20th July 1939

20th July 1939

Sarvar to 27 Queen Square, Bath

Dear Madeleine!

Many thanks for your letter. I am sure you are looking forward to you holydays. Brittany must be very nice. I hope you are having nice weather and you will be able to swim a lot.

Here it is very hot. In fact we sit at home during the hottest time of the day. Luckily we go for a swim every day. That’s the only way to keep us alive. I wish it would rain. The flowers and trees are sad, with hanging leaves. The earth is torn and everything looked baked by the sun. You never experienced a Hungarian summer. It is impressive. The British girls who came here with Muck last year were more dead than alive. By the way, here is a sad news. I am afraid I must give up my plan of coming to England this year. I couldn’t start until 20th September and would have to be back by November. So it’s hardly worth the long journey. Besides, it is impossible to get a girl out as exchange. British people don’t seem to get over the war fright. I haven’t given up hope altogether, though I must admit my chance doesn’t look bright. I would have loved to meet you.

Have you made up your mind about your hair? In February and March I used to wear it high up in the back. Some people liked it, some told me I looked like a scare-crow. I must admit it wasn’t comfy, and it gave a funny feeling of having been scalped by a Red Indian. Now I wear it like that

(illustration opposite).

It is quite good and easy to do. Of course I always have long hair, but I manage to turn it in so that nobody notices it. Muck has gone to Bavaria for a fortnight.

Best wishes for your holidays. Loll