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Ebook Business Law Principles For Todays Commercial Environment 5Th Edition Twomey Solutions Manual Full Chapter PDF
Ebook Business Law Principles For Todays Commercial Environment 5Th Edition Twomey Solutions Manual Full Chapter PDF
CRIMES
RESTATEMENT
Society sets standards of conduct and labels breaches of those standards crimes which are punishable by fines or
imprisonment or both. Crimes are classified as felonies (the more serious crimes) and misdemeanors. State statutes
classify crimes and provide penalties. A crime consists of two elements: the mental state and the actual act or
omission that constitutes the subject of the crime. Employers, including corporations, can be held liable for facilitating
or encouraging an employee to commit a crime or for their failure to take action when it is required.
Planning to commit a crime is also a form of criminal activity and can be prosecuted as attempts or conspiracies. In
some situations, part of the penalty for criminal conduct is restitution for victims. The victims may also seek recovery
in a civil case. Because criminal penalties often involve fines, the government is given authority to ask for forfeiture of
the defendant’s property in certain circumstances.
Crimes that do not cause injury to persons or physical damage to property are called white-collar crimes. There are
many forms of white-collar crimes including securities fraud, racketeering, bribery, extortion, blackmail, improper
influence, counterfeiting, forgery, perjury, fraud, bad check writing, swindles, mail and credit card fraud, lotteries and
gambling, and embezzlement.
Computer crime as a form of criminal activity is still evolving as the technology and use of computers evolves.
Crimes include damage to the computer, unauthorized use of computers, EFT crimes, and spamming.
There are certain procedural rights guaranteed to those charged with crimes. Those rights include protection against
warrantless searches under the Fourth Amendment and protections against self-incrimination under the Fifth
Amendment. The Fifth Amendment also guarantees due process.
LO.4: Explain the penalties for crimes and the sentencing for corporate crimes.
LO.8: Describe the rights of businesses charged with crimes and the constitutional protections afforded them.
INSTRUCTOR’S INSIGHTS
Break the chapter down into four components – related Learning Outcomes are indicated in ( ):
1. What are the nature and definition of crimes and criminal penalties?
4. What are the steps and rights of those charged with crimes?
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. What are the Nature and Definitions of Crimes and Criminal Penalties?
A. Nature of crimes
a. Voluntary conduct
b. Knowledge of guilt is not required
FACTS: Ahmad owns a Spin-N-Market in Texas, a convenience store and gas station. One of the Spin-N-
Market’s gasoline tanks developed a leak. Jewel McCoy of CIT Environmental Services inspected
the tank, said it needed to be drained and then pumped. McCoy gave Ahmad the cost of draining
and he suggested he would do it himself despite McCoy’s warning about violations of the law.
Ahmad rented a pump at the local hardware store and pumped over 5,000 gallons into a manhole
near his store (4,690 of those gallons were gasoline.) The gasoline made its way to the storm
sewer system and then a creek as well as the city sewage treatment center. While firemen were
working to divert the gasoline, the treatment center and two nearby school had to be evacuated.
Ahmad was charged with violation of the Clean Water Act and was convicted of two charges.
HOLDING: No.
REASONING: He thought he was discharging water, not gasoline. There is more knowledge required for CWA
violations, not just strict liability.
1. Of what significance is Jewel McCoy's testimony in establishing mens rea? Jewel McCoy’s testimony was
needed to show Ahmad had knowledge of the law and his desire to avoid paying to have the draining done
properly. Jewel McCoy testified that he knew the risk and spoke of being caught.
2. What is the difference between knowledge of the law and knowledge of conduct? What is the significance of
Mr. Ahmad's testimony that he thought he was discharging water? Knowledge of law means defendant knows
right vs. wrong; illegal vs. legal. Knowledge of conduct means that they understand that what they are doing
violates the law. Because Ahmad believed that he was discharging water, his belief mitigates intent and without
intent there is no criminal violation.
