Hobohemians

35We recognised each other although it was over six months since we met. We were both pleased, I must have looked pleased. Rather flattering to have German friends popping up like that all over the place. I told her: ‘This is a friend of mine come from Hamburg. He was a sailor and tramped all the way to Berlin. I met him in the waiting room at the Zoologische Garten station.’ He smilingly remembered: ‘Yes he and I were sleeping there, I was out of work.’—‘He helped me out of a hole. I was sleeping there at night. I had missed a train, and a German tried to get money from me. He kept coming back with his friends, pretending they were secret service men, and I was a fake Englishman. Wanted to get my passport. There was a row, they wouldn’t leave me. I didn’t know much German in those days and my friend here chipped in for me. At last he got a policeman. We have never met since then, have we?’ ‘What is he doing now?’ she asked. She was interested.—‘All kinds of things, carry bags, fetch cabs, find rooms at night. I can find you a room if you haven’t got one.’

36—Lotte and I had been walking all over Berlin. Without a room as usual. I can understand him kicking her out. I, like a fool, walking all night with her. Spent our last money on sausages hot at a street corner. Cold and tired when we met him. He wanted to know whether I had a watch. ‘Only a very cheap one.’ ‘Looks very good,’ he said. I told him frankly, it’s cheap. He couldn’t tell, but anyone else could. ‘Fine scarf you have,’ he noticed. ‘You could get a room for those two and take them out again next day for five marks, price of a room.’

37Lotte said: ‘I will get the five marks to-morrow. Let us go. I am cold and sleepy.’ We must have talked hours about it. I didn’t want to take a room with Lotte. Sudden destiny flinging up a gratefully remembered helper so inopportune—opportunely. He and she allies that she and I go together. I, young and lustful, hungry and dirty, six weeks old shirt on my back, overcoatless, student—on philosophic benches of lecture rooms dreaming, cursing: O for a girl, for a girl. On my arm, then, plump, tender Lotte. I, in good English retreat, thank you no, hardily, boldly hesitating. I thinking, are you blind, Lotte? Here is a young sailor. Are you soft, sailor? Here is a softer young girl. Why don’t you take English leave of the Englishman? Leave me now insular, completely surrounded by desertion. Then that jackal of the night: ‘Who are these, Fritz?’—‘They want a room, watch and scarf in exchange.’—‘Come with me.’

38In the neighbouring houses a staircase growing into rooms. Bell. Goodbye, Fritz. Man, to woman: watch, scarf, redeem to-morrow. Lotte and I smothered into a room obsolete with bed and couch and wardrobe. ‘I will sleep on the couch, you in the bed, Lotte.’ It wasn’t my fault, Viktor, she seduced me.