"Perhaps."
I went into my shack and contemplated meditatively the connecting door to the Hasses' room.
Pat in the Zalewski boarding house!
No, that was not a happy thought.
All the same I did go round after a while and knock. Frau Hasse was in.
She was sitting in the half-empty room before a mirror, a hat on her head, and powdering herself.
I greeted her, looking round the room as I did so.
It was larger than I had thought.
Now that the furniture was partly removed one could begin to see it.
The carpets were plain, bright, and fairly new, the doors and windows freshly painted, and the balcony was quite big and fine.
"I suppose you've heard already what he is doing with me now," said Frau Hasse. "I must move into the room of that person over there.
Isn't it a shame?"
"A shame?" I asked.
"Yes, a shame," she burst out excitedly. "You know I couldn't bear her, and now Hasse is forcing me to go into her room, without a balcony and with only one window.
Merely because it is cheaper!
Think how she will be triumphing in her Christian Home!"
"I don't imagine she is trumphing."
"Of course she's triumphing, make-believe children's nurse! Still water runs deep, let me tell you!
And next door to that tart, that Erna Bonig!
And the stink of cat!"
I looked up embarrassed.
"But cats are very clean, beautiful animals," said I, "Besides, I've just been in the room.
It doesn't smell of cats."
"So?" replied Frau Hasse with hostility, adjusting her hat. "That depends on the nose, of course.
But I'm not going to do anything about it.
He can lug the furniture across himself.
I'm going out.
I mean to have that, at least, out of this dog's life."
She stood up.
Her spongy face was trembling with rage, so that the powder came off in a little rain of dust.
I saw that she had painted her lips very red and was altogether done up to kill.
She smelt like an entire perfumery as she sailed out.
I looked after her sheepishly.
Then I explored the room thoroughly once more. I considered where one might put Pat's various pieces of furniture.
But I soon gave that up.
Pat here, always here, beside me—I could not picture it.
The idea would probably never have occurred to me if she had been well.
However . . .. I opened the door and stepped the measure of the balcony. But then I shook my head and returned to my room.
She was still asleep when I entered the room.
I sat down quietly in an armchair by the bed, but she waked immediately.
"Sorry I waked you," said I.
"Have you been here all the time?" she asked.
"No.
Only just come back."
She stretched and laid her cheek against my hand.
"That's good.
I don't like people watching when I am asleep."
"I can understand that.
I'm not fond of it either.
I didn't mean to look at you.