3. What does the court explain is required for the state of mind under the Clean Water Act? Something more than
strict liability is required for a Clean Water Act violation. More than knowledge of the discharge is required. The
court states that full knowledge of the law and their actions is necessary.
1. Corporate liability
a. Corporation is liable to extent they facilitated the crime – e.g., employer gives employee money for
the bribe
b. Corporation can be liable for failure to take action – e.g., failure to correct safety problem
a. Corporate liability – for example, Siemens was held liable for the bribery of employees
b. Officers and agents are held accountable for conduct of or failure to act by employees
FACTS: The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had inspected the Philadelphia warehouses of
Acme Markets, Inc., a food retailer with 36,000 employees, in 1970, 1971, and 1972 and had found
the same problem with rodent infestation. The FDA, frustrated with the lack of response by
warehouse employees, sent a letter to John Park, the president of Acme detailing the problems in
the warehouse.
We note with much concern that the old and new warehouse areas used for food storage
were actively and extensively inhabited by live rodents. Of even more concern was the
observation that such reprehensible conditions obviously existed for a prolonged period of
time without any detection, and were completely ignored.
We trust this letter will serve to direct your attention to the seriousness of the problem and
formally advise you of the urgent need to initiate whatever measures are necessary to
prevent recurrence and ensure compliance with the law.
Park asked his vice president to take care of the problem. Two months after the letter was sent,
the FDA inspected the warehouse again and still found rodent infestation. Acme and Park were
charged with violations of the federal pure food laws. Acme pleaded guilty, and Park was found
guilty and fined $500. Park appealed his conviction because he was not responsible for the
warehouse.
ISSUE: Can an officer be held criminally liable for the failure of employees to correct a violation?
HOLDING: Yes.
REASONING: The court affirmed Park’s conviction on the grounds that he was told of a serious situation at one of
his facilities that constituted a violation of federal law and that after two months he had failed to get
the situation corrected. His knowledge of the problem and his inaction were sufficient to hold him
criminally liable.
1. How long had Mr. Park known about the rats in the warehouse? Rodent infestation – repeated violations were
the problems the FDA uncovered from 1970-1972.
2. Does it matter that a subordinate did not respond? Yes, a letter from the FDA’s chief of compliance was sent to
Mr. Park to make him aware of the problem that his subordinates were not taking appropriate action. Mr. Park
met with his vice president and asked that action be taken.
3. Do officers need to be certain their subordinates are reliable in order to avoid criminal liability? The issue was
whether Park had a responsible relationship to the situation. And the instruction did not make all corporate
officers automatically liable on the basis of their position, but in that there was liability on the basis of
responsibility, it was correct.
DISCUSSION POINTS: Discuss with the students who can be held liable for criminal violations using the United
States v. Park case.
i. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act – increases penalties
ii. Honest services fraud has been refined – officers cannot be convicted just because something
goes wrong at their company – fraud requires proof of active engagement by the officers
i. Taking fruits of the crime, e.g., they took Madoff’s homes and yacht
ii. Forfeiture: property that is an instrument of a crime (auto; computer)
i. Securities violations
ii. Antitrust violations
iii. Bribery
iv. Money laundering
v. Employment and contract crimes
i. Students always ask about the concept of plea bargaining. Structure a hypothetical case to
show how it works. Have the students list the advantages and disadvantages of plea
bargaining. Ask them what would happen if all defendants accused of a crime insisted on a
jury trial. The public has the idea that plea bargaining is done behind closed doors. Discuss
the concept of a requirement that all plea bargaining must be done after public notice and at a
public hearing. Have the students list the strategies of the prosecutor and the defense
attorney in negotiating a plea bargain.
ii. It is said that the theory behind imprisonment is to punish as well as reform an individual.
