North by Louis-Ferdinand Céline

." Yes, it's a fact . . . but most old people . . . watch them coming out of Nanterre ° . . . one of my patients . . . a woman my age . . . the way she rolls and pitches . . . with her it's the bottle, she doesn't try to hide it . . . she shakes her bottle in my face . . . one word out of me and shell crack my head . . . sure as shit . . . I'm more peaceful . . . Damn! I've dropped you on that station platform . . . in Baden-Baden I was still standing straight . . . it wasn't until Berlin, twenty-four hours later, that I noticed the wooziness . . . I started to zigzag . . . and heave . . . people with trouble in the brain . . . cerebrum, cerebellum . . . can seldom tell you the exact moment they went gaga . . . me at "Berlin-Anhalt''. . . at the exit. . . after the platform . . . oh, I didn't let go the railing . . . but I didn't walk straight . . . worried: would it last? . . . it's lasted all right! . . . I haven't taken very good care of myself . . . but even so! . . . I might have adapted myself a little . . . take the old folks in Nanterre . . . on their outings . . . little fits of despondency, but they go far, all the way to Paris, Place de la Nation . . . but let's get back . . . on the way out of "Berlin-Anhalt" I could see myself falling off the platform right under a train . . . half a second . . . I say to Lili: "I need a cane . . ." Obvious . . . we go looking . . . but where? . . . We inquire . . . "Over there. You're sure to find one . . ." "Thank you!" Off we go. Lili gives me her arm . . . No stores open, no canes or anything else . . . sight-seeing . . . We ask again . . . "Go here . . . go there!" Mostly we see smashed shop windows! twisted wreckage! Sure to find one? Here we are at Brandenburg Gate . . . an avenue: Under the Lindens! . . . not one single linden tree! . . . they'd been trying to grow them for centuries . . . onward! onward! . . . another broad avenue . . . practically all in ruins, Berlin, the capital . . . I didn't see many stores . . . except for some iron curtains and two three shop windows, just enormous piles of bricks and drain pipes and tiles . . . mountains! . . . old women, very old, were picking up everything, well trying, making their own piles, little fortresses right on the sidewalk . . . houses of rubble . . . toys, sand, holes, bricks, for loony grandmothers . . . and still no canes! . . . but ever onward, this is where they said . . . another street comer . . . another . . . and then by golly! Look! . . .
    Really an imposing edifice! . . . at least eight stories . . . but what a state! whole floors hanging out the windows . . . a junk-pile! . . . merchandise, glassware . . . cascading . . . tatters in the wind . . . I can't imagine what they have to sell. . . we get a load of dust! A shower . . . we rush inside . . . the bombs have made a fine mess . . . no more shelves . . . or stairs . . . or showcases . . . or elevators . . . all jummixed, toppling down in the basement . . . ah, the staff is still there! . . . salesmen, old fossils . . . oh, very friendly . . . all smiles . . . two three to a counter . . . counters full of nothing under signs . . . "Silks" . . . "China" . . . "Men's Suits" . . . but what about canes? . . . or crutches? 
    "Oh, certainly . . . yes, yes, of course . . . third floor . . ." 
    No more stairs . . . we climbed up on stepladders . . . the "Notions" counter . . . 
    "Leider! leider! Well have them soon! Bald!"  
    Still smiling, the old gentlemen send us away . . . canes are on fourth floor . . . more little ladders . . . They've got some! . . . heavens above! the only counter with goods! all the canes you could wish for! and people!. . . the only busy counter! soldiers and civilians! . . . and kids! . . . here the salesmen aren't old, they're all cripples! . . . one leg, no legs! . . . as bad off as the customers . . . the up-and-coming department . . . the "Court of Miracles!" °
    I don't shillyshally, I pick two canes, bamboo, light, rubber