Gurdweill wasn’t listening, but the name Richard pierced him like a spear. Without knowing who Richard was and what he meant to Thea, the name itself disturbed him. He even felt a kind of anger against this Richard, although he was no more than an abstract idea to him. But the next moment he came to his senses — what on earth did it have to do with him? It didn’t interest him in the least! … He kept an ear open in his wife’s direction, however. He also made an instinctive movement to get up from his chair, but then he changed his mind and sat down again.

Thea asked Poldy, ‘And Reizi, how’s she?’

‘I haven’t seen her,’ replied Poldy apathetically.

‘What? Is it all over between you?’

‘Almost. Enough!’

‘You’re a fine one, Poldy!’ said Thea with a certain satisfaction. ‘By the way, I knew it was a passing thing. She’s a nice girl, Reizi, but she doesn’t know how to keep a man: she lacks intelligence. And who have you got your eye on now?’

‘I wouldn’t dream of telling you,’ said Poldy with a snigger. ‘It’s a secret!’

‘You sly creature!’ His sister tickled him under the arm. ‘You just want to make me curious! Is she blonde?’

‘I’m not saying! Not now. Maybe some other time.’

Freddy was still pacing gloomily up and down the room, as if he were waiting for a train that was late. The conversation between Thea and Poldy began to bore Gurdweill. The lewd tone annoyed him too. It was a quarter to one; there was still some time to spare before lunch. The Baron was in the next room and the Baroness was busy in the kitchen. Gurdweill picked the newspaper up from the floor and began reading it. But he kept one ear open in the direction of his wife and his brother-in-law.