_The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language (A Companion to _MENDELE_) ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 02.021 13 July 1998 70th anniversary of the first publication of Alter Kacyzne's "Der shidekh in partshev" 1) Yiddish Matters: From the Editor (Leonard Prager) 2) "Der shidekh in partshev" ['Matchmaking in Parczew'] (Alter Kacyzne) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 13 July 1998 From: Leonard Prager Subject: Yiddish Matters In this issue: Introducing "The shidekh in parshev". In coming issues: a double issue on the alefbeys in memory of the great Jewish alphabet scholar Eliyohu Lipiner who died this past April Introducing "The shidekh in partshev" _The Mendele Review_ reproduces an unusual, indeed striking, story by the martyred Polish-Yiddish writer Alter Kacyzne (1885-1941), one first printed seventy years ago to this day (13 July 1928).˙ We can be certain that the readers of Warsaw's lively literary journal _Literarisher bleter_ were not indifferent -- some may even have been shocked -- to find in no. 28 (pp. 545-548) not only an explicitly erotic story, but one with a lesbian theme.˙ If some were shocked it was because Yiddish literature of that day was reticent in treating sexual matters, and generally did so fragmentarily or obliquely.˙ We can also assume that many readers were not fazed, it being part of the "program" of modern Yiddish letters in the 1920s and 1930s to claim all subjects for its own.˙ In "Der shidekh in partshev" we have the stretching of the bounds of Yiddish storytelling to encompass a facet of human experience which, at the time, required of an author a certain imaginative power. The author, a professional photographer whose camera has brilliantly captured the contours of Polish Jewish life between the two world wars, does more than aim his camera in the story presented here.˙ Alter Kacyzne is the author of _Dukus_, one of the most successful plays of the Yiddish stage.˙ His dramatic skills come to play in "Der shidekh in partshev," but he does not choose to be the objective author who activates his characters while remaining neutral himself.˙ "Der shidekh in partshev" centers on a marriage match which is described as a gross, repulsive commercial transaction, yet one which is sought by the homely bride and her parents.˙ Complicating this horrid domestic scene is a Jewish Cinderella, a beautiful orphan girl who earns her bread and keep by sewing buttonholes in her uncle's living room/workshop, her beauty a threat to the efforts of aunt and uncle to marry off their own daughter. Poverty, rustic crudity, lack of manners and of elementary refinement of feeling define the world of this (aborted) marriage match. The subtitle in the _Yidishe kultur_ version (vol. 53 [May/June 1991], pp. 29-32, 34-38) is "provintser skitsn" 'provincial tales', as though to "explain" some of the story's crudity as implicit in its locale. However, the author from the outset pleads that we discount the story's crudity generally in favor of the unexpected beauty which unfolds, a strange beauty which he refuses to dissect. Consider the opening and closing of the story:˙ "oyf der provints iz azoy vi baym antikvar oyfn boydem. eyns in dem andern iz arayngevaksn. in dem iz der kheyn" ('The provinces are like the antique-dealer's attic.˙ Everything is intertwined.˙ That is their charm.')