ita. She said something about _segsual
intimacies_; of course when people talk about _intimacies_, one knows
it has a meaning, but what on earth does segsual mean? It must mean
something, since it is used with _intimacy_. Well, let me get on. On
Saturday there was a party, and the medical student came, and I left my
Alpine Songs lying on the piano, and somebody picked it up and turned
over the pages, and the word went round that the person to whom it
belonged must sing something. At first I did not let on, but went out
for a moment, and then came back saying: "I'm looking for my music book,
I left it lying about somewhere." There was a general shout, and everyone
said: "We've agreed that the person to whom that book belongs has got to
sing." Now I knew that Fraulein Karwinska had accompanied the singing on
such evenings before. So I said: "I shall be delighted to sing, provided
Fraulein K. will accompany me, For you gentlemen play too loud for my
voice." Great laughter, but I had got what I wanted. We were introduced,
and I thought to myself: You will soon improve the acquaintance. On
Sunday for once in a way I got up quite early, at half past 6, for
Fraulein K. can only go out walking early in the morning since she
spends the whole day with her cousin. She sits near the Luisenquelle,
so I went there with a book, and as soon as she came I jumped up, said
"good-morning," and went on: "I'm afraid I've taken possession of _your_
bench." "Not at all," she said, "Do you study on Sundays?" "Oh no, this
is only light reading," I answered, and I made haste to sit on the book,
for in my hurry I had not noticed what it was. But luck was with me. She
sat down beside me and said: "What is it you are reading that you hide
so anxiously? I suppose it's something that your mother must not know
about." "Oh no," said I, "we have not brought any such books to the
country with us." "I take it that means that you do manage to get them
when you are in town?" "Goodness me, one must try and learn a little
about _life_; and since no one will ever tell one anything, one looks
about for oneself to see if one can find anything in a book." "In the
encyclopedia, I suppose?" "No, that's no good, for one can't always find
the truth there." She burst out laughing and said: "What sort of truth
do you want?" "I think you can imagine very well what sort of things I
want to know." Of course one can speak more plainly to a medical student
than one can to othe