What if I get caught now, he thought. And sent back to Germany! But that simply can’t happen!

To make as little noise as possible he went exceedingly slowly, testing the ground with his feet to avoid any missteps.

At least I’m in Belgium, he then thought. I managed after all!

The forest began to clear and through the darkness he could make out something lighter colored. The road, he thought. He started to walk more quickly, without paying attention to the noise made by the snapping twigs. When he was out of the woods he looked around. He felt an almost celebratory sensation.

My shadow existence is over, he thought. Now I’ll become a human again!

After he had carefully scanned the area and failed to see anything suspicious, he crossed the road. Before him was an open field.

Keep going straight ahead, he remembered. He jumped over a small ditch and felt the soft, damp tilled earth beneath his feet. If only I hadn’t taken this damn suitcase with me, he again wished.

All of a sudden he heard sounds coming from the forest. Twigs crackled, first one flashlight switched on, then a second, and two figures emerged from the darkness about twenty meters from the place he had just passed, and headed in his direction.

At the first suspicious sound Silbermann had instantly thrown himself down and was now dragging his suitcase behind him, which thudded on the ground. His heart was pounding, and he opened his mouth wide to breathe. He pushed his face as close to the ground as his increasingly urgent need for air allowed.

Only the blurred outlines of the men were visible. They were standing in the middle of the road, pointing their flashlights this way and that. They conferred in whispers and seemed to disagree as to which direction he had taken, and then they separated. One stayed in place while the other walked over to the ditch, where he shined his light up and down before setting off in the opposite direction from Silbermann.

Meanwhile the man who had stayed put lit a cigarette and started walking very deliberately right toward Silbermann. He seemed utterly sure of himself—almost as though he were mocking both his colleague, who had doggedly continued in the wrong direction and was now fifty paces away, as well as the man who thought he could remain hidden.

This can’t be. Silbermann prayed that it not be true. This simply cannot be! He can’t have seen me, no!

At the same time he knew that the man who was now only ten paces away could surely hear his fitful breathing. Silbermann pressed his hand against his mouth.

“Eh bien,” a calm voice now said. “Voulez-vous rester là?”

The man shone the light in Silbermann’s face.

“Je l’ai trouvé,” the guard now called out to his companion, who came hurrying over.

Silbermann had a hard time getting up. “Je suis…” he began.