˙ And in the closing lines we learn that despite an oppressive, rancid atmosphere which is likened to the odor of a dead animal's flayed skin ("vi di opgeshundene fel fun a neveyle"), the central character Rokhele, transported by the experience of being adored and desired, is oblivious of her surroundings.˙ And the author, who has proved more than a recorder of scene, concludes:˙ "... oyfn provints iz azoy vi baym antikvar oyfn boydem...."˙ ('Provincial towns are just like an antique dealer's attic....')˙ The "shiml" ('mold') is inextricable from the beauty, which in turn is inexplicable:˙ "nisht di farkishefte blumen fun uraltn lesbos hobn geefnt zeyere bekhers tsu der oysterlisher misterye." ('it was not the bewitched flowers of ancient Lesbos which opened their chalices to the strange mystery'). Alter Kacyzne's daughter, Shulamis Reale Kacyzne of Rome, who for years has been energetically promoting the publication and study of her father's works, recommended that _The Mendele Review_ publish "The shidekh in partshev," which she described as "erotic but delicately executed."˙ I think her judgement is just, yet I am not sure that the reader of the English translation will respond similarly (see Joseph C. Landis "A Betrothal in Partshev," in _Midstream_ [April 1981, pp. 17-21].˙ I invite readers' comments on this question.˙ Shulamis Reale Kacyzne also insisted that we use the _Literarishe bleter_ version (despite its several misprints) of the story and I would like to see a comparision of this version with others, including that which appeared in _Yidishe kultur_.˙ Hopefully in some future edition of the _TMR_ we may publish readers' responses to this story.˙ We definitely plan to publish this year a chapter from Kaczyne's celebrated novel, _Shtarke un shvakhe_. 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date:˙ 13 July 1998 From:˙ Lucas Bruyn Subject:˙ der shidekh in partshev (alter katsizne) ˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙ der shidekh in partshev(1) ˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙ fun ˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙ alter katsizne z' 545 (a) oyf der provints iz azoy vi baym antikvar oyfn boydem. pruvt nisht opteylen dos sheyns fun dem shiml. eyns in dem andern iz arayngevaksn. in dem iz der kheyn. in kleynem alkern zitst Rokhl|e a farbiterte un kneytsht in di finger dos koronkenen-shirtsl -- dem gantsn shabes irn. zi kon nisht poyeln bay zikh aroystsugeyn fun danen in der groyser shtub, vu indervokhn [in der vokhn] iz dem feters varshtat un shabes -- dos es-tsimer. dort zitsn itst di gest, di mekhutonem tsuzamen mitn feter berl un di mume shprintste, knakn erets-yisroel-nislekh un redn vegn di por hundert kerblekh nadn, velkhe der feter halt nokh dervayl shtark farkvetsht. der khosn hot ongekukt di grine skhoyre, vos men hot im ongebotn -- dem feters yungere tokhter gnendl, un arayngeredt tsu zayn tatn -- dem mekhutn -- in horikn oyer arayn: -- sh'koshe, tate! der yid mog moysef zayn a hunderter! un baym feter berl tsit zikh es vi fun pekh. er tsebrekht a nisl gants gelasn un gants umgelumpert, forzikhtik trogt er tsu dem yoder tsum moyl un oyf zayn ledernem akshones|dikn kark iz ongeshribn mit gekestlte kneytshelekh: -- hobn zikh ongezetst oyf mir, sibirnikes:˙ gib un gib! fun van zol ikh nemen? fun finger oysbrekhn -- vos? vorum khuts dem, vos feter berl iz a kamtsn, veyst zi, Rokhl|e, az er hot take nisht keyn iberikn drayer. un nisht eyn mol hot zikh ir in halz [haldz] geshtelt dos bisn broyt, vos zi est baym feter, khotsh zi arbet bay im in varshtat, baneyt