word.Shegavetobeggersandthesickandwithmuchtactandcarehelpedrich
familieswhohadfallenintodestitution,orphansandwidowsfrombetterhouses,
allthose'ashamedpoor'whodidnotknowhowtobegandwereembarrassedat
acceptingalms.Allthisshedidwiththesameskillassheshowedinrunningthe
hotel and controlling the drunken, lustful and aggressive guests, taking from
themallthatshecould,givingthemnothingandyetneverrefusingthemfinally
orcompletely.
Menwhoknewtheworldanditshistoryoftenthoughtthatitwasapitythatfate
hadgiventhiswomansonarrowandundistinguishedaparttoplay.Hadherfate
notbeenwhatorwhereitwas,whoknowswhatthiswiseandhumanewoman,
whodidnotthinkonlyofherselfandwho,predatoryyetunselfish,beautifuland
seductive but also chaste and cold, ran a small town hotel and emptied the
pocketsofpettyCasanovas,couldhavebeenorcouldhavegiventotheworld.
Perhapsshewouldhavebeenoneofthosefamouswomenofwhomhistorytells
and who have controlled the destinies of great families, of courts or states,
alwaysturningeverythingtogood.
Atthattime,about1885,whenLottewasattheheightofherpowers,therewere
richmen'ssonswhospentdaysandnightsinthehotel,inthatspecialroomwith
doorsofmilkyfrostedglass.
In the early evening they would drowse there, beside the stove, forgetting in
dreamsorfatiguewheretheywereorwhytheyweresittingthereorwhatthey
werewaitingfor.Profitingbythislull,Lottewouldwithdrawintoalittleroom
on the first floor intended for the potboys, which she had converted into her
'office' where she allowed no one to enter. That tiny room was heaped up with
everykindoffurniture,withphotographsandobjectsofgold,silverandcrystal.
There too, hidden behind a curtain, was Lotte's green steel safe and her little
deskwhichwasquiteinvisiblebeneathapileofpapers,bills,receipts,accounts,
Austriannewspapers,cuttingsaboutthemoneymarketandlotterylists.
Inthattinyovercrowdedandstuffyroom,whoseonlywindow,smallerthanany
otherinthebuilding,lookeddirectlyandatshortrangeontothesmallestarchof
thebridge,Lottespenthersparemomentsandlivedthatsecond,hiddenpartof
herlifewhichbelongedtoheralone.
In it Lotte, in those hours of stolen freedom, read money market reports and
studied prospectuses, wrote up accounts, answered letters from banks, made
decisions,gaveinstructions,dealtwithbankdepositsandmadefreshpayments.
Toallthosedownstairsandtotheworldingeneralthiswasanunknownsideof
Lotte's work, the true and invisible part of her life. There she cast aside the
smiling mask and her face grew hard and her glance sharp and sombre. From
thisroomshecorrespondedwithherverynumerousrelatives,theApfelmaiersof
Tarnovo,hermarriedsistersandbrothers,variousnephewsandniecesandallthe
hordes of Jewish poor from Eastern Galicia, now scattered throughout Galicia,
Austria and Hungary. She controlled the destinities of a whole dozen Jewish
families,enteredintotheminutestdetailsoftheirlives,arrangedtheirmarrying
and giving in marriage, sent healing to the sick, warned and admonished the
workshy and spendthrift and praised the thrifty and industrious. She resolved
theirfamilyquarrels,gavecounselincasesofmisunderstandinganddoubt,and
incitedallofthemtoamoreunderstanding,betterandmoredignifiedwayoflife
andatthesametimemadethismorepossibleandeasierforthem.Forwitheach
of her letters she sent a money order for a sum sufficient to ensure that her
counsels were listened to and her advice followed and that certain spiritual or
bodilyneedsbesatisfiedorshortagesavoided.Inthisraisingofthestandardof
the whole family and the setting of each individual member on his feet, she
found her sole real satisfaction and a reward for all the burdens and
renunciationsofherlife.WitheachmemberoftheApfelmaierfamilywhorose
evenasinglestepinthesocialscale,Lottefeltthatshetooroseandinthatfound
herrewardforherhardworkandtheforcetostruggleonward.
Sometimes it happened that when she came up from the Extrazimmer so
exhausted or disgusted that she had not even the strength to write or to read
lettersandaccountsshesimplywenttothelittlewindowtobreathethefreshair
from the river. Then her gaze would fall on that strong and graceful arch of
stone, which filled the entire view, and the swift waters beneath. At dusk or
dawn,insunshine,wintermoonlightorthesoftlightofthestars,thatarchwas
always the same. Its two sides swept upwards, met at the sharp apex and
supportedoneanotherinperfectandunwaveringbalance.Astheyearsrolledon
thatbecameheronlyandfamiliarview,thedumbwitnesstowhomthisJewess
withthetwofacesturnedinthemomentswhenshedemandedrestandfreshness
andwheninhertradeandherfamilytrials,whichshealwayssolvedforherself,
shecametoadeadcentreandapointwheretherewasnowayout.
