll be all right. You're just tired, you've
been up a long time. Anyhow, we're here, Yes, we're
really here. We followed the boy with the bags into
the hotel. End of chapter thirty seven.
Book four, chapter thirty seven of a Farewell to Arms
by Ernest Hemingway. This Sleebrivox reporting is in the public domain.
I rode in the dark, keeping the wind in my face.
The rain had stopped and only came occasionally in Guss.
It was very dark and the wind was cold. I
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could see Catherine in the stern, but I could not
see the water where the blades of the oars dipped.
The oars were long and there were no leathers to
keep them from slipping out. I pulled, raised, leaned forward,
found the water dipped, and pulled growing as easily as
I could. I did not feather the oars because the
wind was with us. I knew my hands would blister,
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and I wanted to delay it as long as I could.
The boat was light and rowed easily. I pulled it
along in the dark water I could not see, and
hoped we had soon come opposite Palanza. We never saw Lanza.
The wind was blowing up the lake, and we passed
the point that hides Palanza in the dark and never
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saw the lights. When we finally saw some lights, much
further up the lake and close to the shore, it
was intra but for a long time. We did not
see any lights, nor did we see the shore, but
rowed steadily in the dark, riding with the waves. Sometimes
I missed the water with the oars in the dark
as a wave lifted the boat. It was quite rough,
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but I kept on rowing until suddenly we were close
ashore against a point of rock that rose beside us,
the wave striking against it, rushing high up and falling back.
I pulled hard on the right oar and backed water
with the other, and we went out into the lake again.
The point was out of sight and we were going
on up the lake. We're across the lake. I said
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to Catherine, weren't we going to see Palanza? We've missed it.
How are you, darling, I'm fine. I could take the
oars a while. No, I'm fine, poor Ferguson, Catherine said,
in the morning she'll come to the hotel and find
we're gone. I'm not worrying so much about that, I said,
as about getting into the Swiss part of the lake
(02:10):
before its daylight and the custom guards see us sit
a long way. It's thirty some kilometers from here. I
rode all night. Finally, my hands were so sore I
could hardly close them over the oars. We were nearly
smashed up on the shore. Several times. I kept fairly
close to the shore because I was afraid of getting
(02:31):
lost on the lake and losing time. Sometimes we were
so close we could see a row of trees and
the road along the shore with the mountains behind. The
rain stopped and the wind drove the clouds so that
the moon shone through and look you back. I could
see the long dark point of Gastanola in the lake
with white caps, and beyond the moon on the high
(02:53):
snow mountains. Then the clouds came over the moon again,
and the mountains in the lake were gone, but it
was much lighter than it had been before, and we
could see the shore. I could see it too clearly,
and pulled out where they would not see the boat
if there were custom guards along the Palanza road. When
the moon came out again, we could see white villas
(03:15):
on the shore, on the slopes of the mountain, and
the white road where it showed through the trees. All
the time I was rowing, the lake widened and across
it on the shore at the foot of the mountains
on the other side, we saw a few lights. That
should be Luino. I saw a wedge like gap between
the mountains on the other shore, and I thought that
(03:35):
must be Luino. If it was, we were making good time.
I pulled in the oars and lay back on the seat.
I was very, very tired of rowing. My arms and
shoulders and back ached and my hands were sore. I
could hold the umbrella. Catherine said, we could sail with
that with the wind. Can you steer? I think so.
(03:58):
You take this oar and hold it under your arm,
close to the side of the boat, and steer and
I'll hold the umbrella. I went back to the stern
and showed her how to hold the oar. I took
the big umbrella the porter had given me and sat
facing the bow and opened it. It opened with a clap.
I held it on both sides, sitting astride. The handle
(04:18):
hooked over the seat. The wind was full in it,
and I felt the boat suck forward while I held
as hard as I could to the two edges. It
pulled hard. The boat was moving fast. We're going beautifully,
Catherine said. All I could see was umbrella ribs. The
umbrella strained and pulled, and I felt us driving along
(04:39):
with it. I braced my feet and held back on it.
Then suddenly it buckled. I felt a rib snap on
my forehead. I tried to grab the top that was
bending with the wind, and the whole thing buckled and
went inside out, and I was astride the handle of
an inside out ripped umbrella where I had been holding
a wind filled pulling sail. I and hooked the handle
(05:00):
from the seat, laid the umbrella in the bow and
went back to Catherine for the ore. She was laughing.