lekhlekh. emes, fun finger vet er take nisht oysbrekhn. er vet dokh ober nisht lozn zayn gnendlen farzesn vern. genug hot er zikh ongelitn fun zayn elterer tokhter, blimele, vos iz, nebekh, arayn in di yorn un koym far a metsie gepakt a yadeshlivn [astmetishn] almen a kolektor fun loterey-tsetlekh. hostu gehert a parnose:˙ loterey-tsetlekh? a kerbl aroyf, a kerbl arop, abi nor men hot araynbakumen dem bokher in shtub arayn un dertsu nokh, vi men shmuest, a bokher a fardiner! un gnendl darf take, nebekh, a khosn -- az eyn got zol zikh derbaremen. zi veyst, nishkoshe, aleyn, az zi iz a grine, a tsekrokhene, mit untergehakte oygn un shitere tseyn. un az zi kukt zikh nor on in shpigl -- vert zi a fartsiterte:˙ ver vet zikh den kvapen oyf azoyne? brent take oyf ir di hoyt, fun mogern layb irn shlogt a shtendike hits. Rokhl|e iz amol mit ir geshlofn, iz zi aroysgeshprungen fun bet, vi fun a bak-oyvn. nishkoshe! aza gnendl vet nisht farzesn vern; zi vet khapn a khosn ibergevalt [iber gvald]. in mitn mark vet zi zikh z' 545 (b) aynbaysn in im mit di negl un nisht oplozn. un dem feters farkvetshte por hunderter, azelkhe farkvetshte, az zey veynen azh -- zey veln shoyn, mit mazl, unterfirn tsu der khupe. biter iz, nebekh, ir, Rokhl|en der yesoyme, vos darf zikh oyfhaltn oyf dem kargn feters laskes un zayn an iberik moyl tsum tish! vos vet shoyn do helfn der gantser onzen irer, di shlanke figur, di shvere tsep un akhtsn bliyendike yor oyf ire akslen, az zi meg zikh rikhtn oyf blimeles marokhe -- farzesn tsu vern. vorum ver vet den nemen a yesoyme vi zi shteyt un geyt, on a groshn nadn? Rokhl|e hot haynt a toplt farshtertn shabes. loy day vos es paynikn zi di makhshoves, az zi iz farmishpet farzesn tsu vern, darf zi nokh shtikn zikh in alkerl, vi a farmishpete in der tfise! emes, di mume shprintse hot zikh shoyn a por mol durkhgeslaykht durkhn finstern koridor, vos iz itst, lekoved shabes, eng farshtelt mit ale vokhedike bebekhes fun varshtat un oyslodndik ir harts oyf der mesukn|diker engshaft, hot zi shoyn a por mol geefnt di tir tsu Rokhl|e in alkerl arayn: -- vos zitstu epes, rokh|tshe, vi a shif mit zoyermilkh volt dir untergeyn? kum arayn in shtub, vestu dikh unterlenen dos harts. ober in ire reyd, in ire oysgebleykhte oygn, in ire tsuzamengetsoygene gedikhte bremen, vos hobn dem oyszen fun a por finstere vontses, hot Rokhl|e gehert un gezen eyn dershrokene bakoshe :˙ vest dokh mikh nisht umgliklekh makhn, meydl! vorum vu vel ikh zikh ahintun mit mayn skhoyre, ven du vest zikh bavayzn far di mekhutonem? un az Rokhl|e hot der mumen nisht geentfert, hot yene fest tsugemakht di tir, brumendik fun yener zayt: -- az men hodevet a soyne in shtub! hot zikh in Rokhl|en oyfgehoybn a protest -- a harter knoyl aza, vos hot tsugeshlogn frier tsum hartsn, az es hot ongehoybn shtark tsu klapn un nakhher tsum halz [haldz], az dos blut iz ir tsugefaln tsum ponem. -- avade azoy! avade bin ikh nisht ayer glaykhn! es past mir takish nisht tsu zetsn zikh bay eyn tish mit di ferdhendler, katsovem un veyst zey dort der guter yor -- di mekhutonem ayere! ikh bin Rokhl|e, bin ikh! un az yo azoy, vel ikh mir takish aroysgeyn abisl shpatsirn, vel ikh mir! un zoln zey mir nokhkukn, di mekhutonem ayere! mayn eysek! ikh hob zey in drerd! mitn farroykhertn shpigl, vos iz aropgehongen krum, shier nisht fun untern sufit, hot Rokhl|e gelebt besholem. zey flegn zikh eyne di andere lib hobn tsu zogn z' 546 (a). shtile komplimentn. ven zi hot zikh oyfgeshtelt in ir fuln shlankn