Many people believe that this does not work. Criminals are returned to the streets after being
paroled or after completing their sentences, only to repeat criminal acts. Have the students
discuss whether our justice system works in terms of reforming and penalizing convicted
criminals or whether it needs to be changed. If students believe the system needs to be
changed, ask them how they would reform it. Should convicted criminals be paroled? Should
criminals be turned loose because correctional facilities are filled to capacity? How is it that
convicted criminals can be sentenced to thirty years in jail and be out in seven? Have your
students discuss “Three strikes and you’re out.”
iii. Have the students discuss whether “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is an appropriate
means of dealing with criminal behavior.
The corporation can be held liable if it did not have adequate internal controls in place that would track the levels of
narcotic drugs being dispensed at its locations. Lax internal controls can be used to impute knowledge to the
company and result in liability. The goal of the criminal statutes is to require companies to have internal mechanisms
to trigger questions and then to ask those questions.
4. SOX reforms
a. Part of these post-Enron and WorldCom reforms was the White-Collar Crime Penalty Enhancement
Act
b. Increased fines and prison sentences substantially
c. U.S. Sentencing Commission has amended its guidelines
d. Cover Booker case and requirement that sentencing be based only on crimes proved
Those who have used the rehab loophole to reduce their prison terms have brought attention to the issue and the
program has now been placed under greater scrutiny and includes more requirements. The support of the probation
officer (who makes sentencing recommendations) is one requirement considered because that would bring in any
information from the report about addictions or claims that they are not alcohol or drug abusers.
The actions are duplicitous. The prisoners are telling different stories in order to reduce their sentences.
1. Statutory assistance
a. Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) – allows suits for recovery
b. Must show pattern of corruption
a. Statutory right
b. Recovery for conviction, not imprisonment during trial which produces an acquittal
A. Conspiracy
C. Money laundering
3. USA Patriot Act (2001) imposed more restrictions and greater penalties for money laundering
4. Bank Secrecy Act – coordinates with Money Laundering Control Act to be sure large deposits and
movement of funds is covered
D. Racketeering
E. Bribery
H. Corrupt influence
I. Counterfeiting
1. Making, with fraudulent intent, a document or coin that appears to be genuine, but is not
J. Forgery
K. Perjury
1. False claims: making a claim for payment – e.g., false claim file with an insurance company
M. Bad checks
2. Credit Card Fraud Act of 1984 – federal crime for credit card fraud over $1,000
1. Increases penalty for destroying documents and evidence, i.e., obstruction of justice
2. Specifically addresses audit records because of Arthur Andersen case in Enron collapse
Discuss with the students the false claims act and the fact that Mr. Armstrong had certified that he was in compliance
with the rules of cycling all throughout USPS sponsorship. He was receiving money under false pretenses. The
federal government is unforgiving when it has paid believing the recipient to be honest – hence the treble damages.
Mr. Armstrong’s defense in the case is that the federal government had to know, but just did not want to investigate.
However, the judge has ruled that the case could proceed because of Mr. Armstrong’s signature on the agreement
regarding following the rules.
1. Larceny
a. Taking personal property of another with wrongful intent to deprive the owner of title
b. Shoplifting – a form of larceny; is at epidemic proportions
2. Robbery
3. Burglary
4. Arson
a. Malicious burning
b. Burning to defraud (insurance)
c. Felony-murder (if someone is killed in the fire)
III. What are Computer Crimes?: Criminal Law and the Computer
B. Computer as victim
1. Theft of hardware
2. Theft of software
3. Intentional damage: “virus” damage – computer statutes provide greater penalties than traditional
malicious damage
1. Taking information
FACTS: Sergeant Kenneth Riley used videos of a fellow officer, not for training purposes, but for purposes
of getting a fellow officer disciplined. He showed the videos to those within the department who
would not have authorization to view them. Riley was indicted for unauthorized use of a computer
and unauthorized access and disclosure of computer data. Riley moved to have the indictment
dismissed.
ISSUE: Did Riley’s access and use of computer data constitute the crime of unauthorized use of
computers?
HOLDING: No.