She took my hand and kept on laughing. What's the matter?
I took the ore. You look so funny holding that thing,
I suppose, so don't be cross, darling. It was awfully funny.
You looked twenty feet broad and very affectionate holding the
(05:23):
umbrella by the edges. She choked. I'll row take a
rest and a drink to grand night. We've come a
long way. I have to keep the boat out of
the trough of the waves. I'll get you a drink,
then rest a little while, Darling. I held the oars
up and we sailed with them. Catherine was opening the bag.
(05:44):
She handed me the brandy bottle. I pulled the cork
with my pocket knife and took a long drink. It
was smooth and hot, and the heat went all through me,
and I felt warmed and cheerful, lovely brandy, I said.
The moon was under again, but I see the shore.
There seemed to be another point going out, a long
way ahead into the lake. Are you warm enough, Cat,
(06:07):
I'm splendid. I'm a little stiff. Bail out that water
and you can put your feet down. Then I rode
and listened to the oarlocks in the dip and scrape
of the baling tin under the stern seat. Would you
give me the baler, I said, I want a drink.
It's awfully dirty. That's all right, I'll rinse it. I
heard Catherine rinsing it over the side. Then she handed
(06:29):
it to me, dipped full of water. I was thirsty
after the brandy, and the water was icy cold, so
cold it made my teeth ache. I looked toward the shore.
We were closer to the long point. There were lights
in the bay ahead. Thanks, I said, and hand it
back the tin pail. You're ever so welcome, Catherine said,
there's more if you want it. Don't you want to
(06:51):
eat something? No, I'll be hungry in a little while.
We'll save it till then. All right, what looked like
a point ahead was a long, high headland. I went
further out in the lake to pass it. The lake
was much narrower now, the moon was out again, and
the GUARDI at the Fianza could have seen our boat
(07:11):
black on the water if they had been watching. How
are you, cat, I asked, I'm all right. Where are we?
I don't think we have more than about eight miles more.
That's a long way to row, you poor sweet, aren't
you dead? No, I'm all right. My hands are sore
as all. We went on up the lake. There was
(07:32):
a break in the mountains on the right bank, a
flattening out with a low shore line that I thought
must be Cannobio. I stayed a long way out, because
it was from now on that we ran the most
danger of meeting Guardia. There was a high, dome capped
mountain on the other shore of way ahead. I was tired.
It was no great distance to row, but when you
(07:53):
were out of condition it had been a long way.
I knew I had to pass that mountain and go
up the lake at least five miles further before we
would be in Swiss water. The moon was almost down now,
but before it went down the sky clouded over again,
and it was very dark. I stayed well out in
the lake, rowing awhile and resting and holding the oars
(08:15):
so that the wind struck the blades. Let me row awhile,
Catherine said, I don't think you ought to nonsense. It
would be good for me. It would keep me from
being too stiff. I don't think you should cat nonsense.
Rowing in moderation is very good for the pregnant lady.
All right, you row a little moderately. I'll go back,
(08:36):
then you come up. Hold on to both gunwales when
you come up. I sat in the stern with my
coat on and the collar turned up, and watched Catherine row.
She rowed very well, but the oars were too long
and bothered her. I opened the bag and ate a
couple of sandwiches and took a drink of the brandy.
It made everything much better, and I took another drink.
(08:58):
Tell me when you're tired, I said. Then a little later,
watch out the ore doesn't pop you in the tummy.
If it did, Catherine said, between strokes, life might be
much simpler. I took another drink of the brandy. How
are you going all right? Tell me when you want
to stop? All right? I took another drink of the brandy,
(09:21):
then took hold of the two gunwales of the boat
moved forward. No, I'm going beautifully, going back to the stern.
I've had a grand rest for a while with the brandy.
I rowed easily and steadily. Then I began to catch crabs,
and soon I was just chopping along again, with a
thin brown taste of bile from having rowed too hard
(09:41):
after the brandy. Give me a drink of water, will you?