vuks -- a boygevdik yung beyml, un tsum shpigl aroyfgesmeykhlt, iz zayn farroykhert ponem azh likhtiker gevorn un er hot ir frayntlekh geeytset, vi zi zol ontun oyf di aksl dem blas-rozn vlutshkenem shal, un vi zi zol iber im di mate shvartse tsep farvarfn, vi azoy zi zol oysglaykhn un oysgletn ir tsekneytshtn koronkenem shirtsl. zi hot im alts gefolgt un geblibn mit zikh tsufridn. -- vorum -- a krenk zoln zey zen, az zi, Rokhl|e, iz bay zikh aropgefaln. zi vet durkhgeyn dem es-tsimer mit an oyfgehoybenem kop. punkt vi bay der mumen, hobn zikh bay ir itst tsuzamengetsoygn di gedikhte bremen, ober oyf ir ponem fun "blut-un-milkh" hobn di shvartse bremen gehat dem zibetn kheyn. zi hot zikh a kleyn bisele ongebisn di groblekhe lipn, khotsh zey zenen azoy oykh geven frish genug, gemakht a basheydene mine fun geroydeftn umshuld un gelozt zikh shvebn vi a pave durkhn koridor un durkhn es-zimer mit dem eyntsikn gedank: -- ikh bin mir Rokhl|e, ikh hob aykh in drerd. zi hot durkhgeshvebt farbay dem langn tish mit di gest -- di mekhutonem un, vayzt oys, men hot zi bamerkt. oho, nokh vi bamerkt! der tumldiker shmues hot zikh ibergehakt, s'iz gevorn sha-shtil oyf a vayle. ot di shtilkayt hot zi nokhbagleyt biz tsu der firhoyz mit der glezener tir oyf der gas. ober Rokhl|e hot zikh oyf keynem nisht umgekukt un keynem nisht gezen. oyfn ganik hot zi zikh ongeshtoysn oyf gnendlen di kale. yene iz geven azoy fareysekt, az afile di grinkayt iz fun ir ponem farshvundn un oyf di bakn hot aroysgezetst a blas-rozer kale-kheyn. unter der fatsheyle hobn bay ir temp geklungen eyne on di andere etlekhe flashn bir, velkhe zi hot aroysbakumen bay note-bern durkh der hintertir. un zey itst opgehit in farborgenish fun di shomre-shabes oygn, take nor tsulib ir kale-shtand hot note-ber gebrokhn dem printsip: shabes afile oyf borg nisht aroystsugebn. iz gnendl di kale itst geven farrisn bay zikh, mit der hant nisht tsu derlangen. Rokhl|en hot di kale azoy gut vi nisht bamerkt, oder gemakht zikh nisht bamerkn. shoyn hintn arum hot zi ir tsugevorfn a blik fun frayndlekher farakhtung un kimat mit fargenign a freg getun: -- vos epes avekgeyn in mitn drinen? ober Rokhl|e hot shoyn shtolts geshpant in ir rozn shal un glantsike letshlekh ibern leydikn mark un s'iz nisht geven ver es zol ir kheyn bavundern:˙ ibern leydikn mark hot zikh nor arumgedreyt a hon mit etlekhe hiner. di kromen arum hobn geshlofn mit tsugemakhte oygn zeyer shabes|dikn shlof. oyfn shosey unter di boymer hot Rokhl|e getrofn ire khaver|tes un arumshpatsirt mit zey a rekhte por shoen. mitn nayem shidekh hot shoyn geklungen dos shtetl z' 546 (b) un di khavertes zenen geven naygerik tsu zen khosn-kale oyf zeyer ershtn shpatsir. oykh Rokhl|e hot gevart oyf gnendlen mit ir khosn, ober bloyz kedey tsu bavayzn, az zi kukt zikh afile nisht um oyf zey, az zey geyen ir nisht on.... zi iz Rokhl|e. zi geyt zikh shpatsirn mit ire khaver|tes. ober oyfn shosey, vu kimat dos gantse shtetl yungvarg hobn oysgeshotn, hot zikh der nayer ziveg nisht bavizn. ven Rokhl|e iz tsurikgekumen a heym, hot zi getrofn in shtub a gantse iberkerenish. fun di mansbiln iz keyner nisht geven; avade avek in besmedresh hern dem maged. ober in dem tunkeler nokh-minkhe-shtilkayt fun der groyser shabes|diker shtub zenen gezesn tsvey vayber:˙ di mume shprintse un di mekhutenes|te -- beyde mit farleygte hent, beyde ongedrolene un gekukt -- yede in an andern fenster aroys. di kale gnendlen hot Rokhl|e gefunen in alkerl, take oyf irs, oyf Rokhl|es