BOOK ONB: YESTERDAY Martin Oppermann knew the story. He was peeved. Lise- lotte, also, had already heard the story once before. But it in.. terested her to hear it a secend time. Martin took out his eyeglasses, polished them, and put them back again, "We certainly can't be cxpeeted to throw the Op- permann shops at him," he said, and his hrown eyes were by no means sleepy now, "Weil, well," said jaques soothingly, "1 am sure yo·u have done a good thing already. Besides, if YOll would really like to bring in some American capital, I volun- teer to arrange the matter within a week and to such good ef- feet that no one will be able ro touch rou.. And no one will dare to talk about 'throwing things at peopJe,' " he added, smil- Ing. The question of transferring Oppermann's Purairure Stores to jaques Lavendel, who was a naturalized American citizen, bad been under consideration on several occasions; bat the idea had been abandoned for various reasons. Curiously enough, Martin did not DOW advance any one of the many practical objections but said rather spitefully,. "Lavendel would not be a good name for our stores," "1 know· that," replied Jaques quietly, "As far as I know there never was any question of it," he added, smiling. The transformation cf the two branches. into the German Furniture Company was really not quitt as simple as it ap- peared. There was a mass of details to be discussed, Jaques Lavendel had many useful suggestions to offer. Martin hsd to adrnit that jaques was rhe more resourceful of the two.. He ex- pressed his thanks, Jaques staod up and took his leave with a firm, hearty handshake. "I~ too, thank you sincerely," said Liselotte warmly in her strang, deep voice. "I don't understand anything abour your business," she said to Martin, after Jaques had gone. "BUl why, if you really want to bring rhis W ds in, don't yau da it ar once?"

34 THE OPPERMANNS 6 Gustav Oppermann had worked all the morning with Dr. Frischlin, Dr. Klaus Frischlin, a tall, lean man with a poor cornplexion and very thin hair, carne of a wealthy fam- ily. He had originally studied the history of art, Engrossed in his work he had hoped to become a university professor. Then his money meited away, and he starved pitiably for a time. Gustav Oppermann had discovered hirn when his total pos- sessions consisted of a threadbare suit, cracked shoes, and the manuscript of a remarkably thorough study of the painter Theotokopoulos, called EI Greco. In order to give him some- thing to do, Gustav had started an art department in Opper- mann's Furniture Stores and had made hirn its head. Gustav, in his blind optimism, had at first dreamed, through the pres- ence of Klaus Frischlin, of having the firm handle such mod- ern styles as steel and architectural furniture. However, he very soon realized that the art department had to how to the middle-class demands of the Oppermann customers. Klaus Frischlin still endeavoured in devious ways, hut in vain, to smuggle in his own fastidious taste. Gustav was amused and touched hy these attempts. He was fond of the tenacious fellow and often employed him as a private secretary and research worker. Gustav had sent for Frischlin this Wednesday as he always did on that day. He did, in fact, intend working at his biog- raphy of Lessing. But wasn't it tempting envious fate to busy hirnself with it on such a day as this? Accordingly, he gave up the idea and applied hirnself instead to abrief examination of his life from a chronological point of view. Had it not occurred to hirn that very morning how difficult it was to find one's