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My darling,
I have a moment so had better seize it. M.K. and Elliott are at the Congress but I have stayed on the pretext that I want to review my paper; so I do, but I want to stay away from the Congress more. The morning's session was not as bad as it might have been but whether that was because I wore my linen trousers and terylene shirt, and was more comfortable in consequence, or whether on account of the excellence of the papers I would not like to determine; more I suspect the former than the latter. I hate listening to lectures anyway. There was one fool of a woman who talked on, but knew nothing about, schizophrenia. She was allowed 30 minutes; she read a paper of 60 minutes gabbled so as to fit it into 45. And Melanie said her piece and was pleased with its reception. Augusta Bonnard (Mrs Brunner) thinks, says M.K., that I am charming. Obviously the old spells still work you see. I strolled back past shops and am convinced there is nothing I can buy here which would not be both uninteresting and expensive. The only local objects would be a watch for Parthenope and a cuckoo clock for Julian. Or, just a cuckoo clock for us which would amuse the children …
I decided to economize by having a glass of beer and a sandwich for lunch: bill Fr. 9.90, which according to my reckoning is close on £1.
Later. Well, anyhow now it is Monday night. I am just back after a trip out with Elliott and Melanie in his car, to a lake-side restaurant for supper. During the afternoon there was a thunderstorm in the neighbourhood, with a few drops of rain here, so by the time Elliott rang me up, at about 6.15 p.m., it had become nice and cool. The drive, of a few kilometres, was nothing in particular – a wide 4-lane speed road with glimpses of the lake – and the restaurant unpretentious. It was quite a nice little meal; Trout Meunière, escalope of veal, an ice sweet and coffee; a local white wine, uninteresting but not vinegar. It cost about 25/– each which I think a good Soho standard;