bet, ayngenuret mitn kop in kishn. di kale hot geveynt. un az Rokhl|e hot zi forzikhtik ongerirt farn aksl, hot di kale zi opgeshtoysn mitn shtekhikn elboygn un mit aza hast un sine, vi zi volt dem moment oysgekukt mi yedeye vi lang. -- avek fun mir! hot es Rokhl|en fardrikt baym hartsn. staytsh! farvos kumt es ir tsu paynikn? iz zi den nisht avek fun shtub, kedey zikh tsufil nisht varfn in di oygn? oy, a bitere yesoyme! a bitere yesoyme! mitn barankenem [sic; read:˙ koronkenem] shirtsl bay di oygn iz zi arayngelofn tsu der shkheyne hintern shpanishn ventl, tsu Malke-Tirtse|n, dervisn zikh vos iz do azoyns geshen. un Malke-Tirtse di milkhikern, vos hot zikh ongeshtekt fun ire beheymes say mit a zoyern milkhikn reyekh, say mit a zoyerer kiyesher shtim, hot Rokhl|en bay der eydeler hant azh in shtal arayn avekgefirt un dos tirl farklapt. un vi vayt meglekh shtil, arayngetrubet der yesoyme in oyer di gantse gesheenish. taki zi, Rokhl|e, hot in dem a kheylek. zi iz kholile nisht shuldik, es hot zikh gemakht azoy:˙ di mekhutonem hobn gevorfn oyf ir an oyg, beys zi iz durkgegangen durkhn es-shtub. -- ver iz di moyd? -- fregt der horiker mekhutn. -- ot a yesoyme nebekh -- entfert feter berl mit a krekhts -- a shvestern-tokhter irs, der yidenes mayner. makht der mekhutn: -- a moyd -- vi a tsimes! makht di mekhuteneste: -- tfu, tfu! keyn beyz oyg zol ir nisht shatn! a parshoyn! platst es plutslung aroys bay dem khosn: -- veyst, tate! bay der shvester-tokhter volt ikh shoyn ayngegangen oyf glaykhe tsvey hunderter. --emes, der khosn hot gekhapt fun zayn horikn tatn a bitern psak. -- du poyer du! du burile eyner! vos far a statik, vos? ober der khosn hot zikh itst ayngeshpart:˙ oyb gnendl, to zol der tate irer moysef zayn z' 547 (a) nokh kan kerblekh.... hengt der gantser shidekh oyf a hor. itst filt zikh Rokhl|e baloynt far der gantser opkumenish irer. es tsegeyt ir mamesh dos harts oyf der kale gnendl, dos fremde grobe mentshn fargisn ir, nebekh, azoy dos blut. oyf dem yungnman dem khosn iz zi eysh-lehove, zi volt im mit di eydele hent di oygn mamesh oysgedrapet. -- aza ferd-yung! aza mark-hendler! tsu ir, tsu Rokhl|en vil er zikh gor shidekhnen! hostu gehert! getrofn dos ort! in shtub hot zi zikh farrukt in a vinkele un iz opgezesn dem ovnt -- shtil vi a toyb. men hot fun Rokhl|en keyn pips nisht gehert, khotsh dos harts hot ir gepishtshet fun rakhmones, fun nitsokhn-gefil un fun kaas oyf di mekhutonem, vos hobn nokh havdole oyfgebletert zeyer tumldikn shmues vider fun alef-beys. der feter berl hot gemakht kaykelekh fun broyt, mit a mider tempkayt ongekukt di mekhutonem, vi a hunt, vos men halt im tsum vinkl tsugeshpart. ober zayn akshonesdiker lederner kark untern kapl hot geredt klore diburem: -- kan kerblekh.... sibirnikes! vu zol ikh zey nemen, vu? fun finger oysbrekhn? es hot zikh ongerukt di shpete nakht mit a tumldiker engshaft in shtub. dos dingenish iz geblibn shtekn oyf a toytn punkt. ober di mekhutonem hobn gezolt farblaybn bizn montogdikn yarid, tomer vet zikh epes makhn mitn glaykhn gelt un men vet zikh oysshlogn di hoytsoes-haderekh. say-vi-say iz men gekumen mit ferd un vogn azh fun hinter lomzshe. der feter berl hot zey aleyn tsugeredt tsu farblaybn. aderabe! in di por teg kon zikh alts iberdreyen tsum gutn. dem feters mishpokhe mit di mekhutonem hobn zikh vi es iz ayngeteylt mit di gelegers in der groyser shtub un in der shkheynisher. gnendl hot opgetrotn ir bet farn khosn un aleyn iz zi gegangen shlofn tsu Rokhl|en, in alkerl.