The Spinoza of Market Street - Isaac Bashevis Singer [77]
Thus they became friends. Mendel was nearly two heads taller than Shloimele, and Shloimele admired the coachman's worldly knowledge. Mendel could swim face-up or -down, tread water, catch a fish in the stream with his bare hands and climb the highest trees by the riverbank. Shloimele was afraid of a single cow, but Mendel would chase a whole herd of cattle and had no fear of bulls. He boasted that he could spend a whole night in a cemetery and spoke of having overpowered bears and wolves which attacked him. He claimed victory over a highwayman who had accosted him. In addition, he could play all sorts of tunes on a fife, imitate a crow's cawing, a woodpecker's pecking, cattle's lowing, sheep's and goat's bleating, cat's mewling, and the chirping of crickets. His stunts amused Shloimele who enjoyed his company. Also he promised to teach Shloimele horseback riding. Even Lise, who used to ignore Mendel, treated him amiably now, sent him on all sorts of errands and offered him honey cake and sweet brandy, for she was a kindly young woman.
Once when the two men were bathing in the river, Shloimele noticed Mendel's physique and admired its masculine attractiveness. His long legs, slim hips, and broad chest all exuded power. After dressing, Shloimele conversed with Mendel who spoke unrestrainedly of his success among the peasant women, bragging of the women he'd had from nearby villages and the many bastards he had sired. He also numbered among his lovers aristocrats, town women, and prostitutes. Shloimele doubted none of this. When he asked Mendel if he had no fear of retribution, the young man asked what could be done to a corpse. He didn't believe in life after death. He went on expressing himself heretically. Then, puckering his lips and whistling shrilly, he scampered agilely up a tree, knocking down cones and birds' nests. While doing this he roared like a lion, so powerfully that the sound carried for miles, echoing from tree to tree as though hundreds of evil spirits responded to his call.
That night Shloimele told Lise everything that had happened. They discussed the incident in such detail that both of them grew aroused. But Shloimele was not equipped to satisfy his wife's passion. His ardor was greater than his capability and they had to content themselves with lewd talk. Suddenly Shloimele blurted: "Tell me the truth, Lise my love, how would you like to go to bed with Mendel the Coachman?"
"God save us, what kind of evil talk is this?" she countered. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Well--? He is a strong and handsome young man--the girls are wild about him. . . ."
"Shame on you!" Lise cried. "You defile your mouth!"
"I love defilement!" Shloimele cried, his eyes ablaze. "I am going all the way over to the side of the Host!"
"Shloimele, I'm afraid for you!" Lise said after a long pause. "You're sinking deeper and deeper!"
"One dares everything!" Shloimele said, his knees trembling. "'Since this generation cannot become completely pure, let it grow completely impure!'"
Lise seemed to shrink and for a long while she was silent. Shloimele could scarcely tell whether she slept or was thinking.
"Were you serious then?" she asked curiously, her voice muffled.
"Yes, serious."
"And it wouldn't anger you at all?" she demanded.
"No. ... If it brought you pleasure, it would please me as well. You could tell me about it afterwards."
"You're an infidel!" Lise cried out. "A heretic!"
"Yes, so I am! Elisha the son of Abijah was also a heretic! Whoever looks into the vineyard must suffer the consequences."
"You quote the Talmud in answer to everything--watch out, Shloimele! Be on your guard! You're playing with fire!"
"I love fire! I love a holocaust ... I would