Around seven thirty I went down to the Kasino. Voss hadn’t yet arrived and I ordered a brandy, which I carried into an alcove set a little back. A few minutes later Kern came in, examined the room, and headed toward me. “Herr Hauptsturmführer! I was looking for you.” He took off his cap and sat down, casting glances around him: he looked embarrassed, nervous. “Hauptsturmführer. I wanted to let you know about something that concerns you, I think.”—“Yes?” He hesitated: “They…You are often in the company of that Leutnant from the Wehrmacht. That…how should I say it? That’s giving rise to some rumors.”—“What sort of rumors?”—“Rumors…let’s say dangerous rumors. The kind of rumors that lead straight to the concentration camp.”—“I see.” I remained impassive. “And might this kind of rumor by chance be spread by a certain kind of person?” He turned pale: “I don’t want to say anything else about it. I think it’s low, shameful. I just wanted to warn you so that you could…could act in a way that would prevent it from going any further.” I got up and held out my hand: “Thank you for this information, Obersturmführer. But I have nothing but contempt for those who spread sordid rumors in a cowardly way instead of confronting someone face-to-face, and I ignore them.” He shook my hand: “I completely understand your reaction. But take care all the same.” I sat back down, overcome with rage: so that’s the game they wanted to play! What’s more, they were completely mistaken. I’ve said it already: I never form bonds with my lovers; friendship is something else entirely. I loved a single person in this world, and even if I never saw her, that was enough for me. But narrow-minded scum like Turek and his friends could never understand that. I resolved to get my revenge; I didn’t know how yet, but the opportunity would present itself. Kern was an honest man, he had done well to warn me: that would give me time to think.
