‘Mili,’ Mr. Kopfrkingl turned round as well, and then said with a smile: ‘Do we decide Europe’s happy future?’ ‘Of course,’ said Willi, a little irritated now, ‘not you, of course. You don’t feel that drop of German blood of yours. It means nothing to you. We fight,’ he said harshly. ‘You cowards, don’t. Fear makes a man forget his duties . . . Well, yes,’ he said forcibly when Mr. Kopfrkingl tried to object, ‘his other duties, the most important duties. He forgets other people, the nation, mankind . . . It’s easy to give some woman a twenty-heller coin every Friday or Saturday before a cremation. Anyone can give a filthy beggar something now and again, even whores can do that,’ he said and turned round a little to look at Mili. ‘But to fight for happiness and justice for a hundred million people. That! To eliminate unemployment, poverty and national dishonour brought upon it by the enemy. To cleanse it of parasites and insects, to fight for its living space, that is something else, Karl.’ ‘Living space,’ Mr. Kopfrkingl gave a smile. ‘Wilhelm, I’ll tell you something. I know a thing or two. How coffins are made, for example. When you close the lid of a coffin its cross-section forms a sort of hexagon. This shape gives you as much room as possible. It should be high enough so that the lid doesn’t rest on your face and chest. The higher the coffin, the more comfortable it is. The best coffins are those which are capable of taking two. The only space which is of any value,’ Mr. Kopfrkingl gave a smile, ‘is the one in the coffin. And also the ether, the infinite into which the soul flies up,’ he gave a smile. They arrived at a crossroads with cars and trams passing by. Willi turned round and called to Mili, who was still walking behind them with the leaflet in his hand. ‘It may create hell,’ said Mr. Kopfrkingl, for it seemed to him that Willi was ominously quiet, ‘hell. Hitler may cause it . . .’ ( 98 )
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‘Because he fights for happiness and justice for a hundred million people?’ said Willi sharply. ‘For the eternal life of our nation? For a better, happier Europe? Of course,’ he gave a nod, ‘it will create hell. For those who deny us life, for those who are taking it from us, for our enemies. Not for decent, honest people.’ At the crossroads, trams and cars were passing by, but only coloured cars – not a single green one among them, not a single military car or prison van, nor a single white one, an ambulance, for angels. ‘You probably won’t be able to sleep tonight,’ Willi said to Mili glancing at the leaflet in his hand, ‘because of that boxing-match. No wonder, it’s the first you’ve seen. If you had seen it a couple of times before you’d be used to it, like those apprentices. So now,’ he indicated with his head, ‘you’re home.’ They were in front of the apartment house where the nameplate bearing the name of Dr. Jan Bettelheim, M.D., consultant in skin and venereal diseases, hung beside the door. A number of coloured cars, one of which belonged to Dr. Bettelheim, were parked at the edge of the pavement. ‘Where’s your car tonight?’ Mr. Kopfrkingl asked Willi. ‘Erna has got it,’ said Willi. ‘I’m going home by taxi.’
IX
‘Oh, what a Christmas this year,’ Mr. Kopfrkingl smiled at Lakmé in the dining-room. She was at that very moment wiping the chair-seats. Then he glanced at the corner with its big Christmas tree, and said: ‘What a blessed Christmas. New subscribers for cremation are simply pouring in. Everyone is abandoning the ground in favour of furnaces and ashes. In fact, I’ve bought the presents for both our shining ones,’ he said, probably thinking of the children, ‘out of the commission. Mr. Strauss is highly successful. ( 99 )
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What a good, conscientious fellow. I wonder where he’ll be this evening. He had to leave the porter’s lodge,’ Mr. Kopfrkingl glanced at the spot over the cabinet where the family photograph taken on Zina’s birthday was hanging. ‘His wife died of consumption of the throat, his son of scarlet fever . . . and I’ve found another one. Who is it?’ he smiled at Lakmé’s question as she continued to clean the chair-seats. ‘Another good fellow, also conscientious and honest, a Mr. Rubinstein. This time there can’t be much doubt that he’s Jewish,’ he gave a smile. ‘Rubinsteins are Jewish. He used to be Liba’s salesman, the bed-linen firm, but Liba collapsed. It seems that people somehow buy less bed-linen. Mr. Rubinstein has been selling bed-linen, and now he’ll be offering cremation,’ he gave a smile. ‘It’s the same thing really. Both are concerned with making beds and going to bed. One is temporary, in bed for one night, the other is for ever, in the coffin for eternity. Mr. Rubinstein is also fond of music, particularly Mozart and Friml . . . But there’s one thing I don’t like about Mr. Rubinstein, namely, that he’s divorced,’ he approached Lakmé standing by the chair and gently stroked her hair. ‘I’d rather he wasn’t. Or if it has to be, then I’d rather he were a widower like Mr. Strauss or Mr. Holý,’ he stroked Lakmé anew. ‘However, it’s no concern of ours, and it’s not for us to weigh and judge; who knows what was behind it. Not every marriage, my heavenly one,’ he gave a sigh, ‘can be as beautiful and happy as ours. Pity,’ he said, approaching the tree in the corner, ‘what a pity that your late mother won’t come here any more. When I am lighting the candles tonight she will only be able to come as a spirit. On the other hand, Willi is going to appear here at five o’clock . . .’ ‘You talk as if he were a ghost,’ smiled Lakmé with a glance at the chair. ‘Is Erna coming too?’ ‘Erna’s not coming,’ said Mr. Kopfrkingl. ‘She probably has her hands full this evening. I expect they’re having ( 100 )
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