I can hear them already!"
The doctor had treated me as if I were half-crazed the whole evening.
He came too and listened.
"It'll be some other car," said he at last.
"No, I know the engine."
He looked at me irritably.
He thought himself something of a car fan, apparently.
With Pat he was patient and thoughtful as a mother; but when I mentioned cars he would glare at me through his spectacles and know better.
"Impossible," said he shortly and went inside again.
I remained outside. I was trembling with excitement.
"Karl!
Karl!" said I.
Muffled sounds, whining sounds in quick succession—the car must be in the village, going at breakneck speed between the houses.
The whine grew fainter; it was behind the wood—and now it swelled again, racing, triumphant—a bright beam swept through the mist: the headlights; a roar like thunder . . .
Incredulous, the doctor was beside me.
Suddenly the full piercing light quite blinded us and with a scream of brakes the car pulled up at the garden gate.
I ran towards it.
The professor stepped out at once.
He took no notice of me, but went straight to the doctor.
After him came Koster.
"How is she?" said he.
"Still bleeding."
"She'll be all right now," said he. "You. don't need to worry now."
I said nothing, just looked at him . . .
"Have you a cigarette?" he asked.
I gave him one.
"It was good of you to come, Otto."
He smoked in long pulls.
"I thought it might be as well."
"You must have driven fast."
"Not so bad.
Only one patch of fog."
We sat down side by side on the garden seat and waited.
"Do you think she'll come through?"
"Of course she will.
A haemorrhage isn't dangerous." "She never told me a word about it."
Koster nodded.
"She must come through, Otto," said I.
He did not look up.
"Give us another cigarette," said he, "I forgot to put mine in."
"She must come through," said I, "else all is filth."
The professor came out.
I stood up.
"Damn me if I ever ride with you again," said he to Koster.
"Sorry," said he, "but she's my friend's wife."
"So?" said Jaffe, looking at me.
"Is she safe?" I asked.
He looked at me coldly.
I shifted my gaze.
"Do you think I'd be standing here, if she wasn't?"