- Frederic arrives at Milan by train before dawn. He has coffee in a wine shop. The owner asks about the front, and Frederic says he doesn’t know.
- The owner offers Frederic a place to stay, and they drink some grappa. He tells Frederic he can get him leave papers, which Frederic says he doesn’t need, but still asks about the cost.
- He takes a cab to the American hospital, and sees the porter and his wife. He asks for Catherine, and learns she’s gone to the town of Stresa with Helen.
- He asks the porters to keep his visit a secret.
- He visits Simmons, one of his friends who studies music, and asks about crossing into Switzerland.
- Frederic borrows clothes from Simmons, and tells Simmons he has clothes in Rome, where he was studying architecture before the war.
- Simmons tells him he can take a rowboat to Switzerland from Stresa. Frederic pays for his cab and Simmons invites him for breakfast.