“But all of that only reflects on the others!”

“It doesn’t matter who it reflects on! The fact is that I’ve been through hell. They smeared the word ‘Jew’ all over my shop windows, and then I had to wipe it all off while the whole street was watching. The thing is that it was mostly the work of Willi Schröder, whose father I once had to take to court because he didn’t want to pay. But this wasn’t just some silly boy’s prank, either. And it’s not something you can really get over. What can I do about that, tell me. It’s not a feeling you can ever get rid of, once it’s there. If I were a pious Jew, I would say none of that matters. But I’m not. I was in the war, and I’ve seen it all!”

Lilienfeld paused a moment before continuing.

“And then you become so sensitive. You start smelling meanness everywhere. Whereas all you want is to be able to work in peace, have a glass of beer in the evening, play a nice game of skat, just like everybody else. And you can tell me all about the chosen people and how God is testing them. I couldn’t care less about that. I’m perfectly happy being a tradesman. And now I have to put up with being treated like a robber and murderer! The only thing missing is for them to start spitting on us.”

Lilienfeld stared dully ahead.

“So, it all just comes because I have a better head on my shoulders,” he then said, convinced and relieved. He now looked as though he expected Silbermann to pat him on the shoulder and say, “Cheer up, Lilienfeld!”

Silbermann, who had been quite gripped by Lilienfeld’s story, had to smile at his companion’s naive conclusion.

“I’m thirsty for some coffee!” Lilienfeld declared, now that he had said his piece and was probably also afraid of falling into too melancholy a mood. “At the next station I’m definitely hopping off for a coffee and some brandy, that’s my usual routine. Do you know when the dining car is open?”

“I’m not sure if there is one yet: it might get added at Dortmund. We can go through the train and check.”

They both got up and went into the corridor. A man was standing at the window in front of the neighboring compartment. He politely stepped back to let them pass, and they went on.

“I hope he didn’t hear our conversation,” said Lilienfeld, after they were out of earshot. “You were speaking so loudly. One has to be very careful. I’ve heard these trains are full of informers.”

They made their way to the next car, which was second class, and where the corridor was completely empty. As they passed through two sleeping cars they ran into a member of the staff but no one else. Finally they wound up in a third-class car, where the corridor was full of people smoking, chatting, and looking out the window.