The Henson Journals

[147]

Tuesday, September 28th, 1920.

Before getting up I wrote to Ryle, Headlam, and Cruickshank. Then we breakfasted, & made some progress with the packing. We succeeded in getting our tickets at the Tourist Agency, & returned to the Hotel in time for the motor car, which Mr Bildt sent to bring us out for lunch. The Ramsays were also of the party. We drove about 24 miles over bad roads, & through beautiful country. Mr B's house is fine, & finely placed on the shore of a wide lake. After a pleasant lunch we were motored back to our hotel, bursting a tyre on the way. I admired the expedition with which the chauffeur remedied the mischief, & the convenient device he had for raising the car. We had tea, & I walked round to the St Clara Church house, & left the MS. of my sermon. The Archbishop was there, & we again exchanged affectionate farewells.

Getting away from Stockholm was both a complicated & a costly business, & would never have been achieved at all but for the help of the messenger from the British Legation, who richly merited the 20 kr. with which I rewarded his attentions. The train was crowded: & we only secured sleeping berths at the last moment. Numbers of people came to say Goodbye to their friends, & the train moved out of the station amid much popular interest. As we passed over the bridge, we saw the last of Stockholm, bathed in the mild glory of a full moon, which traced its Via sacra of brilliance on the rippling waters of Lake Mälar. We can hardly see a fairer city.

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