I said, that's easy, Catherine said. Before daylight it started
to drizzle. The wind was down or we were protected
by mountains that bound at the curve of the lake
had made. When I knew daylight was coming, I settled
down and rowed hard. I did not know where we were,
(10:02):
and I wanted to get into the Swiss part of
the lake. When it was beginning to be daylight, we
were quite close to the shore. I could see the
rocky shore and the trees. What's that, Catherine said. I
rested on the oars and listened. Was a motor boat
chugging out on the lake. I pulled close up to
the shore and lay quiet. The chucking came closer. Then
(10:24):
we saw the motor boat in the rain, a little
astern of us. There were four GUARDIADVI, Fianza and the Stern,
their Alpini hats pulled down, their cape collars turned up,
and their carbines slung across their backs. They all looked
sleepy so early in the morning. I could see the
yellow on their hats and the yellow marks on their
cape collars. The motor boat chugged on and out of
(10:47):
sight in the rain. I pulled out into the lake.
If we were that close to the border, I did
not want to be hailed by a sentry along the road.
I stayed out where I could just see the shore
and rowe on for three quarters of an hour in
the rain. We heard a motor boat once more, but
I kept quiet until the noise of the engine went
away across the lake. I think we're in Switzerland, cat,
(11:10):
I said, really, there's no way to know until we
see Swiss troops or the Swiss Navy. The Swiss Navy's
no joke for us. That last motor boat we heard
was probably the Swiss Navy. We're in Switzerland. Let's have
a big breakfast. They have wonderful rolls and butter and
jam in Switzerland. It was clear daylight now and a
(11:33):
fine rain was falling. The wind was still blowing outside
up the lake, and we could see the tops of
the white caps going away from us and up the lake.
I was sure we were in Switzerland now. There were
many houses back in the trees from the shore and
up the shore away was a village with stone houses,
some villas on the hills, and a church. I'd been
(11:55):
looking at the road that skirted the shore for guards,
but did not see any. The road came quite close
to the lake now, and I saw a soldier coming
out of a cafe on the road. He wore a
gray green uniform in a helmet like the Germans. He
had a healthy looking face and a little toothbrush mustache.
He looked at us waved to him. I said to Catherine.
(12:17):
She waved, and this soldier smiled embarrassedly and gave a
wave of his hand. I eased up, rowing we were
passing the water front of the village. We must be
well inside the border. I said, we want to be sure, Darling,
we don't want them to turn us back at the frontier.
The frontier is a long way back. I think this
(12:38):
is the customs town. I'm pretty sure it's Prizago. Won't
there be Italians there? There are always both sides at
a custom town. Not in war time. I don't think
they let the Italians cross the frontier. It was a
nice looking little town. There were many fishing boats along
the quay and nets were spread on racks. There was
(12:59):
a fire November, rain falling, but it looked cheerful and
clean even with the rain. Should we land then and
have breakfast? All right? I pulled hard on the left
door and came in close. Then straightened out when we
were close to the quay and brought the boat alongside.
I pulled in the oars, took hold of an iron ring,
(13:19):
stepped up on the wet stone, and was in Switzerland.
I tied the boat and held my hand down to Catherine.
Come on up, Kat, it's a grand feeling. What about
the bags? Leave them in the boat. Catherine stepped up,
and we're in Switzerland together. What a lovely country, she said,
isn't it grand? Let's go out and have breakfast. Isn't
(13:41):
it a grand country. I loved the way it feels
under my shoes. I'm so stiff, I can't feel it
very well, but it feels like a splendid country. Darling.
Do you realize we're here and out of that bloody place?
I do, I really do. I've never realized anything before.
Look at the houses. Isn't this a fine square? There's
a place we can get breakfast. Isn't the rain fine?
(14:04):
They never had rain like this in Italy. It's cheerful rain.
And we're here, darling? Do you realize we're here? We
went inside the cafe and sat down at a clean,
wooden table. We were cock eyed excited. A splendid, clean
looking woman with an apron came and asked us what
we wanted, rolls and jam and coffee. Katherine said, I'm sorry,
(14:26):
we haven't any rolls in wartime. Bred Then I can
make you some toast, all right? I want some eggs
fried too, How many eggs for the gentleman? Three? Take four, darling,
four eggs? The woman went away. I kissed Katherine and
held her hand very tight. We looked at each other
and at the cafe, Darling, darling, isn't it lovely? It's
(14:50):
grand I said, I don't mind there not being rolls.
Catherine said, I've thought about them all night, but I
don't mind it. I don't mind it at all. Pose
pretty soon they will arrest us. Never mind, darling, we'll
have breakfast first. You won't mind being arrested after breakfast,
and then there's nothing they can do to us. We're
British and American citizens in good standing. You have a passport,
(15:14):
haven't you. Of course, Well, let's not talk about it.
