The Prose of Alfred Lichtenstein Part 9

He loved her in this way: He frequently made a note if she said something funny to use it later (literarily). But in a cafe on a pond--everywhere it was already evening, and haze hung like veil on the trees and tables and waiters--he took out his notebook from the torn inside pocket of his overcoat and read to her quietly... She laughed and he laughed--more quietly and sadly. Each thought: This isn't the right thing... she thought further: he isn't thoughtful...

he thought further: the poor thing, how distant she is from me...

then they went rowing.

XII. Bar scene in Nuremberg: Kunstmayer.

They are all blissfully drunk and can hardly speak clearly anymore.

Slurring, someone says: "Dede do dada". What are these brutish sleepers worth?--"See how the gaze of this worker is turned inward like an ox's eye ", said Paulus.

"The upper-crust ten thousand rule the world", grumbled the waiter bitterly; then he played a wild variation of "Sweetie, You Are the Apple of My Eye" on a mouth organ. From time to time, he beat against the edge of a table. He rubbed his hand clean on his sleeve or trouser leg.

Karl Kunstmayer, a revue performer down on his luck: I like to tell dirty jokes... a great guy, philosophically tip-top, but is too ideal-They were in a melancholy mood. Kunstmayer sang quietly: "The girls like this so much".

XIII. Drowning in the sea.

I am afraid that the girl has also drowned. My rival had an accident at sea (drowned). "It is vulgar that you can at most only make a poem about this, or suddenly find the ending for a story", yelled the dead Kohn. While they walked along, they found white newspaper flyers about the event everywhere.--"That is a brutality", said another. "This is the correct expression".--"Finally!" sighed another, relieved. Kohn yelled: "But I don't want to have an ending for a story. That is vulgar. I'm losing my mind. I want to inflame you. I want to torment you, not satisfy you. You must moan and wail.

You must dissolve in pain." The dead Kohn was not noticed.

Detective Daniel

A thunderstorm was making a racket. The detective Daniel woke with a start from his sleep. He said: "d.a.m.ned disturbance of the peace".

There was an agitated knock on the door. The dancer Lola Lala came in.

"There are much too few burglars", detective Daniel said. "There are fewer murderers than you think", Daniel said, calming the anxious woman.

Max Mechenmal

He took the young thing, after he had first inquired about her age, having in mind only erotic things, planning to speak words of love to her and privately making fun of it; in other words, he is a downright bad fellow. Somewhat proud of knowing just how bad a character he was, he calmed himself down and decided to rape the girl.

Berthold Bryller

"Kuno Kohn is the same in green as pupil Else Lasker is in blue", Bryller said.

If he wanted to get rid of a girl, he told her in a wonderfully touching way about his syphilis, presenting himself as a martyr who is making a sacrifice for the sake of her health. Most girls, crying, took him for an important and very n.o.ble man. Only one asked impudently one time why he didn't say that before.

Contrast between the devil-may-care skillful nihilism of Bryller and the pure despair of Paulus.

Senior teacher Laaks

I have longing, love and who knows what else for her.--Funny things could happen.

Lola Lala

She boasted about her now-and-then and piece-wise virginity.

She said: as already mentioned, I am visibly frightened.--I find this silly, with good reason.--These really short lines.--He loves me only erotically.--In fact, I always lie.--He was very fond of me.--As is well known, every dancer has a friend.--