Read Online Satan in Goray by Isaac Bashevis Singer - Free Book Online
Authors: Isaac Bashevis Singer
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and wore a torn red dress, through which parts of her body shone. In her left hand she held an earthen pot, in her right a straw whisk with ashes in it. Through her disheveled hair a pair of frantic eyes smiled madly at him. It occurred to Itche Mates that there was more here than met the eye.
"Are you a married woman, or a maiden?"
"A maiden," answered Rechele brazenly. "Like Jeptha's daughter, a sacrifice to God!"
The mezuzah fell out of Reb Itche Mates' hand. Never in his whole life, not since he had first stood on his feet, had he heard such talk. His flesh crawled as though he had been touched by icy fingers. He wanted to run away from such sacrilege, but then it came to him that this would not be right. So he sat down on a box and took out a ruler and a bottle of ink. He sharpened his goose quill with a piece of glass, dipped it in the ink, and--wiped it again on his skull cap.
"These are not proper things to say," he told Rechele after some hesitation. "The Blessed Name does not require human sacrifices. A Jewish girl should have a husband and heed the Law."
"Nobody wants me!" Rechele said, and limped so close to him that the female smell of her body overcame him. "Unless Satan will have me!"
She burst into sharp laughter which ended in a gasp. Large gleaming tears fell from her eyes. The pot slipped from her hands and broke into shards. Reb Itche Mates sought to reply, but his tongue had become heavy and dry. The cupboard, the walls, the floor swayed. He began to write, but his hand shook and a drop of ink blotted the parchment. So Reb Itche Mates lowered his head, wrinkled his forehead, and suddenly grasped the secret. For a while, he studied his pale fingernails, and then he muttered to himself: "This is from Heaven."
10
Reb Itche Mates Sends a Proposal of Marriage to Rechele Then did Reb Itche Mates the cabalist send messengers to Rechele, enjoining them to speak to her in these words: The bridegroom is a widower, and a man of no importance. His entire fortune consists of one cotton coat, for both Sabbath and weekday wear; one fringed vest worn on his bare body; one pair of cloth trousers; and one prayer shawl, together with two sets of phylacteries. But the Creator is compassionate and He doth feed all His creatures, from the weasel beast to the eggs of the louse. Forty days before Rechele was born it was decreed in Heaven that this seed, the daughter of Reb Eleazar, was to belong to Itche Mates. What more is there to say? Let Rechele agree and the betrothal will take place immediately; God willing, the groom will give the bridal presents in the Land of Israel.
The following went to see Rechele: Reb Mordecai Joseph the cabalist, Levi the rabbi's son, and Nechele his wife. Reb Mordecai Joseph characteristically struck his crutch on the floor and admonished Rechele that Reb Itche Mates was a holy man who fasted from Sabbath to Sabbath, so it would be an honor to have him as her husband, and the town where he settled would be protected from evil. Levi the rabbi's son bit his underlip and fixed his glance on the girl's face. Dismissing the men, Nechele under-took to arrange matters as one who understood women. Nechele's shoulders were covered with a Turkish shawl; she wore a silk kerchief on her head, as though it were the Sabbath, and two large gold earrings dangled from her ears. After the fashion of daughters of good family, her ears had been pierced many times. Self-importantly she sat down on the bench used to prepare meat dishes, rested her feet on a footstool, and motioned the girl to a place opposite--the bench used for dairy dishes. Then she blew her nose loudly, wiped her fingers on the voluminous train of her cloth dress, and spoke as follows: "Don't put on airs, Rechele, for your father is a poor man, and has left you in God's care. Besides, you are not well (God save us!). People are already talking and you'll end up in disgrace. Now that you have someone who wants you, let your head be covered
"Are you a married woman, or a maiden?"
"A maiden," answered Rechele brazenly. "Like Jeptha's daughter, a sacrifice to God!"
The mezuzah fell out of Reb Itche Mates' hand. Never in his whole life, not since he had first stood on his feet, had he heard such talk. His flesh crawled as though he had been touched by icy fingers. He wanted to run away from such sacrilege, but then it came to him that this would not be right. So he sat down on a box and took out a ruler and a bottle of ink. He sharpened his goose quill with a piece of glass, dipped it in the ink, and--wiped it again on his skull cap.
"These are not proper things to say," he told Rechele after some hesitation. "The Blessed Name does not require human sacrifices. A Jewish girl should have a husband and heed the Law."
"Nobody wants me!" Rechele said, and limped so close to him that the female smell of her body overcame him. "Unless Satan will have me!"
She burst into sharp laughter which ended in a gasp. Large gleaming tears fell from her eyes. The pot slipped from her hands and broke into shards. Reb Itche Mates sought to reply, but his tongue had become heavy and dry. The cupboard, the walls, the floor swayed. He began to write, but his hand shook and a drop of ink blotted the parchment. So Reb Itche Mates lowered his head, wrinkled his forehead, and suddenly grasped the secret. For a while, he studied his pale fingernails, and then he muttered to himself: "This is from Heaven."
10
Reb Itche Mates Sends a Proposal of Marriage to Rechele Then did Reb Itche Mates the cabalist send messengers to Rechele, enjoining them to speak to her in these words: The bridegroom is a widower, and a man of no importance. His entire fortune consists of one cotton coat, for both Sabbath and weekday wear; one fringed vest worn on his bare body; one pair of cloth trousers; and one prayer shawl, together with two sets of phylacteries. But the Creator is compassionate and He doth feed all His creatures, from the weasel beast to the eggs of the louse. Forty days before Rechele was born it was decreed in Heaven that this seed, the daughter of Reb Eleazar, was to belong to Itche Mates. What more is there to say? Let Rechele agree and the betrothal will take place immediately; God willing, the groom will give the bridal presents in the Land of Israel.
The following went to see Rechele: Reb Mordecai Joseph the cabalist, Levi the rabbi's son, and Nechele his wife. Reb Mordecai Joseph characteristically struck his crutch on the floor and admonished Rechele that Reb Itche Mates was a holy man who fasted from Sabbath to Sabbath, so it would be an honor to have him as her husband, and the town where he settled would be protected from evil. Levi the rabbi's son bit his underlip and fixed his glance on the girl's face. Dismissing the men, Nechele under-took to arrange matters as one who understood women. Nechele's shoulders were covered with a Turkish shawl; she wore a silk kerchief on her head, as though it were the Sabbath, and two large gold earrings dangled from her ears. After the fashion of daughters of good family, her ears had been pierced many times. Self-importantly she sat down on the bench used to prepare meat dishes, rested her feet on a footstool, and motioned the girl to a place opposite--the bench used for dairy dishes. Then she blew her nose loudly, wiped her fingers on the voluminous train of her cloth dress, and spoke as follows: "Don't put on airs, Rechele, for your father is a poor man, and has left you in God's care. Besides, you are not well (God save us!). People are already talking and you'll end up in disgrace. Now that you have someone who wants you, let your head be covered
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