Три товарища

           "Herrgott!"Istoodup."Ihopedyouwouldn’tremember.

           ...Don’tmakeasongaboutit."

           "You’renottheonlyonetobeconsidered,"saidGottfried,puttingdownonthetableaparcelinwhichwassomethingthatclinkedandrattled.Köstercameinafterhim.

           Lenzstoodtoweringoverme."Whatwasthefirstthingyoumetthismorning,Bob?"

           Ithoughtawhile."Anoldwomandancing."

           "HolyMoses!There’sanomen,ifyoulike!Fitsinwithyourhoroscopeexactly!Ihaditcastyesterday.YouarebornunderSagittarius—weak,unreliable,areedinthewind—withSaturnsittinginanuglyquarterandJupiterunfavourablethisyear.KösterandIareinlocoparentis,youunderstand,thereforeIaskyoutoaccept,foryourverynecessaryprotection,firstthisamulet.IhaditfromadirectdescendantofthelastoftheIncas.Shehadbluebloodandflatfeet;shewaslousy,andhadthegiftofclairvoyance.’Pale-facedstranger,’shesaidtome,’kingshavewornthis;thepowerofsun,moonandearthareinit,tosaynothingofthelesserplanets....Givemeasilverdollarforittobuyschnappsanditisyours.’Thatthechainoffortunemaynotbebroken,Inowgiveittoyou.MayitpreserveyouandputtoflightunfriendlyJupiter."Hehungaboutmyneckalittleblackfiguresuspendedonathinchain."There.Thatisagainstmajormisfortunes....Againstthoseofeveryday,thereisthis—sixbottlesofrum.FromOtto.Everydroptwiceasoldasyouare."

           Heopenedtheparcelandstoodthebottlesuponebyoneinthemorning