They had come to the place where Friedrichstrasse and Leipzigerstrasse cross each other; and Schrotter signed to them to look toward the left corner.  There under a gas lamp they saw Barinskoi in earnest conversation with a woman.

“Yes, look at him!  That brute is still the most reasonable among all your philosophics.  He has his method of sponging, and enjoys himself according to the category of Aristotle.  But your metaphysics—­”

“What do you really want, Paul?”

“Well, I want you all to have to do for once with practical life, with two hundred workmen to pay and ten thousand acres of land to see after; and artificial manures and the price of corn to worry you; then perhaps you would take a little less interest as to whether the soul was a phenomenon or an india-rubber ball, or whether men were magnets or cogwheels.”

Wilhelm only smiled.  He had long ago given up trying to bring his practical friend to ideal views.  At the corner of the Kochstrasse they separated, and Paul continued his way to the Lutzowstrasse, while Wilhelm and Schrotter turned back.

Twenty minutes later, as Wilhelm entered his bedroom, his eyes fell on a letter for him in Dorfling’s handwriting.  He opened it, greatly surprised, and read as follows: 

“Dear friend:  When you read this I shall be free from all trouble and all doubt.  I have accomplished what I set myself to do, and I am going back to eternity from this limited sphere.  May you be as happy as I shall be in a few hours!  Keep a friendly thought for me as long as you stay in this world of misery, and believe that he who writes this had the warmest friendship for you.”

“L.  Dorfling.”

Wilhelm stood as if thunderstruck.  Was it by any chance a dreadful joke?  No; Dorfling was incapable of that.  It must be a grim reality.  He ran quickly out of the house to seek Schrotter.  The old Indian servant opened the door, and in his broken English informed him that Schrotter Sahib had found a letter when he reached home and had immediately gone out again.

Wilhelm could now doubt no longer, and running swiftly, he reached the street where Dorfling lived, waited in agonizing suspense for the door to be opened, flew up the stairs, and through the open door to his friend’s bedroom.  There he found Schrotter; Mayboom was also there sobbing, and a tearful old servant.  In an arm chair near the bed was Dorfling, still in his dress coat and tie, his head sunk on his breast, his face hardly whiter than in life, his arms hanging down, and in the middle of the white shirt-front a great red stain.  On the floor lay a revolver.

Wilhelm, horrified, took his friend’s hand.  It was still quite warm.  His agonizing look sought Schrotter’s, who answered in a hushed voice, “He is dead.”

Then his tears broke out, and his trembling fingers had hardly strength to close the lids over his friend’s eyes, those eyes which looked so strangely quiet and peaceful as if they now knew the answer to the Great Secret.