She gave a perplexed smile and then grew very serious as she took in the tone of the strange question.

“I would say so,” she said, emphasizing her answer with a firm nod of the head.

“I would say so as well,” he replied. “Certainly I don’t suffer from so-called inferiority complexes on that score.”

“But why should you?”

Her question did him good.

“I’m Jewish,” he explained, and looked at her almost threateningly.

“Ahh…” she registered calmly.

“That’s right! Perhaps you’re putting yourself at risk by talking to me?”

“Why would that be?” she asked, and looked at him, unruffled.

“I just thought perhaps. After all, not only have I been declared an outlaw, somehow I’ve also been made into a pariah. Isn’t that so?”

“Why would that be so?”

“I have no idea why I’m telling you all this. When a person hasn’t had a real conversation for several days the words just come blurting out all on their own. You see, I’m on the run. I haven’t committed any crime, and not once in my life have I had anything to do with politics. Nevertheless they came to arrest me and they smashed up my apartment. Not entirely, but to a great extent. They’re arresting Jews, as you know. Well, that’s beside the point. Please forgive me!”

He had talked himself into an agitated state. She kept looking at his face.

“What is there for me to forgive?” she asked. “You’re the one who’s far more deserving of an apology.”

“I accosted you with my story. A completely uninteresting tale. But the fact is I’m nervous because I’m being hunted. I’m not used to that. Somewhere inside I’m still living my old life, my normal life. After all, I used to be a free man! I don’t know how to come to terms with it.”

“Couldn’t you get out of the country?”

“Where would I go?” he almost shouted but then regained control. “No place will let me in. I waited too long, far too long. I also never thought they’d push things to the extreme. And imagine, I served on the front! I was a citizen like everybody else. Besides, my one attempt was foiled at the Belgian border. They caught me and took me back to German territory. So I’ve been traveling ever since. Second class, even though I’m still well off. When they finally arrest me they’ll get enough to furnish the state with a cannon or a torpedo. I don’t know exactly.”

“Is it that bad?” she asked, her voice faltering some.

He took pains to speak more calmly. “I may be exaggerating somewhat,” he said. “But when one is about to be guillotined and has no idea why, it’s hard to maintain one’s composure.”

“Where are you intending to go now?” she asked compassionately.

“All I can say is I’ll just keep moving,” he answered. “Beyond that I don’t know. I’ll keep traveling, keep going farther until they pounce, until I get stopped by some SA man. They’re the ones who set me in motion and they’ll be the ones who bring me to a halt.”