Then I went back to Pat.
"Shall we go, old man?" I asked.
"Yes," said she; "but I want to go into your room once more."
"Why?" I replied.
"The old shack—"
"You stay here," said she. "I'll be back in a minute."
I waited for some time, then I went across.
She was standing in the middle of the room and started when she caught sight of me.
I had never seen her like that before.
She was utterly extinguished.
It was only a second; then she was smiling again.
"Come," said she. "Now let us go."
At the kitchen Frau Zalewski was awaiting us.
Her grey locks were waved and she was wearing the brooch with the late Zalewski of blessed memory, on the black silk dress.
"Look out," I whispered to Pat, "she'll hug you."
The next moment Pat had already disappeared into the capacious bosom.
The big face above her was twitching.
It was only a matter of seconds and Pat must be overwhelmed. When Frau Zalewski wept her eyes were like syphon bottles under pressure.
"Pardon me," said I, "we must go quickly.
It's high time."
"High time?" Frau Zalewski surveyed me with an annihilating glance. "The train doesn't leave for two hours.
In the meantime I suppose you will make the poor child drunk!"
Pat had to laugh.
"No, Frau Zalewski.
We only want to say good-bye to the others."
Mother Zalewski shook her head incredulously.
"You see in this young man a golden bowl, Fraulein Hollmann. At the best he is a golden schnapps bottle." •
"A very nice picture," said I.
"My child—" Frau Zalewski was again seized with emotion. "Come back again soon.
Your room is always there for you.
And if the Kaiser himself is in it, he will have to go out, when you come."
"Thank you, Frau Zalewski," said Pat. "Many thanks for everything.
For the card-telling too.
I will remember it all."
"That's right.
And take care of yourself and get quite well again."
"Yes," said Pat. "I'll try.
Au revoir, Frau Zalewski.
Au revoir, Frida."
We went.
The passage door banged to, behind us.
On the staircase it was half-dark; some of the electric lights were burnt out.
Pat was silent as she descended the stairs softly and lightly.
I felt as if a leave were over and we were now going in the grey dawn to the railway station, to go to the front.
Lenz opened the door of the taxi.
"Mind," said he.
The car was full of roses.
Two enormous sprays of white and red roses were lying on the back seats.
I recognised at once where they came from—the cathedral garden. "The last," announced Gottfried, well pleased with himself. "Cost a certain amount of trouble, too.
Had to have a longish argument with a priest about it."