The man looked at him sternly. “You say you’re in the party?” he asked.

“And for longer than you!”

Both men were silent. Silbermann noted a thankful glance from the girl. Then the two party members continued their argument.

“So how can you say,” the stout man asked, “that one shouldn’t concern oneself with politics? That’s out and out defeatism!”

“I never said anything of the sort. Who knows what you might have heard? The gentleman is absolutely right: if you listen in on other people’s conversations you’re bound to mishear things. I have no idea what makes you think that…”

“You said…”

“First prove to me that you really are a member. Anyone can say that, and anyone can play detective. But whether he has the right to snoop around is another matter!”

“I’m not snooping. I’m simply fulfilling my duty, as every German should.”

“Are you saying it’s your duty to listen in? What kind of strange profession is that? I thought you ran a shop, or am I mistaken?”

“I don’t owe you any explanation.”

“But I owe you one, eh?”

“Indeed you do,” said the portly gentleman. “And now show me your party card!”

This last sentence came as a sharp command. Reluctantly, the worker pulled his membership card out of his pocket and handed it to the other man.

He examined the document carefully. “It’s good,” he said then, and stood up, “but in the future you should control yourself better, my friend! And I would give you the same advice!” he said to the girl. Then he took his briefcase and left the compartment.

For a moment everyone was uneasily silent.

By a hair, thought Silbermann, just by a hair. His heart was pounding. And always when you least expect it …

The old worker stared sullenly ahead for a while and then said, “I’d like to open the window. The air in here is a bit…”

The young girl said nothing. She had turned pale and kept running her hands nervously over her sandwich paper.

“Some people are simply overzealous,” Silbermann said, in a distinctly calm voice.

“Just anyone try and tell me what’s what,” said the worker. “I’ve been in the party for ten years. Just let them try!”

“See what happens when you go and open your mouth,” said the young worker who had kept quiet until then. “You wind up having to deal with an ass like that!”

Silbermann stepped back out into the corridor. He gazed out the window for a few minutes, then went to the toilet to wash his hands. He hadn’t shut the door properly and all of a sudden he heard the stout man’s voice saying: “Let’s see your papers.”

Silbermann spun around. But the words couldn’t be addressed to him. The man was probably speaking to someone just outside the toilet.