THE ENGLISH GARDENS
215
((Danke:'
Nicolas replied, using one of
his
five German
words. And then in a tougher voice he repeated, "The English
Gardens!"
A young German walked by wheeling a bicycle. He stopped,
he smiled, "Are you an American?"
((la:'
Nicolas replied, looking him over.
"May I help you with your problem?"
"No problem, just wanna look at these English Gardens."
The student, for that's what he was, as Nicolas had expertly
guessed before dismissing him as a possible connection, briefly
explained to the policeman and then turned to Nicolas: "You
get on that tram (do you say tram? oh) it
is
number fifteen, and
you change to number seven, north. Tell the conductor
Sieben
... I had better write it."
Nicolas produced his copy of the Greek Myths.
As
the stu–
dent searched for, found, and wrote in a blank margin he asked
pleasantly, "You are a student?"
"You might say," Nicolas answered, but without the usual
provocative undertone.
"Ah,
splendid. You have a writer named Emerson who
said...."
«la, ja,
I know what he said," Nicolas cut in, taking the
myth book back, "I'll see you around." With that, he walked
over to the platform in the middle of the downtown street.
"Goodbye!" cried the student. But, ignored, he started off
with his bicycle and a bewildered look. The policeman had
watched the whole of it and now called, (([ think he's a Greek!"
The sun came out as Nicolas was squinting down the track.
He fished out a pair of dark glasses. In a few minutes, pushing
past the others, he stood blocking the aisle by the conductor's
stand of number fifteen. He showed the directions and a two–
mark coin, took ticket and change and then deliberately surveyed
the car. No one interesting, all seats taken. He moved himself
perhaps a foot out of the way and stooped to see Munich's large
uninteresting center move by.
Squaresville, man,
Nicolas com-