˙ Rokhl|e hot di farvoglte kale gern arayngenumen in ir shmoln betl, khotsh zi iz nisht gevoynt geven tsu shlofn zalbenand. zi hot zikh take bald opgekert mitn ponem tsu der vant. vi groys iz nisht geven ir rakhmones oyf gnendlen, hot zi ober nisht gekont tsuhern yeners shtiln khlipen in kishn arayn, nisht gekont kaltblutik aribertrogn gnendls tsukn mit di shpitsike akslen. fun di ale treyst-verter, vos zi hot gehat far gnendlen tsugegreyt, iz gornisht ibergeblibn. zi hot nisht gehat vos ir tsu zogn. zi hot gefilt tsu der kale rakhmones un farakhtung. un zi iz ayngeshlofn mit a shver, klepik gefil, vos hot ir bagleyt in kholem arayn. hot zikh Rokhl|e take oyfgekhapt mit a tsiter, fun a shlekhte kholem. epes iz zi gelegn ayngeshmidt in an enger, ongegliter trune un iber ire nakete fis hot arumshpatsirt a groyser shtshur. mit breyt-oyfgerisene oygn iz Rokhl|e gelegn un nisht gevagt zikh a rir tsu tun biz der kholem vet zikh ingantsn nisht oysvebn. zi iz gelegn in engshaft tsu der vant tsugerikt, vi far der tsayt, vos zi iz geshlofn volt ir shkheyne fun z' 547 (b) bet, di kale gnendl, gevorn nokh amol azoy breyt. fun gnendls layb hot geshlogn a sharfe hits. di kale hot rashik-shver geetemt un gehaltn in eyn tsitern mit a drobnem tsiter. un ot filt Rokhl|e vider vi iber ire nakete fis, hekher far di kni volt zikh arumgeshart a faykhter opgekrokhener shtshur. mit an ekl, vos iz shtarker vi shrek hot Rokhl|e a shlayder getun di hant ire oyf yenem ort, vu der shtshur hot zikh geshart un ongekhapt.... a tsveyte hant, a horike mit harte, grobe finger. oyf a rege iz ir hant geblibn in toyt-khaloshes tsvishn di grobe harte finger ayngeklamert. in der tsveyter rege hot zikh ober Rokhl|e a rir getun fun ort un di hant iz antlofn. Rokhl|e hot in shrek farkvetsht di oygn un moyre gehat zey tsu efenen, khotsh in alker iz geven shtark-finster. zi iz halb gezesn mitn ponem tsu der vant, mit a fartayetn otem un bloyz gehert ir eygenem harts-klapn. oykh di kale hot nisht geetemt un oykh di harte hant, vos hot zikh fartayet ergets noent. enlekh [sic; read:˙ endlekh] hot dos bet an ayzernem kvitsh getun un fun tsufusns hot zikh opgeteylt a shvere mase. s'iz plutsling gevorn gramer. Rokhl|e hot gehert borvese trit. zi hot gehert di tir a skripe tun, in engn koridor iz epes umgefaln fun di hiltserne bebekhes un s'iz gevorn shtil. itst hot Rokhl|e vider gehert hart hinter zikh gnendls farshtiktn khlipen in kishn arayn. zi hot moyre gehat oystsushrayen a vort. epes hot zi zikh nebldik ongeshtoysn ver do iz geven un zi hot zikh geshemt un es hot zikh geeklt. ober shvaygn hot zi oykh nisht gekont. s'volt dokh oysgekumen, az zi veyst epes un zi farborgt es, az zi iz a shutef|te tsu dem, vos hot aroysgerufn gnendls frish geveyn in kishn arayn. -- gnendl! vos veynstu, gnendl? nor di kale iz zikh fargangen in a shipen un a pishtshen. -- zi fregt nokh! ho-ho-ho! zi fregt nokh! gemeynt:˙ er iz gekumen azoy abisl, shvayg ikh. ersht:˙ er zukht gor ire fis! er krikht gor tsu ire fis! tsu der sheyner Rokhl|e! tsu der kosher|er neshome|le! un in tsinisher eyferzukht nemt di kale kopen Rokhl|en in di fis. -- na! na! ot hostu dir! ot hostu! Rokhl|e hot zikh ayngekortshet un shtil geveynt. epes iz ir in der rege geven klor, az zi iz take di shuldike, vayl zi hot kheyn in dem khosn|s oygn un zi iz vert, men zol zi kopen iber di sheyne fis. un s'iz ir shoyn mer nikhe geven der itstiker veytik, eyder dos eklhafte poyzen fun yenems harter hant. eyns hot zi in ir hartsn bashlosn:˙ zi vet zikh