Exodus - Leon Uris [188]
“It’s not that mysterious. I am very fond of a young girl. She came over on the Exodus. We met earlier in Caraolos. I am afraid her attempts to reunite with her father may end very unhappily. If she is unable to find her father I want to adopt her and take her to America.”
“I see. Well, you are on the level. Let us talk turkey. There is an opening for a head nurse in one of our Youth Villages in the northern Galilee. It is a lovely place. The director is one of my oldest and dearest friends, Dr. Ernest Lieberman. The village is called Gan Dafna. We have four hundred children there and most of them are concentration-camp bred. They need help badly. I do hope you will take this assignment. The pay and the facilities are very good.”
“I ... I ... would like to know about ...”
“Karen Hansen?”
“How did you know?”
“I told you we were a small community. Karen is at Gan Dafna.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Thank Ari. He is the one who arranged it all. Ari will take you up there. It is very close to his home.”
The old woman emptied her teacup and leaned back in her chair. “Could I give you one last piece of advice?”
“Of course.”
“I have been working with orphans since 1933. The attachment they form for Palestine may be something very difficult for you to understand. Once they have breathed the air of freedom ... once they are filled with this patriotism it is extremely difficult for them to leave, and if and when they do most of them never become adjusted to living away from Palestine. Their devotion is a fierce thing. Americans take so many things about America for granted. Here, a person wakes up every morning in doubt and tension—not knowing if all he has slaved for will be taken from him. Their country is with them twenty-four hours a day. It is the focal point of their lives, the very meaning of their existence.”
“Are you trying to say I may not be able to persuade the girl to leave?”
“I am trying to make you aware that you are fighting tremendous odds.”
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
David Ben Ami entered. “Shalom, Harriet. Shalom, Kitty. Ari told me that I could find you here. Am I interrupting anything?”
“No, we’ve finished our business. I am sending Katherine to Gan Dafna.”
“Splendid. I thought that it would be a good idea to show Kitty around Mea Shearim when the Sabbath starts.”
“An excellent idea, David.”
“Then we had better get started. Will you come with us, Harriet?”
“Lug these old bones around? Not on your life. You have Katherine at my flat for dinner in two hours.”
Kitty stood up and shook hands with the old woman and thanked her and then turned to David. He stared at her.
“Is something wrong, David?” Kitty asked.
“I have never seen you dressed up. You look very beautiful.” He looked at himself awkwardly. “Perhaps I am not dressed well enough to walk around with you.”
“Nonsense. I was just trying to show off for my new boss.”
“Shalom, children. I will see you later.”
Kitty was pleased that David had come for her. She felt more comfortable around him than with any of the other Jews. They walked from the Zion Settlement Society and crossed to the Street of the Prophets. Kitty took his arm, but it seemed as though David was the one who was the sightseer. He was rediscovering everything about Jerusalem and he was as delighted as a child. “It is so good to be home again,” he said. “How do you like my city?”
“Are there words? It is overwhelming and a little frightening.”
“Yes, that is the way I have always felt about Jerusalem ever since I was a boy. It never fails to thrill me and to haunt me.”
“It was very kind of you to take time away from your family.”
“We are not all assembled yet. I have six brothers, you know. Most of them are in the Palmach. I am the baby of the family so there will be a reunion. All of us except one ... I will have to see him alone later.”
“Is he ill?”
“He is a terrorist. He is with the Maccabees. My father will not permit him to enter our house.