I have been searching the Armand Diaries in hopes of finding a story that Armand once told me. It happened in Europe amidst war time frenzy and he had to hide out in a hotel room. I have yet to find a written version of that particular story but it is clear that Armand's study tour took an ominous turn even before he boarded the Ile de France.
Paris, 11:30P.M., Tuesday, August 29, 1939. What a 28 hours! Wrote Mary, caught train at 10:50 for Paris. Very eerie riding through dark. Near French border, all lights were turned out and stayed out rest of trip. They were turned out in Paris last and this night too, except for feeble glow.
At border, bought ticket sans 40% carte touristique, only as far as Belfort. When train pulled in there, only to stop for 5 minutes, I got off with my pack and ran as hard as I could for exit, intending to re-enter station by "front" door, buy a ticket as if just coming from Belfort and as if never left France at all, so I could use ticket. Ran so hard that an officer stopped me (Belfort 20 miles or so from border and mobilization going on now and everyone is suspicious), held me and questioned about entry, why I'd been in Italy, how long, etc., till train left.
I went out of station, returned, found next train = 7:47 A.M. (It was now 2:10 A.M.), and left again trying to find night's lodging. No go, all filled up with mobilizing men. Returned to spend night on station bench - also all filled.
Then sneaked by the same officer who had questioned me, managed safely to buy "40% off" ticket, learned that a train from Basle to Paris was still there though supposed to have left before, sneaked again by the suspicious officer, had ticket punched, ran and boarded the train.
All was pitch dark. Conductor went into third class carriage with cigarette lighter to search me a seat. Found it. Then, in French, in the almost darkness, a woman's voice said, "This man just got off the train a few minutes ago!"
The train, partly from Basle, part from Berne, was the same one that had left, shunted onto a side track, and by some misfortune, I had managed to enter same carriage, same compartment! Knowing my geography, I quickly brazened it out as conductor was suspicious and asked for my ticket, and said lady was crazy, and that I had just come from Nancy. It worked! Conductor thought lady was batty and I was safe. Later, I explained to her the situation.
Train remained there until 4 A.M., awaiting another section from Austria. Every few minutes, a man with lantern would come by and I lay in great fear that in these suspicious times, and with my various stories, I'd be found out. Finally we left.
As last straw, this A.M., the ticket puncher, as is seldom done, came around to punch our tickets and I remembered him as man taking ticket before Belfort! Another crisis, but he said nothing and I have saved 2$ or so.
Years later, Armand Singer read this entry and left the following notation:
[1955: Mon Dieu: all this for $2.00!]
Paris, 11:30P.M., Tuesday, August 29, 1939. What a 28 hours! Wrote Mary, caught train at 10:50 for Paris. Very eerie riding through dark. Near French border, all lights were turned out and stayed out rest of trip. They were turned out in Paris last and this night too, except for feeble glow.
At border, bought ticket sans 40% carte touristique, only as far as Belfort. When train pulled in there, only to stop for 5 minutes, I got off with my pack and ran as hard as I could for exit, intending to re-enter station by "front" door, buy a ticket as if just coming from Belfort and as if never left France at all, so I could use ticket. Ran so hard that an officer stopped me (Belfort 20 miles or so from border and mobilization going on now and everyone is suspicious), held me and questioned about entry, why I'd been in Italy, how long, etc., till train left.
I went out of station, returned, found next train = 7:47 A.M. (It was now 2:10 A.M.), and left again trying to find night's lodging. No go, all filled up with mobilizing men. Returned to spend night on station bench - also all filled.
Then sneaked by the same officer who had questioned me, managed safely to buy "40% off" ticket, learned that a train from Basle to Paris was still there though supposed to have left before, sneaked again by the suspicious officer, had ticket punched, ran and boarded the train.
All was pitch dark. Conductor went into third class carriage with cigarette lighter to search me a seat. Found it. Then, in French, in the almost darkness, a woman's voice said, "This man just got off the train a few minutes ago!"
The train, partly from Basle, part from Berne, was the same one that had left, shunted onto a side track, and by some misfortune, I had managed to enter same carriage, same compartment! Knowing my geography, I quickly brazened it out as conductor was suspicious and asked for my ticket, and said lady was crazy, and that I had just come from Nancy. It worked! Conductor thought lady was batty and I was safe. Later, I explained to her the situation.
Train remained there until 4 A.M., awaiting another section from Austria. Every few minutes, a man with lantern would come by and I lay in great fear that in these suspicious times, and with my various stories, I'd be found out. Finally we left.
As last straw, this A.M., the ticket puncher, as is seldom done, came around to punch our tickets and I remembered him as man taking ticket before Belfort! Another crisis, but he said nothing and I have saved 2$ or so.
Years later, Armand Singer read this entry and left the following notation:
[1955: Mon Dieu: all this for $2.00!]
Photo:History.SanDiego.edu