My bride has told me everything. Be assured that your
courtship makes us laugh.

Max Mechenmal


When Mechenmal had mailed the letter he became restless. He was
afraid that he had handled things carelessly.

Kohn came back immediately. He went to Ilka Leipke. Showed her the
letter. Howling, he asked whether she had forgotten the night with
him. She said: "yes." He moaned. He wept unintelligibly about soul
and suicide. Ilka Leipke showed him out. His weakness was annoying
to her; even as a child she could not watch anyone cry.

But she was angry at Mechenmal. She began to tease him about Kohn.
She claimed that Kohn had often been her guest; and she always found
him to be nice. Mechenmal considered her stories to be true. Now he
hated Kohn.

He considered how to get of the hunch-back, without being known as
the one who got rid of him. It did not take him long to come up with
a plan. Kohn died on a Sunday, suddenly, but without strange
circumstances. His body was released for burial without any
difficulty. In the newspaper "The Other A" Theo Tontod provided a
short obituary. And the Club Clou sent a wreath. Ilka Leipke had
herself taken to observe the body before the burial. The coffin was
opened quickly. In it Kohn lay somewhat askew, because of the hump.
The features of his face were distorted in a grimace. His hands were
rolled up lumps. Dried blood stuck to his nose and hung over his