The words sounded so natural, yet it made a painful impression on me to see how collected she was, how quietly and circumspectly she looked into the future from out of the confusion and distress of the moment. Perhaps she divined the course of my thoughts, for suddenly she continued: "Don't wonder that I speak of this matter so calmly. You become accustomed to such things if for twenty years you live with a business man in this neighborhood, among such rude, rough folk. You learn to be on the lookout, to be careful and practical. And you forget that once you regarded the world with different eyes." She uttered the last words softly, with downward glance. When I heard the history of her youth yesterday, I saw her in my mind's eye again, and a feeling of boundless pity for this woman swept over me--not for what she was suffering now--now that she was steeled and experienced--but for her youth, the youth she had lost because practical considerations and hindrances determined the course of her life. But now I must tell about a remarkable acquaintance I made yesterday, the man who told me what I know of Frau Schlochauer's history. He introduces some humor into the affair. "Herr Jonas Goldstuecker." The visiting card with this name printed in large Roman characters lies before me and seems to throw a crafty and comical smile at me. In fact my new acquaintance is very amusing. The card was brought in to me at the end of my afternoon office hours. Herr Jonas Goldstuecker! I thought it was a patient, and had him admitted even though the time for receiving patients was past. A few moments later an elderly man sat before me, well-preserved and decently dressed. He was perfectly open in letting his curious gaze rove through my room, and I felt that in a minute period of time he had a thorough survey. His inventory took in all the objects in the room, myself included. His sly eyes seemed ever to be investigating and inspecting, and although he frequently pressed them shut, or glanced into space over his nickel-plated _pince-nez_, one felt correctly catalogued and pigeonholed. Herr Jonas Goldstuecker began to interest me. Without waiting for me to ask his business, he said: "I knew, Herr Kreisphysikus, that you always stay at home a little while after your office hours, and that's the reason I chose this time for coming to you; I thought we would not be disturbed now." So he was acquainted with my habits, with something about my private life; he wanted to speak to me without outside interruption--did this man know of some secret? Did a matter calling for discretion lead him to me? But he gave me no time for surmise, and added: "You certainly don't run after practice among well-to-do patients; no one can reproach you with that--you live like a hermit; and outside of Simon Eichelkatz no one has had the honor of seeing you at his home."