‘Naturally! When you haven’t got the guts to look the truth in the face! Why don’t you pay some attention to the hints your best friends drop? And what about that idiot Dr Kreindel’s sarcastic remarks? Is it all, all smoke without fire? But you know the truth yourself … You pretend not to know because it’s more convenient for you that way, because you prefer a false, illusory peace of mind to the truth. But you know yourself that things can’t go on like this any longer!’