cross – but won’t Erich also have to join up?’
‘Have to?’ The father answered freely, as if Heinz were an adult. He’d just been thinking about it. ‘No, he doesn’t have to. He’s only just seventeen. But he could volunteer.’
‘Erich volunteer?’
‘Why not? You mustn’t think badly of your brother, Heinz, there’s an end to that now. From now on we must all stand together. Everyone feels a new sense of unity – Erich will, too.’
‘Yes, Father. I also believe everything has changed.’
‘Yes, absolutely. You mark my words – Erich will come back now. He’s compelled to, I’ve got his papers, he needs them. But even so he would have to come back anyhow. Bubi, he’ll know now that no one can live just for himself. Each belongs to the other, and all belong together – we Germans!’
‘Yes, Father.’
‘That we’ve been looking for him in vain all these weeks had to be the case. He had to learn what it’s like to be quite alone, without anybody. Now we all belong together. See how Eva laughs and speaks with that man?! They didn’t know each other from Adam a moment ago; and now they’ve never heard of each other. But now they feel they have
one
thing in common – they’re German! You wait, by the time we get home perhaps we’ll find Erich sitting with Mother and waiting for us. Well, not a word about the past, you understand, Bubi? All is forgotten and forgiven! It just never happened. And, of course, you’ll be so kind as to behave yourself like a brother. From
now on we’re all … Stop, where’s Eva? There she is! … Eva, we’re here! Would you believe it? The girl doesn’t see us. Eva!’ He shouted with his hands round his mouth. ‘Eva … Eva Hackendahl! Hac … ken … dahl! Over here!’
A troop of young men was coming along linked arm in arm, trying as far as possible to march in step through the crowds. They were singing: ‘Victoriously we will vanquish France …’
One of the marchers laughingly made a grab at Eva, who was battling her way through the people, and she too laughed as she evaded him.
Hackendahl shook his head. ‘She’s gone, I can’t see her. Can you, Bubi? No, you’re much too small, of course. Well, come along, Eva will find her way home. We have to hurry. Otto must be told and perhaps Erich is waiting …’
§ III
Gleefully Eva mingled with the crowd going along Unter den Linden in the direction of the Brandenburger Tor, away from her home, quite content to be separated from a father and brother who had talked nothing but a lot of boring rubbish about war and unity. So now they were expected to pig together more than ever, a real loving family! Why should there be war, anyway? This was only mobilization – she had managed these last few days to grasp that mobilization did not necessarily mean war.
But if the war turned out to be like the mobilization, then it was pretty magnificent. Never had she seen men in such high spirits, and with such shining eyes. A little fat man, an old boy with a turned-up moustache, forty at least, suddenly took her round the waist. ‘Well, my dear, you’re pleased, aren’t you, I am!’ And before she could protest he was gone.
A young man shouted: ‘Urgent – war bride wanted to darn my socks,’ and everyone laughed.
Splendid, to drift with a crowd in such festive mood!
A hand fell on her shoulder. ‘Well, missie, still goin’ strong?’ a somewhat hoarse voice enquired.
She wheeled round, startled, to meet a face she had once seen for a few minutes and had not forgotten – a dark, impudent face with a black moustache.
‘What do you want?’ she cried. ‘I don’t know you. Please let go.’
The young man smiled. ‘It doesn’t matter; if you don’t know me now, you soon will.’
‘Leave me alone or I’ll call a policeman!’
‘Call one, missie, call one. I’ll help you. Or what about goin’ together, eh? I don’t mind the bluebottles meself – blue’s my fav’rite colour.
‘Have to?’ The father answered freely, as if Heinz were an adult. He’d just been thinking about it. ‘No, he doesn’t have to. He’s only just seventeen. But he could volunteer.’
‘Erich volunteer?’
‘Why not? You mustn’t think badly of your brother, Heinz, there’s an end to that now. From now on we must all stand together. Everyone feels a new sense of unity – Erich will, too.’
‘Yes, Father. I also believe everything has changed.’
‘Yes, absolutely. You mark my words – Erich will come back now. He’s compelled to, I’ve got his papers, he needs them. But even so he would have to come back anyhow. Bubi, he’ll know now that no one can live just for himself. Each belongs to the other, and all belong together – we Germans!’
‘Yes, Father.’
‘That we’ve been looking for him in vain all these weeks had to be the case. He had to learn what it’s like to be quite alone, without anybody. Now we all belong together. See how Eva laughs and speaks with that man?! They didn’t know each other from Adam a moment ago; and now they’ve never heard of each other. But now they feel they have
one
thing in common – they’re German! You wait, by the time we get home perhaps we’ll find Erich sitting with Mother and waiting for us. Well, not a word about the past, you understand, Bubi? All is forgotten and forgiven! It just never happened. And, of course, you’ll be so kind as to behave yourself like a brother. From
now on we’re all … Stop, where’s Eva? There she is! … Eva, we’re here! Would you believe it? The girl doesn’t see us. Eva!’ He shouted with his hands round his mouth. ‘Eva … Eva Hackendahl! Hac … ken … dahl! Over here!’
A troop of young men was coming along linked arm in arm, trying as far as possible to march in step through the crowds. They were singing: ‘Victoriously we will vanquish France …’
One of the marchers laughingly made a grab at Eva, who was battling her way through the people, and she too laughed as she evaded him.
Hackendahl shook his head. ‘She’s gone, I can’t see her. Can you, Bubi? No, you’re much too small, of course. Well, come along, Eva will find her way home. We have to hurry. Otto must be told and perhaps Erich is waiting …’
§ III
Gleefully Eva mingled with the crowd going along Unter den Linden in the direction of the Brandenburger Tor, away from her home, quite content to be separated from a father and brother who had talked nothing but a lot of boring rubbish about war and unity. So now they were expected to pig together more than ever, a real loving family! Why should there be war, anyway? This was only mobilization – she had managed these last few days to grasp that mobilization did not necessarily mean war.
But if the war turned out to be like the mobilization, then it was pretty magnificent. Never had she seen men in such high spirits, and with such shining eyes. A little fat man, an old boy with a turned-up moustache, forty at least, suddenly took her round the waist. ‘Well, my dear, you’re pleased, aren’t you, I am!’ And before she could protest he was gone.
A young man shouted: ‘Urgent – war bride wanted to darn my socks,’ and everyone laughed.
Splendid, to drift with a crowd in such festive mood!
A hand fell on her shoulder. ‘Well, missie, still goin’ strong?’ a somewhat hoarse voice enquired.
She wheeled round, startled, to meet a face she had once seen for a few minutes and had not forgotten – a dark, impudent face with a black moustache.
‘What do you want?’ she cried. ‘I don’t know you. Please let go.’
The young man smiled. ‘It doesn’t matter; if you don’t know me now, you soon will.’
‘Leave me alone or I’ll call a policeman!’
‘Call one, missie, call one. I’ll help you. Or what about goin’ together, eh? I don’t mind the bluebottles meself – blue’s my fav’rite colour.
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