Let's be happy. I couldn't be any happier, I said.
A fat gray cat with a tail that lifted up
like a plume, crossed the floor to our table and
curved against my leg to purr each time she rubbed.
I reached down and stroked her. Catherine smiled at me,
(15:37):
very happily. Here comes to coffee, she said. They arrested
us after breakfast. We took a little walk through the
village and then went down to the quay to get
our bags. A soldier was standing guard over the boat.
Is this your boat? Yes? Where do you come from
up the lake? Then I have to ask you to
come with me. How about the bags and carry the bags?
(16:02):
I carried the bags and Catherine walked beside me, and
the soldier walked along behind us to the old custom house.
In the custom house, a lieutenant, very thin and military,
questioned us what nationality are you? American and British. Let
me see your passports. I gave him mine and Catherine
got hers out of her handbag. He examined them for
(16:25):
a long time. Why do you enter Switzerland this way
in a boat? I am a sportsman, I said, Rowing
is my great sport. I always row when I get
a chance. Why do you come here for the winter sport.
We are tourists and we want to do the winter sport.
This is no place for winter sport. We know it.
We want to go where they have winter sport. What
(16:47):
have you been doing in Italy? I've been studying architecture.
My cousin has been studying art. Why do you leave there?
We want to do the winter sport. With the war
going on, you cannot stand the architecture. You will please
stay where you are, the lieutenant said. He went back
into the building with her passports. Your splendid darling, Catherine said,
(17:10):
keep on the same track. You want to do the
winter sport. Do you know anything about art? Ruben's, said Katherine,
large and fat. I said Titchian. Catherine said, Titchian herod.
I said, how about Montega. Don't ask hard ones. Catherine said,
I know him though, very bitter, very bitter. I said,
(17:31):
lots of nail holes. You see. I'll make you a
fine wife. Catherine said, I'll be able to talk art
with your customers. Here he comes, I said, The thin
lieutenant came down the length of the custom house, holding
our passports. I will have to send you into Locarno.
He said, you can get a carriage and a soldier
will go in with you. All right, I said, what
(17:52):
about the boat? The boat is confiscated. What have you
in those bags? He went all through the two bags
and held up the quarter bottle of bread. Would you
join me in a drink? I asked, no, thank you.
He straightened up. How much money have you twenty five
hundred lire? He was favorably impressed. How much has your
cousin Catherine had a little over twelve hundred liire. The
(18:16):
lieutenant was pleased. His attitude towards us became less haughty.
If you are going for winter sports, he said, Wingan
is the place my father has a very fine hotel
at WinGen. It is open all the time. That's splendid.
I said, could you give me the name, I will
write it on a card. He handed me the card
very politely. The soldier will take you in to Locarno.
(18:40):
He will keep your passports. I regret this, but it
is necessary. I have good hopes they will give you
a visa or a police perman at Locarno. He handed
the two passports to the soldier, and carrying the bags,
we started into the village to order a carriage. Hi,
the lieutenant called to the soldier. He said something in
(19:01):
a German dialect to him. The soldier slung his rifle
on his back and picked up the bags. It's a
great country, I said to Catherine. It's so practical. Thank
you very much, I said to the lieutenant. He waved
his hand service he said. We followed our guard into
the village. We drove to Locarno in a carriage with
(19:22):
the soldiers sitting on the front seat with the driver.
At Locarno, we did not have a bad time. They
questioned us, but they were polite because we had passports
and money. I do not think they believed a word
of the story, and I thought it was silly, but
it was like a law court. You do not want
something reasonable, you wanted something technical and then stuck to
(19:43):
it without explanations. But we had passports and we would
spend the money. So they gave us provisional visas. At
any time, this visa might be withdrawn. We were to
report to the police wherever we went. Could we go
wherever we wanted? Yes? Where did we want to go?
Where do you want to go? Cat Montreal, Montre? It
(20:07):
is a very nice place, the official said, I think
you will like that place. Here at Locarno is a
very nice place. Another official said, I'm sure you would
like it here very much at Locarno. Locarno is a
very attractive place. We would like some place where there
is winter sport. There is no winter sport at Montre.
I beg your pardon, the other official said, I come
(20:30):
from Montreal. There is very certainly winter sport on the
montro Operland Fernoi railway. It would be false for you
to deny that. I do not deny it. I simply
said there is no winter sport at Montre. I question that.
