Part 7 (1/2)
The frown stayed over his eyes.
”We were bound to come together again, old Otto. You and I were pretty good pals back there at your university. What a time we two had together! And old Mutter Schwegel! How old Mutter Schwegel fussed over us! How she took care of us! It all seems like yesterday--!”
Kurz got out of his chair.
”Old Mutter Schwegel--;” he muttered.
”Dear old Mutter Schwegel!”
Kurz's eyes stole away from his face.
”Later--I shall tell you of Mutter Schwegel too.”
”And the talks we used to have--! The nightlong talks. We settled the affairs of the world nicely in those days. Didn't we, old Otto?”
”The--affairs--of--the--world--”
”And old Mutter Schwegel coming in to put out the light. And then standing there to hear what we had to say of life and of death.”
”Of--life--and--of--death.”
”And not being able to tear herself away to go to bed. She thought we were wise, Otto. She used to drink in every word we said. And then she'd scold us for staying up all night. Old Mutter Schwegel. I've thought of her often--”
Kurz made a movement toward him.
”And of me, Charlie?--You had thought of me?”
”I say, rather--! Many a time--when they called me back from the university--even after I went out to France--I thought of you.”
His mind was muddled a bit. He put it down to the excitement of his coming home. That uncertain feeling came over him again quite strongly.
But he had thought of Otto. He remembered he had thought of Otto a lot.
”And what was it you thought of me, Charlie?”
It came back to him that there had been one time when he had thought of Otto particularly. That one time when something tremendous had happened to him. He could not quite think what. He knew he had been glad when he thought of Otto because he had been spared inflicting the thing on him.
He could not get it clear.
He avoided looking at Kurz.
”Why--; why, I wondered what you were doing. All that sort of thing. You know what I mean.”
”Yes. I know. I did go into the army, Charlie. It was that sort of thing you meant, Charlie?”
He felt himself start.
”I was afraid you would do that;” he said involuntarily.
”Yes. I, too, was afraid.”