I went to the closet and began taking out hangers for her clothes.
“Stop it!” she screamed. “Go wash up. You don’t know what you look like…”
Something happened today. Something will never be the same.
THURSDAY NIGHT
O my love
O my lord
Cherish thou my agony
Lest it be the death of me.
— Tsvi? Tsvi? Is that you, Tsvi? Tsvi?
— Refa’el. Tsvi?
— Refa’el. It’s me. Tsvi? Open the door a crack.
— Whom did you think it was?
— Nearly two o’clock. I was afraid at first it was your father.
— Nothing. I just thought I’d drop by. Were you really asleep?
— You don’t say! I knocked as lightly as a bird.
— Oh, dear! I’m so sorry. I thought I saw a light.
— There wasn’t a light on in the kitchen? But I saw the kitchen light from the street. I’m absolutely sure I did. It’s been on for at least half an hour. So I came up and knocked. But really lightly, like a bird.
— Are you sure?
— Perhaps your father left it on.
— But how could I be mistaken? It’s weird. Maybe that mouse of yours has been turning the lights on and off. Don’t laugh. Once a mouse got into my aunt in Jerusalem’s electric box and switched the lights on and off each time he ran around.
— Seriously. That’s no joke. They thought the house was haunted until a city repairman caught it. Well, I’ll be on my way. I see you really were sleeping. I’m awfully sorry to have woken you. But how was it you heard me? Are you such a light sleeper? I swear I hardly touched the door, just like a…
— Are you sure?
— Well, only for a minute. Really, only for a minute. I thank you.
— I don’t know what’s happened to me. I couldn’t catch a wink of sleep tonight. I’ve been driving around the streets for the past two hours.
— It beats me.
— Why in the kitchen? Go back to bed and I’ll sit beside you. Get back into bed. I’ll sit by your side and then I’ll go.
— Right. I’ll talk in a whisper. I’m terribly sorry. I’d forgotten all about him.
— Then we’d better sit in the kitchen with the door shut.
— Eh?
— I don’t know.
— What?
— No special reason. I’m just awfully nervous. A total wreck. The bottom’s dropped out of my life. Haven’t I already told you that you’ve made a hash out of me? I’ll live. But believe me, I’ll be a sick man from all this yet.
— No…
— Yes.
— Yes.
— Maybe.
— That too.
— You’re right. Of course you are. Just try not to mind me. I’ll live.
— Tea? No, don’t trouble yourself. Go back to bed. You’re still half asleep. I’ll be on my way…
— Are you sure?
— You really do feel like it?
— Only if you do too. I’ve noticed that you have a thing for tea in the middle of the night. You’re always looking for a chance to drink it. Maybe it’s come down to you from your ancestors in Russia who sat around the samovar.
— What? Yes. With us tea is like medicine. It’s something to drink when you’re sick.
— No, no, tea will be fine. By all means, tea. Tea suits me perfectly now.
— No, no. Honestly. Just tea. I’m as good as sick already.
— Any way that you like it. It doesn’t matter to me. You’re so kind. It pains me to have woken you. I never would have come if I had known you were sleeping. You shouldn’t have let me in. That light misled me.
— No… never mind… I’m angry at myself. Lately I’m angry at myself all the time.
— Thank you. Thank you so much. You know, it’s strange to see you without your glasses. I didn’t know you could manage without them.
— No, just a bit different. I have to get used to it. Now I understand your eyes better. I mean I see them. I understand them perfectly. Are those new pajamas?
— Very becoming. Soft. Very becoming. Where did you get them?
— Yes. They have lovely things there. Very becoming.
— How much?
— That isn’t so bad. They’re very becoming. Very handsome on you. So tell me first how your day was. When did he arrive? I phoned three times tonight but got no answer.
— What restaurant?
— Right. How is he? Have there been any new developments? Tell me.
— Just what you suggested to her…
— And what did he decide?
— In what way?
— Then…
— Congratulations! On Sunday… that’s the day of the seder…
— Are you sure you won’t want to be there? I can drive you.
— Never mind, I’ll manage…
— How can you talk about them like that? You slay me… how can you possibly…?
— Their story fascinates me. Not just on your account. I can’t get over her face. She made a great impression on me. A noble woman. I was very touched by her.
— Really? I’m glad to hear that. Tell me, do you think I could peek in on him for a second?
— Your father. I’m terribly curious.
— Just for a second.
— In your room? Why?
— Right. Of course. It was his bed. That was thoughtful of you. Just for a second. I won’t make a sound.
— Of course, in the dark…
— Just a wee bit of light…
— He looks like you. Why, he looks just like you. It’s astonishing. He’s a handsome old man.
— The spitting image of you. As though I were looking at you twenty or thirty years from now, when I’m already in the grave…
— No, no, he’s a perfect likeness of you. It’s amazing. The little one looks like him too.
— Your brother.
— Really amazing!
— Me? Terrible. Can’t you see for yourself?
— I don’t know. Can’t you see? I’m a complete wreck. This is the third time this week that I haven’t caught any sleep.
— I don’t believe in them. Instead of helping me, they hype me up more. Six hours later they begin to take effect, just when I’m sitting down to the morning conference with Bleicher. Just when we’re trying to size up the trends and I need to be at my sharpest. A mistake then can cost the bank millions.
— At nine o’clock.
— Every morning. With today’s inflation it should be three times a day.
— That’s for sure. And who says a man needs to get seven hours of sleep? Maybe three are enough. Meanwhile I’m getting to know the city by night. There’s a lot going on in it. Tel Aviv’s become a real metropolis. And now that it’s spring and the air is so mild, it’s a pleasure to be out. I went to Sami’s first. I thought I might find you there, even though I reckoned that you’d be staying in with your father. He wanted me to hang around but what with all the young punks and the music and those whores of his — you wouldn’t believe all the whores — I decided that it wasn’t for me. So I stepped into Ma’ariv.
— Ma’ariv, the newspaper. They have a teleprinter there, we get the closing Wall Street averages over it.
— Right. It’s a direct line. We get them first thing in the morning. This way I could already start planning for tomorrow. What?
— Of course… it’s already today… I’m in a total fog.
— Does it interest you now? I see you’re really into the market.
— Of course. That’s the only way.
— What do I think? You want to know now?
— Why should I mind? I think that the dollar is in trouble and is about to take a bad beating. We’ve been talking about it at the bank for several days now. The way I read the figures coming over the ticker from New York tonight, it could happen anytime.