human
I'm only a nervy idiot, she said;
gpt
I'm absolutely fluster-bustered about it. Sometimes I thought he knew I was a fraud; sometimes that he didn't; he acted both ways, and----
human
But that von Welten was at the station,
gpt
Evidently he knew I had them, but must have thought old Gratz gave them to me. He said he had come to make sure I had planted the ring on von Erstein, all right. Otherwise, he'd have stopped us; but he actually asked where you were. It knocked me bang over.
human
I'd bet he knew all about it, and so did von Gratzen. I expect the truth is that after you'd saved his wife and Nita that day, he guessed everything and determined to give you a chance to get out of the country. Why, he almost told you to take them when you were with him in the morning. And then that authority he gave you! It's as plain as a pikestaff he meant that to get out of any bother on the way; and, as if that wasn't enough, there was von Welten at the station to see that we got away without any trouble.
gpt
Let's hope you're right.
human
Of course I am. Naturally in view of all that happened he couldn't give you the things openly or he might have got into a mess over it which couldn't be explained away. But everything else could. His plan about von Erstein, the brute, gave him an excellent excuse for allowing you to leave Berlin; in fact you can see he was clever enough to cover his tracks at every step. Surely that's clear enough.
gpt
It may be to you, but I gave up long ago trying to understand him, and if you'd seen as much of him as----
human
I don't want to see him, not till after the war anyhow, although he's just the dearest old thing in Germany. If I ever do see him again, I shall want to hug him.
gpt
Hug him as much as you like, by all means; all I wish is that he won't hug me in the way he probably would if he got the chance. And now hadn't you better try forty winks?
human
What time is it?
gpt
Nearly one o'clock.
human
What time shall we cross the frontier?
gpt
About an hour after we leave Osnabr𡡷k, and we get there at half-past three.
human
Then I'll go to sleep at four o'clock. Not a moment before. I simply couldn't. Oh, to think that in four hours all the suspense and horrors of the last months will be at an end! When shall we reach home? Think of it, Jack! Home!
gpt
Depends on our getting a boat. We'll go right through to Rotterdam and shall reach there by nine or ten to-morrow morning, say before midday anyhow; but we may have to wait for a boat.
human
I shan't mind that. We must wire to mother as soon as we're over the frontier. Not likely to have any bother there, are we?
gpt
Can't think of any. We've got all the necessary papers.
human
How perfectly glorious! And to think that I owe it all to you.
gpt
That rather takes the cream off, doesn't it?
human
Don't fish. I might say something to make you blush. I'm quite capable of it and not a bit responsible for what I say. I want to revel in the thought of it all.
gpt
State business, is it? What do I care about State business? I want a seat and I'm going to have one,
human
Going to have travelling companions to Osnabr𡡷k, I said.
gpt
Some of those officers who got in at Hanover. Better let them come in.
human
We've got to sit here; there's not another seat in the train,
gpt
By all means,
human
Come on, you fellows, he called, looking out into the corridor.
gpt
Plenty of room here.