The Dark Arena - Mario Puzo [74]
Some men helped him up. There was blood running out of his thick curly hair, many tiny rivers flowed down his forehead to form a red mask over his face. Hella had turned away and Mosca took her arm and walked her down the street. He saw that she looked ill, the sight of blood, he thought. “You'd better stay home with Frau Saunders tonight.” And then, as if he owed her an excuse for not interfering, he said, “It's not our business.”
Mosca, Leo, and Eddie Cassin sat around the Middle-ton living-room. Hie household furniture belonged to the requisitioned house so there were still chairs to sit on. Everything else was packed in wooden orates lined against the wall.
“So you're really going to the Nuremberg trials tomorrow?” Gordon asked Leo. “What time are you leaving?”
“Oh, in the evening,” Leo said “I would rather drive at night”
“Give it to the bastards when you get there,” Ann Middleton said. “Lie if you have to but make sure they all get what's coming to them.”
“I won't have to lie,” Leo said. “My memory is very good.”
“I want to apologize about the way I acted the last time you were here,” Gordon Middleton said. “I'm afraid I was very rude.”
Leo waved his hand. “No, I understand. My father was a political prisoner, a Communist My mother was Jewish, that is why I was sent away. But my father was a political. Of course, after the Stalin-Hitler pact he lost his faith. He realized one was no better than the other.”
The professor, who was sitting in a corner by the chess table and had a polite smile of interest on his face, became frightened by this tactless remark. He saw, with panic and embarrassment, the anger rising in Gordon Middleton and did not wish to witness a scene of verbal violence. All violence distressed him. “I must go,” he said. “I have an appointment to give a lesson.” He shook hands with Gordon and Ann. “Allow me to wish you a good trip to America and good fortune. I have been very happy to know you.”
Gordon escorted him to the door and said earnestly, “I hope you won't forget to write me, Professor. Tm depending on you to tell me what happens to Germany.”
The professor nodded his head. “Certainly, certainly.” He had already decided not to communicate in any way with Gordon Middleton. Any tie with a Communist, however innocent, could in the unpredictable future do him great harm.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute.” Gordon led the professor back into the room. “Leo, I just remembered the professor is going to Nuremberg the end of the week. Can you give him a lift or would that be against your outfit's regulation?”
“No, no,” the professor said in great agitation. “That is not necessary, please.” “It's no trouble,” Leo said. “No,” the professor said, and now he was almost hysterically frightened. “I have my train tickets, everything is arranged. Please, I know it would be too much trouble for you.”
“Okay, Professor, okay.” Gordon said soothingly, and took him to the door.
When Gordon came back into the room, Mosca asked, “What the hell did he get so excited about?”
Gordon glanced at Leo. “He's a very correct man. His son is under arrest as a minor war criminal, I don't know exactly what, except that he's being tried by a German court, not the occupation so it can't be too bad. I guess he was horrified that Leo might find out and think it was something to do with the concentration camps, which, of course, it couldn't be. You don't mind do you, Leo?”
“No,” Leo said.
“I'll tell you what,” Gordon said, “I'll go to his place tomorrow, I'll have time. I'll say you'll pick him up tomorrow night. Once he knows you know, he'll be willing. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” Leo said, “it is very nice you should worry so about that old man.”
Ann Middleton looked at him sharply, but there was no irony on Leo's hawklike face. He was sincere. She smiled “Gordon always takes care of his converts,” she said.
“I haven't converted him, Ann,” Gordon drawled in his slow,