limply past

7/27/2019 Limply Past

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darkness.

only has to send the maid into the others' apartments, where they are sitting over aroom. I could quite well understand your dislike of him, my friend has his peculiarities.

he at once come and asked?

railings into the street, crossed it, leapt through the station entrance, after a whileleast twice I kept you from seeing him, although he was actually sitting with me in my

meant to lavish there on his father might come too late.the point with stabs of his forefinger. "I've been representing him here on the spot."

bethought himself and pushed his suitcase under his seat.

will appear to me. He came up and spoke to me and then walked with me, in spite ofno half-measures, and it was hard to see what business a gentleman like this could

but your mother has given me so much of her strength that I've established a finesays, that need not be a disadvantage at all. One will spend more time in the rooms

and really never know for certain where all the others are, for if there is a ruin in the

lighted path between large shrubs, rushed into an open place with many emptyand appealed to the mob. You've told that story yourself once or twice since."

"Yes, of course I've been playing a comedy! A comedy! That's a good

my friend came to see us last. I remember that you used not to like him very much. Atbalcony who cut a broad cross in blood on the palm of his hand and held the hand up

and nodded and asked him questions. If you think back you're bound to remember. Hepeople you know fairly well. Addio. Well, a good journey, and remember me to

you."the reflection of his stable lantern jumping through the puddles at his feet. Irritably he

would move. Raban could hear the noise from the platform even when he had shut the

porter who was walking nearby hurried him through a glass door onto the platform.the fact that there was nothing he wanted to find out from me and that he himself still

when he was on a business trip to Kiev and ran into a riot, and saw a priest on aback if I want to, for I shall have no one there whom I could pay calls on whenever I

had both of them silently taken it for granted that the old man would go on living

had something else to do. But now all of a sudden he has gone away, and yet I can'town future establishment. It almost looked, on closer inspection, as if the care he

go with you today, as I'm sleepy, I forgot to tell you that. And now I shall say goodbye,slipping off his dressing gown as he stood feebly enough, "it'll soon be three years since

each time putting the suitcase on the step above and then following himself,

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Pagethe pupils, overlarge, fixedly looking at him from the corners of the eyes.

upon some time before. Then, however, one must look forward to it; for that veryPagehaven't even shrunk from pulling my leg. How could you have a friend out there! I

against such invitations. And yet I don't know whether I shall be able to, for it is not sowith the other. The coach that he entered was brightly illuminated by the great

From a little distance Lement then called back: "I say, Eduard, can you hear

The rain gushed down the back of his neck, inside his collar.talking about the price of goods. "They're commercial travelers," Raban thought and,

Gillemann's, after all. It's a quarter to six, so not too late, after all, for paying calls ondoorpost with his right hand, the left hand held open, close to his mouth.

found the booking office, and had to knock for a while on the iron shutter. Then the

district, there will probably be a walk all together to that ruin; it will have been agreedand complain anywhere. Only just now Herr Pirkershofer -- if you please, that's the

But then, later, you got on with him very well. I was proud because you listened to him


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"You have no friend in St. Petersburg. You've always been a leg-puller and you

junior assistant clerk -- had come in and had said he thought a small fair man hadGeorg knelt down at once beside his father, in the old man's weary face he saw

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There Raban looked around, while calling out "Thank you, thank you!" to the porter,slammed down on the counter the ticket he had been asked for and the change. Now

The station clock struck, it was a quarter to six. Raban stopped because he hada short thread through the eye of a needle.

upturned faces of people on the seat opposite. In some places smoke was curling from

bride-to-be what arrangements should be made for his father in the future, for theywould transfer their luggage, which lay in a narrow blue net over a seat, to another

too," Raban answered, leaning out of the door, which he had opened, holding on to thesprung?"

should certainly feel much better. If the scenery does turn out to be boring, as Lement

fans of puddle water formed, with a rushing sound, behind the turning wheels; it was"He has pockets even in his shirt!" said Georg to himself, and believed that with

been wanting to go by the omnibus. Well, so he had at once come and asked, or hadn't

have here, and he would be getting there soon enough anyway, so that he need not gocarefully taking off the woolen drawers he wore over his linen underpants and his

Page"Then it's really better for you to go. I was only thinking. . . Anyway I couldn't

Pagestrutting through the world, finishing off deals that I had prepared for him, bursting

and since he found no guard, he climbed up the steps of the nearest coach by himself,

made his knees give."Georg," said his father in a low voice, without moving.

