“It’s all right,” said Silbermann. “You don’t have to hold it against me that you’re helping me.”

“I don’t hold it against you. But Gertrud, she has a way of getting you to do things…”

“Franz,” Silbermann said, trying to calm him down, “just be glad. Here’s your money. And give your fiancée my greetings and tell her I wish her all good luck.”

“You better wish that for yourself,” said Franz sullenly, as he pocketed the money without counting the bills. “Because frankly this isn’t going to be easy! Just keep heading straight. You’ll come across a fire lane, but keep going until you reach the forest path. That’s where the border is, but you have to keep going! Eventually you’ll come to a road, but just keep on going straight ahead across the fields! If you hurry you’ll be in Belgium in half an hour.

“Watch out for the Belgian gendarmes, and be sure you get to the nearest larger town as fast as you can. If they call out to you while you’re still on German soil then stop, otherwise they’ll shoot, you can bet your suitcase on that. Speaking of which, you really should have left it at home. Who on earth tries to cross the border with a suitcase—I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m surprised you’re not hauling a furniture van as well!”

After carefully absorbing his grumpy driver’s observations, Silbermann asked, “Do you think I’ll make it?”

“That’s a question I can’t answer,” said Franz. “I’ve already told you how things are. One person gets through and another doesn’t. But if you’re going to piss your pants right here there’s no way you’re going to make it. I’ve heard that they’ve beefed up the border patrols on the Belgian side. If they catch you you’ll get sent right back, that’s for dead sure! Now hurry up and good luck! And if you get caught please say you came all this way on foot. But I bet you’ll rat me out first thing, am I right! You upstanding citizens are all alike.”

“Have you ever crossed the border?”

“Have I ever crossed it?” Franz laughed.

“I’ll give you another thousand marks if you take me across. I’m afraid I’ll lose my way. I don’t have any experience…”

“I see. And what did you promise my fiancée?”

Silbermann nodded. “You’re right,” he said uneasily. “I’ll have to manage on my own.” He held out his hand. “Good-bye.”

“I can see it coming,” Franz answered, now sounding angry. “You’re going to run smack into the arms of the first border guard. Why did I ever let myself be talked into this! Now I’m really in for it!”

He got out of the car.

“What are you doing?” Silbermann asked hopefully.

“I’m not starting something and then leaving it half-done now am I?” Franz said, disgruntled. “Come on.”

“Do you really want to…?”

“No! I don’t want to! But what choice do I have?”