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problems； does he enjoy them？ It is impossible to say； but he certainly has
the appearance of one accomplishing a duty or a piece of work which we
do not discuss； which is important； necessary and inevitable。
But the lesson suddenly ends with a joke carried rather too far by the
pupil； who catches his good master by the seat of his trousers； into which
he plants disrespectful teeth。 He is severely reprimanded； deprived of his
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carrots and sent back in disgrace to his private apartments。
13
Next comes Bette； who is like a big； sleek Norman horse。 He makes
the calm； dignified； peaceful entrance of a blind giant。 His large； dark；
brilliant eyes are quite dead； deprived of any reflex power。 He feels about
with his hoof for the board on which he is to rap his answers。 He has not
yet gone beyond the rudiments of mathematics； and the early part of his
education was particularly difficult。 They managed to make him
understand the value and meaning of the numbers and of the addition… and
multiplication…signs by means of little taps on his sides。 Krall speaks to
him as a father might speak to the youngest of his sons。 He explains to him
fondly the easy sums which I suggest his doing： two plus three； eight
minus four； four times three； he says：
〃Mind！ It's not plus three or minus three this time； but four multiplied
by three！〃
Berto hardly ever makes a mistake。 When he does not understand the
question； he waits for it to be written with the finger on his side； and the
careful way in which he works it out like some backward and afflicted
child is an infinitely pathetic sight。 He is much more zealous and
conscientious than his fellow…pupils； and we feel that； in the darkness
wherein he dwells； this work is； next to his meals； the only spark of light
and interest in his existence。 He will certainly never rival Muhamed； for
instance； who is the arithmetical prodigy； the Inaudi； of horses； but he is a
valuable and living proof that the theory of unconscious and imperceptible
signs； the only one which the German theorists have hitherto seriously
considered； is now clearly untenable。
I have not yet spoken of Zarif。 He is not in the best of tempers； and
besides； in arithmetic； he is only a less learned and more capricious
Muhamed。 He answers most of the questions at random； stubbornly raising
his foot and declining to lower it； so as clearly to mark his disapproval； but
he solves the last problem correctly when he is promised a panful of
carrots and no more lessons for that morning。 The groom enters to lead
him away and makes some movement or other at which the horse starts；
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rears and shies。
〃That's his bad conscience；〃 says Krall； gravely。
And the expression assumes a singular meaning and importance in this
hybrid atmosphere； steeped in an indefinable something from another
world。
But it is half…past one； the sacred German dinner…hour。 The horses are
taken back to their racks and the men separate； wishing one another the
inevitable Mahlzeit。
As he walks with me along the quays of the black and muddy Wupper；
Krall says：
〃It is a pity that you did not see Zarif in one of his better moods。 He is
sometimes more startling than Muhamed and has given me two or three
surprises that seem incredible。 One morning； for instance； I came to the
stable and was preparing to give him his lesson in arithmetic。 He was no
sooner in front of the spring…board than he began to stamp with his foot。 I
left him alone and was astounded to hear a whole sentence； an absolutely
human sentence； come letter by letter from his hoof： 'Albert has beaten
Hanschen；' was what he said to me that day。 Another time； I wrote down
from his dictation； 'Hanschen has bitten Kama。' Like a child seeing its
father after an absence； he felt the need to inform me of the little doings of
the stable； he provided me with the artless chronicle of a humble and
uneventful life。〃
Krall； for that matter； living in the midst of his miracle； seems to think
this quite natural and almost inevitable。 I； who have been immersed in it
for only a few hours； accept it almost as calmly as he does。 I believe
without hesitation what he tells me； and； in the presence of this
phenomenon which； for the first time in man's existence； gives us a
sentence that has not sprung from a human brain； I ask myself whither we
are tending； where we stand and what lies ahead of us。。 。 。
14
After dinner； the experiments begin again； for my host is untiring。 First
of all； pointing to me； he asks Muhamed if he remembers what his uncle's
name is。 The horse raps out an H。 Krall is astonished and utters fatherly
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reprimands：
〃Come； take care！ You know it's not an H。〃
The horse raps out an E。 Krall becomes a little impatient： he threatens；
he implores； he promises in turn； carrots and the direst punishments； such
as sending for Albert； the groom； who； on special occasions； recalls idle
and inattentive pupils to a sense of duty and decorum； for Krall himself
never chastises his horses； lest he should lose their friendship or their
confidence。 So he continues his reproaches：
〃Come now； are you going to be more careful and not rap out your
letters anyhow？〃
Muhamed obstinately goes his own way and strikes an R。 Then Krall's
open face lights up：
〃He's right；〃 he says。 〃You understand： H E R； standing for Herr。 He
wanted to give you the title to which every man wearing a top hat or a
bowler has the right。 He does it only very rarely and I had forgotten all
about it。 He probably heard me call you Herr Maeterlinck and wanted to
get it perfectly。 This special politeness and this excess of zeal augur a
particularly good lesson。 You've done very well； Mohammed； my child；
you've done very well and I beg your pardon。 Now kiss me and go on。〃
But Mohammed； after