But such restful moments never lasted long for it always happened that they
wereinterruptedbysomecryfromthecafébelow;ornewclientsdemandingher
presence or some drunkard, awakened and ready for renewed onslaughts,
shoutingformoredrinks,forthelampstobelighted,fortheorchestratocome, and always calling for Lotte. Then she would leave her lair and, carefully
lockingthedoorwithaspecialkey,godowntowelcometheguests,orbyher
smile and her special vocabulary to smooth down the drunkard like a newly
awakened child and to help him to a chair where he could recommence his
nightlysessionofdrinking,conversation,songandspending.
Down below everything went wrong when she was not there. The guests
squabbled among themselves. A beg from Crnče, young, pale and haggard,
spilled every drink brought to him, retorted to everything said to him and
insisted on picking quarrels with the staff or the guests. Save for a few short
intervals,hehadbeendrinkinginthehotelfordayspast,andlustingafterLotte,
but he had drunk so much and longed so greatly that it was clear that some
deeper, much greater misery unknown even to himself was driving him on,
somethinggreaterthanhisunrequitedlovefor,andunreasonablejealousyof,the
lovelyJewessfromTarnovo.
Lottewentuptohimfearlessly,easilyandnaturally.
'Whatisit,Eyub?Whatareyoumakingsuchanoiseabout?'
'Wherehaveyoubeen?Iwanttoknowwhereyouhavebeen..,'stammeredthe
drunkardinavoicealreadyappeasedandlookingatherasifshewereavision.
'They are giving me some sort of poison to drink. They are poisoning me, but
theydonotknowthatI...ifI
...'
'Sitdown,sitdownquietly,'thewomanconsoledhim,withherwhiteperfumed
hands playing just in front of the young beg's face. 'Sit down. I will get you
bird'smilktodrinkifyouwantit.Iwillgetitforyoumyself.'
ShecalledthewaiterandgaveanorderinGerman.
'Don't talk that lingo which I don't understand in front of me; all this firtzen-fiirtzen, forI...wellyouknowme....'
'Iknow,Iknow,Eyub:Iknownoonebetterthanyou,Eyub,butyouIknow....'
'Hm!Whohaveyoubeenwith?Tellme!'
The conversation between the drunk man and the sober woman maundered on
without end or meaning, without sense or conclusion, beside bottles of some
expensivewineandtwoglasses;one,Lotte's,alwaysfullandtheother,Eyub's,
continuallyfilledandemptied.
While the young spendthrift stuttered and muttered on in his thick drunkard's voiceaboutlove,death,hopelessyearningandsimilarmatterswhichLotteknew
byheart,fortheywerethestockintradeofeverylocaldrunkard,sherose,went
over to the other tables at which sat the other guests who met regularly every
eveninginthehotel.
Atonetablewasagroupofyoungworthieswhohadonlyjustbeguntofrequent
the cafés and drink, town snobs for whom Zarije's inn was too boring and too
ordinaryandwhowerestillintimidatedbythehotel.Attheotherswereofficials,
strangers,withanofficerortwowhohadabandonedtheofficers'messforthat
day and come down to the civilian hotel with the aim of touching Lotte for a
quick loan. At a third were the engineers who were building the first forest
railwayfortheexportoftimber.
InacornerreckoningsomethingsatPavleRanković,oneoftheyoungbutricher
merchantsandsomeAustrianorother,acontractorfortherailway.Pavlewasin
Turkishstyledresswitharedfezwhichhedidnottakeoffinthecafé.Hissmall
eyes looked like two lighted slits, black and thin in his pale face, but which
could widen and become unusually large and diabolically merry in exceptional
moments of joy or triumph. The contractor was in a grey sports suit with high
yellowlacedbootswhichreachedtohisknees.Thecontractorwaswritingwith
agoldpencilattachedtoasilverchain,andPavlewithashortstubwhichsome
wooddealer,amilitarycontractor,hadleftbehindinhisshopfiveyearsbefore
when buying nails and hinges. They were concluding an agreement for the
feeding of the workers on the line. Completely wrapped up in their tasks, they
multiplied, divided and added; they ranged rows of figures, one set visible, on
paper, by which each hoped to convince and deceive the other, and another,
invisible and in their heads, closely and quickly reckoned, in which each for
himselfsoughtforhiddenpossibilitiesandprofits.
ForeachoftheseguestsLottefoundtherightwords,afullsmileorevenasilent
glancefullofunderstanding.Thenshereturnedoncemoretotheyoungbegwho
wasagainbeginningtobecomeuneasyandaggressive.
Inthecourseofthatnight,throughoutthewholedrinkingbout,withallitsnoisy,
yearning, lachrymose or coarse phases, which she knew so well, Lotte would
findafewmomentsinwhichshecouldgobackonceagaintoherroomandin
the milky light of the porcelain lamp continue her rest or her correspondence,
untildownstairssomescenewouldbeginagainoruntiltheycalledherdown.
Tomorrow was another day, just such another with the same scene of drunken
spending,andforLottethesameanxietieswhichshemustmeetwithasmiling
faceandthesametaskwhichalwaysseemedaneasyyetdesperategame.
