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even these precautions could go wrong。 And they did。 At first； hoping for the best； I said nothing to Kurt； but then； from many motives…not wanting to carry the secret alone； the faint hope that he might be pleased and ask me to marry him； and a genuine fear about my condition…I told him。 I had no idea what his reaction might be； but of course I expected tenderness； sympathy； and at least a show of love。 We were standing by the door of my bedroom； preparatory to saying good night。 I hadn't a stitch of clothes on； while he was fully dressed。 When 1 had finished telling him； he quietly disengaged my arms from round his neck； looked my body up and down with what I can only call a mixture of anger and contempt； and reached for the door handle。 Then he looked me coldly in the eyes； said very softly； 〃So？〃 and walked out of the room and shut the door quietly behind him。
。 I went and sat down on the edge of my bed and stared at the wall。 What had I done？ What had I said wrong？ What did Kurt's behavior mean？ Then； weak with foreboding； I got into bed and cried myself to sleep。
I was right to cry。 The next morning； when I called for him downstairs for our usual walk to the office； he had already gone out。 When I got to the office； the municating door with mine was closed； and when； after a quarter of an hour or so； he opened the door and said we must have a talk； his face was icily cold。 I went into his office and sat down with the desk between us： an employee being interviewed by the boss…being sacked； as it turned out。
The burden of his speech； delivered in matter…of…fact； impersonal tones； was this。 In a radely liaison such as we had enjoyed； and it had indeed been most enjoyable； it was essential that matters should run smoothly； in an orderly fashion。 We had been （yes； 〃had been〃） good friends； but I would agree that there had never been any talk of marriage； of anything more permanent than a satisfactory understanding between rades （that word again！）。 It had indeed been a most pleasant relationship； but now； through the fault of one of the partners （me alone； I suppose！）； this had happened； and now a radical solution must be found for a problem that contained elements of embarrassment and even of danger for our life…paths。 Marriage…alas； for he had an excellent opinion of my qualities and above all of my physical beauty…was out of the question。 Apart from other considerations； he had inherited strong views about mixed blood （Heil Hitler！） and when he married； it would be into the Teutonic strain。 Accordingly； and with sincere regret； he had e to certain decisions。 The most important was that I must have an immediate operation。 Three months was already a dangerous delay。 This would be a simple matter。 I would fly to Zürich and stay at one of the hotels near the Hauptbahnhof。 Any taxi driver would take me there from the airport。 I would ask the concierge for the name of the hotel doctor…there were excellent doctors in Zürich… and I would consult him。 He would understand the situation。 All Swiss doctors did。 He would suggest that my blood pressure was too high or too low； or that my nerves were not in a fit state to support the strain of childbirth。 He would speak to a gynecologist…there were superb gynecologists in Zürich…and I would visit this man； who would confirm what the doctor had said and sign a paper to that effect。 The gynecologist would make a reservation at a clinic； and the whole matter would be solved inside a week。 There would be plete discretion。 The procedure was perfectly legal in Switzerland； and I would not even have to show my passport。 I could give any name I chose…a married name； naturally。 The cost would； however； be high。 Perhaps as much as one hundred； or even one hundred and fifty pounds。 That also he had seen to。 He reached into the drawer of his desk； took out an envelope； and slid it across the table。 It would be reasonable； after nearly two years' excellent service； for me to receive one month's salary in lieu of notice。 That was one hundred and twenty pounds。 Out of his own pocket he had taken the liberty of adding fifty pounds to cover the air fare； tourist class； and leave something over for emergencies。 The whole sum was in Reichsmarks to avoid any problem over the exchange。
Kurt smiled tentatively； waiting for my thanks and congratulations for his efficiency and generosity。 He must have been put out by the expression of blank horror on my face； because he hurried on。 Above all； I must not worry。 These unfortunate things happened in life。 They were painful and untidy。 He himself was most distressed that so happy a relationship； one of the happiest in his experience； should e to an end。 As； alas； it had to。 He added finally that he hoped I understood。
I nodded and got to my feet。 I picked up the envelope； took one last look at the golden hair； the mouth I had loved； the strong shoulders； and； feeling the tears ing； I walked quickly out of the room and shut the door softly behind me。
Before 1 met Kurt； I had been a bird with a wing down。 Now I had been shot in the other。
Six： Go West； Young Woman
AT the end of August； when all this happened； Zürich was as gay as this sullen city can be。 The clear； glacier water of the lake was bright with sailing…boats and water skiers； the public beaches were thronged with golden bathers； and the glum Bahnhofplatz； and the Bahnhofstrasse that is the pride of the town； clattered with ruck…sacked Jugend who had business with the mountains。 The healthy； well…ordered carnival atmosphere rasped on my raw nerves and filled my sick heart with mixed anguish。 This was the Kurt's…eye view of life…Naturfreude； the simple existence of simple animals。 He and I had shared such a life； and on the surface it had been good。 But blond hair and clear eyes and sunburn are no thicker than the paint on a woman's face。 They are just another kind of gloss。 A trite reflection； of course； but I had now been let down both by the worldliness of Derek and by the homespun of Kurt； and I was prepared to lose confidence in every man。 It wasn't that I had expected Kurt to marry me； or Derek。 I had just expected them to be kind and to behave like that idiotic word 〃gentlemen〃…to be gentle with me； as I； I thought； had been gentle with them。 That； of course； had been the trouble。 I had been too gentle； too acmodating。 I had had the desire to please （and to take pleasure； but that had been secondary）； and that had marked me as easy meat； expendable。 Well； that was the end of that！ From now on I would take and not give。 The world had shown me its teeth。 I would show mine。 I had been wet behind the ears。 Now I was dry。 I stuck my chin out like a good little Canadian （well； a fairly good little Canadian！）； and； having learned to take it； decided for a change to dish it out。