The other official said, I question that statement. I hold
to that statement, I myself have loosed into the streets
(20:51):
of Montre. I've done it, not once, but several times.
Luji is certainly winter sport. The other official turn to me,
is luzing your idea of winter sports? Sir? I tell
you would be very comfortable here in Locarno. You would
find the climate healthy, you would find the environs attractive.
You would like it very much. The gentleman has expressed
(21:14):
a wish to go to montrou What is luging, I asked,
you see, he has never even heard of Luzian. That
meant a great deal to the second official. It was
pleased by that. Luging said, the first official is tobogganing.
I beg to differ. The other official shook his head.
I must differ again. The toboggan is very different from
(21:34):
the luge. The toboggan is constructed in Canada of flat lathes.
The luge is a comet sled with runners. Accuracy means something.
Couldn't we toboggan? I asked, Of course you could toboggan.
The first official said, you could toboggan very well. Excellent
Canadian toboggans are sold in Montrou. Oakes brothers sell toboggans.
(21:57):
They import their own toboggans. The second official turned away. Tobogganing,
he said requires a special peace. You could not to
boggin into the streets of Montroe. Where are you stopping here?
We don't know, I said, we just drove in from Brisago.
The carriage is outside. You will make no mistake in
(22:18):
going to Montroe, the first official said, you will find
the climate delightful and beautiful. You will have no distance
to go for winter sport. If you really want winter sport,
the second official said, you will go to the Ingadine
or to Miran. I must protest against your being advised
to go to Montreal for the winter sport. At Levant's
(22:40):
above Montree, there is excellent winter sport of every sort.
The champion of Montroe glared at his colleague. Gentlemen, I said,
I am afraid we must go. My cousin is very tired.
We will go tentatively to Montrou. I congratulate you. The
first official shook my hand. I believe that you will
regret leaving Lacarno. The second official said, at any rate,
(23:03):
you will report to the police at Montroll. There will
be no unpleasantness with the police. The first official assured
me you will find all the inhabitants extremely courteous and friendly.
Thank you both very much, I said, we appreciate your
advice very much. Good bye. Catherine said, thank you both
very much. They BAEd us to the door, the champion
(23:26):
of Lacarno a little coldly. We went down the steps
and into the carriage. My god, darling, Catherine said, couldn't
we have gotten away any sooner? I gave the name
of a hotel one of the officials had recommended to
the driver. He picked up the reins. You've forgotten the army,
Catherine said. The soldier was standing by the carriage. I
(23:47):
gave him a tinlerane. I have no Swiss money yet,
I said. He thanked me, salute it and went off.
The carriage started and we drove to the hotel. How
did you happen to pick out Montree? I asked, Catherine?
Do you really want to go? There was the first
place I could think of. She said, it's not a
bad place. We can find some place up in the mountains.
(24:10):
Are you sleepy? I'm asleep right now. We'll get a
good sleep. Poor cat, you have had a long, bad night.
I had a lovely time, Catherine said, specially when you
sailed with the umbrella. Can you realize we're in Switzerland. No,
I'm afraid I'll wake up and it won't be true.
I am too. It is true, isn't it, darling. I'm
(24:32):
not just driving down to the Stazione and Milan to
see you off. I hope not. Don't say that. It
frightens me. Maybe that's where we're going. I'm so groggy.
I don't know. I said, let me see your hands.
I put them out. They were both blistered raw. There's
no hole in my side. I said, don't be sacrilegious.
(24:54):
I felt very tired and vague in the head. The
exhilaration was all gone. The carriage was going along the street.
Poor hands. Catherine said, don't touch them. I said, by god,
I don't know where we are. Where are we going? Driver?
The driver stopped his horse to the hotel Metropol. Don't
you want to go there? Yes? I said, it's all right, Kat,
(25:16):
it's all right, darling. Don't be upset. We'll get a
good sleep and you won't feel groggy tomorrow. I feel
pretty groggy, I said, it's like a comic opera to day.
Maybe I'm hungry. You're just tired, darling. You'll be fine.
The carriage pulled up before the hotel. Some one came
out to take our bags. I feel all right, I said.
(25:38):
We were down on the pavement going into the hotel.
I know you'll be all right. You're just tired, you've
been up a long time. Anyhow, we're here, Yes, we're
really here. We followed the boy with the bags into
the hotel. End of chapter thirty seven.
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