But Slim got there before him. With a mighty leap he sprang across table and divan, rebounded against the door and stood before Josaphat. For the fraction of a second they stared each other in the face. Then Josaphat’s hands flew to Slim’s throat. Slim lowered his head. He threw forward his arms, like the grabbing arms of the octopus. They held each other, tightly clasped, and wrestled together, burning and ice-cold, raving and reflecting, teeth-grinding and silent, breast to breast. They tore themselves apart and dashed at each other. They fell, and, wrestling, rolled along the floor. Josaphat forced his opponent beneath him. Fighting, they pushed each other up. They stumbled and rolled over armchairs and divans. The beautiful room, turned into a wilderness, seemed to be too small for the two twisted bodies, which jerked like fishes, stamped like steers, struck at each other like fighting bears. But against Slim’s unshakeable, dreadful coldness the white-hot fury of his opponent could not stand its ground. Suddenly, as though his knee joints had been hacked through, Josaphat collapsed in Slim’s hands, fell on his knees and remained there, his back resting against an over-turned armchair, staring up with glassy eyes. Slim loosened his hold. He looked down at him. “Had enough yet?” he asked, and smiled sleepily. Josaphat did not answer. He moved his right hand. In all the fury of the fight he had not lost hold of the black cap which Freder had worn when he came to him. He raised the cap painfully on to his knees, as though it weighed a hundredweight. He twisted it between his fingers. He fondled it.... “Come, Josaphat, get up!” said Slim. He spoke very gravely and gently and a little sadly. “May I help you? Give me your hands! No, no. I shall not take the cap away from you.... I am afraid I was obliged to hurt you very much. It was no pleasure. But you forced me into it.” He let go of the man, who was now standing upright, and he looked around him with a gloomy smile. “A good thing we settled the price before-hand,” he said. “Now the flat would be considerably cheaper.” He sighed a little and looked at Josaphat. “When will you be ready to go?” “Now,” said Josaphat. “You will not take anything with you?” “No.” “You will go just as you are—with all the marks of the struggle, all tattered and torn?” “Yes.” “Is that courteous to the lady who is waiting for you?” Sight returned to Josaphat’s eyes. He turned a reddened gaze towards Slim. “If you do not want me to commit the murder on the woman which did not succeed on you—then send her away before I come....” Slim was silent. He turned to go. He took the cheque, folded it together and put it into Josaphat’s pocket. Josaphat offered no resistance. He walked before Slim towards the door. Then he stopped again and looked around. He waved the cap which Freder had worn, in farewell to the room, and burst out into ceaseless laughter. He struck his shoulder against the door post....