learn to swim, sleep with the window open, stop taking valerian, eat at vegetarian restaurants (there are some excellent ones near you), chew each bite of food for five minutes before swallowing. About her work. And about Vienna: leave that city as soon as possible, return to Berlin. He waits for her answers with almost the same fever he feels whenFelice’s letters arrive late. He asks Grete to come to Berlin when he is there, offers to meet her at some halfway point, so great is his desire to see her.
He advances further into ambiguous territory. When he learns that Grete was born on March 21, he calls her “Child of Spring.” He asks her for several photographs of herself and her friends.
During the year 1914, he writes Felice about twenty letters, whereas he writes more than seventy to Grete. He feels strongly drawn to her and, honest with himself, he does not deny the fact. This epistolary relationship, this new intrigue, gives him stability and security.
But while he is playing havoc with Grete’s heart, he is clinging to Felice. The more she hesitates and the more she holds him at arm’s length, the more he pressures her to decide. He says, “I can’t live without you, you just as you are.”
During the night of Friday, February 27, 1914, he abruptly decides to make a surprise visit to Felice in Berlin. On Saturday morning, he steps off the train and heads for Felice’s office, where he has never been. He waits at the switchboard while a secretary goes to tell Felice of his arrival. He is happy to be there. Felice arrives, quite surprised by this unexpected visit, but greets him in a friendly way. They stand and talk for afew moments, then Felice returns to her office, where a number of people are waiting to see her. The two meet at noon at a pastry shop and spend an hour together. He accompanies her back to the office, because he is keen to see the room where she works. Late in the afternoon, they meet again and stroll together for two hours. Felice is busy that night. There is a ball she must attend for her work.
“Don’t go, let’s spend the evening together. We still have so many knots to untangle.”
“I can’t turn down the invitation at the last moment. That’s impossible. Let’s see each other tomorrow, I’m free all morning.”
On Sunday they stroll arm in arm through the Tiergarten like the happiest of engaged couples, then stop for refreshments in a cafe where they run into Dr. Weiss. Felice frowns at the sight of him. She has tried to convince Franz more than once that Ernst Weiss is hateful, and Ernst Weiss has tried more than once to convince Franz that Felice is hateful.
As she takes her leave, Felice solemnly promises Franz that she will accompany him to the station at the end of the afternoon.
On the platform he cranes his neck to catch a glimpse of her. The train gets under way. Once more, she hasfailed to turn up. But she sends a telegram, the excuse is called “Aunt Marta.”
S itting on the wooden seats of a noisy, smelly, poorly heated third-class railway compartment, Franz mulls over every statement Felice made while they strolled in the park. As the train jolts and his head bumps against the frozen windowpane, their dialogue scrolls dizzyingly through his mind.
“I quite like you, Franz, but that’s not enough to get married. I don’t want to do things by halves.”
“But I love you so much that I am ready to marry you even if your feelings toward me are lukewarm. I implore you, Felice, say yes, even if you believe that your feelings for me fall short. My love for you is big enough to make up the difference.”
“I have fears about our future together. I worry that I might not be able to put up with your idiosyncrasies, your indecision: what you want now, you no longer want a moment later.”
“I am sewn once and for all inside my skin, and nothing can alter my seams.”
“With you, it’s nothing but surprises and disappointments. I’m afraid that I
He advances further into ambiguous territory. When he learns that Grete was born on March 21, he calls her “Child of Spring.” He asks her for several photographs of herself and her friends.
During the year 1914, he writes Felice about twenty letters, whereas he writes more than seventy to Grete. He feels strongly drawn to her and, honest with himself, he does not deny the fact. This epistolary relationship, this new intrigue, gives him stability and security.
But while he is playing havoc with Grete’s heart, he is clinging to Felice. The more she hesitates and the more she holds him at arm’s length, the more he pressures her to decide. He says, “I can’t live without you, you just as you are.”
During the night of Friday, February 27, 1914, he abruptly decides to make a surprise visit to Felice in Berlin. On Saturday morning, he steps off the train and heads for Felice’s office, where he has never been. He waits at the switchboard while a secretary goes to tell Felice of his arrival. He is happy to be there. Felice arrives, quite surprised by this unexpected visit, but greets him in a friendly way. They stand and talk for afew moments, then Felice returns to her office, where a number of people are waiting to see her. The two meet at noon at a pastry shop and spend an hour together. He accompanies her back to the office, because he is keen to see the room where she works. Late in the afternoon, they meet again and stroll together for two hours. Felice is busy that night. There is a ball she must attend for her work.
“Don’t go, let’s spend the evening together. We still have so many knots to untangle.”
“I can’t turn down the invitation at the last moment. That’s impossible. Let’s see each other tomorrow, I’m free all morning.”
On Sunday they stroll arm in arm through the Tiergarten like the happiest of engaged couples, then stop for refreshments in a cafe where they run into Dr. Weiss. Felice frowns at the sight of him. She has tried to convince Franz more than once that Ernst Weiss is hateful, and Ernst Weiss has tried more than once to convince Franz that Felice is hateful.
As she takes her leave, Felice solemnly promises Franz that she will accompany him to the station at the end of the afternoon.
On the platform he cranes his neck to catch a glimpse of her. The train gets under way. Once more, she hasfailed to turn up. But she sends a telegram, the excuse is called “Aunt Marta.”
S itting on the wooden seats of a noisy, smelly, poorly heated third-class railway compartment, Franz mulls over every statement Felice made while they strolled in the park. As the train jolts and his head bumps against the frozen windowpane, their dialogue scrolls dizzyingly through his mind.
“I quite like you, Franz, but that’s not enough to get married. I don’t want to do things by halves.”
“But I love you so much that I am ready to marry you even if your feelings toward me are lukewarm. I implore you, Felice, say yes, even if you believe that your feelings for me fall short. My love for you is big enough to make up the difference.”
“I have fears about our future together. I worry that I might not be able to put up with your idiosyncrasies, your indecision: what you want now, you no longer want a moment later.”
“I am sewn once and for all inside my skin, and nothing can alter my seams.”
“With you, it’s nothing but surprises and disappointments. I’m afraid that I
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