“Of course … I understand … It’s very kind that you … but perhaps you could come by early in the morning?”

“Early in the morning? Yes, that would work. I have a train to Hamburg at nine twenty.” By now I have all the departure times in my head, Silbermann was surprised to note. Which can be very useful in certain cases, such as this one.

“So if you’ll be so kind as to come by at eight,” the lawyer suggested very politely.

“Where do you live?”

“Kurfürstendamm 65.”

“Right, I have that address from the telephone book. But the purse has a letter to your wife at a different address. I think…”

He stopped, hoping the lawyer would mention the address, but he didn’t.

The man just growled reluctantly. “So?”

“Well,” said Silbermann. “Now I’m in an awkward situation. I have no idea what to do. I believe your wife implied in conversation that you’re living in separation.”

“So why are you calling me?”

“Well I don’t know exactly, either. I’m not so precisely informed about your family affairs, which are none of my business. I only wondered where I ought to take the purse, since I really should return it to your wife.”

“Bring it to my office tomorrow morning.”

“I don’t know if I have the right, if you are…”

“So then leave me in peace! Do what you want. Take it straight to her for all I care. Perhaps that’s best.”

“I’ll simply deposit it in the lost-and-found bureau.” Silbermann made one final try. “I don’t know if the address is still valid. Then the bureau can look up your wife.”

“It’s all the same to me, but maybe you should take it to Pension Weler, that’s where she’s staying, if you don’t want to entrust it to me. What address is on the letter?”

Silbermann quickly opened the phone book.

“Let me see,” he said. “Maybe I can manage that, if I have enough time.”

“What address is on the letter?” The lawyer repeated his question.

“I’ll have to check,” Silbermann said. “Please excuse my having bothered you. Good-bye.”

He hung up. Full of hope, he leafed through the phone book. Perhaps I should have asked for the street, he thought. If that pension isn’t listed—I can’t call him again. But he found the address and wrote it down. Then he went back onto the street. An escapade, he thought, almost angrily. A romantic escapade!

He took a taxi. When he reached the boardinghouse he had to ring several times before someone finally opened the door.

“I’d like to speak with a Frau Angelhof,” he said.

The maidservant looked at him, astonished. “At this hour?” she asked, incredulously.

“Yes,” he said decisively. “I’m only passing through and have something to give her,” he added by way of explanation.

“Can’t you give it to me?”