REASONING: The court held that what Riley did was a violation of workplace policies but did not fit within the
criminal conduct intended to be covered by the statute. The judge was concerned about arbitrary
definitions and enforcement and a criminal statute being used for retaliatory purposes.
1. What is the distinction between access and authorized use made by this case? Access means that the individual
has a password, for example in this case, to obtain the information, videos, data bases. However, authorized
use is what can be done with those materials once the user has accessed them. The debate in this case is
whether to extend unauthorized use criminal statutes to situations in which those who have legal access use the
information obtained for unlawful or unreasonable uses in the workplace or, perhaps, even publicly.
2. What issues would a broad scope of unauthorized use have for prosecutors? The court notes that such a broad
definition would put the prosecutors in the awkward and inconsistent spot of trying to decide which cases to
prosecute and there would be some inconsistencies. The court feels that unauthorized uses by those who have
access is best handled in the workplace with the usual disciplinary measures used when employees violated
workplace rules.
D. Computer raiding
1. Goods
2. Funds
Discuss with the students how the law had to catch up with technology. Discuss the ethical issues in such conduct.
2. Penalties of $500,000 and/or 15 years for individuals; $10 million for organizations
1. Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it a federal crime to circumvent encryption devices on film’s
music
2. First person arrested was Russian programmer who was arrested for giving a speech on circumvention
I. Spamming
3. Penalties vary
IV. Criminal Procedure for Business: What are the Steps and Rights of Those Charged With Crimes?
FACTS: In February 2003, while serving as a civilian contractor, Michael D. King resided in a dormitory at
the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. During his stay in the dormitory, King kept his personal
laptop computer in his room and connected it to the base network. All users of the base network
signed agreements indicating that they understood their communications over and use of the base
network were subject to monitoring.
An enlisted airman was searching the base network for music files when he came across King’s
computer on the network. The airman was able to access King’s hard drive because it was a
“shared” drive. The airman discovered a pornographic movie and text files “of a pornographic
nature.” The airman reported his discovery to a military investigator who in turn referred the matter
to a computer specialist. This specialist located King’s computer and hard drive on the base
network and verified the presence of pornographic videos and explicit text files on the computer.
She also discovered a folder on the hard drive labeled “pedophilia.”
Military officials seized King’s computer and also found CDs containing child pornography.
Two years later, the government obtained an indictment charging King with possession of child
pornography. After his arrest, the government searched his residence pursuant to a search warrant
and found additional CDs and hard drives containing over 30,000 images of child pornography.
King entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 108 months in prison. King then appealed his
conviction on the grounds that there had been an illegal search and seizure of his computer and
files.
ISSUE: Was there an illegal search and seizure of King's dormitory and computer?
HOLDING: No.
REASONING: The court held that there was no Fourth Amendment violation because the investigators did not
search King’s files or computer initially to discover the pornographic materials. They merely had to
access the universally accessible files of the military base. King had no expectation of privacy in
whatever was posted on the shared drive. The search of his home computer and files in his room
was with a warrant that was based on probable cause obtained from public access to the files.
1. Why does the court draw the comparisons with noncyber searches? Because the basic principles of search and
seizure do not change just because the means do. The question is still one of expectation of privacy – cyber
space just means what we put there has less privacy and computers at work are accessible by employers.
2. What lessons should contractors learn from this case? Be careful what you use your work computer for. Don’t
write or use anything on your work computer you don’t want others to have.
C. Due process
1. Criminal culpability. No, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. Flinn is still liable. Before doing business, check
the applicable laws. [Flinn v. Indiana, 563 N.E. 2d 536 (Ind.)]
2. Crime v. civil action. No, the customers cannot bring a criminal action because enforcement of laws is the
responsibility of the state. Enforcement of rights under the laws can be done by individual citizens. If the citizens
have experienced harm as a result of the activities, they can bring a civil suit, but they cannot bring a criminal
action – only agents of the state can do so. [H.J., Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Corp., 420 N.W. 2d 673 (Minn. App.)]
