"Well, I suppose! ought to go now, Pat, eh?" I asked.
She looked at me. "Not straight away—"
We were standing by the window.
The lights flicked up from below.
"Show me your bedroom, will you?" said I.
She opened the door and switched on the light.
I stood at the door and looked in.
All sorts of things passed through my head.
"So that's your bed, Pat," said I at last.
She smiled.
"Whose else should it be, Robby?"
"True." I glanced up. "What absurd things one says. I meant: so that's where you sleep.
And there's the telephone.
Now I know that too. Now I'll go. Good-bye, Pat."
She put her. hands to my cheeks.
It would be marvellous to stay there now in the gathering darkness, close side by side under the soft blue cover in the bedroom—but there was something stopped me; it was no inhibition, nor fear, nor yet prudence—it was simply a very great tenderness that overwhelmed desire.
"Good-bye, Pat," said I. "It has been lovely here.
Lovelier for me than you can perhaps imagine.
As for the rum —that you should have thought of it—"
"But that was nothing."
"For me it was.
I'm not used to such things, Pat."
The Zalewski joint. I sat around awhile.
I did not like Pat's being indebted to Binding for anything.
Finally I went across the passage to Erna Bonig.
"A business call, Erna," said I.
"Tell me, how are things in the female labour market?"
"Come," replied Erna, "there's a blunt question out of a hard heart I Rotten, if you want to know."
"Nothing doing?"
"What line?"
"Secretary, assistant—" She shook her head.
"Hundreds of thousands' without a job. Can the lady do anything particular?"
"She looks marvellous," said I.
"How many words?" asked Erna.
"What?"
"How many words can she write a minute?
In how many languages?"
"No idea," said I; "but, Erna, the personal touch, you know—"
"My dear boy," replied Erna, "I know all about it— lady of good family, seen better days, compelled, and so on.
Hopeless, I tell you.
The only chance is if someone has a special interest and pushes her in somewhere.
You know why, of course.
But you won't be wanting that, I presume?"
"Funny question," said I.
"Not so funny as you think," replied Erna somewhat-bitterly. "I know cases."
I thought of the business with her own boss.
"But let me give you a bit of advice," she went on. "Get busy yourself and earn enough for two.
That's the simplest solution.
Get married."
"Come off the grass," said I, laughing.