BOOK ONE: YESTERDAY grumbled Nurse Helene, "If you ask me," old Lorenz grum- bled back at her, "that's no reason to take action against that gang. Anyone who deals with them only soils his own hands. Don't let such things turn your hair grey, my girl. As long as the Minister leaves me in peace I shan't stir. All that"-he hrushed the newspapers aside-e''doesn't exist so far as I am concerned. You may rest assured of that." "Weil, if that is your opinion, Herr Privy Councillor," Nurse Helene shrugged her shoulders and, as she heard Edgar coming, took her leave, her anxiety by no means allayed. Edgar Oppermann excused himself for being late. Privy Councillor Lorenz did not rise, but stretched out his big hand and assumed a particularly hearty air. "Weil, my dear co1- league, 1'11 corne to the point at once. Perrnit me, I should just like to go over this Jacoby affair with you thoroughly." "Is it so complicated?" asked Edgar Oppermann in his turn, in- stantly feeling cross and nervous. Privy Councillor Lorenz licked his gold teeth, endeavouring to assume a still heartier tone. "What isn't complicated in these days, my dear Oppermann? The mayor is a fool. He is always licking the Ministry's boots. He scents every wind that comes from that quarter. The subsidies for the clinics, in any case, are getting more and more difficult to put through. As for the requirements in your department, my dear Opperrnann, theo- retical and laboratory work, they'll whine over every Reichs- mark before they'll corne across with it, We must take all that into consideration. Your friend Jacoby is, of course, the right man. I can't say that he is particularly agreeable to me as an individual, that would be a lie. But he's a scientist, there's noth- ing wrong with hirn there. Varhuus hasn't dared, either, to ig- nore hirn completely. But do you know whom he wants us to consider seriously? Reimers. Y our friend Reimers, my dear colleague Oppermann." Edgar Oppermann paced up and down with his short rapid

88 THE OPPERMANNS strides, autornatically trying to put springiness into his heavy body, As usual, Professor Varhuus, his eolleague at the Univer- sity of Berlin, would be bound to object to any suggestion that came from hirn. To propose Dr, Reimers was deucedly clever of hirn. Dr, Reimers was Edgar's second assistant. He was very popular with the patients and a frank, agreeable fellow. Edgar was not against Reimers; he was for Jacoby, however. His position was a difficult one. "What is your opinion, rny d.ear colleague?" he asked, still walking up and down. "I have already explained to you, Oppermann," said Lorenz, "that 1 am fundamentally in favour of that Schlemihl of yours. But, frankly, 1 foresee difficulties, There are now, in certain irnportant circles, gentlemen who value an imposing appear- anee higher than genuine merit, Pigsty politics again. At any rate, Reimers is ahead of your little friend Jacoby by a nose. I don't think the board will ask for sectional photographs but, after all, they may want to see what the candidates look like and may ask them to call. I doubt whether a personal appear- ance would improve the chances of our friend Jaeoby." Edgar carne to a halt at some distanee from Councillor Lo- renz. "Do you wish me to withdraw Dr. Jacoby's candidacy?" he asked, and his heavy voice sounded strangely hard and de- termined in contrast to the grumbling of the other. Lorenz turned his bulging eyes towards Edgar. He wanted to make a vehement reply but did not da so. On the contrary, he said in a surprisingly mild tone: "I wish nothing at all, Op- permann. I only wish to speak candidly with you, that's all. Personally, 1 confess, 1 like Reimers better but, as a scientist, I prefer your friend [acoby," Edgar Oppermann slowly pulled achair into a convenient position and sat down heavily. Like all the Oppermanns, he appeared larger when seated. He looked gloomy, the artificial briskness had vanished. Old Lorenz suddenly got up and stretched. His red face with its crown of white hair looked gi-