hr.thecarpetbaggers-第96部分

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　should　eat。〃
　David　shook　his　head。
　〃Mrs。　Saperstein；〃　his　father　said。　〃I'm　a　busy　man；　it's　late。　You　got　something　for　me？〃
　The　old　woman　nodded。　〃Kim　shayn。〃
　They　followed　her　through　the　narrow　railroad　flat。　Inside　one　room；　on　the　bed；　were　a　number　of　men's　suits；　some　dresses；　shirts；　one　overcoat　and；　in　paper　bags；　several　pairs　of　shoes。
　David's　father　walked　over　and　picked　up　some　of　the　clothing。　〃Winter　clothing；〃　he　said　accusingly。　〃For　this　I　came　up　four　flights　of　stairs？〃
　〃Like　new；　Mr。　Woolf；〃　the　old　woman　said。　〃My　son　Howard　and　his　wife。　Only　one　season。　They　were　going　to　give　to　the　Salvation　Army　but　I　made　them　send　to　me。〃
　David's　father　didn't　answer。　He　was　sorting　out　the　clothing　rapidly。
　〃My　son　Howard　lives　in　the　Bronx；〃　she　said　proudly。　〃In　a　new　house　on　Grand　Concourse。　A　doctor。〃
　〃Two　dollars　for　the　ganse　gesheft；〃　his　father　announced。
　〃Mr。　Woolf；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃At　least　twenty　dollars　this　is　worth。〃
　He　shrugged。　〃The　only　reason　I'm　buying　is　to　give　to　HIAS。　Better　the　Salvation　Army　don't　get。〃
　David　listened　to　their　bargaining　with　only　half　a　mind。　HIAS　was　the　abbreviation　that　stood　for　Hebrew　Immigrant　Aid　Society。　His　father's　statement　didn't　impress　him　one　bit。　He　knew　the　clothing　would　never　find　its　way　there。　Instead；　after　it　was　carefully　brushed　and　cleaned　by　his　mother；　it　would　turn　up　in　the　windows　of　the　secondhand　clothing　stores　along　the　lower　Bowery　and　East　Broadway。
　〃Ten　dollars；〃　Mrs。　Saperstein　was　saying。　The　pretense　was　gone　now；　she　was　bargaining　in　earnest。　〃Less　I　wouldn't　take。　Otherwise；　it　wouldn't　pay　my　son　Howard　to　bring　it　down。　It　costs　him　gas　from　the　Bronx。〃
　〃Five　dollars。　Not　one　penny　more。〃
　〃Six；〃　the　old　woman　said；　looking　at　him　shrewdly。　〃At　least；　the　gasoline　money　he　should　get。〃
　〃The　subways　are　still　running；〃　David's　father　said。　〃I　should　pay　because　your　son　is　a　big　shot　with　an　automobile？〃
　〃Five　fifty；〃　the　old　woman　said。
　David's　father　looked　at　her。　Then　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　reached　under　his　long　black　coat。　He　took　out　a　purse；　tied　to　his　belt　by　a　long　black　shoestring；　and　opened　it。　〃Five　fifty；〃　he　sighed。　〃But　as　heaven　is　watching；　I'm　losing　money。〃
　He　gestured　to　David　and　began　counting　the　money　out　into　the　old　woman's　hand。　David　rolled　all　the　clothing　into　the　overcoat　and　tied　it　by　the　sleeves。　He　hefted　the　clothing　onto　his　shoulder　and　started　down　the　stairs。　He　tossed　the　bundle　of　clothing　up　into　the　cart　and　moved　around　to　the　front　of　the　wagon。　He　lifted　the　feed　bag　from　the　horse；　and　untying　the　reins　from　the　hydrant；　climbed　on　the　wagon。
　〃Hey；　Davy！〃
　He　looked　down　at　the　sidewalk。　A　tall　boy　stood　there　looking　up　at　him　and　smiling。　〃I　been　lookin'　for　yuh　all　day。〃
　〃We　been　in　Brooklyn；〃　David　answered。　〃My　father　will　be　here　in　a　minute。〃
　〃I'll　make　it　quick；　then。　Shocky'll　cut　yuh　in　for　ten　bucks　if　yuh　bring　the　horse　an'　wagon　tonight。　We　got　to　move　a　load　uptown。〃
　〃But　it's　Friday　night。〃
　〃That's　why。　The　streets　down　here　will　be　empty。　There　won't　be　nobody　to　wonder　what　we're　doin'　out　at　night。　An'　the　cops　won't　bother　us　when　they　see　the　junky's　license　on　the　wagon。〃
　〃I'll　try；〃　David　said。　〃What　time；　Needlenose？〃
　〃Nine　o'clock　back　of　Shocky's　garage。　Here　es　your　ol'　man。　See　yuh　later。〃
　〃Who　were　you　talking　to？〃　his　father　asked。
　〃One　of　the　fellers；　Pop。〃
　〃Isidore　Schwartz？〃
　〃Yeah；　it　was　Needlenose。〃
　〃Keep　away　from　him；　David；〃　his　father　said　harshly。　〃Him　we　don't　need。　A　bum。　A　nogoodnik。　Like　all　those　other　bums　that　hang　around　Shocky's　garage。　They　steal　everything　they　can　get　their　hands　on。〃
　David　nodded。
　Take　the　horse　to　the　stable。　I'm　going　to　the　shul。　Tell　Mama　by　seven　o'clock　she　should　have　supper　ready。〃
　
　Esther　Woolf　stood　in　front　of　the　Shabbas　nacht　lichten；　the　prayer　shawl　covering　her　head。　The　candles　flickered　into　yellow　flame　as　she　held　the　long　wooden　match　to　them。　Carefully　she　blew　out　the　match　and　put　it　down　in　a　plate　on　the　small　buffet　table。　She　waited　until　the　flame　ripened　into　a　bright　white　glow；　then　began　to　pray。
