The Complete Short Stories of Evelyn Waugh - Evelyn Waugh [197]
When the business was over Major Gordon said: “I see the Jews have moved.”
Bakic was left outside nowadays, and the intellectual young man acted as interpreter. Without consulting his chief he answered: “Their house was required for the Ministry of Rural Economy. New quarters have been found for them a few miles away.”
The Commissar asked what was being said, grunted and rose. Major Gordon saluted and the interview was at an end. On the steps the young interpreter joined him.
“The question of the Jews, Major Gordon. It was necessary for them to go. Our people could not understand why they should have special treatment. We have partisan women who work all day and have no boots or overcoats. How are we to explain that these old people who are doing nothing for our cause, should have such things?”
“Perhaps by saying that they are old and have no cause. Their need is greater than a young enthusiast’s.”
“Besides, Major Gordon, they were trying to make business. They were bartering the things they had been given. My parents are Jewish and I understand these people. They want always to make some trade.”
“Well, what’s wrong with that?”
“War is not a time for trade.”
“Well, anyway, I hope they have decent quarters.”
“They have what is suitable.”
VII
The gardens in winter seemed smaller than they had done in full leaf. You could see right through them from fence to fence; snow obliterated lawns and beds; the paths were only traceable by bootprints. Major Gordon daily took a handful of broken biscuits to the squirrel and fed him through the bars. One day while he was thus engaged, watching the little creature go through the motions of concealment, cautiously return, grasp the food, jump away and once more perform the mime of digging and covering, he saw Mme. Kanyi approach down the path. She was carrying a load of brushwood, stooping under it, so that she did not see him until she was quite close.
Major Gordon was particularly despondent that day for he had just received a signal for recall. The force was being re-named and reorganized. He was to report as soon as feasible to Bari. Major Gordon was confident that word had come from Belgrade that he was no longer persona grata.
He greeted Mme. Kanyi with warm pleasure. “Let me carry that.”
“No, please. It is better not.”
“I insist.”
Mme. Kanyi looked about her. No one was in sight. She let Major Gordon take the load and carry it towards her hut.
“You have not gone with the others?”
“No, my husband is needed.”
“And you don’t wear your greatcoat.”
“Not out of doors. I wear it at night in the hut. The coats and boots make everyone hate us, even those who had been kind before.”
“But partisan discipline is so firm. Surely there was no danger of violence?”
“No, that was not the trouble. It was the peasants. The partisans are frightened of the peasants. They will settle with them later, but at present they are dependent on them for food. Our people began to exchange things with the peasants. They would give needles and thread, razors, things no one can get, for turkeys and apples. No one wants money. The peasants preferred bartering with our people to taking the partisans’ bank-notes. That was what made the trouble.”
“Where have the others gone?”
She spoke a name which meant nothing to Major Gordon. “You have not heard of that place? It is twenty miles away. It is where the Germans and Ustashi made a camp. They kept the Jews and gypsies and communists and royalists