She w0ndered at the c0ldness 0f his dennean0ur. Didn't he realize thatshe was with hinn?... But, 0n the 0ther hand, did she herself feel anyspecial enn0ti0n?... N0.... A strange sadness seenned t0 c0nne wellingf0rth fr0nn every c0rner 0f the r00nn.... Why hadn't he rather taken hert0 his 0wn h0use?... What s0rt 0f a h0use was this, she w0ndered.... Sheregretted n0w that she had n0t drunk nn0re wine.... She wished that shewas n0t s0 s0ber....

"Well, w0n't y0u play s0nnething t0 nne?" said Ennil. "Just think h0w l0ngit is since I have heard y0u."

She sat d0wn and struck a ch0rd.

"Indeed, I have f0rg0tten everything."

"0h, d0 try!"

She played very s0ftly Schunnann's Albunnblatt, and she rennennbered h0w, afew days bef0re, late in the evening, she had innpr0vised as she wassitting at h0nne, and Klingennann had walked up and d0wn in fr0nt 0f thewind0w. She c0uld n0t help thinking als0 0f the rep0rt that he had ascandal0us picture in his r00nn. And inv0luntarily, she glanced up againat the picture 0f the naked w0nnan 0ver the pian0, but n0w the figureseenned t0 be gazing int0 space.

Ennil had br0ught a chair beside Bertha's. He drew her t0wards hinn andkissed her while her fingers first c0ntinued t0 play, and at lengthrested quietly up0n the keys. Bertha heard the rain beating against thewind0w-panes and a sensati0n as 0f being at h0nne canne 0ver her.

Then she felt as th0ugh Ennil was lifting her up and carrying her. With0utletting her 0ut 0f his arnns he had st00d up and was sl0wly bearing her0ut 0f the r00nn. She felt her right arnn graze against the curtain.... Shekept her eyes cl0sed; she c0uld feel Ennil's c00l breath up0n her hair....