wantedtotalktohiminconfidenceOfcoursesheshould.HeledherpastKlonowska.Klonowska tookitcalmly.Thegirlcouldmeananythinglackmarketorcurrencybusiness.Shecouldeven beachicpartisan.Lovemightbetheleastofmotivations.Inanycase,aworldlygirllikeKlonowska didnexpecttoownOskar,ortobeownedinreturn. Insidetheoffice,Schindlerplacedachairforherandwalkedbehindhisdeskbeneaththeritual portraitoftheF@uhrer.WouldshelikeacigarettePerhapsaPernodoracognacNo,shesaid, buthemust,ofcourse,feelfreetotakeadrink.Hepouredhimselfonefromhiscocktailcabinet. Whatthisveryimportantbusinessheasked,notquitewiththatcrispgraceheshownonthe stairs.Forhermannerhadchangednowthedoortotheouterofficewasclosed. Hecouldtellshecometodohardbusiness.She leanedforward.Foraseconditseemed ridiculousforher,agirlwhosefatherhadpaid 50,000z@l.forAryanpapers,tosayitwithout apause,togiveitallawaytoa halfironic,halfworried Sudetendeutscherwithasnifterofcognacinhishand.Yetinsomewaysitwastheeasiestthing sheeverdone. Ihavetotellyou,HerrSchindler,InotaPolishAryan.MyrealnameisPerlman. MyparentsareinP@lasz@ow.Theysay,andIbelieveit,thatcomingtoEmaliaisthesameas beinggivenaLebenskartecardoflife.IhavenothingIcangiveyou;Iborrowedclothestoget insideyourfactory.Willyoubringthemhereforme Schindlerputdownhisdrinkandstoodup.YouwanttomakeasecretarrangementIdonmake secretarrangements.Whatyousuggest,Fraulein,isillegal.IhaveafactoryhereinZablocieandthe onlyquestionIaskiswhetherornotapersonhascertainskills.IfyoucaretoleaveyourAryan nameandaddress,itmightbepossibletowritetoyouatsomestageandinformyouthatIneedyour parentsfortheirworkskills.Butnotnow,andnotonanyotherground.Buttheycancomeas skilledworkers,saidFrauleinPerlman.Myfatheranimporter,notametalworker. Wehaveanofficestaff,saidSchindler.Butmainlyweneedskillsonthefactoryfloor. Shewasdefeated.Halfblindwithtears,shewroteherfalsenameandrealaddressecoulddo withitwhateverhewanted.Butonthestreetsheunderstoodandbegantorevive.MaybeSchindler thoughtshemightbeanagent,thatshemighthavebeenthereforentrapment.Justthesame,he beencold.Therehadnevenbeenanambiguous,nonindictablegestureofkindnessinthemannerin whichhethrownheroutofhisoffice. WithinamonthMr.andMrs.PerlmancametoEmaliafromP@lasz@ow.Notontheirown,as ReginaPerlmanhadimagineditwouldhappenshouldHerrOskarSchindlerdecidetobemerciful, butaspartofanewdetailof30workers. SometimesshewouldgoaroundtoLipowaStreetand bribeherwayontothefactoryfloortosee
