BooksBarbecue
Back Married Life Save as PDF
Chapters (42)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. PART ONE
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. PART TWO
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. PART THREE
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. PART FOUR
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. PART FIVE
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35

Gurdweill went to the kitchen to warm up the dregs of the black coffee left over from yesterday’s breakfast. The gas flame began humming intimately to itself, lapping the sooty bottom of the coffeepot with tiny blue tongues. The kitchen was shrouded in semi-darkness. The big square window onto the corridor was made of rough, opaque glass. The heat of the sweltering summer day outside was only dimly felt in here. Somewhere a clock struck twelve. Sitting on a chair next to the gas burner, Gurdweill listened with great enjoyment to its steady hiss. A cosy hiss, he reflected, calling to mind placid, capable housewives and domestic peace … A benevolent smile appeared on his lips and remained there for a moment or two. Then the coffee was heated, he switched off the gas, and the hiss stopped as abruptly as if the soul of the kitchen had suddenly flown out of the door. Now the semi-darkness seemed heavier and more oppressive.

The old woman had finished tidying the bed and was now busy sweeping the floor. Naturally, she had not lifted a finger to clean the couch, and it was clear to Gurdweill that she had no intention of doing so. But he could not bring himself to begin arguing with her again. When all was said and done, she was an old, tired woman — he excused her to himself. As soon as he had a chance he would buy a bottle of Lysol and smear it over the couch himself, after washing it first with boiling water. He drank his coffee, finished getting dressed, and half an hour later he took his stick and left the room.

26

26

Outside, the sultry yellow heat lay heavily over everything. There was a lassitude in the air, and even the traffic seemed to be moving more slowly than usual. The dogs’ tongues were hanging out of their mouths, long and quivering, like pink ribbons; their ribs heaved in and out as they panted for breath; and the heat seemed to increase at the very sight of them, as if it were pouring straight out of their jaws.

Gurdweill hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should go somewhere for a bite to eat. He was not in the least hungry. In the end he went into a little restaurant in Nordbahnstrasse and ordered roast beef and beer. Then he took a tram to the hospital, where he arrived half an hour after the visiting hour had begun.