clockwork

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When he finished placing his merchandise, the little man came out of the shop and stared in the window. He had placed the clocks and watches with great care – the clocks in a row at the back, and in front of them lying flat, a semicircle of watches. All the clocks had their faces neatly divided in the middle by hands that pointed to six o’clock; all the watches, thin or fat, had their hands pointing straight at three o’clock.

“Yes,” said the jeweler with a satisfied look. “Very nice.”

About an hour later a passenger got out of the bus at the corner. He was a tall man with a blonde mustache, and he wore a heavy overcoat and black hat. He was slightly lame and carried a cane. He smiled when the policeman at the corner said “Good morning” to him. The lame man’s name was Gebhardt, and the policeman’s superior officers would have been very glad to know that.

Gebhardt walked slowly, leaning heavily on his cane. The meeting with the policeman never failed to amuse him., and he smiled to himself at the stupidity of the English. Gebhardt looked into the jewelry shop window.