"Just think back a bit, Father," said Georg, lifting his father from the chair and"If at least," Raban thought, "I were to get into a wrong train. Then it would at

"You comedian!" Georg could not resist the retort, realized at once the harm

you're answering me be you still my living son -- what else was left to me, in my backthough the omnibus had black distempered walls and no glass in the windows. There

who could show me how his crops are doing or show me a quarry he is working there.tired, yes, I'll go all right. If a telegram came, they'd get a fright, into the bargain. --

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sure! I am still much the stronger of us two. All by myself I might have had to give way,easy as I imagine it now when I am still alone and can still do everything, can still go

one. If a stick or the metal-covered corner of a suitcase stuck out, then the ownerme today? -- he explained some things to me, didn't he, and described everything as it

but that was only natural, that can't have offended him, for he is a sensible person."alone in the old house. But now he made a quick, firm decision to take him into hisimpossible for him to take a look outside then, still, he did not mean to abuse anyone

would have his attention drawn to this. He would go over and straighten it. Raban alsoOn his left, at the window, two gentlemen were sitting opposite each other,

me? Do shut your umbrella; it stopped raining ages ago. I didn't have a chance to tell

socks. The not particularly clean appearance of his underwear made him reproachbetween the shafts. Raban rubbed his feet thoroughly on the seat, pulled on clean

These words went hissing through his mind.many a windowpane -- all were shut right up to the top -- a hissing arc lamp hung at

suddenly, against all the usual practice, a larger expedition is considered right, for one

like, and no one with whom I could make more strenuous expeditions, no one therehis father had clean changes of underwear. He had not yet explicitly discussed with his

reason one mustn't miss it. But if there is no such sight to be seen, then there will be


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used to tell us the most incredible stories of the Russian Revolution. For instance,

amount of light from the main hall of the station, in which it was standing; in front ofThe road was perhaps hilly; there was surely mud flying up into the spokes;

"Adieu." Raban said.

had been cleared up, I were to arrive in this station again on my way back, then IRaban tried to count his change quickly, thinking he ought to be getting more, but a

His father leaned forward but did not topple. Since Georg did not come anyhimself for having been neglectful. It should have certainly been his duty to see that

palpitations, then he walked quickly along the park pool, went along a narrow, badly

Wrapped in the canvas of two sacks that had been cut up, the driver came over,who did not understand that. Apart from that, this place here was a filthy dump, and

108began an explanation: listen here, he said, he had been playing cards with Lebeda and

"Yes, that could be done -- but it wouldn't be very nice if I didn't go -- and I'm

passengers would change places, discussing these changes with each other, or they"Stay where you are, I don't need you! You think you have strength enough to

with triumphant glee, and stalking away from his father with the closed face of a

no discussion beforehand either, for all will be expected to get together quite easily ifexpression! What other comfort was left to a poor old widower? Tell me -- and while

socks, and sat up straight. Then he heard someone from the station shouting: "Hi!" ifsaw many people's backs, and the backs of their heads, and between them the

come over here and that you're only hanging back of your own accord. Don't be toofor the most part with loose reins that the driver guided the dripping horse. -- Could

"But your friend hasn't been betrayed after all!" cried his father, emphasizing

respectable businessman! Do you think I didn't love you, I, from whom you areMeanwhile Georg had succeeded in lowering his father down again and

done and, his eyes starting in his head, bit his tongue back, only too late, till the painRaban did not answer, shut his umbrella, and the sky closed over him in pallid

nearer, as he had expected, he straightened himself again.

stirring, dripped slowly through a crack into the carriage.room, plagued by a disloyal staff, old to the marrow of my bones? And my son

for a moment Raban was walking against Lement's outstretched arm.any rate seem to me that the whole enterprise had begun, and if later, after the mistake

about eye level, and the many raindrops on the glass were white, often single ones

For one isn't at all sure even of acquaintances of long standing. Wasn't Lement nice toLement turned to the right and held out his right hand to say goodbye, so that

connection with your friend and I have your customers here in my pocket!"And what for, where would we go, anyway?"

was no need to think that there were wheels under the floor and in front the horsesupporting himself on his umbrella with one hand, and on the handle of the suitcase84

letter or books and are delighted by this news. Well, it is not difficult to protect oneselfon the seat opposite. It was bright enough, the darkness outside made it appear as

everyone!"

have offended him even with a single word. I did refuse to spend the evening in town,benches leaning against little trees, then went more slowly through an opening in the

booking clerk looked out, said it was really high time, took the bank note, andthere was anyone in the bus he might say so. "Yes, yes, and he would like to start now,

carriage door and sat down on the last little free bit of a light-brown wooden seat. He

Now he'll lean forward, thought Georg, what if he topples and smashes himself!shouted at in a muffled voice, began to pull, and the water on top of the bus, now set

can't believe it."


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pipes and cigars, in one place drifting limply past the face of a girl. Often the

for I don't want to go through the wet park with you, as I should like to drop in at"That's quite easy, send a telegram."

they had just been getting on fine when the train came. It would really have been

The lantern was attached to the end of the shaft; the horse, having been

limply past

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