The business of my abortion； not to mince words； was good training for my new role。 The concierge at my hotel looked at me with the world…weary eyes of all concierges and said that the hotel doctor was on holiday but that there was another who was equally proficient。 （Did he know？ Did he guess？） Dr。 Süsskind examined me and asked if I had enough money。 When I said I had； he seemed disappointed。 The gynecologist was more explicit。 It seemed that he had a chalet。 Hotels in Zürich were so expensive。 Would I not care to have a period of rest before the operation？ I looked at him with stony eyes and said that the British Consul； who was my uncle； had invited me to recuperate with his family and I would be glad if I could enter the clinic without any delay。 It was he who had remended Dr。 Süsskind。 No doubt Herr Doktor Braunschweig knew the Consul？
My hocus…pocus was just good enough。 It had been delivered with my new decisive manner； and the gambit had been thought out beforehand。 The bifocals registered shock。 There were coolly fervent explanations and a hasty telephone call to the clinic。 Yes； indeed。 Tomorrow afternoon。 Just with my overnight things。
It was as mentally distressing but as physically painless as I had expected； and three days later I was back in my hotel。 My mind was made up。 I flew back to England； stayed at the new circular Ariel Hotel near London Airport until I had got rid of my few small belongings and paid my bills； and then I made an appointment with the nearest Vespa dealer； in Hammersmith； and went to see him。
My plan was to go off on my own； for at least a year； and see the other half of the world。 I had had London。 Life there had hit me with a hard left and right； and I was groggy on my feet。 I decided that I just didn't belong to the place。 I didn't understand Derek's sophisticated world； and I didn't know how to manage the clinical； cold…eyed； modern 〃love〃 that Kurt had offered me。 I told myself that it was because I had too much 〃heart。〃 Neither of these men had wanted my heart； they had just wanted my body。 The fact that I fell back on this age…old moan of the discarded woman to explain my failure to hold either of these men； was； I later decided； a more important clue to my failure than this business of 〃heart。〃 The truth of the matter was that I was just too simple to survive in the big…town jungle。 I was easy prey for the predators。 I was altogether too 〃Canadian〃 to pete with Europe。 So be it！ I was simple； so I would go back to the simple lands。 But not to sit and mope and vegetate。 I would go there to explore； to adventure。 I would follow the fall right down through America； working my way as waitress； baby…sitter； receptionist； until I got to Florida； and there I would get a job on a newspaper and sit in the sunshine until the spring。 And then I would think again。
Once I had made up my mind； the details of my plan absorbed me； driving out my misery； or at least keeping it at bay； and anesthetizing my sense of sin and shame and failure。 I went to the American Automobile Association in Pall Mall； joined it and got the maps I needed； and talked to them about transport。 The prices of secondhand cars in America were too high； as were the running costs； and I suddenly fell in love with the idea of a motor scooter。 At first it seemed ridiculous； the idea of taking on the great transcontinental highways with such a tiny machine； but the thought of being out in the open air； doing around a hundred miles to the gallon； not having to worry about garages； traveling light and； let's admit it； being something of a sensation wherever I went； made up my mind； and the Hammersmith dealer did the rest。
I knew something about machinery…every North American child is brought up with motor cars…and I weighed up the attractions of the little 125…c。c。 model and of the sturdier； faster 150…c。c。 Gran Sport。 Of course； I plumped for the sporty one with its marvelous acceleration and a top speed of nearly sixty。 It would only do around eighty miles to the gallon； pared with the smaller one's hundred； but I told myself that gas was cheap in America and that I must have the speed or I would take months to get south。 The dealer was enthusiastic。 He pointed out that in bad weather； or if I got tired； I could just put the thing on a train for a stretch。 He could get about thirty pounds' purchase tax off the price of one hundred and ninety pounds by delivering it to a ship that would get it over to Canada in ten days。 That would give me extra money to spend on spares and deluxe accessories。 I didn't need any pressuring。 We did one or two runs up and down the bypass； with the dealer sitting on the back； and the Vespa went like a bird and was as easy to drive as a bicycle。 So I signed up for it； bought a leopard…skin cover for the seat and spare wheel； racy…looking deluxe wheel…trims； a rear mirror； a luggage rack； white saddlebags that went beautifully with the silver finish of the body； a Perspex sports windscreen； and a white crash helmet that made me feel like Pat Moss。 The dealer gave me some good ideas about clothes； and I went to a store and bought white overalls with plenty of zips； some big goggles with soft fur round the edges； and a rather dashing pair of lined black kid motorcycling gloves。 After this I sat down in my hotel with the maps and planned my route for the first stage down from Quebec。 Then I booked myself on the cheapest Trans…Canada flight to Montreal； cabled Aunt Florence； and；