3. Larceny. Yes. Although some people regard shoplifting as not serious, it comes within the definition of larceny. It
is a taking of personal property from the owner with the intent to deprive the owner of that property. Leaving the
store is often proof of intent; but, it is not the only proof. The use of the torch in this case shows intent. While
there are separate statutes in most states that impose a lesser penalty for shoplifting than for larceny, these
shoplifting statutes do not repeal the larceny statutes or remove shoplifting from the scope of the larceny
statutes. Thus, an overlap of larceny and shoplifting occurs, and the district attorney has the discretion or choice
of deciding for which crime a shoplifter should be prosecuted. The men were also convicted of possession of
burglary tools. [Tennessee v. Baker, 751 S.W. 2d 154 (Tenn. App.)]
4. Responsibility of intoxicated person for criminal acts. No. Voluntary intoxication is not a defense to the
commission of a crime. There are some exceptions to this when the crime by its nature requires a specific intent,
such as an assault with intent to kill. No specific intent is required for manslaughter, so Gail is guilty if her driving
under all the surrounding circumstances was unreasonably indifferent to the welfare of others or, as often stated,
was “grossly negligent.”
5. Fraud; criminal intent. Yes, the good doctor committed the crimes of fraud and mail fraud. He knew that he had
not performed the services, yet he billed for them anyway. The Medicare claim forms expressly required the
doctor to certify that "the services shown on this form were medically indicated and necessary for the health of
the patient." Thus, where a physician submits a Medicare claim to the government through an insurer, and the
physician knows that the treatments performed were unnecessary or non-therapeutic, he or she is criminally
liable. [United States v. Campbell, 845 F. 2d 1374 (6th Cir.)]
6. Fraud; criminal intent. No, they are not correct. Convictions for conspiracy to defraud the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) were sustained by evidence that defendant and coconspirator, knowing their marketing
scheme contravened the law, repeatedly instructed persons to whom they sent unauthorized literature touting
medicinal powers of their products to conceal use and possession of this information to prevent FDA's discovery
of their unlawful activities, and that defendant helped to organize and became distributor in new company selling
same products after FDA began investigating old company's distribution of those products, which showed
defendant's agreement to obstruct FDA's lawful function of regulating marketing and distribution of medical
devices and drugs; showing of actual contact.
That defendant be legally responsible party was not required element of offense of causing unapproved medical
devices and drugs to be introduced into interstate commerce when defendant's own conduct of causing
unapproved products to be introduced into interstate commerce provided basis for prosecution. [United States v.
Ballistrea, 101 F. 3d 827 (2d Cir.)]
8. Money laundering. Durham should be concerned that his gallery and auctions are being used to launder money.
Remember that the Patriot Act extended liability for money laundering beyond just banks. The problem is a take-
off on Mickey Blue Eyes, a movie in which Hugh Grant’s art gallery is used for money laundering.
9. Intent element of larceny. No. An intent to permanently deprive the owner of the owner’s property is essential to
the crime of larceny. This intent was apparently lacking, as Jennings had always made payment of the proper
amounts when due, so no conduct indicated an intent to deprive the owners permanently of their property.
Jennings made an unauthorized use of the property and kept the benefit for himself, but this did not constitute
larceny. [New York v. Jennings, 504 N.E. 2d 1079 (N.Y.)]
10. Money laundering. The banks could be held liable if they were not following a money-laundering prevention
program. Banks have to have programs that track such large transfers of cash in order to prevent the problems.
Banks need not have actual knowledge of the use of the funds in order to be required to raise questions of
customers about the large transfers.
11. Actus reus. The court held that the revocation of the license was not justified because the toddler could not have
the requisite mental intent to violate the gambling laws. Further, the actual act itself by the toddler was not a
minor engaged in playing a slot machine but simply a small child interacting with noise, buttons, and colors.
There was no criminal activity necessary to support the revocation of the license. [Grabert v. Department of
Public Safety & Corrections, 680 So.2d 764 (La. App) cert. denied; Grabert v. State through Dept. of Public
Safety and Corrections, 685 So. 2d 126 (La.)]
