Evening star., 1932-03-26
kG< MARTINS SUMNER ~
|E~ @l0a Baum ASX

| Puck came running through the park
in her peasant smock.
"Your hands are cold: what is the
matter?" she asked at once. She her
self was warm and in high spirits. I'VE
have been bringing in the hay today
from the upper meadow. 1t was lovely,
she told him. I'm crazy about haying
the smell of the hay and the way
you can lie in it,"
Tiger licked Martins hand with a
hot tongue. Martin, who was pale and
very tired, asked if he might speak to
the baron.
Papa has the fever badly today. But
come along" said Puck; "he is always
glad when you come to see us. So we
all are, aren't we, Tiger? I'll tell papa
at once"
Martin swallowed twice before
cautiously entering Baron Dobbersberg S
room. "Ill wait outside" said Puck.
Papa can only stand people one at a
| time when he has his bad days"
! Dobbersberg was in bed. He was writ
the bed. His lean, elongated FL Greco
head was in the shadow, and a small
lamp threw its light on the manuscript
upon which he was working.
When have fever I always observe
| that my thoughts come with an un-
wonted fluency," he said without pre-
lude, speaking rapidly, while his lips
trembled and his teeth made a faint
| chattering. 81 can follow four and
five trains of thought at one time. It
is like first stage of death. 1 con-
clude that at the point of death a
hundred currents OF thought are at
ones disposal and one thinks all that
in life one dreamed of thinking. Pre-
sumably at the moment of death time
ceases altogether. One is released from
the fictionS of time and space The
second of death may be longer than
the whole of the rest of ones life. Do
you know my book: The Limits of
| Consciousness?
mo, I'm sorry to say I don't" Martin
said in embarrassment. In vain he
sought for some means of transition
from the world-ridden metaphysics of
the baron to his pawned dinner jacket.
You come very seldom now to Tulip
Land. You have settled down on the
other side, in the realm of banality.
| Its a pity. Puck is very sad about
you-poor little defenseless woman. -
! There was an unmistakable accent of
fever in what he said just then, and
his eyes had an unnatural gleam.
"I have been meaning for a long
while to ask you what you mean by
Tulip Land" Martin asked in response
"Oh, nothing. 1t is only a childish
expression Of Puck's. 1t is the opposite
of the Banal. These two realms are
quers all along the line it seems and
we Of Tulip Land Withdraw to our
native reserve Do you hear the music
from the Big Petermann?"
| Yes, that Is the Honolulu Shimmy' 4"
said Martin, and his feet began to
move to the tune that came family
| through the window.
Indeed. Honolulu Shimmy.' In
deed" said the baron. He moved his
head from side to side on the pillow.
and his wry smile followed his thin
cheeks.
Martin took header into the topic
that brought him there. I'm passion
ately fond of dancing, to tell you the
truth. When hear real jazz go quite
crazy. In eight days there is an as
sembly dance at the Big Petermann, a
swell affair. If couldn't go I should
be in terrible way"
The baron was brought up short by
Martins ingenious and eager convic-
ton. He opened wide his cleaning and
yet wistful eyes, and looked closely at
the young mans face
is that SOP" he murmured, and his
| teetn began 10 chatter violently.
Can do anything-shall I" Mar
tin asked in alarm, eager to be of help
But the baron only motioned him
away
THANK you nothing" said the
baron with difficulty. Just an attack
Well talk it all over presently Now
| =. I am tired out :"
Martin slipped out of the door. He
was exasperated. 1t had now become
a fixed idea with him that he must
have 50 schillings, and he went In pur-
suit Of Them with blind and reckless
obstinacy. He found Puck in the
orchard. where In the last moments of
dusk she was crouching among the
bushes picking currants.
Puck, I've got something serious to
say to you," Martin said as he led
her to seat. Are we friends, you
and ~"
YES" Puck said, and she put her
hands expectantly in her lap
You would be glad to help me if
I wanted anything wouldn't you, Puck
Otherwise 1 shouldn't ask you 1t isn't
at all easy :" Martin said. He
picked up glowWorm out of the grass
| and put 1t on his hand where it shone
like a delicate green miniature lantern.
Just tell me-" Puck whispered Mar
tin could hear her breath come and 20.
TIN N great trouble, you see, Puck.
fYeS," said Puck, in q dry little voice.