too," Raban answered, leaning out of the door, which he had opened, holding on to the you.

" "You have no friend in St. Petersburg. You've always been a leg-puller and you had something else to do. But now all of a sudden he has gone away, and yet I can't would have his attention drawn to this. He would go over and straighten it. Raban also only has to send the maid into the others' apartments, where they are sitting over a the point with stabs of his forefinger. "I've been representing him here on the spot." 108 like, and no one with whom I could make more strenuous expeditions, no one there benches leaning against little trees, then went more slowly through an opening in the From a little distance Lement then called back: "I say, Eduard, can you hear should certainly feel much better. If the scenery does turn out to be boring, as Lement impossible for him to take a look outside then, still, he did not mean to abuse anyone reason one mustn't miss it. But if there is no such sight to be seen, then there will be "Adieu." Raban said. will appear to me. He came up and spoke to me and then walked with me, in spite of no half-measures, and it was hard to see what business a gentleman like this could me today? -- he explained some things to me, didn't he, and described everything as it says, that need not be a disadvantage at all. One will spend more time in the rooms would transfer their luggage, which lay in a narrow blue net over a seat, to another Page he at once come and asked? Page me? Do shut your umbrella; it stopped raining ages ago. I didn't have a chance to tell though the omnibus had black distempered walls and no glass in the windows. There "If at least," Raban thought, "I were to get into a wrong train. Then it would at "Then it's really better for you to go. I was only thinking. . . Anyway I couldn't stirring, dripped slowly through a crack into the carriage. bethought himself and pushed his suitcase under his seat. connection with your friend and I have your customers here in my pocket!" talking about the price of goods. "They're commercial travelers," Raban thought and, palpitations, then he walked quickly along the park pool, went along a narrow, badly made his knees give. back if I want to, for I shall have no one there whom I could pay calls on whenever I there was anyone in the bus he might say so. "Yes, yes, and he would like to start now, pipes and cigars, in one place drifting limply past the face of a girl. Often the Now he'll lean forward, thought Georg, what if he topples and smashes himself! Wrapped in the canvas of two sacks that had been cut up, the driver came over, "But your friend hasn't been betrayed after all!" cried his father, emphasizing 85 was no need to think that there were wheels under the floor and in front the horse done and, his eyes starting in his head, bit his tongue back, only too late, till the pain The lantern was attached to the end of the shaft; the horse, having been "That's quite easy, send a telegram." 86 about eye level, and the many raindrops on the glass were white, often single ones balcony who cut a broad cross in blood on the palm of his hand and held the hand up "Yes, of course I've been playing a comedy! A comedy! That's a good darkness. began an explanation: listen here, he said, he had been playing cards with Lebeda and upon some time before. Then, however, one must look forward to it; for that very But then, later, you got on with him very well. I was proud because you listened to him

and appealed to the mob. You've told that story yourself once or twice since." Gillemann's, after all. It's a quarter to six, so not too late, after all, for paying calls on Page no discussion beforehand either, for all will be expected to get together quite easily if For one isn't at all sure even of acquaintances of long standing. Wasn't Lement nice to On his left, at the window, two gentlemen were sitting opposite each other, Page easy as I imagine it now when I am still alone and can still do everything, can still go slipping off his dressing gown as he stood feebly enough, "it'll soon be three years since on the seat opposite. It was bright enough, the darkness outside made it appear as used to tell us the most incredible stories of the Russian Revolution. For instance, and really never know for certain where all the others are, for if there is a ruin in the porter who was walking nearby hurried him through a glass door onto the platform. meant to lavish there on his father might come too late. The rain gushed down the back of his neck, inside his collar. "Georg," said his father in a low voice, without moving. letter or books and are delighted by this news. Well, it is not difficult to protect oneself who did not understand that. Apart from that, this place here was a filthy dump, and respectable businessman! Do you think I didn't love you, I, from whom you are haven't even shrunk from pulling my leg. How could you have a friend out there! I passengers would change places, discussing these changes with each other, or they supporting himself on his umbrella with one hand, and on the handle of the suitcase district, there will probably be a walk all together to that ruin; it will have been agreed found the booking office, and had to knock for a while on the iron shutter. Then the shouted at in a muffled voice, began to pull, and the water on top of the bus, now set The road was perhaps hilly; there was surely mud flying up into the spokes; and nodded and asked him questions. If you think back you're bound to remember. He expression! What other comfort was left to a poor old widower? Tell me -- and while everyone!" but that was only natural, that can't have offended him, for he is a sensible person." The station clock struck, it was a quarter to six. Raban stopped because he had 84 himself for having been neglectful. It should have certainly been his duty to see that "You comedian!" Georg could not resist the retort, realized at once the harm go with you today, as I'm sleepy, I forgot to tell you that. And now I shall say goodbye, fans of puddle water formed, with a rushing sound, behind the turning wheels; it was doorpost with his right hand, the left hand held open, close to his mouth. and since he found no guard, he climbed up the steps of the nearest coach by himself, 93 And what for, where would we go, anyway?" Raban tried to count his change quickly, thinking he ought to be getting more, but a have offended him even with a single word. I did refuse to spend the evening in town, room. I could quite well understand your dislike of him, my friend has his peculiarities. least twice I kept you from seeing him, although he was actually sitting with me in my own future establishment. It almost looked, on closer inspection, as if the care he for I don't want to go through the wet park with you, as I should like to drop in at carriage door and sat down on the last little free bit of a light-brown wooden seat. He "Just think back a bit, Father," said Georg, lifting his father from the chair and His father leaned forward but did not topple. Since Georg did not come any bride-to-be what arrangements should be made for his father in the future, for they the pupils, overlarge, fixedly looking at him from the corners of the eyes. had both of them silently taken it for granted that the old man would go on living

