ther horse

7/27/2019 Ther Horse

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These words went hissing through his mind.upon some time before. Then, however, one must look forward to it; for that very

he at once come and asked?

Georg knelt down at once beside his father, in the old man's weary face he sawrespectable businessman! Do you think I didn't love you, I, from whom you are

"Georg," said his father in a low voice, without moving.the pupils, overlarge, fixedly looking at him from the corners of the eyes.

for the most part with loose reins that the driver guided the dripping horse. -- Could

had both of them silently taken it for granted that the old man would go on livingno discussion beforehand either, for all will be expected to get together quite easily if

connection with your friend and I have your customers here in my pocket!"Page

his father had clean changes of underwear. He had not yet explicitly discussed with his

sure! I am still much the stronger of us two. All by myself I might have had to give way,the reflection of his stable lantern jumping through the puddles at his feet. Irritably he

and complain anywhere. Only just now Herr Pirkershofer -- if you please, that's the

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

done and, his eyes starting in his head, bit his tongue back, only too late, till the painThe station clock struck, it was a quarter to six. Raban stopped because he had

"You have no friend in St. Petersburg. You've always been a leg-puller and youimpossible for him to take a look outside then, still, he did not mean to abuse anyone

"That's quite easy, send a telegram."

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

junior assistant clerk -- had come in and had said he thought a small fair man hadwho could show me how his crops are doing or show me a quarry he is working there.

benches leaning against little trees, then went more slowly through an opening in the

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

any rate seem to me that the whole enterprise had begun, and if later, after the mistakeletter or books and are delighted by this news. Well, it is not difficult to protect oneself

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

From a little distance Lement then called back: "I say, Eduard, can you hearpipes and cigars, in one place drifting limply past the face of a girl. Often the

and appealed to the mob. You've told that story yourself once or twice since."my friend came to see us last. I remember that you used not to like him very much. At

between the shafts. Raban rubbed his feet thoroughly on the seat, pulled on cleanback if I want to, for I shall have no one there whom I could pay calls on whenever Ithe fact that there was nothing he wanted to find out from me and that he himself still

me today? -- he explained some things to me, didn't he, and described everything as itdoorpost with his right hand, the left hand held open, close to his mouth.

many a windowpane -- all were shut right up to the top -- a hissing arc lamp hung at

for I don't want to go through the wet park with you, as I should like to drop in at"Yes, of course I've been playing a comedy! A comedy! That's a good

"Stay where you are, I don't need you! You think you have strength enough toand nodded and asked him questions. If you think back you're bound to remember. He

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

lighted path between large shrubs, rushed into an open place with many emptyleast twice I kept you from seeing him, although he was actually sitting with me in my

shouted at in a muffled voice, began to pull, and the water on top of the bus, now set


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would transfer their luggage, which lay in a narrow blue net over a seat, to another

84saw many people's backs, and the backs of their heads, and between them the

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

86room. I could quite well understand your dislike of him, my friend has his peculiarities.

reason one mustn't miss it. But if there is no such sight to be seen, then there will beMeanwhile Georg had succeeded in lowering his father down again and

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

railings into the street, crossed it, leapt through the station entrance, after a whileThe road was perhaps hilly; there was surely mud flying up into the spokes;

own future establishment. It almost looked, on closer inspection, as if the care heyou're answering me be you still my living son -- what else was left to me, in my back

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

But then, later, you got on with him very well. I was proud because you listened to himeasy as I imagine it now when I am still alone and can still do everything, can still go

but that was only natural, that can't have offended him, for he is a sensible person."

have offended him even with a single word. I did refuse to spend the evening in town,sprung?"

about eye level, and the many raindrops on the glass were white, often single onescome over here and that you're only hanging back of your own accord. Don't be too

though the omnibus had black distempered walls and no glass in the windows. ThereHis father leaned forward but did not topple. Since Georg did not come any

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

like, and no one with whom I could make more strenuous expeditions, no one thereeach time putting the suitcase on the step above and then following himself,

socks, and sat up straight. Then he heard someone from the station shouting: "Hi!" ifFor one isn't at all sure even of acquaintances of long standing. Wasn't Lement nice to

