Two Tales: Betrothed & Edo and Enam Read Online Free PDF Page B

work.
    Ehrlich poured a glass of wine for Rechnitz and took one himself, saying, “We happened to meet an old scholar on our travels, a professor with a lot of abstruse knowledge. Once I picked up a strange-looking plant from the sea and showed it to him. He said, ‘This plant was unknown until a young Austrian research worker stationed in Jaffa discovered it. It’s called after him Caulerpa Rechnitzia .’ Now you are an Austrian, you live in Jaffa, and Rechnitz is your name. Could you be that very man? – Herr Doktor , I am very happy that your reputation leads you to be mentioned in out-of-the-way places. Take up your glass, let’s drink to your good health and the success of your research!”
    Jacob lowered his head and fumbled for the glass, which Shoshanah took up and placed in his hand. Again she sat back in her place. Apart from passing him some dish from time to time, she paid no attention to him. Jacob thought to himself, Evidently she is sorry that she greeted me so warmly at first.
    The waiter came up and set before each of them a small cup of black coffee. The aroma mounted. It reminded him of his room, where he would read alone over his drink with nobody’s eyes upon him. He looked down at the coffee. A pale, brownish foam bubbled up on its surface. The foam was full of little eyes that flickered like sparks.
    “Don’t you take sugar?” asked the Consul.
    “Oh yes,” Jacob answered, but still forgot to take any.
    Shoshanah picked up the silver tongs, secured a lump and dropped it into his cup. “Another?” she asked, and caught a second lump.
    “Thank you,” he said, and began to wonder whether the instinct to recoil from what harms us would not hold Shoshanah back; for if the sugar fell into the full cup, the coffee would spill over. Then again it seemed to him that this was the first lump after all, there was no need to fear, for when the coffee was poured allowance must surely have been made for the sugar.
    The Consul took out his cigar case, offered a cigar to Jacob and chose one for himself. Taking Rechnitz’s arm he strolled up and down with him, while the smoke rose up until their cigars were half burnt out, though ash still stood on the tips. The Consul halted in the middle of the lounge, removed his ash, and said, “So here we are, seated together again.” Suiting action to word, he walked across to the sofa and sat down opposite Shoshanah, settling Jacob beside him on his right.
    He looked across at his daughter, then turned to Jacob, saying, “I’m sure you are busy in the afternoon, so come around this evening and we’ll dine together. Wouldn’t that be nice, Shoshanah?”
    Shoshanah inclined her head in agreement. Evidently her mind was not on what she was doing, but all the same the gesture, however unaware, was pleasant to see.
    Actually Rechnitz was free that afternoon, but since the Consul had declared him to be busy he could hardly contradict him. He recalled something he had read in some book of philosophy: how those motions of the soul that urge us on cannot bring us to act without the help of other, external factors. And if these external factors do not collaborate, all the motions of our soul are vain, and lead only to inner confusion. Rechnitz could indeed have consoled himself in the knowledge that he would be returning for supper; but he found no comfort in this, for the barren hours seemed to stretch on endlessly till evening.
    Stripped of all cheer, he walked away from the hotel. He said to himself: Since they are here, I will do everything I can. But if they go, let them go. I will have a clear mind again. Why give myself needless cares? What is needless is not needed. I shall try to do what is right, and that is enough. Don’t blame me, Shoshanah, if you were mistaken in me, if you thought I still deserved the love you had for me once. We aren’t children at play anymore, but grown persons who have known the years. What a pity we aren’t happy now!
    VIII
    A