It seemed incomprehensible and inexplicable how Lotte could manage the
quantity and variety of tasks which she carried out day after day and which
demanded of her more cunning than a woman has and more strength than any
man could muster. But none the less she was able to finish everything, never
complaining, never explaining anything to anyone, never speaking about any
taskwhichshehadjustfinishedorwhichstillawaitedher.Despiteallthatshe
alwaysmanagedtofindanhourortwoeverydayforAlibegPašić.Hewasthe
only man whom the town believed had won Lotte's sympathy, genuinely and
independently of any source of profit. But he was also the most reserved and
taciturn man in the town. The eldest of the four Pašić brothers, he had never
married(inthetownitwasbelievedthatthiswasbecauseofLotte),nevertook
partinbusinessorpubliclife.Heneverdranktoexcessorwentintocaféswith
menofhisownage.Hewasalwaysofthesamemood,universallyamiableand
restrainedtowardsall,withoutdistinction.Quietandreserved,hedidnotavoid
societyorconversation,yetnooneeverrememberedanyopinionexpressedby
and completely satisfied with what he was and what he seemed in the eyes of
others.Hehimselfhadnoneedtobeortoseeminanywaydifferentfromwhat
hewasandnooneexpectedhimoraskedhimtobeanythingelse.Hewasoneof
thosemenwhobeartheirsocialpositionassomeheavyandnoblecallingwhich
completely fills their lives; an inborn, great and dignified position justified by
itselfaloneandwhichcannotbeexplained,nordeniednorimitated.
WiththeguestsinthelargehallLottehadlittlecontact.Thatwasthejobofthe
waitressMalčikaandthe 'zahlkelner' Gustav.MalčikawasashrewdHungarian
girlwellknowntothewholetownwholookedlikethewifeofsomeliontamer,
andGustav,asmall,reddishCzech-Germanofirrasciblenature,bloodshoteyes,
bow legs and flat feet. They knew all the guests and all the townspeople; they
knew who were or were not good payers, their habits when drunk, whom to
receivecoldlyandwhomtowelcomecordiallyandwhomnottoallowtoenterat
allfor'hewasnotforthishotel'.Theytookcarethattheguestsshoulddrinkalot
andshouldpayregularly,butthateverythingshouldendsmoothlyandwellsince
it was Lotte's motto: 'Nur kein Skandal!' If sometimes, exceptionally, it so
happened that someone went unexpectedly be-serk in his cups or, after already
getting drunk at some less reputable café, should force his way into the room,
then Milan the servant appeared, a tall broad-shouldered and hairy man from
Lika, of gigantic strength, a man who spoke little and did all the odd jobs. He was always correctly dressed as a hotel servant (Lotte saw to that). He was
alwaysinhisshirt-sleeves,withabrownwaistcoatandwhiteshirt,withalong
apron of green cloth, with sleeves rolled back summer and winter to show his
huge forearms as hairy as two brushes, and with finely waxed moustaches and
black hair stiff with perfumed military pomade.
Milan was the man who
extinguishedeveryscandalatitsveryconception.
There was a long-established and consecrated tactic for this disagreeable and
undesiredoperation.Gustavkeptthefuriousanddrunkenguestinconversation
untilMilancameupbehindhim;thenthe zahlkelner suddenlymovedoutofthe
way and Milan seized the drunkard from behind, one arm round his waist and
theotherroundhisneck,soswiftlyandskilfullythatnoonewaseverabletosee
what'Milan'sgrip'reallywas.Theneventhestrongestofthetownne'er-do-wells
flewlikearag-dollthroughthedoorswhichMalčikaheldopenatjusttheright
moment,andthroughthemintothestreet.AtthesamemomentGustavthrewhis
hat,stickandanythingelsehehadwithhimafterhimandMilanputthewhole
weight of his body and clanged down the metal shutter over the door. All this
was over in the twinkling of an eye, in close co-operation and smoothly, and
almost before the other guests could turn to look, the unwelcome visitor was
alreadyinthestreetandcould,ifhewerereallymaddened,beatafewtimeswith
knifeorstoneontheroller-blindsasthemarksonitshowed.Butthatwasnota
scandal in the hotel but in the street, a matter for the police who in any case alwayshadamanonpatrolinfrontofthehotel.IthadneverhappenedtoMilan,
as had been the case in other cafés, that the guest knocked anyone down or
rushedthroughtheroomsbreakingtablesandchairsorclungwitharmsandlegs
to the door so that afterwards not even a yoke of oxen could drag him away.
Milan never brought any excessive zeal or bad humour to his task, no love of
fighting or personal prejudice; therefore he finished the matter swiftly and
perfectly.Aminuteaftertheexpulsionhewasbackathisworkinthekitchenor
pantry as if nothing had happened. Gustav only went, as if by chance, through
the Extrazimmer and looking at Lotte, who sat at some table with the better guests,suddenlyclosedbotheyeswhichmeantthatsomethinghadhappenedbut
thateverythingwasnowsettled.ThenLotte,withoutstoppingherconversation