The Stronger Sex Read Online Free

you’d need a bit of luxury to make up for being so sick!”
    With an abrupt movement he reached for the tumbler. A few drops of water slopped out as he raised it to his mouth. He leaned forward, lips snapping as they searched for the rim of the glass, drank half the contents with loud gulps, put it down rather too hard. Still leaning forward, he studied the drops of water he had scattered. Then he took out a handkerchief, mopped them off the table, mopped his shirt, wiped the table again and put the handkerchief away.
    I said, “And then you fired Frau Fuchs without notice.”

    â€œWell, what else?” He looked at me. “I took the liberty of doing that as soon as I found out where the lady was nursing her poor back. You want to know where? In the Beauté du Lac, that’s what they call the place!” His mouth twisted into a nasty grin. “That’s to say, before the letter firing her went out, of course I informed myself of the correct procedure. But then the letter went to her as quickly as possible. It was put through her letterbox at home on the Friday. By a messenger who had a witness with him.”
    â€œWhere did you inform yourself of the correct procedure?”
    He pointed to the books. “In the statutes, where else? I wrote to her saying that… that she…”
    For a moment his glance wandered back and forth, he put his hand out to the folder as if to turn to it for advice, then withdrew it again and said quickly, “…saying that she had obviously obtained a medical certificate by devious means! Yes. Of course!” He leaned back, laughing. “I mean, if she wants to deny that, she can always say her GP offered to give it to her of his own free will although she wasn’t sick at all. Or he did her a favour because she promised him something nice. And I assume she won’t want to proclaim that from the house tops! Or do you see the situation differently, Mr Lawyer?”
    He laughed and then leaned forward. “And secondly, I wrote saying that she took time off on her own initiative after she had been told it would not be allowed! And that she had thus provided two substantial reasons, and two are needed for dismissal without notice.”
    He looked at me in silence, smiling, obviously pleased with himself.
    I asked, “Did you listen to what your works committee had to say?”
    He looked at me. “Do you think I’m lacking in the brains department? Of course I listened to what they had to say.”
He gave another of those unpleasant grins. “And guess what, they agreed.”
    I nodded. Then I asked, “You hadn’t cautioned Frau Fuchs first?”
    â€œNo.” He raised his eyebrows. “In this case that wasn’t necessary, as I am sure you know!”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t know.”
    He gave me a venomous look, sat up in his armchair and said, “A caution is not essential in the case of particularly severe dereliction of duty on the part of an employee!” He pointed to his papers. “Want me to look up the legal ruling?”
    â€œNo, thank you, that won’t be necessary. You see… the question is whether the judge we get in a hearing before the industrial tribunal will think what Frau Fuchs did a particularly severe dereliction of duty.”
    He stared at me. “There can hardly be any question of that!”
    â€œI’m not so sure.” I smiled at him. “Give me a little time to study this case. But also I’d like to know how Frau Fuchs reacted to being fired. I suppose she’s back from her trip to Switzerland?”
    â€œThat added insult to injury!” He shook his head vigorously, then suddenly stopped. I saw perspiration breaking out on his forehead within seconds. He fished the handkerchief out of his pocket, rubbed his now deep-red cheeks and brow, but a little later his skin was glistening with sweat