BOOK ONE: YESTERDAY gantic on his huge body. ClumsiIy, his white smock billowing about his mighty figure, he approached Edgar. A true doctor, Lorenz had once said to a faint-hearted student, understands everything and can do everything. He fears God and nothing else in the world. His students had called hirn "Feargod" ever since. But today he was not an angry Jehovah. "I have no illu- sions about myself, my dear Oppermann," said he as mildly as he could. "At bottom I am nothing but an old country doc- tor. I understand my patients and I can smell out things about them that you younger people knaw nothing of. On the other hand there is very much that you yaung people know and I do not. Reimers is, on the whole, nearer my type. But I prefer your friend Jacobyr "What's to be done, then?" asked Edgar. "That's wh at Iwanted to ask you," said old Lorenz. And as Edgar Oppermann still remained silent, with an unwontedly ironical expression hovering about his lips, he added: "I freely admit I could fix it up for your friend Jacoby without more ado, But that would be bad for the subsidy. Shall I risk it? Da you wish me to?" Oppermann made a growling noise, a peculiar mixture of bitter laughter and negation. "Weil, then," said Lorenz. "There's only one alternative: postpone the decision. The polit- ical situation may have altered for the better in a month's time." Opperrnann growlecl out something. Lorenz took it to be an assent. He breathed heaviIy, glad to have done with the un- pleasant subject, and laid a hand upon Oppermann's shoul- der. "Science is long-winded. Jacoby will just have to wait a bit," The white smock swirled around his broad hips. He was leaving. "It must be someone who combines the appearance of Reimers with the ability of Jacoby. Otherwise they won't do it, The shallowness of human nature is to blame, my dear col- league. It's a filthy thing," he added, already at the door,

THE OPPERMANNS sounding like a departing storm. "Human nature, I mean.' When Lorenz had gone, Edgar rose, vertical furrows above his nose, feet turned in, and paced to and fro with an un- wontedly siow step. Then, curiously enough, he persuaded himself that the interview had not gone so badIy. Old Lorenz was in favour of Iittie Jacoby, at any rate, and old Lorenz was a real man. His ill-humour vanished rapidIy, Iike that of a child. When Nurse Helene came in, the sun was aiready shin- ing again in his face. N urse Helene, in contrast to Opperrnann, was Iess satisfied by her interview with old Lorenz. She had thought over, in her stolid way, everything he had said. He had promised not to induce the Professor to take legal action until the Minister forced hirn to. The Minister would, however, be certain to force hirn to. She would have to warn her Professor. I really think it would be better if I showed hirn the article. But when she saw Edgar's beaming face she decided, in spite of her energetic character, to put it off. "Was it very un- pleasant ?" she contented herself with asking. "No, no," Edgar Oppermann gave her his sIy, friendly smile, "The score was two-three." I n the five minutes' recess before the Gerrnan Iesson Berthold assurned a manly attitude, behaving as if he had forgotten what lay before hirn and talking on indifferent subjects to his companions. Senior Master Vogelsang also behaved as if the forthcorning event were not of any consequence to hirn. He came in, sat down stiffiy at his desk, and turned over the pages of his notebook. "What was it we were going to do today? Ab, I have it. Oppermann's lecture. Now then, Oppermann."