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- I38 -

Italy but to the whole world. Croce has 'esprit'. He speaks of a monument to common sense that the Germans should have erected at home. Of their liberty lost in the Black Forest where it was born. He speaks of Italy's efforts to disengage herself from Fascism. 'But why did you not prevent the last stage of madness that was leading to war?' someone asks him. His answer: 'Must everyone in a train led by a mad conductor throw himself out of the window?' After enumerating Italy's efforts to join the Allies he asks for recompense that she should be treated as an Ally, not as a vanished people.'

October 11th Demonstrations outside the 'Questura': the people clamouring for bread. 

October 15th Received B.B's reply. It was most friendly. We are all to meet again as soon as some means of transit is found. It will be interesting to hear B.B's account of his escape. He managed to hide not far from his own house.

October 21st. Had trouble with my eyes, so have been resting them. B.B and Nicky came in a car to see us. He was pale but otherwise seemed very well. Nicky is thin but all to the advantage of her good looks. B.B hid for months in a house not far from his own and with all the security and comforts that diplomatic immunity conferred to his host. I asked him what he did during the bombing. 'Nothing', he answered, 'I am a fatalist. 'Then , thought I, why did he hide at all? Why not have remained in his own villa to await [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] what fate had in store for him? It seems