Without taking my eyes from the smile which grew more and more curved, I put my hands on the edge of the desk and slowly, very slowly pushed myself with my chair away from him. Then instantly gathering myself into my own hands, I dashed madly out, past loud voices, past steps and mouths.⁠ ⁠…

I do not remember how I got into one of the public restrooms at a station of the Underground Railway. Above, everything was perishing; the greatest civilization, the most rational in human history was crumbling⁠—but here, by some irony everything remained as before, beautiful. The walls shone; water murmured cosily and like the water⁠—the unseen, transparent music.⁠ ⁠… Only think of it! All this is doomed; all this will be covered with grass, some day; only myths will remain.⁠ ⁠…

I moaned aloud. At the same instant I felt someone gently patting my knee. It was from the left; it was my neighbor who occupied a seat on my left⁠—an enormous forehead, a bald parabola, yellow unintelligible lines of wrinkles on his forehead, those lines about me.