started to quiver.
Emil kept breathing into the handset, did not want to hear what she was about to say.
"Have you had something to eat today?" she went on. She cared about him, she always had. "You never eat properly. Have you heard about fruit and vegetables? I suspect you only ever eat bread, but your body needs more than that. You ought to buy some vitamins and take them during the autumn and winter, Emil. You can get them at Møller's. I'm sure they would have some at the Joker; if not, they'll order them for you. You just need to make an effort, you should take some responsibility for yourself, you know. It's not as if I'm getting any younger," she banged on.
Emil threw a quick glance at the door to the bedroom. Then he looked at the clock.
"Have you washed yourself today?" she went on. "God only knows how often you wash your hair. I don't suppose you do it properly, either, standing there hunched over the sink. And anyway..." she droned on, not expecting an answer, "do you dress up warm when you go out on the three-wheeler? It's autumn now, you've got to watch out so that you don't catch the flu. If you're sick in bed, you'll be helpless: I can't come over every single day. I'm busy enough as it is. Margot Janson from next door is still confined to her chair by the window since she broke her hip. If it hadn't been for me, God only knows what she would have done. I wonder if anyone will be there for me the day I can't manage on my own. If only you had a wife, you would have some hope of a comfortable old age, but if it's true what people say, that we all get what we deserve, then I must have done something bad in my life that I don't even know about."
She got ready to conclude her monologue. "You can start by pulling the furniture away. Hang the rugs over the fence outside, so I can get going faster. I do hope the car will start," she said anxiously. "It was making noises yesterday; I wonder if perhaps the battery has run down. Do you have detergents and things like that to hand?"
"No!" Emil said. Once again he visualized his mother. She was like a hurricane now, a tornado. Her tirade blocked out all the thoughts she did not dare think; she swept them out of the way with words.
"I'll bring a bottle of Ajax," she said. "One day we'll go through your cupboards. You always forget to stock up on things. How many times have I been to see you and found there was no toilet paper? I've lost count. After all, you're a grown man. Anyway, I've got to go now. Just make sure you get started and I'll be with you soon."
"No!" Emil said. He said it louder this time.
His mother heard the rising intonation in his voice; it was unusual. He always said "no" and he said it in many different ways, but this was bordering on something else. A kind of desperation. She frowned and pressed her lips together. She did not want any more problems, not a single one.
"Yes!" she said.
***
Ruth stuck her arms into the sleeves of her coat. On hearing the slam of a car door she stopped. With one hand still in the coat sleeve, she pushed down the handle and opened the door. A very tall man with gray hair was walking across the drive. Ruth recognized him straight away. He stopped at the foot of the steps, bowed, then walked up the steps to her. She finished putting on her coat and held out her hand. He was so tall that she felt like a little girl. She almost wanted to curtsy.
"I've just been to see Helga," Sejer said.
"I'm on my way there now," she said quickly.
"Could I have a word?"
"Of course."
She pulled off her coat. Led him into the kitchen. There was an L-shaped bench with cushions.
"Now, about Ida," Ruth said despondently. "I don't suppose there are that many options left?" She stared at him with frightened eyes. "Helga is losing hope," she groaned. "I don't know what will become of us if the worst has happened. It will be the death of her. She lives only for that child. Ever since Anders moved out."
Sejer listened while Ruth
Emil kept breathing into the handset, did not want to hear what she was about to say.
"Have you had something to eat today?" she went on. She cared about him, she always had. "You never eat properly. Have you heard about fruit and vegetables? I suspect you only ever eat bread, but your body needs more than that. You ought to buy some vitamins and take them during the autumn and winter, Emil. You can get them at Møller's. I'm sure they would have some at the Joker; if not, they'll order them for you. You just need to make an effort, you should take some responsibility for yourself, you know. It's not as if I'm getting any younger," she banged on.
Emil threw a quick glance at the door to the bedroom. Then he looked at the clock.
"Have you washed yourself today?" she went on. "God only knows how often you wash your hair. I don't suppose you do it properly, either, standing there hunched over the sink. And anyway..." she droned on, not expecting an answer, "do you dress up warm when you go out on the three-wheeler? It's autumn now, you've got to watch out so that you don't catch the flu. If you're sick in bed, you'll be helpless: I can't come over every single day. I'm busy enough as it is. Margot Janson from next door is still confined to her chair by the window since she broke her hip. If it hadn't been for me, God only knows what she would have done. I wonder if anyone will be there for me the day I can't manage on my own. If only you had a wife, you would have some hope of a comfortable old age, but if it's true what people say, that we all get what we deserve, then I must have done something bad in my life that I don't even know about."
She got ready to conclude her monologue. "You can start by pulling the furniture away. Hang the rugs over the fence outside, so I can get going faster. I do hope the car will start," she said anxiously. "It was making noises yesterday; I wonder if perhaps the battery has run down. Do you have detergents and things like that to hand?"
"No!" Emil said. Once again he visualized his mother. She was like a hurricane now, a tornado. Her tirade blocked out all the thoughts she did not dare think; she swept them out of the way with words.
"I'll bring a bottle of Ajax," she said. "One day we'll go through your cupboards. You always forget to stock up on things. How many times have I been to see you and found there was no toilet paper? I've lost count. After all, you're a grown man. Anyway, I've got to go now. Just make sure you get started and I'll be with you soon."
"No!" Emil said. He said it louder this time.
His mother heard the rising intonation in his voice; it was unusual. He always said "no" and he said it in many different ways, but this was bordering on something else. A kind of desperation. She frowned and pressed her lips together. She did not want any more problems, not a single one.
"Yes!" she said.
***
Ruth stuck her arms into the sleeves of her coat. On hearing the slam of a car door she stopped. With one hand still in the coat sleeve, she pushed down the handle and opened the door. A very tall man with gray hair was walking across the drive. Ruth recognized him straight away. He stopped at the foot of the steps, bowed, then walked up the steps to her. She finished putting on her coat and held out her hand. He was so tall that she felt like a little girl. She almost wanted to curtsy.
"I've just been to see Helga," Sejer said.
"I'm on my way there now," she said quickly.
"Could I have a word?"
"Of course."
She pulled off her coat. Led him into the kitchen. There was an L-shaped bench with cushions.
"Now, about Ida," Ruth said despondently. "I don't suppose there are that many options left?" She stared at him with frightened eyes. "Helga is losing hope," she groaned. "I don't know what will become of us if the worst has happened. It will be the death of her. She lives only for that child. Ever since Anders moved out."
Sejer listened while Ruth
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