betn tsu a khaver|te nekhtikn un nisht araynshmekn tsu der mumen azoy lang, vi di bande mekhutonem iz do hinen. Rokhl|e mit gnendlen hobn zikh shtil oysgeveynt, oysgezidlt yederer far zikh un ayngeshlofn mit a sine in z' 548 (a) hartsn eyne tsu der anderer un mit di layber bahoftn in dem engn ayzernem bet. fartog hot Rokhl|en vider oysgeshtoysn fun shlof a shrek un ekl-gefil. zi hot langzam oysgedreyt dem kop tsum gnendlen. fun gnendls layb hot geshlogn a hits -- farbrent tsu vern. zi hot ober geetemt tif un ruik, zi iz geshlofn. in alker iz zikher keyner nisht geven. ober Rokhl|en iz geven moyredik eng. zi hot gefilt, vi tsvey heyse shlangen voltn zikh arumgeviklt eyne arum ire fis, di tsveyte unter der brust, oyfn naketn layb. dos hot zi gnendl azoy in shlof arumgeklamert un vi Rokhl|e hot zikh nisht bamit oystsudreyen, iz zi alts geblibn in yeners heyse nakete orems. gnendl, du shlofst? es iz mir eng, ikh ver dershtikt.... ober gnendl hot ruik un tif geetemt. un ven Rokhl|e hot zikh tsurik opgekert tsu der vant un shoyn gehaltn in dremlen, hot zi plutsling derfilt a forzikhtikn kush oyfn naketn aksl. dos hot zi gnendl gekusht. der yarid in shtetl hot zikh ongehoybn in frien frimorgn un do hobn ersht di khevre mekhutonem aroysgevizn, vos far a maydems in handl zey zenen. yede halbe sho hot emetser fun zey gebrakht tsu shlepn an andere metsie un zi opgeleygt in mitn fun der groyser shtub. feter berl mit zayn varshtat mit di por gezeln un mit di meydlekh tsu-hilf hot shoyn opgerikht goles in a vinkl fun tsimer farshtupt. un in mitn der shtub is geshtanen a shtoys fun hiltserne emers un veykshafn un kindershe vegelekh, vos di mekhutonem hobn alts ongekoyft -- a gantse krom. dos roye gehilts hot fayn-zoyerlekh geshmekt un geblankt mit naketkayt. ober ot hot zikh arayngelozt di mekhutenes|te mit a goy in laptshes un der goy hot geshlept oyfn hoyker fun zayn peltsl a gantsn barg mit krents fun getriknte shvomen. iz plutsling di gantse shtub ful gevorn mit a reyekh fun neveyle. der khosn aleyn mit a durkhgeshvitst hitl iber di oyern hot gebrengt tsushlepn a mekendik gebundn kelbl oyfn kark un zi oykh opgeleygt in mitn tsimer. biz farnakht iz in shtub shoyn a halber yarid. es hot zikh aroysgevizn, az forn vet men ersht kenen morgn baginen, vayl fun ale glikn hot men fargesn ibertsushmidn dos ferd, vos hot zikh davke geneytikt in a por naye podkeves. berl hot gekukt oyf di mekhutonem mit kaas un derkherets. i der kaas i der derkherets hobn beyde geshtamt fun zayn balmelokhe|sher batlones, vayl im hot zikh gedukht, az di mekhutonem veysn di kunst fun fardinen dem laykhtn kerbl. to vos-zhe matern zey im? vos-zhe viln zey fun im di domem oyspresn? s'iz a kleynikayt tsu zogn:˙ tsvey hundert kerblekh oystsuhoreven mit der nodl! hot take feter berl dem geshprekh vegn nadn nisht banayt, khotsh der shidekh hot im shoyn itst geshmekt zeyer un zeyer. di mekhutonem hobn oykh ongenumen a moyl mit vaser un der gantser inyen hot gehaltn baym vern tsu-nisht. gnendl, nokh ongetun in halb-shabesdikn, ober a grine, z' 548 (b) mit untergeshlogene oygn un a far|khalesht|n grekl oyf der zayt, iz gezesn, khotsh gis vaser unter ir, nisht oyfgehoybn di oygn, nisht oyfn khosn, nisht oyf Rokhl|en. in ovnt hot Rokhl|e zikh geklibn avektsugeyn tsu a khaverte nekhtikn. zi iz arayn in alkerl epes mitnemen, ober glaykh nokh ir iz arayngelofn gnendl un farkeytlt di tir. geyst take avek, Rokhl|e? du vilst nisht shlofn mit mir? Rokhl|e hot ongeblozn di grobe liplekh: avade vil ikh