But I've plenty of time for that."
"Do you want to change?" I asked. "Or should we go down for an hour first?
I think it would be better if we went down first."
"Yes," said she, "it would be better."
We went down again in the soundless lift and sat at one of the little tables in the hall.
After a while Helga Guttmann arrived with her friends.
They joined us.
Helga Guttmann was excited and of a rather overheated gaiety, but I was glad she was there and that Pat already had some acquaintances.
It is always hard going the first days.
Chapter XXII
A week later I returned. From the station I went straight to the workshop.
It was evening when I arrived and still raining; it seemed years since I had left with Pat.
Koster and Lenz were sitting in the office.
"You've come just in time," said Gottfried.
"Why, what's the matter?" I asked.
"Let the man get in the door first," said Koster.
I sat down.
"How's Pat?" asked Otto.
"All right.
Right as may be.
But, tell me, what's the trouble?"
It had to do with the Stutz.
We had completed the repairs and delivered the car a fortnight ago.
Yesterday Koster had gone to get the money.
But in the meantime the fellow to whom the car belonged had gone bankrupt, and the car had been lumped in with the assets.
"It's not so bad, though," said I. "We're only concerned with the insurance."
"So we thought," said Lenz dryly. "But the car's not insured."
"Damn!
Is that so, Otto?"
Koster nodded.
"Only found out to-day."
"That's what we get for being Good Samaritans, to say nothing of the hiding the bus cost us," Lenz muttered. "Now to carry the baby to the tune of four thousand marks!"
"Would you believe it!" said I.
Lenz started to laugh.
"It's damned funny!"
"And now, what, Otto?" I asked.
"I've lodged our claim with the receivers.
But I don't expect much will come of it."
"We'll have to shut up shop, that's what," said Gottfried.
"Possible," admitted Koster.
Lenz got up.
"Equanimity and a brave face in difficult circumstances are the ornament of the soldier." He went to the cupboard and fetched the cognac.
"After this spot of cognac we'll be needing an heroic face," said I. "If I'm not mistaken it's our last good bottle."
"An heroic face, my boy," replied Lenz scornfully, "is something for difficult times. But we're living in desperate, times.
The only suitable face for that is the comic."
He emptied his glass. "Now I think I'll saddle Rosinante and go and round up a bit of small change."
He crossed the dark courtyard and went out with the taxi.
Koster and I continued to sit.
"Stiff luck, Otto," said I. "We've had a damned lot of it lately."
"I learned in the Army not to worry more than is useful," replied Koster. "And that's plenty.