people you know fairly well. Addio. Well, a good journey, and remember me to who could show me how his crops are doing or show me a quarry he is working there. sprung?" any rate seem to me that the whole enterprise had begun, and if later, after the mistake one. If a stick or the metal-covered corner of a suitcase stuck out, then the owner tired, yes, I'll go all right. If a telegram came, they'd get a fright, into the bargain. -have here, and he would be getting there soon enough anyway, so that he need not go alone in the old house. But now he made a quick, firm decision to take him into his "Stay where you are, I don't need you! You think you have strength enough to come over here and that you're only hanging back of your own accord. Don't be too suddenly, against all the usual practice, a larger expedition is considered right, for one amount of light from the main hall of the station, in which it was standing; in front of with the other. The coach that he entered was brightly illuminated by the great saw many people's backs, and the backs of their heads, and between them the each time putting the suitcase on the step above and then following himself, upturned faces of people on the seat opposite. In some places smoke was curling from and complain anywhere. Only just now Herr Pirkershofer -- if you please, that's the There Raban looked around, while calling out "Thank you, thank you!" to the porter, his father had clean changes of underwear. He had not yet explicitly discussed with his had been cleared up, I were to arrive in this station again on my way back, then I railings into the street, crossed it, leapt through the station entrance, after a while you're answering me be you still my living son -- what else was left to me, in my back can't believe it." been wanting to go by the omnibus. Well, so he had at once come and asked, or hadn't junior assistant clerk -- had come in and had said he thought a small fair man had slammed down on the counter the ticket he had been asked for and the change. Now carefully taking off the woolen drawers he wore over his linen underpants and his for the most part with loose reins that the driver guided the dripping horse. -- Could the fact that there was nothing he wanted to find out from me and that he himself still with triumphant glee, and stalking away from his father with the closed face of a for a moment Raban was walking against Lement's outstretched arm. sure! I am still much the stronger of us two. All by myself I might have had to give way, nearer, as he had expected, he straightened himself again. against such invitations. And yet I don't know whether I shall be able to, for it is not so These words went hissing through his mind. the reflection of his stable lantern jumping through the puddles at his feet. Irritably he strutting through the world, finishing off deals that I had prepared for him, bursting "He has pockets even in his shirt!" said Georg to himself, and believed that with "Yes, that could be done -- but it wouldn't be very nice if I didn't go -- and I'm my friend came to see us last. I remember that you used not to like him very much. At booking clerk looked out, said it was really high time, took the bank note, and Meanwhile Georg had succeeded in lowering his father down again and when he was on a business trip to Kiev and ran into a riot, and saw a priest on a room, plagued by a disloyal staff, old to the marrow of my bones? And my son would move. Raban could hear the noise from the platform even when he had shut the Page socks, and sat up straight. Then he heard someone from the station shouting: "Hi!" if lighted path between large shrubs, rushed into an open place with many empty Georg knelt down at once beside his father, in the old man's weary face he saw between the shafts. Raban rubbed his feet thoroughly on the seat, pulled on clean socks. The not particularly clean appearance of his underwear made him reproach they had just been getting on fine when the train came. It would really have been

many a windowpane -- all were shut right up to the top -- a hissing arc lamp hung at but your mother has given me so much of her strength that I've established a fine Raban did not answer, shut his umbrella, and the sky closed over him in pallid Lement turned to the right and held out his right hand to say goodbye, so that a short thread through the eye of a needle.