　First；　she　prayed　for　her　son；　her　shaine　Duvidele；　who　came　so　late　in　life；　almost　when　she　and　her　husband；　Chaim；　had　given　up　hope　of　being　blessed。　Then　she　prayed　that　Jehovah　would　give　her　husband；　Chaim；　a　greater　will　to　succeed；　at　the　same　time　begging　the　Lord's　forgiveness　because　it　was　the　Lord's　work　at　the　shul　that　kept　her　husband　from　his　own。　Then；　as　always；　she　took　upon　herself　the　sin　for　having　turned　Chaim　away　from　his　chosen　work。
　He　had　been　a　Talmudical　student　when　they'd　first　met　in　the　old　country。　She　remembered　him　as　he　was　then；　young　and　thin　and　pale；　with　the　first　soft　curl　of　his　dark　beard　shining　with　a　red…gold　glint。　His　eyes　had　been　dark　and　luminous　as　he　sat　at　the　table　in　her　father's　house；　dipping　the　small　piece　of　cake　into　the　wine；　more　than　holding　his　own　with　the　old　rabbi　and　the　elders。
　But　when　they'd　been　married；　Chaim　had　gone　to　work　in　her　father's　business。　Then　the　pogroms　began　and　the　faces　of　Jews　became　thin　and　haunted。　They　left　their　homes　only　under　the　cover　of　night；　hurrying　about　like　little　animals　of　the　forest。　Or　they　sat　huddled　in　the　cellars　of　their　houses；　the　doors　and　windows　barred　and　locked；　like　chickens　trying　to　hide　to　the　pen　when　they　sense　the　approach　of　the　shochet。
　Until　that　night　when　she　could　stand　it　no　longer。　She　rose　screaming　from　the　pallet　at　her　husband's　side；　the　letter　from　her　brother　Bernard；　in　America；　still　fresh　in　her　mind。　〃Are　we　to　live　like　rabbits　in　a　trap；　waiting　for　the　Cossacks　to　e？〃　she　cried。　〃Is　it　into　this　dark　world　that　my　husband　expects　I　should　bring　forth　a　child？　Even　Jehovah　could　not　plant　his　seed　in　a　cellar。〃
　〃Hush！〃　Chaim's　voice　was　a　harsh　whisper。　〃The　name　of　the　Lord　shall　not　be　taken　in　vain。　Pray　that　He　does　not　turn　His　face　from　us。〃
　She　laughed　bitterly。　〃Already　He　has　forsaken　us。　He；　too；　is　fleeing　before　the　Cossacks。〃
　〃Quiet；　woman！〃　Chaim's　voice　was　an　outraged　roar。
　She　looked　at　the　other　pallets　in　the　damp　cellar。　In　the　dim　light；　she　could　barely　see　the　pale；　frightened　faces　of　her　parents。　Just　then　there　was　a　thunder　of　horse's　hoofs　outside　the　house　and　the　sound　of　a　gun　butt　against　the　locked　door。
　Quickly；　her　father　was　on　his　feet。　〃Quick；　kinder；〃　he　whispered。　〃The　storm　cellar　door　at　the　back　of　the　house。　Through　the　fields；　they　won't　see　you　leaving　that　way。〃
　Chaim　reached　for　Esther's　hand　and　pulled　her　to　the　storm　door。　Suddenly；　he　stopped；　aware　that　her　parents　were　not　following　them。　〃e；〃　he　whispered。　〃Hurry！　There　is　no　time。〃
　Her　father　stood　quietly　in　the　dark；　his　arm　around　his　wife's　shoulder。　〃We　are　not　going；〃　he　said。　〃Better　someone　be　here　for　them　to　find　or　they　will　begin　searching　the　fields。〃
　The　din　over　their　heads　grew　louder　as　the　gun　butts　began　to　break　through　the　door。　Chaim　walked　back　to　her　father。　〃Then　we　all　stay　and　face　them；〃　he　said　calmly；　picking　a　heavy　stave　up　from　the　floor。　〃They　will　learn　a　Jew　does　not　die　so　easily。〃
　〃Go；〃　her　father　said　quietly。　〃We　gave　our　daughter　in　marriage。　It　is　her　safety　that　should　be　your　first　concern；　not　ours。　Your　bravery　is　nothing　but　stupidity。　How　else　have　Jews　survived　these　thousand　years　except　by　running？〃
　〃But…　〃　Chaim　protested。
　〃Go；〃　the　old　man　hissed。　〃Go　quickly。　We　are　old；　our　lives　are　finished。　You　are　young；　your　children　should　have　their　chance。〃
　A　few　months　later；　they　were　in　America。　But　it　was　to　be　almost　twenty　years　before　the　Lord　God　Jehovah　relented　and　let　her　have　a　child。
　Last；　she　prayed　for　her　brother　Bernard；　who　was　a　macher　now　and　had　a　business　in　a　faraway　place　called　California；　where　it　was　summer　all　year　round。　She　prayed　that　he　was　safe　and　well　and　that　he　wasn't　troubled　by　the　Indians；　like　she　saw　in　the　movies　when　she　used　the　pass　he'd　sent　her。
　Her　prayers　finished；　she　went　back　into　the　kitchen。　The　soup　was　bubbling　on　the　stove；　its　rich；　heavy　chicken　aroma　almost