Library

I was about to ring the bell a second time when the door opened. I thought I would see Karl Beilemann, but the person who opened the door was a tall-cheeked woman with light blond hair and a serious expression. This woman looks like a miserable person who has been miserable all her life but refuses to accept her fate. I gave my name, and the woman nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Rodenbach, Carl is waiting for you. He is reading in the library now. I can't disturb him. Please go to the living room to sit down and drink some coffee. Carl will -" She looked at her watch, "Just twelve minutes." It will be noon in twelve minutes, and Carl wants me to arrive at noon. I took a train from New York and then took a taxi from the station. Since the pick-up went smoothly, I arrived twelve minutes early. It seemed that I had to waste these twelve minutes.