Perlefter (14 page)

After Bidak exchanged pleasantries with the rest of the family and offered birthday wishes to Fredy, Perlefter led him into the parlour and gestured for me to follow. We sat and had some schnapps to drink. There was silence for a few moments. At last Perlefter spoke, asking what brought Bidak, although he already knew the answer. As Bidak was alone on this visit it was a serious matter, most likely concerning money.

‘I only require a small sum', said Bidak, putting down his glass, ‘to keep me from sinking into despair. To prevent me from losing what is left of my half of the house entirely.'

Perlefter told Bidak that there was, of course, no such thing as a small sum. ‘This much I have learned being a businessman. Everything adds up!' said Perlefter.

‘We are, after all, family!' Bidak said.

‘Family indeed,' said Perlefter. ‘A large one, at that. And just think if I were to give money to each member of my unwieldy family! Would there be anything left for me? I helped Kroj out years ago, and I'm still not rid of him!' Perlefter gestured at me with his elbow. I knew that he was joking, but I wasn't sure if Bidak took it that way. No, Perlefter did not mind me at all, of that much I was certain. One could say that he tolerated me quite well, considering that overall he had a low tolerance for people. This was certainly true for Bidak. The very fact that Bidak was sitting before him, in his house, was troubling to him. One social visit had already been tolerated, but this, it was most certainly not a social visit. Yes, distance from someone such as Bidak would be quite welcomed.

‘You know, I have heard that great opportunities for
an enterprising sort of fellow such as yourself lie across the ocean in America. Those who are down on their luck have seen a great reversal in fortunes over there.' Perlefter forced a grin on to his round face even as he realized the consequences of what he had said. And then the thought struck him. If he gave Bidak money for the here and now, if he helped keep Bidak from losing his part of the house, it was highly likely that he would be back again in no time with some excuse or other to ask for additional funds. This much was certain. A man like this was ill able to hold on to money for more than a few moments. Although it might seemingly cost more to purchase ocean passage for the entire family Perlefter realized that, in the long run, it would result in great savings. He would be rid of Bidak for good, so he thought. A relatively small price to pay.

‘But I can't leave,' said Bidak. ‘For if I leave I won't inherit the other half of the house when Tante Sammet dies.'

‘We are a long-lived family,' Perlefter sighed mightily. ‘My father was ninety-two. You will wait in vain. She will not die.' And from the expression on his face it was clear that this confirmed what Bidak was already thinking, what he already knew from experience thus far – that his wicked ghost of an aunt would torment him for many years more.

So, we have thus imagined one possible way that
Chapter X
might have continued to get Leo Bidak on his way to the United States. I don't expect that Roth
would have laid out details of Bidak's years living in San Francisco to the same extent as he already laid out details of his early life, for that would have taken up too much additional space.

Let us assume that
Chapter X
would have also provided a short summary of Bidak's failed life in the United States, and then presumably in Chapter XI we would have been back to the ‘present' of the early 1920s with Bidak's return to Europe at the age of forty-two. He has not arrived at the most opportune time, as Perlefter is in the sanatorium recovering from various ‘calamities'. The mere fact that Bidak has returned indicates that he has failed at making a proper life for himself and his family. We must assume that Perlefter and Bidak will meet again. What will their interplay be? Is Tante Sammet still alive? Will Bidak be looking for money once again? Will Perlefter hire him?

And what becomes of Julie? The last we hear of her the dentist is about to become engaged to her. These are questions that are more difficult to answer. Perhaps Roth abandoned this novel when he realized that bringing in Bidak, however interesting a character, had seemed like a good idea but was now limiting how he could handle the remainder of the book. Roth was clearly intrigued by him, having devoted two full chapters and the start of a third to Bidak.

Ultimately, speculation aside, we must take
Perlefter
at face value, just as it was discovered, just as Roth left it in 1929. We can be thankful that we have
Perlefter
and at the same time not too displeased or disappointed that
Roth ceased work on it, because even unfinished it stands as a fine addition to the Roth
oeuvre.

Besides, while he may not have finished
Perlefter,
he started immediately on another project, a masterpiece called
Job.

A
LSO BY
J
OSEPH
R
OTH AND
A
VAILABLE FROM
P
ETER
O
WEN

The Antichrist

Flight Without End

The Silent Prophet

The Hundred Days

Weights and Measures

A
BOUT THE TRANSLATOR

Richard Panchyk is the author, editor or translator of twenty-three books, including
World War II for Kids, German New York City, Forgotten Tales of Long Island
and
Keys to American History,
as well as a study on Jewish assimilation and name change in the Austrian Empire during the nineteenth century. He produced new translations of
The Antichrist
and
The Hundred Days
by Joseph Roth – to whom he is distantly related – both of which were published by Peter Owen.

PETER OWEN PUBLISHERS

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Translated from the German
Perlefter: Die Geschichte eines Burger
First published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch 1978

This translation first published in Great Britain by

Peter Owen Publishers 2013

Translation © Richard Panchyk 2013

Introduction © Richard Panchyk 2013

All Rights Reserved.

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PAPERBACK ISBN 978-0-7206-1487-9

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