‘Yes, of course … But I … I’ve already grown accustomed to looking after him myself, and it doesn’t bother me a bit. I can work at my own writing too,’ he added, as if to justify himself. ‘In the evenings I can work as much as I like. And sometimes during the day as well. In fact, I love working while Martin sleeps. It gives me a special kind of peace of mind. In these last months I’ve been working far more than I did at the beginning of the summer. From that point of view he’s been a real blessing.’

He bent down to see if the baby had fallen asleep and, with his head, motioned to Lotte to return to the couch. It was now half past ten. Lotte announced that she would be leaving soon. However, she immediately resumed her former place on the couch.

‘Would you mind if I opened the window a bit? Only if you’re not cold, of course. I want to smoke, and the smoke is bad for him.’

Lotte lit herself a cigarette too, but immediately put it out again.

‘You know,’ she said suddenly, ‘a man like you can make one despair … I don’t know if you’re really a fool or if you only pretend to be one …’

‘What do you mean?’ he asked ingenuously. ‘I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve such praise.’

Lotte went on in a whisper, as if she were talking to herself more than to Gurdweill. ‘It can drive a person out of his mind … For a man to deceive himself into believing that everything is as it should be, when nothing at all is as it should be! Not the least little thing! A babe in arms can see it, a blind man can see it …’

Gurdweill looked at her uncomprehendingly. He felt that her words related to him, and for some reason he even felt guilty, guilty towards Lotte, but he didn’t know exactly how or why. He shrank from asking for an explanation, and began to examine his fingernails.

Lotte suddenly jumped to her feet.

‘Well!’ she said. ‘I’m sure you’ll realise your mistake one day, but then it will be too late!’ And she put out her hand to say goodbye.

‘I’m so sorry that I can’t accompany you. I can’t leave the baby. If only you would wait a while — Thea’s due home at any moment now.’

‘I don’t need Thea!’ she burst out angrily. ‘You can keep your Thea for yourself! And I don’t need you either, do you hear —not in the least! And I never will either, so there! And I don’t want you to accompany me, I don’t want you to! You’re all, all … Don’t you dare accompany me, do you hear!’