But several minutes passed and she still remained, without stirring, as though she were unconscious. I had the shamelessness to tap softly at the screen as though to remind her.⁠ ⁠… She started, sprang up, and flew to seek her kerchief, her hat, her coat, as though making her escape from me.⁠ ⁠… Two minutes later she came from behind the screen and looked with heavy eyes at me. I gave a spiteful grin, which was forced, however, to keep up appearances , and I turned away from her eyes.

“Goodbye,” she said, going towards the door.

I ran up to her, seized her hand, opened it, thrust something in it and closed it again. Then I turned at once and dashed away in haste to the other corner of the room to avoid seeing, anyway.⁠ ⁠…