Read Online A Bird's Eye by Cary Fagan - Free Book Online

the door one evening. Hayim had stayed in and they had enjoyed a rare harmonious time, and she told him not to get up from his chair when the bell chimed. But her usual anxious gladness on seeing Tobias gave way to alarm when she saw how agitated he was. He didn’t take off his coat but marched straight into the sitting room.
    â€œToby,” said my uncle. “You look like someone who’s been robbed. I’ll pour you a drink.”
    â€œYou won’t pour me a damn drink. That is exactly what you’ve been doing all these months. Soothing me, keeping me off guard, lulling me . . .”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? Hannah, do you know what’s going on?”
    She could only shake her head, clutching her handkerchief to her lips. She hated male anger and wanted only to hide up in her room while the two of them worked whatever it was out, the way men did. “I will excuse myself,” she said.
    â€œNo you won’t,” Tobias said. “The two of you! A conspiracy! That’s what it is, a conspiracy.”
    â€œCome on, now,” said Hayim. “You can’t talk this way in my house. Can’t you make sense?”
    Tobias reached into his jacket, struggled, and at last pulled out an envelope. He smacked it with his other hand as if he were on stage.
    â€œThis is what I’m talking about!”
    â€œSo, a letter. Let me see it.”
    Tobias waved it at him without giving it up. “You’re trying to take advantage of me, to use my name in order to save your own. But I’ve caught on to you.”
    â€œTobias,” Hannah pleaded. She was already starting to weep. “What is it? This isn’t right. It’s cruel. Please don’t behave this way.”
    He looked at her, panting heavily. “All right,” he said, giving the letter to Hayim. “Go ahead and read it.”
    Hayim took out the sheet of writing paper and unfolded it. His jaw worked back and forth as he read.
    â€œTell me what it says, Hayim.”
    â€œThis isn’t for you.”
    â€œI’d say it is. Give it to her. I insist.”
    â€œIf it concerns me, then I want to see it,” Hannah said, her voice trembling. He did not prevent her from taking the letter out of his hand.
    T. Whitaker,
    Are you aware that the woman to whom you are engaged has the mark of Satan on her? Surely you don’t believe that that orthopaedic shoe hides a natural deformity. It hides something terrible — a cloven hoof. A foot like that of an animal, like Lucifer himself. If you marry Hannah Kleeman, you marry the devil’s whore, sent to lead you to hell.
    A Concerned Friend
    She could hardly breathe. “What — what is this?”
    â€œI’ll tell you what it is,” said Hayim. “Some enemy of mine in business. Some envious son of a bitch. Does he think we’re living in the Dark Ages? Nobody believes in such nonsense anymore. Toby, you aren’t taking this seriously? You should laugh at it. Or be angry at the person who wrote it. You should already have torn it up.”
    â€œOf course you think so.” He stepped over to Hannah and snatched the letter out of her hands, frightening her. “But I see what you’re trying to do, how you want to use me and the name of my family.”
    â€œUse you? You forget what your family name is worth these days? The money I loaned you? We bring far more to this marriage than you do.”
    â€œI don’t understand what I’m hearing,” Hannah said.
    â€œThe solution is simple,” Tobias said, crossing his arms. “All Hannah has to do is remove her shoe and stocking. Then I will see for myself. I should know exactly what I’m marrying.”
    â€œDon’t insult my sister. I’ve had enough of this. You’re going to have to go.”
    â€œNo, I’ll do it,” Hannah said. “Let him see.” Immediately, she sat down and began to slip off her