The garments have misplaced their scent yet now not their shape. As Irena stands through the armoire, her mom occasionally appears to be like and urges her to head out to a membership and cross the time with pals. not anything comes of all that urging. Irena used to visit the films along with her father and infrequently along with her mom. Her father used to be a handsome guy, and she or he loved going out with him. After rearranging the cabinets, Irena opens the package deal of images. so much of them are from her mom and dad’ condominium again in Zalachov. They didn’t take many photos in Israel. Irena is familiar with the photographs rather well, yet nonetheless a small discovery awaits her: her younger mom being hugged via tall fellows. at the again of the image is written: “The Nest of Hashomer Hatsa’ir in Zalachov. ” as soon as Ernst had requested her anything approximately her mom and dad. She used to be alarmed and acknowledged, “They’re continually with me. ” “How? ” he puzzled. “I replaced not anything in the home. ” “Everything is because it used to be? ” “Just because it was once. ” That gave him pause for a second, yet he didn’t ask anything. four IT RAINED through the evening, AND ERNST’S SPIRITS have sunk. It’s not easy to grasp why. it sounds as if, he wrote for lots of hours the day before today. He writes and crosses out, and after all he rips up the paper and throws it within the wastebasket. Irena serves him breakfast, and he sits and eats. Irena has spotted that during the last few weeks Ernst has been suffering from gloom. Going out to the café within the morning is certainly one of his techniques for deceiving his obdurate enemy. Writing is Ernst’s mystery area. He says not anything approximately it, and Irena doesn’t ask. yet she senses that it’s a harsh area of fight. greater than as soon as she has came across him within the morning exhausted at his table. yet throughout the day to boot, while he has withdrawn into his nook, his focus is clear, as if he have been attempting to whet a sword that refuses to be sharpened. occasionally it kind of feels to her that he's contending with tiny demons who vex him. occasionally, while she involves stopover at within the night, they slip away like evil mice. Ernst has certainly long gone out to the café, and while he returns, the somberness has been erased from his forehead. at the approach domestic he had met one in every of his associates, a guy a lot more youthful than he, who instructed him that during the brokerage condominium the place Ernst had previously labored, every thing was once because it have been. a number of humans had retired, yet such a lot of them have been operating within the related workplaces. the idea that he had spent 20 years of his existence there saddened him for a second, yet happiness that he wasn’t nonetheless there overcame the disappointment. “I’m free,” Ernst calls out while he returns domestic. Irena doesn’t comprehend the which means of his happiness and asks, “What occurred? ” “I not paintings for Manfeld affiliates, agents, Ltd. I paintings in my very own corporation. My corporation is probably not well suited, and it doesn’t make large can provide, yet it’s mine, correct? ” Irena is happy that the melancholy has loosened its grip on him. within the afternoon, Ernst sits within the armchair and reads with focus. As Irena is set to depart the house, he asks for a pitcher of cognac.