When they had disappeared from sight he took the ladder out of the yard and put it back in the hall. He had decided to send Jadlowker away, he had a presentiment of evil. Nimbly he climbed up, opened the trap-door and went in. He saw Jadlowker walking restlessly up and down, between the washing-lines hung with bats. ‘Sit down!’ said Kapturak, ‘we must talk!’ Jadlowker knew at once what was up. ‘So I must go,’ he said, ‘but where?’ ‘Where? That’s just what we’ve got to think about!’ replied Kapturak. ‘It looks as if you’re not going to be counted among the dead any more, hence this unexpected visit to my house. I’m sorry, but I have to send you away. You must admit that I’ve treated you like my own child, even though I’m your mortgagee. And I haven’t taken a penny from you!’ ‘Where shall I go?’ asked Jadlowker. He was sitting on the chair in his fur coat, freezing. Through the small round skylight, which looked like a ship’s porthole, the frost stormed in, a grey wolf, a raging, hungry grey wolf. It was dark, even though the sun was shining outside. But the relentless, ice-blue sky sent only a meagre light through the round skylight into the attic. Up above there prevailed a kind of frosty blue half-darkness. Both men looked pale.

Where? Where? That was the question. ‘I set all the others free,’ said Kapturak, ‘and let them run where they wished. It was probably a mistake. I should probably have kept them together. But as for you – I don’t know what’s best. I think it’s best for you to go back to Szwaby, to go home. Who’s to recognize you there? Euphemia won’t betray you and Sameschkin is a blockhead, he won’t recognize you. That still leaves Eibenschütz! Of course, Eibenschütz!’ ‘What’s to be done with him, then?’ asked Jadlowker. He got up. He could not possibly remain seated where Eibenschütz was concerned.

Kapturak, who had been standing still throughout, began to walk to and fro. It looked as if he wanted to get warm but in reality he was not freezing at all, he was actually feeling hot from too much reflection. For a long time he had been harbouring the thought that the world would be a better place if Eibenschütz were not there.

‘Eibenschütz must go,’ he said – and remained standing.

‘How so?’ asked Jadlowker.

‘Sugar-loaf!’ said Kapturak – that was all. He remained standing for a while. Then he said: ‘We’re going to drive over, tonight. Sugar-loaf!’ he repeated. ‘I’ll fetch you, Jadlowker!’

Before he left the attic Kapturak made a sign with both hands. It looked as if he were holding a sugar-loaf in his hands and was beating someone over the head with it.

Leibusch Jadlowker nodded.

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