12 erotic stories impertinence, of my stupidity, in such fury that not one of my excuses was enough to pacify her. Finally, looking pitiful, tears bathing her eyelashes, she said in a quiet voice:

‘I was just beginning to enjoy the thought of being your teacher!…’

I took advantage of this friendly gesture and, telling her what a child she was, I comforted her like a child, explaining to her that there had been no intention on my part of offending her; to be Jewish was no disgrace, and since she displayed such anger against Jews, I told her the real reason why I had supposed her to be Jewish: it had not been so much because of her black hair, nor because of her dark complexion; it had been for a very different reason.

‘So what was the reason?’ she asked at once, burning with curiosity.

‘I think it would be better not to tell you, as I don’t want you to get angry again…’

‘No, that’s not a good enough reason… You must tell me.’ ‘I’m sorry, but I shan’t…’ ‘Tell me, I order you to tell me…’ she exclaimed, angry again.

‘All right then, I shall tell you… It’s because I thought you were hardhearted.’

‘Me? Hardhearted?’ ‘But you even admitted to it…’ ‘I was teasing,’ she retorted, her mouth and eyes now smiling.

Very soon we had made our peace when, stopping suddenly and looking about her, she realized that we were approaching Rembrandtsplein, where the busiest streets of central Amsterdam meet, and she remarked:

‘It’s time to say goodbye. I wouldn’t like to be seen with you.’

‘If you’d like, we could go to a café…’ ‘Not today.’ ‘All right… But tomorrow, where shall we meet?’