representing him

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socks, and sat up straight. Then he heard someone from the station shouting: "Hi!" if

darkness."If at least," Raban thought, "I were to get into a wrong train. Then it would at

balcony who cut a broad cross in blood on the palm of his hand and held the hand up

about eye level, and the many raindrops on the glass were white, often single onesbetween the shafts. Raban rubbed his feet thoroughly on the seat, pulled on clean

108too," Raban answered, leaning out of the door, which he had opened, holding on to the

for a moment Raban was walking against Lement's outstretched arm.

least twice I kept you from seeing him, although he was actually sitting with me in my85

began an explanation: listen here, he said, he had been playing cards with Lebeda andThere Raban looked around, while calling out "Thank you, thank you!" to the porter,

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

strutting through the world, finishing off deals that I had prepared for him, bursting"He has pockets even in his shirt!" said Georg to himself, and believed that with

haven't even shrunk from pulling my leg. How could you have a friend out there! I

expression! What other comfort was left to a poor old widower? Tell me -- and whileme? Do shut your umbrella; it stopped raining ages ago. I didn't have a chance to tell

"But your friend hasn't been betrayed after all!" cried his father, emphasizinghe at once come and asked?

For one isn't at all sure even of acquaintances of long standing. Wasn't Lement nice tome today? -- he explained some things to me, didn't he, and described everything as it

back if I want to, for I shall have no one there whom I could pay calls on whenever I

room, plagued by a disloyal staff, old to the marrow of my bones? And my sonWrapped in the canvas of two sacks that had been cut up, the driver came over,

On his left, at the window, two gentlemen were sitting opposite each other,own future establishment. It almost looked, on closer inspection, as if the care he

says, that need not be a disadvantage at all. One will spend more time in the rooms

when he was on a business trip to Kiev and ran into a riot, and saw a priest on aThe station clock struck, it was a quarter to six. Raban stopped because he had

impossible for him to take a look outside then, still, he did not mean to abuse anyoneamount of light from the main hall of the station, in which it was standing; in front of

the fact that there was nothing he wanted to find out from me and that he himself still

a short thread through the eye of a needle.done and, his eyes starting in his head, bit his tongue back, only too late, till the pain

his father had clean changes of underwear. He had not yet explicitly discussed with hisalone in the old house. But now he made a quick, firm decision to take him into his

doorpost with his right hand, the left hand held open, close to his mouth.slammed down on the counter the ticket he had been asked for and the change. Nowand nodded and asked him questions. If you think back you're bound to remember. He

reason one mustn't miss it. But if there is no such sight to be seen, then there will beThese words went hissing through his mind.

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

But then, later, you got on with him very well. I was proud because you listened to himconnection with your friend and I have your customers here in my pocket!"

have here, and he would be getting there soon enough anyway, so that he need not gosaw many people's backs, and the backs of their heads, and between them the

Raban did not answer, shut his umbrella, and the sky closed over him in pallid

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

passengers would change places, discussing these changes with each other, or they


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one. If a stick or the metal-covered corner of a suitcase stuck out, then the owner

"Yes, of course I've been playing a comedy! A comedy! That's a good93

people you know fairly well. Addio. Well, a good journey, and remember me to

will appear to me. He came up and spoke to me and then walked with me, in spite ofnearer, as he had expected, he straightened himself again.

"Georg," said his father in a low voice, without moving.they had just been getting on fine when the train came. It would really have been

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

many a windowpane -- all were shut right up to the top -- a hissing arc lamp hung atbride-to-be what arrangements should be made for his father in the future, for they

and complain anywhere. Only just now Herr Pirkershofer -- if you please, that's theNow he'll lean forward, thought Georg, what if he topples and smashes himself!

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

pipes and cigars, in one place drifting limply past the face of a girl. Often thefans of puddle water formed, with a rushing sound, behind the turning wheels; it was

had been cleared up, I were to arrive in this station again on my way back, then I

the pupils, overlarge, fixedly looking at him from the corners of the eyes.shouted at in a muffled voice, began to pull, and the water on top of the bus, now set

lighted path between large shrubs, rushed into an open place with many emptycan't believe it."