12. RICO. No, proof of a tie-in to organized crime is not required, on-going crime of fraud is sufficient. [Banderas v.
Banco Central del Ecuador, 461 So. 2d 265 (Fla. App.)]
13. RICO. The shares of stock were not the instrumentality of a crime, but may have been property used in the
pattern of racketeering. Yes, the court did have the discretion to seize the shares. [United States v. Kravitz, 738
F. 2d 102 (3d Cir.)]
14. Criminal Culpability. The jury returned a verdict of guilty against both Ms. Erickson and Mr. Mitchell on all three
counts. The two appealed. The court affirmed the decision. There are three requirements for conviction of
obstruction of justice: (1) There must be a pending judicial proceeding; (2) the defendant must have knowledge
or notice of the pending proceeding; and (3) the defendant must have acted corruptly with the specific intent to
obstruct or impede the administration of justice. The two had backdated the documents in order to cover up the
fact that the contracts had expired. They had continued the contracts without authority and authorized or
received payments above the $1,000 limit. They were responding to a grand jury subpoena and gave it false
change orders. They did so in order to protect Ms. Erickson’s job and Mr. Mitchell’s company’s contracts and
relationship with USSD. [U.S. v. Erickson, 561 F. 3d 1150 (10th Cir.)]
LAWFLIX
Have the students discuss whether Ashley Judd is indeed correct in saying she cannot be retried for the murder of
her husband who faked his death and for which she was originally tried and convicted.
Detective Lieutenant Columbo is a brilliant sleuth, but there are portions in episodes that find him lax on Fourth and
Fifth Amendment rights.
Harrison Ford plays a banker whose life and family are taken over by high-tech thieves who have tapped into his
home and work computers. The importance of computer security systems is highlighted.
To access additional videos that illustrate business law concepts, visit www.cengage.com/blaw/dvl.
© 2017 Cengage Learning®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use
as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning
management system for classroom use.
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m Boardinghouse fanden sie Post vor.
In dem großen Brief an Altmann war ein kleines Briefchen
von Vicki beigelegt. Sie schrieb über Schmerzchen
hauptsächlich. Schmerzchen sei „süß“ und frage jeden Tag nach der
Mama. Die Nachschrift war bedeutend länger und handelte von
einem jungen Manne, den sie auf dem Architektenball kennen
gelernt hätte. Er hieße Bodo Völkel und arbeite bei einem großen
Baumeister. Er tanze „wundervoll“ und sei sehr klug. Sie habe sich
„himmlisch“ mit ihm auf dem Ball unterhalten und ihn einige Male
heimlich getroffen. Karla dürfe es nur beileibe nicht der Mama
sagen. Denn von ihrer heimlichen Verlobung sollte noch keiner
etwas wissen. Bodo sei übrigens auch ganz entzückt von
Schmerzchen, das sie immer mit auf ihren Spaziergang nehme. Sie
gingen nämlich meist im Tiergarten spazieren, weil dort die beste
Luft für Schmerzchen sei. Und wenn Karla erst in Berlin wäre, dann
würde Bodo ihr sofort seinen Besuch machen ... „denn Du kannst Dir
denken, Mama würde große Augen machen, wenn er so plötzlich
käme ...“
Karla lächelte und steckte den Brief in die Tasche. Kindereien!
Sie hatte jetzt Wichtigeres vor.
Altmann las noch immer. Es waren acht engbeschriebene Seiten.
Sein Gesicht war ernst, ja sorgenvoll. Karla beobachtete das Zucken
seiner Brauen, die nervöse Bewegung, mit der er sich um das
bartlose Kinn fuhr.
„Was schreibt Adele?“
Altmann überhörte scheinbar die Frage, faltete den Brief
zusammen und steckte ihn ein. Dann ging er im Zimmer auf und ab.
Ein grübelnder Ausdruck lag auf seinen Zügen.
