At home he found a letter from his sister in America waiting for him, with a ten-dollar bill folded inside it. ‘It’s come at just the right time,’ thought Gurdweill. He would be able to pay a few debts, and re-open old sources of loans. And most important of all: he would not go to the meeting empty-handed. Apart from the concrete benefits involved, Gurdweill saw the fact that the unexpected letter had arrived today of all days as a favourable omen. Without a doubt, this was the beginning of a new, happy time.

The money-changers in the vicinity were already shut, but Gurdweill remembered in time that it was possible to change money at the railway station too. Then he bought himself a new collar and a bite to eat, and went home again.

Soon afterwards Ulrich returned. He too had brought food — bread, butter, and sausage — and they sat down to eat. Ulrich told him that he had seen Lotte at the café half an hour before, and that she had asked him to give Gurdweill her regards and to ask him to drop in to the café that evening if he was free. She was sitting with Dr Astel and seemed in high spirits.

‘She’s a pretty girl,’ added Ulrich. ‘Especially her eyes, they’re quite extraordinary.’

‘Yes, very pretty,’ agreed Gurdweill absent-mindedly.

‘I hear that she’s already officially engaged to Dr Astel,’ remarked Ulrich, and after a moment he added: ‘It doesn’t seem like a good match to me.’

‘In these matters you can never tell in advance. There are always surprises. Anyway, why shouldn’t it be a good match? Dr Astel seems very much in love with her. And presumably she loves him too.’

‘I wouldn’t be so sure.’

‘Why on earth not?’ Gurdweill became unreasonably excited. ‘Tell me why not? She’s maybe a little eccentric, perhaps. But in that respect she’s no different from a lot of other people in our generation.’

‘That’s not what I’m talking about. In my opinion, she’s too good for him. And besides, I don’t think she loves him.’

‘How on earth do you know? On the contrary!’ But in his heart of hearts he knew that Ulrich was right and he was wrong.

After their meal, Gurdweill stood up and began putting on his coat. Ulrich asked if he would come to the Café Herrenhof later.

‘No, I’m meeting someone.’ He was too shy to say her name.

‘The girl from yesterday?’ asked Ulrich simply. And in order to please his friend, for whom he felt true affection, he added: ‘She’s very nice. There’s a hidden charm about her, which you don’t notice right away.’