Berlin Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf Read Online Free PDF Page B

‘embraced this fine lady, the skin of his chest felt hot as if he had been embracing her himself. It went all over him and made him weak.
    A jane. (There’s something else besides anger and fear. What about all this bunk? Air, m’boy, and a jane!) Queer he shouldn’t have thought of that. You stand at the window of the cell and look into the courtyard through the bars. Sometimes women pass by, visitors or children or house-cleaning up at the old man’s. How they all stand at the windows, the convicts, and look, every window occupied, devouring every woman. A guard once had a two weeks’ visit from his wife from Eberswalde, formerly he used to drive over to see her once every two weeks, now she made good use of the time, every moment of it, at work his head hangs with fatigue, he can hardly walk any longer.
    Franz was now outside on the street in the rain. What’ll we do? I’m a free man. I’ve got to have a woman! A woman I’ve got to have! Gee, how great, life is nice outside. But I must hold on to myself so I can walk. He was walking on springs, not on solid earth. Then, at the corner of Kaiser-Wilhelm Strasse, behind the market-wagons, he came upon a woman; he posted himself beside her, any old gal will do. The devil, how did I suddenly git such cold feet. He went off with her, bit his under-lip, he was so excited, if you live far. I won’t come along. It was just across the Bülowplatz, past the fences, through a hallway, to the courtyard, down six steps. She turned back, laughed: “Don’t be so dithery, sweetie, why, you’ll knock me down.” She had hardly shut the door behind him, when he grabbed her. “Boy, just give me time to put my umbrella down first.” He pressed her, hugged her, pinched her, rubbed his hands across her coat. he still had his hat on, angrily she let the umbrella drop. “Let me go, won’t you.” He groaned, and smiled an awkward, dizzy smile: “Whazze matter?” “You’re going to ruin all my get-up. Are you going to shell out for it afterwards? All right then, we never get anything for nothing either.” He did not let her go. “Say, you foot I can’t breathe. You must be loony.” She was stout and slow, small, he first had to give her the three marks, which she put carefully into the chest of drawers. The key she put in her pocket. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her. “It’s because I’ve been behind the bars a coupla years, fat gal. Out there in Tegel you can imagine it.” “Where?” “Tegel, you know.”
    The flabby wench guffawed. She unbuttoned her blouse at the top. There were once two royal children, who held each other so dear. And the cow jumped over the moon. She grabbed him, pressed him to her. Putt, putt, putt, my little chick, putt, putt, putt, my rooster.
    He soon had beads of sweat on his face, he groaned. “Well, whatcha groaning for?” “Who’s that bird running around next door?” “It’s not a bird, it’s my landlady. “ “What’s she doing there?” “What do you think she’s doing? She’s got her kitchen there.” “Well, she ought to stop running around like that. What does she want to run around for now? I can’t stand it.” “Oh Lordylordy, I’ll go and tell her.” What a sweaty fellow he is, I’ll be glad to get rid of him, the old bum! I’ll soon put him out. She knocked next door: “Frau Priese, won’t you be quiet for just a few minutes? I’ve got to talk to a gentleman here, something important.” Well that’s done, dear fatherland, be comfort thine, come to my heart, but you’re going to be ditched soon.
    She thought to herself, her head on the pillow: those tan oxfords need soling, Kitty’s new boy-friend does that for two marks, if she don’t mind, I ain’t goin’ to swipe him away from her, he can also dye ‘em brown to go with my brown blouse, it’s an old rag anyway, just good enough to be made into a coffee-cozy: them ribbons’ll have to be pressed, I’ll ask Frau Priese right away, she’s