“Ach.” He brushed aside her self-reproach. “It’s no one’s fault. Is someone who forgot to put on a bulletproof vest at the right moment to blame if he gets shot? That’s all nonsense. Besides, you were more for leaving than I was. If you’d had your way we would already be out of the country. You would have left your family more easily than I would have left my business. But it didn’t happen. And at this point the whys and wherefores don’t matter.”

He gave her a kiss, then went back to Herr Findler. He attempted to appear as calm and composed as before, but something in his face, some excessive tension, a smile that seemed forced, made the other man suspicious.

“What’s going on?” Findler asked. “Bad news?”

“Family matters,” said Silbermann, and sat back down at the table.

“I see,” said Findler, drawing the words out, his forehead more furrowed than usual. “Well, I’m sure it’s bad news, right? Family news is always bad. Believe me, I know.”

Silbermann opened the cigarette case that was lying on the table. “Shall we get back to business?” he asked as calmly as he could.

“Well,” Findler replied, “I’m really not so tempted. I’m not even sure if it’s still possible to buy property from Jews. No idea. If you had your way you’d flimflam me before I could count to three. Well?”

This constant “well,” which sounded so fat and smug, was gradually bringing Silbermann to the point of despair.

“Do you actually want to buy the building or just talk about buying it? What do you want to do?”

“Well,” said Findler as he stretched in his armchair. “I really wrenched my hip earlier. What do you say to that? Wouldn’t it be better if we waited to see what new regulations are coming? It’s too risky for me. I pay for a place and end up not getting it. The government has in mind all sorts of things for you Jews.”

“All right then fifteen thousand!”

“I don’t know, Silbermann, I really have no idea if I should or not. What say we wait a few weeks, and if nothing happens in the meantime I’ll still be able to buy the place. First I also have to speak with my lawyer, absolutely.”

“But ten minutes ago…”

“Since then I’ve started to have some doubts. I also don’t want you to have any trouble because you’re selling your home. But most of all I don’t want any trouble myself.”

“Just so we can finish this: I let you have the building for a down payment of fourteen thousand marks. But you have to agree now.”

“Is that so? Well … let’s talk about it again tomorrow. Fourteen thousand marks is a heap of money, that’s for sure! I’m not an ogre. I don’t want something for nothing. But I have to ask myself whether this place is really worth a fourteen thousand down payment. And of course you realize that the payment could only be made after the deed gets notarized and registered. And in case of any force majeure the whole transaction would be void. Fourteen thousand marks … Do you honestly believe I’m getting a bargain if we shake on it this evening and call it a deal?”