‘The Herr Doktor seems a little glum. It isn’t worth it! I always say, you want to mope — count me out! A man is not a beast! So there you are!’

And after a short pause: ‘Here, have a drink and you’ll feel better!’ He slapped Gurdweill on the shoulder. ‘Take the Frau Baroness, for example. She could teach a few men a thing or two! And she’s only a woman!’

Then he poured out the wine. Gurdweill tasted it too, in order not to provoke his wife. He wished he were somewhere far away — anywhere but here, with these two half-drunk people conspiring against him. It was almost midnight. Thea’s and Heidelberger’s faces were flushed. Their skin was like a thin film artificially plastered onto their faces, and from time to time they rubbed it with their hands, as if to stick it down and stop it from splitting off. Gurdweill had moved away and gone to sit on the couch, while the two of them went on drinking, eating, chattering, and laughing light-headedly. The room was opaque with clouds of smoke. Thea remarked that it was stuffy, but refused to let her husband open the window. She stood up and took off her blouse, remaining in her petticoat with her arms and shoulders exposed.

‘You’re actually quite good-looking, Herr Heidelberger, ha-ha!’ she cried, and jumped onto his lap, where she began twirling his luxuriant moustache.

Gurdweill felt as if he had received a heavy blow on his back. Something black began spinning giddily in front of him. For a moment he hoped that his eyes had misled him. But no! She was really sitting on his lap — Thea, his wife, on this Heidelberger’s lap! He leaped noisily to his feet.

‘What’s the matter, Rudolfus?’

‘I-I think … the heat … shouldn’t we open the window …’

‘No! There’s no need!’

‘It’s late …’

‘What of it? There’s plenty of time. Go and pour us some wine, and hurry up about it!’

‘Why? You’ve had enough already …’

‘Pour it, I said, idiot!’

He took the bottle and poured.

‘More! Fill them up! To the brim! That’s it! Now bring them here! To your health, sweetheart!’ She turned to Heidelberger, laughing wildly.