▁hon ors ▁in ▁Italian ▁( 1 9 3 8 ). ▁ ▁Career ▁Un inter ested ▁in ▁joining ▁the ▁common ▁room ▁of ▁a ▁British ▁university , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁Tra vers i ▁took ▁a ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁British ▁Institute ▁in ▁Rome . ▁While ▁there ▁he ▁was ▁arrested ▁for ▁dis res pect ▁to ▁M uss ol ini . ▁On ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁of ▁war , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁UK , ▁taking ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁boats ▁from ▁France . ▁ ▁Phys ically ▁un fit ▁for ▁military ▁service , ▁Tra vers i ▁instead ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Institute ▁of ▁Madrid ▁where ▁he ▁for ged ▁a ▁bond ▁with ▁the ▁director ▁and ▁fellow ▁Catholic ▁Walter ▁St ark ie . ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁his ▁stay ▁in ▁Spain ▁that ▁Tra vers i ▁began ▁subm itting ▁articles ▁for ▁the ▁Catholic ▁journ als ▁The ▁Month , ▁The ▁Dublin ▁Review ▁and ▁Black fri ars . ▁The ▁British ▁government ▁pur pos ely ▁sent ▁British ▁intellect uals , ▁particularly ▁C athol ics , ▁with ▁the ▁view ▁to ▁help ▁keep ▁Fal ang ist - Sp ain ▁neutral ▁despite ▁the ▁propag anda ▁domin ance ▁of ▁Germany . ▁Tra vers i ▁had ▁frequent ▁close ▁enc oun ters ▁with ▁the ▁Guard ia ▁Civil ▁ow ing ▁to ▁his ▁seem ing ▁to ▁w ander ▁into ▁officially ▁prohib ited ▁areas . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁Tra vers i ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁Barcelona ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Institute , ▁on ▁P asse ig ▁de ▁Gr à cia , ▁where ▁he ▁organized ▁musical ▁even ings ,