"I will, of course. Do you want to leave any other message?"

She hesitated, as if the thought tempted her. Then she shrugged her

shoulders.

"What would be the use? He doesn't want any message from me."

She turned toward the door. But K. could not let her go like that. Her

face frightened him. It was too calm, too controlled. He followed her

across the room.

"What are your plans?"

"I haven't any. I'm about through with my training, but I've lost my

diploma."

"I don't like to see you going away like this."

She avoided his eyes, but his kindly tone did what neither the Head nor the

Executive Committee had done that day. It shook her control.

"What does it matter to you? You don't owe me anything."

"Perhaps not. One way and another I've known you a long time."

"You never knew anything very good."

"I'll tell you where I live, and--"

"I know where you live."

"Will you come to see me there? We may be able to think of something."

"What is there to think of? This story will follow me wherever I go! I've

tried twice for a diploma and failed. What's the use?"

But in the end he prevailed on her to promise not to leave the city until

she had seen him again. It was not until she had gone, a straight figure

with haunted eyes, that he reflected whimsically that once again he had

defeated his own plans for flight.

In the corridor outside the door Carlotta hesitated. Why not go back? Why

not tell him? He was kind; he was going to do something for her. But the

old instinct of self-preservation prevailed. She went on to her room.

Sidney brought her letter to Joe back to K. She was flushed with the

effort and with a new excitement.

"This is the letter, K., and--I haven't been able to say what I wanted,

exactly. You'll let him know, won't you, how I feel, and how I blame

myself?"

K. promised gravely.

"And the most remarkable thing has happened. What a day this has been!

Somebody has sent Johnny Rosenfeld a lot of money. The ward nurse wants

you to come back."

The ward had settled for the night. The well-ordered beds of the daytime

were chaotic now, torn apart by tossing figures. The night was hot and an

electric fan hummed in a far corner. Under its sporadic breezes, as it

turned, the ward was trying to sleep.




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