Exodus - Leon Uris [252]
“What is it?”
“I think it hit the bone and either chipped or splintered it. That’s one of the things that is hurting you. My guess is that the bullet ricocheted back toward the surface. It may be lodged against a nerve.”
“What’s going to happen?”
“It has to come out. That pain is either going to kill you or paralyze you. You can’t take a trip down the mountain. It may start all sorts of things going ... a hemorrhage, God knows what. You’ll have to get a doctor up here in the next few hours—or you’re going to be in very bad trouble. That bullet has to come out.”
Ari looked over to Mussa. Kitty turned and looked at the Arab and then quickly to Ari.
“There are wounded men from yesterday’s raid hiding all over the Galilee,” Mussa said. “Every Jewish doctor in Palestine is being watched right now. If I try to bring one back up here for Ari, he is certain to be followed.”
She stared from one to the other again and stood up and lit a cigarette. “Then you’d better give yourself up and get this taken care of right away.”
Ari nodded to Mussa and the Arab walked from the room.
“Kitty,” he called.
She walked to the side of the bed. He reached out and took her hand. “They’ll hang me. It’s up to you.” Her throat went dry. She pulled away and leaned against the wall and tried to think. Ari was calm now and his eyes were fixed on her.
“I can’t. I’m not a doctor.”
“You’ve got to.”
“There is nothing to work with.”
“You’ve got to.”
“I can’t ... I can’t. Don’t you see it will be so painful ... it might put you into shock. Ari ... I’m frightened.”
She slumped into a chair. She thought of Ari’s leading the raid and knew he was right about his fate if the British were to find him. She thought of Dov—and how Karen had felt. She knew that she was his only hope; to do nothing was equally courting death. She bit her clenched fingers and stood up quickly. There was a bottle of brandy on the dresser. She took it to him.
“Start drinking this. When this bottle is empty, we’ll get you another one. Get drunk ... get as drunk as you can, because I’m going to hurt you like hell.”
“Thanks, Kitty ...”
She opened the door quickly.
“Mussa!”
“Yes.”
“Where can we get some medical supplies?”
“At the Yagur kibbutz.”
“How long will it take to get a man there and back?”
“Getting him there is no trouble. Coming back ... he must not use the roads so he cannot take a car. By foot in these mountains will take many hours ... maybe not even till late tonight.”
“Look, I’ll write you a list of things that I will want. You get a man to that kibbutz as fast as you can.”
Kitty considered. The messenger might get back tonight and he might not get back at all. A kibbutz dispensary might or might not have anesthetics but she could not take the chance of waiting. She wrote a note for two liters of plasma, vials of penicillin, morphine, dressings, a thermometer, and some other instruments. Mussa dispatched one of the guards to Yagur.
“Karen, I’m going to need your help but it is going to be very rough.”
“I can do anything.”
“Good girl. Mussa, do you have anything at all in the way of medicine?”
“A few things, not much.”
“Very well. We’ll make do with what we have in that first-aid kit.
Do you have a flashlight and ... perhaps some unused razor blades or a very sharp small knife?”
“Yes, we can get that.”
“All right, fine. I want the razor blades and the knife boiled for a half hour.”
Mussa turned and issued the order.
“Now put some blankets on the floor. The bed is too springy. He will have to be braced solidly. When we move him to the floor, Karen, you get those dirty linens off and change the bed. Mussa, get her some clean sheets.”
“Is there anything else?” Mussa asked.
“Yes, we will need six or eight men in here to move him and to hold him still.”
Everything was made ready. Blankets were laid out on the floor. Ari was drinking steadily. Four of the Druses moved him as gently as possible to the floor.