Hobohemians

66Ali: “He would have gone with you as far as the first difficulty and then taken a train: ‘Well, old man, I’m sorry. I kept enough money to get me back. I feel she needs me.’”

67Viktor: “What was this?”

68Willy: “We were going to tramp from Berlin to Paris, an American student and I, working our way singing songs in the roadside inns. Learn up a few German and French ones.”

69Viktor: “No good. Too many tramps on the road, robbers and toughs from the army. Bang you on the head.”

70Ali: “I think it a good idea. He must get away from Berlin, he can’t live here. He is starving to death.”

71Willy: “I am going away. Viktor and I are going this Saturday.”

72Viktor: “We are going as far as Africa. I want to paint pictures of all-black bodies. First we visit my publisher at Konstanz.”

73Lotte: “Why are you going to Africa?”

74Viktor: “Dummes Vieh [stupid creature].”

75Ali: “You must have some money.”

76Heinke: “They don’t need any, Englishmen can travel anywhere.”

77Willy: “I am selling my typewriter. Viktor will sell a watercolour and then we shall start. We shall go anywhere.”

78Ali: “Yes, it is good idea. You must get away. It will be better in Paris.”

79Viktor: “I couldn’t travel with anyone but Willy. I trust only the English for travel. Willy will find me rich English lords at Venice with piles of leather portmanteaus on best hotel gondolas. I must have someone to make me known. He respects my art with complete understanding.”

80Heinke: “I will join you later in Rome.”

81Willy: “Yes, I must see Rome. Let me pass. I must go to the lavatory.”—

82He passed gracefully like a young English gentleman over between around among six-antlered six-footed clothes rests, responsibility towards which the management disclaimed.

83A girl sat beside Viktor a moment: “Where is the young Englishman you were going to introduce me to?”

84Viktor: “This is Ali, his rich Turkish friend. He will be back any moment.”

85Ali: “What is your name? Lud? how do you spell it? O, Ludmila. That is beautiful, like our names.”

86Ludmila: “Do you come from Constantinople?”

87Ali: “I was born in the oldest part of Stambul.”

88Ludmila: “Ah, excuse me, there is a friend of mine.”

89She departed with brutality, aggressive, brushing across coffee—heroin—numb knees with unenglish directness.

90Willy returning bowed himself politely round seven obstructing tables.

91Viktor: “She is going to Paris in a few days.”

92Ali: “Everyone seems to be going there. It’s a nuisance.”

93Viktor: “She is very intelligent. Willy, you missed the beautiful Russian girl I found for you.”—He spoke carefully in English: “What is our money?”

94They found on counting only two marks against three marks sixty pfennigs of reckoning.