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

with the other. The coach that he entered was brightly illuminated by the greatNow he'll lean forward, thought Georg, what if he topples and smashes himself!

began an explanation: listen here, he said, he had been playing cards with Lebeda andtalking about the price of goods. "They're commercial travelers," Raban thought and,

Lement turned to the right and held out his right hand to say goodbye, so that

porter who was walking nearby hurried him through a glass door onto the platform.and really never know for certain where all the others are, for if there is a ruin in the

had something else to do. But now all of a sudden he has gone away, and yet I can'tsupporting himself on his umbrella with one hand, and on the handle of the suitcase

slammed down on the counter the ticket he had been asked for and the change. NowThe rain gushed down the back of his neck, inside his collar.carefully taking off the woolen drawers he wore over his linen underpants and his

93suddenly, against all the usual practice, a larger expedition is considered right, for one

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

bride-to-be what arrangements should be made for his father in the future, for theywhen he was on a business trip to Kiev and ran into a riot, and saw a priest on a

the point with stabs of his forefinger. "I've been representing him here on the spot."district, there will probably be a walk all together to that ruin; it will have been agreed

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

haven't even shrunk from pulling my leg. How could you have a friend out there! Ihimself for having been neglectful. It should have certainly been his duty to see that

fans of puddle water formed, with a rushing sound, behind the turning wheels; it was


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

only has to send the maid into the others' apartments, where they are sitting over awill appear to me. He came up and spoke to me and then walked with me, in spite of

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

but your mother has given me so much of her strength that I've established a fineGillemann's, after all. It's a quarter to six, so not too late, after all, for paying calls on

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

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

for a moment Raban was walking against Lement's outstretched arm.who did not understand that. Apart from that, this place here was a filthy dump, and

stirring, dripped slowly through a crack into the carriage.me? Do shut your umbrella; it stopped raining ages ago. I didn't have a chance to tell

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

palpitations, then he walked quickly along the park pool, went along a narrow, badlybooking clerk looked out, said it was really high time, took the bank note, and

meant to lavish there on his father might come too late.

found the booking office, and had to knock for a while on the iron shutter. Then theroom, plagued by a disloyal staff, old to the marrow of my bones? And my son

would have his attention drawn to this. He would go over and straighten it. Raban alsobethought himself and pushed his suitcase under his seat.

can't believe it."Raban tried to count his change quickly, thinking he ought to be getting more, but a

On his left, at the window, two gentlemen were sitting opposite each other,

108amount of light from the main hall of the station, in which it was standing; in front of

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

on the seat opposite. It was bright enough, the darkness outside made it appear as

have here, and he would be getting there soon enough anyway, so that he need not gopeople you know fairly well. Addio. Well, a good journey, and remember me to

with triumphant glee, and stalking away from his father with the closed face of asocks. The not particularly clean appearance of his underwear made him reproach

made his knees give.

There Raban looked around, while calling out "Thank you, thank you!" to the porter,had been cleared up, I were to arrive in this station again on my way back, then I

Pageeveryone!"

expression! What other comfort was left to a poor old widower? Tell me -- and while"Then it's really better for you to go. I was only thinking. . . Anyway I couldn'tgo with you today, as I'm sleepy, I forgot to tell you that. And now I shall say goodbye,

Wrapped in the canvas of two sacks that had been cut up, the driver came over,a short thread through the eye of a needle.

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

tired, yes, I'll go all right. If a telegram came, they'd get a fright, into the bargain. --"He has pockets even in his shirt!" said Georg to himself, and believed that with

"Just think back a bit, Father," said Georg, lifting his father from the chair andwas no need to think that there were wheels under the floor and in front the horse

alone in the old house. But now he made a quick, firm decision to take him into his

there was anyone in the bus he might say so. "Yes, yes, and he would like to start now,too," Raban answered, leaning out of the door, which he had opened, holding on to the

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


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

passengers would change places, discussing these changes with each other, or theyAnd what for, where would we go, anyway?"

slipping off his dressing gown as he stood feebly enough, "it'll soon be three years since

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