‘I’m afraid,’ she said in a strangled voice, ‘I’m so afraid!’ She gripped his hand. ‘Oh God, he’ll kill you! He’s capable of it. He killed my child … it was him, I know it was. They tried to tell me that he died of diphtheria, but I know better. He kills everyone close to me, everyone who wishes me well. He wants me to be alone in the world … without anyone to protect me …’

‘What? Who? Calm yourself, madam, I beg you,’ said Gurdweill, himself infected by her agitation, ‘calm yourself, please, nothing will happen.’

‘No, no, you don’t know, sir! He sees everything and knows everything. Oh my God — he could pass by here now and kill you! He could easily pass here by chance … No, no, we must get away at once. If he should see us together! Please take me home, sir. I know he’s not there now.’

In a sudden excess of energy she leaped to her feet and pulled Gurdweill up after her.

Gurdweill went with her. He was full of fear — not because of the imaginary man but because of this strange woman, who seemed to him unbalanced in her mind. Her sudden fear and the strange things she said were like an alien wind blowing from beyond some frontier of sanity, from the domain of nightmare and horror. But perhaps she was not mad at all? Perhaps there was something real behind it all? For a moment he regretted having embarked on this adventure. However, it never occurred to him to make some excuse and run away. They hurried out of the park, with the young woman darting terrified looks in all directions, as if they were being pursued. She clung tightly to Gurdweill’s arm. But the further they receded from the park the calmer she grew, to Gurdweill’s astonishment. As they approached the Ring her footsteps slowed down. Her terror of a moment before seemed to have been completely forgotten. Gurdweill now found the courage to ask her for her name and address.

‘Frau Franzi Mitteldorfer,’ she replied with a strange smile. ‘Neubaugasse 27. No, no, sir,’ she immediately corrected herself. ‘I won’t lie to you. My address is Stumpergasse 14. Tram number 61.’

Gurdweill stared at her in perplexity and said nothing. He led her to the tram stop, which was not far off, and then got into the almost empty tram with her. When they sat down the woman said apologetically: