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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

And as if suddenly remembering that he was pressed for time, he took out his watch and said: ‘Half past four. I have to go home.’

Lotte looked offended. ‘If you want to go, go … Nobody’s keeping you. Your work’s very important, of course,’ she added mockingly. ‘Nobody wants to stand in the way of your work …’

She began to play with the cigarette box on the table, moving it about and in the end trying to set it on the upturned box of matches. Her restlessness was obvious to Gurdweill, although he could see no reason for it. Suddenly she burst into loud, staccato laughter, leaped up from the sofa, and ran to the window. She remained there, slightly stooped, looking out. From the back, Gurdweill noticed her slumped shoulders heaving slightly, as if she were silently sobbing, and he felt guilty, although he did not know why. He said in a coaxing voice: ‘You wanted to go out yourself, didn’t you, Lotte?’

Lotte did not answer right away. Then she said, without turning her head, that she didn’t feel like it anymore.

Gurdweill sensed vaguely that he should stay with her for a while. If he did, something in the situation might become clearer. Nevertheless, as if in spite of himself, he stood up and announced, ‘I have to go now.’

Lotte accompanied him to the hallway, and offered him her hand without a word and without looking at him. He had the impression that she was waiting impatiently for him to go. But he did not see a window on the second floor opening when he emerged into the street. And he did not see Lotte sticking her head out of the window and staring at him until he turned into Lerchenfelder Strasse.

5

5

On his way home Gurdweill tried without success to find the reason for Lotte’s strange behaviour. In his mind he went over everything he had said in her house: there was nothing that could have given her the least offence. In the end he came to the conclusion that there was nothing behind it but her own nervousness, and he felt a little sorry for her, for this Lotte, who was actually a very sweet girl, a dear soul, and for whom he had long felt sentiments of the warmest friendship.

In the meantime the sky had partially cleared. Between the murky clouds, patches of deep blue appeared, fresh and clean. Gurdweill remembered happily that there were only three hours left until the meeting, and unconsciously he quickened his pace, as if to reach the appointed hour sooner.