Karla setzte sich auf das Sofa und umschlang die Knie mit den
Armen.
„Ich hätte wichtig mit dir zu sprechen, Ernst ...“
„Ja ... was ist ... was soll’s?“
Ein leiser Ärger stieg in ihr hoch. Was sie ihm zu sagen hatte,
war doch mindestens so wichtig wie alles, was man ihm von dort
schreiben konnte! Oder ...
Sie solle ihn jetzt nicht mit Fragen quälen. Er müsse Ruhe haben,
überlegen können. Das Anerbieten, das ihm Russel gemacht habe,
sei so verlockend, daß ...
Karla unterbrach. Es handelte sich nicht um Russel ... Was
immer er anbieten mochte — sie blieb nicht.
Und weil sie das kalte, ironische Staunen in ihres Mannes Augen
reizte, bullerte sie heraus, was sie langsam, bedeutsam hatte
vorbringen wollen. Berlin bot ihr einen dreijährigen Vertrag, und
Kapelle streckte ihr das Geld vor, um den Vorschuß an Russel
zurückzuzahlen.
Altmann verfärbte sich. Alles in ihm empörte sich dagegen, daß
ein Fremder, ein Dritter sich in Karlas Schicksal mengte, das er allein
bisher geleitet hatte. Wie kam er dazu?
„Kapelle hat Beziehungen in Berlin ... welche, hat er mir nicht
gesagt. Aber er hat diese Beziehungen angerufen, weil er sich für
meine Stimme interessiert ... als Musiker interessiert ... Du bist kein
Musiker .. Du weißt nicht, was das für mich heißt, noch ein Jahr
unter diesen Verhältnissen zu singen ... keine Ahnung hast du! ...“
Karla fing an zu schluchzen. „Ich will so nicht weiter leben ... will
nicht künstlerisch verkommen ... Durch Kapelle bietet sich mir das
große Los ...“
Altmann atmete schwer. Er zernagte seine Unterlippe. Er stand
plötzlich vor Entscheidungen und Verhältnissen, denen er sich kaum
noch gewachsen fühlte. Über seinen Kopf hinweg hatte ein Dritter
über sein und Karlas Leben verfügt. Wo blieb er? ... Würde es ihm
möglich sein, in Berlin auch für sich eine Stellung zu finden? Hier —
hatte er sie, wähnte, sie sich erkämpft zu haben durch Fleiß und
peinliche Erfüllung freiwillig übernommener Pflichten. Er war stolz
darauf. Soviel hatte er in Europa nie verdient, wie Russel ihm hier
anbot. Zehntausend Dollar jährlich und — kleine Beteiligung! Dazu
Direktortitel! So etwas schlug man doch nicht in den Wind ... Freilich
... Berlin! Seine Leute ... Luise ... Luise vor allen. Wohin mit ihr? Die
Stowns kehrten im Herbst nach England zurück, hatten Luise
freundschaftlich nahegelegt, sich nach einer anderen Stellung
umzusehen! Darüber schrieb Adele eben einen acht Seiten langen
Brief. Luise war zermürbt. Sollte sie wirklich in ihrem Alter noch bei
fremden Menschen ihr Brot suchen? Wäre es nicht das Beste,
Richtigste, sie würde Schmerzchen erziehen und Karlas Haushalt
führen? Denn es war doch anzunehmen, daß sie beide nach Ablauf
ihres Vertrages nach Deutschland zurückkehrten. Luisens Platz war
in ihrem Hause. Karla konnte Gott danken, daß das Schicksal es so
gefügt hatte.
Er war aufs tiefste bewegt gewesen von diesem Anruf seiner
brüderlichen Pflicht. Flüchtig hatte er bereits daran gedacht, eine
Wohnung für Luise und das Kind zu mieten, ihnen eine kleine
Wirtschaft einzurichten ...
Nun kam Karla mit dem Berliner Antrag ... Glückselig wäre er
gewesen — noch gestern! Aber heute? ...
