Austria during the 1930s, 1931-1939
Part I: Debonnaire Sylvester

On board the S.S. Comorin bound for Singapore, Muriel met a young woman, Debonnaire Metcalf, who was on her way to South India to marry her fiancé, George Sylvester. Muriel was immediately intrigued by Debonnaire's intense personality.

"[Miss Metcalf] is slim, with a glorious way of holding herself, moving or standing -- not taller than I am. She is very very dark and... has black eyebrows that almost meet above her eyes... Her mouth is unique in shape -- expressive, smallish and vivacious. Her eyes are deep brown -- and can hold the world of expression. This is her body -- so different to mine in every way -- but our minds, all our thoughts and feelings are almost identical" [Diary, Lausanne 1931-Kitzbühel 1934, April 13, 1931 pg. 40].

During their few weeks on board the ship, Debonnaire and Muriel spent much of their free time together. The two grew very close.

"...For some reason I touched her hand and at once she got hold of it with the strongest grip imaginable. My pulses were simply hectic -- so was hers... and I suddenly realized that she loved me... How from being amused slightly at this unexpected event, then touched, then suddenly finding in my heart a quite extraordinary response -- I simply cannot explain" [Diary Lausanne 1931-Kitzbühel 1934, April 13, 1931, pg. 43-44].

Even after she arrived in Singapore, Muriel could not forget Debonnaire. In the late fall of 1931 she decided to see her again. Boodh was devastated, but Muriel insisted and left Singapore to go to Debonnaire.

While in India Muriel was rushed to the hospital with an extreme case of sunstroke. The doctors made it clear: she needed to move to a cooler climate. Muriel and Debonnaire decided that they would start a life together in Kitzbühel in the Tyrol district of Austria.

Kitzbühel Austria

"...the moment I set foot in Kitzbühel -- the moment I started climbing up through meadows absolutely wild with flowers... I felt the inexpressible atmosphere of peace... that was an almost visible haze over all the little valley, then I knew I would love Kitzbühel and would like it to be my home." [Diary, Lausanne 1931-Kitzbühel 1934, pg. 178].

Muriel, Debonnaire and Peter lived together in their home at Zum Waldschützen living off of paying guests and the few English boys Muriel tutored.

Unfortunately, in only a few years Muriel and Debonnaire ended their relationship after a series of fights. They continued to live together at Zum Waldschützen causing them to become more and more disrespectful towards each other.

In the fall of 1935 things got worse. Muriel finalized her divorce to Boodh and tried to end her relations with Debonnaire. She suffered a nervous breakdown and was sent to a sanatorium to recuperate. Afterwards she fell into a deep clinical depression which quickly spiraled out of control. Feeling an overwhelming loneliness and hopelessness, Muriel one evening took a huge amount of pills intending to end her life. A doctor was quickly rushed in to pump her stomach.

She was immediately checked into a nerve clinic in Innsbruck to calm her "fits." Although a harrowing experience, Muriel experienced a transformation during her ordeal.

"...it seems as if everything has passed, has just been an advanced price to pay for the extraordinary thing that has happened -- the most beautiful, loving thing, even though it has its moments of sadness" [Diary, "London 1935 to Kitzbühel 1936" pg. 14].

While in the nerve clinic, Muriel met the head of clinic, neuro-psychotherapist, Dr. Franz Xavier Schmuttermayer.

Continue to Part II: Franz Schmuttermayer

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