The Washington times., 1931-11-18


to me. But concealed under
that manner must there not be
perhaps some one that I do
know better? Does a thing be-
come so distorted then, just be-
cause one gets older?-Perhaps
it is the years. I say to myself.
It is more than three years now
she was 16 then and a child;
now she is 10 and grown up.
And suddenly I am conscious OF
the nameless sadness Of Time
that runs' and runs on and
changes, and when a man re-
turns he shall find nothing
again.-YeS, it is a hard thing
to part: but to come back
again, that is sometimes far
harder.
A Dull Lad
"What are you making such
a long face about, Ernst?" asks
Willy.
HE is dull, isn't he?" says
Adele, laughing. But then, he
was always like that. Why don't
you be a bit frisky, Ernst? The
girls like that much better than
sitting around like sad pud-
ding"
So that is over, think I to my
self; so that is over, too! Not
because she thinks me dull; not
because she has altered-no, not
for any Of these things, but be
cause see now that it has all
been in vain.-I have been run
ming about and about; I have
knocked again at all the doors
of my youth and desired to en-
ter in there; I thought, surely it
must admit me again, for I am
still young and have wished so
much to forget; but it fled
always before me like a will-o'-
the wisp; it fell away without
sound; it crumbled like tinder at
my lightest touch. And I could
not understand.-Surely here at
least something of it must re-
main? I attempted it again and
again, and as result made my
self merely ridiculous and
wretched.-But now I know. I
know now that still, silent war
has ravaged this country of my
memories also; I know now it
would be useless for me to look
farther. Times lies between like
a great gulf; I cannot get back.
There is nothing for it; T must
go forward, march onward, any,
where; it matters nothing, for I
have no goal.
On With the Dance
I grip my schnapps glass
tightly and look up. Yes, there
is Adele still questioning Karl
as to where one may best buy
smuggled silk stockings. The
dance goes on US before; the
orchestra is still playing the
same waltz from the House
of the Three MaidenS''-and
here I sit, too, just as before,
on the same chair, and I
breathe and am still alive. Was
there no fla h of lightning
then that tore me away? Did
no country suddenly founder
and go down about me, leav-
ing me only surviving, all else
this moment periShed and lost
to me for ever?
Adele gets up and takes leave
Of Karl. "At Meyer and Nick
els then?" she says pleasantly.
You're sure? They do deal
on the quiet in all sorts of
oddments? Then I'll go along
there first thing in the morn
ing. Good-by, Ernst!"
I'll come with you a little
way" I answer.
Outside she shakes hands.
"You mustn't come any far
ther. I'm being waited for
here"
L KNOW IL Is 1OOllSn ana SEN
timental, but I cannot help it;
I take off my cap and bow
low to her, as if to take a long
farewell-not from her, but
from all the things that were
before. She looks at me search
ingly a moment. "You are
really quite funny sometimes!"
Humming, she runs down the
path.
The clouds have gone and
night is standing clear over
the town. For a long time I
stand looking at it. Then I go
back.
(TO Be COntinued)
Copyright 1881, Erich Maria Re-
marque. Distributed by United
Feature Syndicate, Inc.)