„Und wie kommt Kapelle dazu, den Vorschuß zu bezahlen“, stieß
er heftig hervor. „Wie soll ich das auffassen ...?“
„So einfach — wie er es angeboten hat. Statt dem Russel sind
wir ihm das Geld schuldig — weiter nichts.“
Altmann preßte die Lippen aneinander. Es wurde ihm schwer,
immer unter einer Schuldenlast einherzugehen — noch schwerer
aber war es ihm, mühsam Erspartes auf einen Ruck herzugeben! Es
stand ja noch die Einrichtung bevor ... Wenn Karla an der Oper war,
konnten sie nicht in möblierten Zimmern hausen! Außerdem Luise ...
das Kind ... ein Mädchen ...
Ihm wurden die Schläfen feucht.
„Wo hast du den Scheck?“ fragte er kurz.
Sie lief ins Nebenzimmer, holte ihr Täschchen, gab ihm das
gefaltete Blatt. Er versuchte, die Unterschrift zu entziffern — es
gelang ihm nicht.
„Den Scheck nehme ich an mich. Du verlierst ihn noch.“
Sie sah, wie seine schlanken, jetzt ein wenig hageren Hände
langsam und bedächtig den falschen Kniff glätteten und den Scheck
pedantisch falteten. Sie mußte an die kurze, breite Hand denken, die
ihn ihr so achtlos zugesteckt hatte.
„Ich soll ihm schreiben: ja oder nein“, sagte sie leise und blickte
von unten herauf zu ihrem Manne herüber.
Er wich ihrem Blick aus, kam aber langsam auf sie zu, legte den
Arm um sie.
„Denk an diese Stunde, Karla ... vergiß sie nicht. Ich bringe dir
ein Opfer ... ein großes Opfer. Ich schlage eine Stellung aus ... wie
sie mir vielleicht nicht zum zweitenmal geboten wird ... Ich tue es um
deinetwillen, ordne meine Laufbahn der deinigen unter ... mehr kann
ein Mann für seine Frau nicht tun; und es mag sein, daß mich
andere Männer darum weniger schätzen werden. Aber ich will jetzt
nicht daran denken. Will nur an dich denken! Glaube mir ... so gut
wie ein anderer, und sei es auch Kapelle, so gut meine ich es
mindestens mit dir!“
Seine Stimme hatte den gedämpften, überzeugenden Klang, den
Karla einst so geliebt hatte an ihm. Es war die Stimme aus der Zeit,
da sie widerspruchslos zu ihm aufgeblickt hatte wie ein scheues,
kleines Mädchen, da sie von ihm allein Glück und alles Heil der Welt
erwartet hatte.
Sie zog seine Hand über ihre Schulter und lehnte ihre Wange an.
„Lieber Ernst ... lieber, lieber Ernst ...“
„Schreibe also deinem Freunde Kapelle — ja.“
„Lieber ... Guter ...“
Er fuhr ihr streichelnd über das braune Haar und drückte gleich
darauf beschwichtigend seine Hand auf ihren Kopf.
„Ja ...“, wiederholte er. „Aber ich knüpfe eine Bedingung
daran —“
„Eine Bedingung ... Welche?“
Ihre Augen blickten ihn schreckhaft an. Würde er verlangen, daß
Schmerzchen, ihr süßes Schmerzchen bei Adele blieb? ... So hart
konnte er nicht sein ... das war doch unmöglich!
„Sage .. welche? ...“, drängte sie, während alles Blut ihr zum
Herzen lief.
Er sagte es ihr in wenigen Worten: Luise sollte ihrem Haushalt
vorstehen, sollte Schmerzchens Erziehung leiten ...
Da sprang Karla König mit beiden Füßen auf das Sofa, wie ein
Gummiball, packte den Kopf ihres Mannes zwischen beide Hände
und rief jubelnd, lachend, kreischend fast, wie ein Kind:
„Aber ja ... ja ... ja ... tausendmal ja!“
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