"That's quite easy, send a telegram."for the most part with loose reins that the driver guided the dripping horse. -- Could

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

Gillemann's, after all. It's a quarter to six, so not too late, after all, for paying calls ontired, yes, I'll go all right. If a telegram came, they'd get a fright, into the bargain. --

booking clerk looked out, said it was really high time, took the bank note, and84

with the other. The coach that he entered was brightly illuminated by the great

respectable businessman! Do you think I didn't love you, I, from whom you arehave offended him even with a single word. I did refuse to spend the evening in town,

no discussion beforehand either, for all will be expected to get together quite easily ifmade his knees give.

district, there will probably be a walk all together to that ruin; it will have been agreed

was no need to think that there were wheels under the floor and in front the horseAnd what for, where would we go, anyway?"

only has to send the maid into the others' apartments, where they are sitting over acome over here and that you're only hanging back of your own accord. Don't be too

talking about the price of goods. "They're commercial travelers," Raban thought and,would move. Raban could hear the noise from the platform even when he had shut thewould transfer their luggage, which lay in a narrow blue net over a seat, to another

railings into the street, crossed it, leapt through the station entrance, after a whilePage

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

"Stay where you are, I don't need you! You think you have strength enough toeveryone!"

though the omnibus had black distempered walls and no glass in the windows. Therewho did not understand that. Apart from that, this place here was a filthy dump, and

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

slipping off his dressing gown as he stood feebly enough, "it'll soon be three years sincethere was anyone in the bus he might say so. "Yes, yes, and he would like to start now,

junior assistant clerk -- had come in and had said he thought a small fair man had


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against such invitations. And yet I don't know whether I shall be able to, for it is not so

Meanwhile Georg had succeeded in lowering his father down again andhimself for having been neglectful. It should have certainly been his duty to see that

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

but that was only natural, that can't have offended him, for he is a sensible person."benches leaning against little trees, then went more slowly through an opening in the

stirring, dripped slowly through a crack into the carriage.my friend came to see us last. I remember that you used not to like him very much. At

upon some time before. Then, however, one must look forward to it; for that very

carefully taking off the woolen drawers he wore over his linen underpants and hisfor I don't want to go through the wet park with you, as I should like to drop in at

Pageany rate seem to me that the whole enterprise had begun, and if later, after the mistake

sprung?"

Raban tried to count his change quickly, thinking he ought to be getting more, but aThe rain gushed down the back of his neck, inside his collar.

bethought himself and pushed his suitcase under his seat.

but your mother has given me so much of her strength that I've established a finePage

palpitations, then he walked quickly along the park pool, went along a narrow, badlyused to tell us the most incredible stories of the Russian Revolution. For instance,

upturned faces of people on the seat opposite. In some places smoke was curling fromwho could show me how his crops are doing or show me a quarry he is working there.

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

letter or books and are delighted by this news. Well, it is not difficult to protect oneself"Then it's really better for you to go. I was only thinking. . . Anyway I couldn't

easy as I imagine it now when I am still alone and can still do everything, can still gothe reflection of his stable lantern jumping through the puddles at his feet. Irritably he

would have his attention drawn to this. He would go over and straighten it. Raban also

"Yes, that could be done -- but it wouldn't be very nice if I didn't go -- and I'mhad something else to do. But now all of a sudden he has gone away, and yet I can't

you're answering me be you still my living son -- what else was left to me, in my backThe road was perhaps hilly; there was surely mud flying up into the spokes;

Page

like, and no one with whom I could make more strenuous expeditions, no one there86

go with you today, as I'm sleepy, I forgot to tell you that. And now I shall say goodbye,"Just think back a bit, Father," said Georg, lifting his father from the chair and

Georg knelt down at once beside his father, in the old man's weary face he sawand appealed to the mob. You've told that story yourself once or twice since."Lement turned to the right and held out his right hand to say goodbye, so that

socks. The not particularly clean appearance of his underwear made him reproachon the seat opposite. It was bright enough, the darkness outside made it appear as

no half-measures, and it was hard to see what business a gentleman like this could

porter who was walking nearby hurried him through a glass door onto the platform.found the booking office, and had to knock for a while on the iron shutter. Then the

room. I could quite well understand your dislike of him, my friend has his peculiarities.His father leaned forward but did not topple. Since Georg did not come any

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

supporting himself on his umbrella with one hand, and on the handle of the suitcaseyou."

the point with stabs of his forefinger. "I've been representing him here on the spot."


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

"Adieu." Raban said.meant to lavish there on his father might come too late.

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

sure! I am still much the stronger of us two. All by myself I might have had to give way,

representing him

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