“I thanked him and went out. I walked about all that night; for I
couldn't think of anything to do or anywhere to go. In the morning I
slept on a seat in one of the squares. Then I thought I would go to the
Gallerien; and I spent the whole day looking at the pictures. When the
Galleries were shut I was very tired, so I went into a cafe, and had
some beer. When I came out I sat on the same seat in the Square. I meant
to wait till dark and then walk out of the city and take the train at
some little station, but while I was sitting there I went to sleep. A
policeman woke me. He had my wig in his hand.
“'Why do you wear a wig?' he said.
“I answered: 'Because I am bald.'
“'No,' he said, 'you're not bald, you've been shaved. I can feel the
hair coming.'
“He put his finger on my head. I felt reckless and laughed.
“'Ah!' he said, 'you'll come with me and explain all this; your nose and
eyes are looked for.'
“I went with him quietly to the police-station....”
Harz seemed carried away by his story. His quick dark face worked, his
steel-grey eyes stared as though he were again passing through all these
long-past emotions.
The hot sun struck down; Christian drew herself together, sitting with
her hands clasped round her knees.
X
“I didn't care by then what came of it. I didn't even think what I was
going to say. He led me down a passage to a room with bars across the
windows and long seats, and maps on the walls. We sat and waited.
He kept his eye on me all the time; and I saw no hope. Presently the
Inspector came. 'Bring him in here,' he said; I remember feeling I could
kill him for ordering me about! We went into the next room. It had a
large clock, a writing-table, and a window, without bars, looking on a
courtyard. Long policemen's coats and caps were hanging from some pegs.
The Inspector told me to take off my cap. I took it off, wig and all. He
asked me who I was, but I refused to answer. Just then there was a loud
sound of voices in the room we had come from. The Inspector told the
policeman to look after me, and went to see what it was. I could hear
him talking. He called out: 'Come here, Becker!' I stood very quiet, and
Becker went towards the door. I heard the Inspector say: 'Go and find
Schwartz, I will see after this fellow.' The policeman went, and the
Inspector stood with his back to me in the half-open door, and began
again to talk to the man in the other room. Once or twice he looked
round at me, but I stood quiet all the time. They began to disagree,
and their voices got angry. The Inspector moved a little into the
other room. 'Now!' I thought, and slipped off my cloak. I hooked off
a policeman's coat and cap, and put them on. My heart beat till I felt
sick. I went on tiptoe to the window. There was no one outside, but at
the entrance a man was holding some horses. I opened the window a little
and held my breath. I heard the Inspector say: 'I will report you for
impertinence!' and slipped through the window.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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