Free Berlin Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf by Alfred Döblin Page B

fellow-member, let’s drink something. To our organization!” “To our organization, here’s how, gentlemen. Here’s how, Gottlieb!” The latter laughed and laughed: “Boy, the only question that’s left now is how you’re goin’ to pay your dues the first of the month.” “And then see to it, young colleague, now that you got a membership card and you are a member of our organization, that the organization helps you to make some real money.” The live-stock dealers tried to outlaugh Gottlieb. One of the dealers: “You’d better go with that paper to Meiningen, next week is market week there. I’ll take my stand on the right-hand side. You can go on the other side, to the left, and I’ll watch how business goes with you. Let’s imagine it; Albert he has his card and is a member of the organization and is standing in his booth. line on my side they’re yelling: Hot dogs with real Meiningen crackers, and he yells opposite me: Right this way! First time here, member of the organization, the great sensation of the Zwick market of Meiningen. Tile people will come in droves. Say, Isaac, you make my eyes ache!” They beat on the table, Biberkopf along with them. Cautiously he shoved the paper into his breast-pocket: “If a man wants to walk, he simply buys himself a pair of shoes. I haven’t said anything yet about doing a fat lot of business. But I ain’t looney, either.” They got up.
    Out in the street Meck got into a violent discussion with the two livestock dealers. Both expressed their views about a lawsuit one of them was engaged in. He had been trading cattle in the Province of the Mark, but had a trade permit for Berlin only. A competitor had then met him in a village and reported him to the police. Whereupon the two dealers, who were traveling together, played a deep game: the defendant testifies in court that he was only the other’s companion, and had acted according to his orders.
    The cattle dealers were explaining: “We won’t foot the bill. We’ll take the oath. That is, we gotta take an oath in court. He’ll swear he was only my companion and that he’s done it of tell before, and we’ll swear to that and that’s all there is to it.”
    Then Meck got quite excited, holding the two cattle dealers by their overcoats: “There you are, you’re crazy, why, you belong in Loonyville. Imagine taking an oath for a lousy thing like that, just to do that scoundrel a service, so that he can get you in trouble for good. It ought to be put in the papers that the law is giving its support to things like that, why, that’s not straight, those gents with their monocles. But now we’re talking justice.”
    The second live-stock dealer insists: “I’ll swear, well, why not? Me - cough up, three appeals, and that crook getting a lot of fun out of it? No, sir. That guy’s green with envy. As far as I’m concerned, Nothin’ doin’, I won’t shell out.”
    Meck tapped his forehead with his fist: “You fat-head, you deserve to lie in the gutter where you are.” They took leave of the cattle dealers, Franz took Meck by the arm and they bowled along through the Brunnenstrasse. Meck hurled a threat after the cattle dealers: “Funny birds. Got something on their conscience. The whole country’s got something on its conscience.” “What did you say, Gottlieb?” “They’re a lot o’ jellyfish, instead of showing their fists to the court, nothin’ but jellyfish, the whole country, business men, working men, the whole bunch of ‘em.”
    Suddenly Meek stopped in his tracks and planted himself in front of Franz: “Franz, we gotta have a talk together. Otherwise I can’t let you come with me, nohow.” “Well, go ahead then.” “Franz, I gotta know who you are. Look me in the face. Tell me honestly and on your word of honor, you got a taste of it out there in Tegel, you know what’s right and just. And right is always right.” “That’s true, Gottlieb.” “Well then, Franz, honest and