nisht. az du kopest zikh ... ober di fartsveyflte kale iz ir gefaln oyfn halz [haldz]. oy, zol ikh shtarbn! zoln mir di fis opdarn, Rokhl|e! ikh bin geven meshuge. ale geyen avek, ale varfn mikh avek! tsu vos leb ikh nor oyf der velt -- aza farzeenish! Rokhl|e hot zikh ibergenumen mit rakhmones tsu ir. zi hot ir geglet di far|khalesh|te hor un gevisht di trern fun di oygn, un gnendl hot zi gehaltn shtayf un heys arumgenumen. neyn -- hot zikh Rokhl|e getrakht -- gnendl iz gornisht keyn farzeenish. zi iz mer nisht oysgedart un oysgemutshet fun gedank, az zi kon farzesn vern. zi hot afile a modnem kheyn. nor di tseyn zenen bay ir shitere. zi hot gnendlen gevolt nokh epes zogn, ober zi hot keyn harts nisht gehat un zi hot zikh geshemt. bay der nakht, eyder di meydlekh zenen gegangen shlofn, hobn zey loyt a shtiln opmakh ongeleygt kotsheres mit lopetes in koridor, az oyb der khosn vet zikh dervegn tsu kumen, zol er frier tsebrekhn di hent mit di fis. di tir hobn zey farkeytlt un tsugerukt dem hoykhn kufert. dan ersht hobn zey zikh geleygt shlofn. ober keyn ruike nakht iz Rokhl|en nisht bashert geven. glaykh vi in di iberike tsimern hot zikh ayngeshtelt di shvere, khropendike ru, hot zikh far Rokhl|en ongehoybn iberkhazern der nekhtiker gehenem. ir hot shoyn shtark fardrosn, farvos zi hot nokhgegebn un geblibn shlofn mit gnendlen. dos bet iz take far tsveyen tsu-eng, ober ven gnendl zol nisht hobn aza umruikn shlof.... zi hot shoyn Rokhl|en ingantsn tsu der vant tsugedrikt un mit ir heysn, darn layb iz zi, dukht zikh, greyt in ir zikh arayntsudrikn. -- gnendl! gnendl! -- vos? -- bist aza heyse! -- un du -- aza kalte.... un Rokhl|e filt, vi trukene, heyse lipn drikn zikh tsu tsu ir aksl, frier forzikhtik, b|gneyve, nakhher alts shtarker, azes|diker. un ot iz shoyn vider ir layb in der makht fun tsvey brenendike shlangen, azoy vi nekhtn. gnendl klamert zi arum mit der hant un mitn fus. -- gnendl, herst, gnendl! az du vest mikh nisht lozn z' 549 (a) tsuru, vell ikh geyn oyfvekn di mumen. vestu hobn a finstern sof! oyf a vayle vert zi bafrayt un zi filt, vi gnendl ligt opgerukt in shtumer tsiternish. ober abisl shpeter muz shoyn Rokhl|e oyfshpringen fun bet. -- vos geystu tun, Rokhl|e? -- es eklt mikh, farshteyst? es eklt! Rokhl|e filt, vi dos blut hot ir tsugeshlogn tsum ponem far bushe. di luft iz ongelodn mit dem neveyle-reyekh fun dem shtoys getriknte shvomen dort in der groyser shtub. ober Rokhl|en dukht zikh, az der reyekh zetst fun bet, vu zi iz gelegn mit gnendlen, az dos shlogt aza heslekher reyekh fun gnendls brenendik layb un vilder laydnshaft. zi hot aylik ongetsundn dem lomp un genumen zikh arumdreyen ibern alkerl in ir kurts hemdl un mit beyde hent arumgenumen zikh aleyn. zi hot gevolt oysmaydn zikh umtsukukn oyfn bet. es hot zi geshrokn un geeklt. es hot ober oykh getsoygn zikh umtsukukn. un az zi hot derzen gnendlen zitsn oyfn bet vi a shikere, mit an ofn moyl un ayngefalene oygn un ot di ayngefalene oygn mit di zis-veynendike akshones ayngebisn in ir, Rokhl|s naketkayt, hot zi zikh farshemt oyfn gantsn layb un zikh ayngekortshet. gnendl hot geshtamlt: -- farshteystu khotsh, Rokhl|e, farshteystu khotsh? Rokhl|e hot ayngetsoygn ire runde aksel. es hot geshrokn un geeklt un ibldik gekitslt fun gnendls blik un verter, ober farshtanen hot zi gor veynik. un gnendl hot geredt mit a farhaktn otem: -- kh'hob dikh faynt gehat, Rokhl|e! azoy faynt gehat nekhtn, az ikh bin greyt geven tsu dervargn dikh mit mayne hent.... got mayner! farvos klepn dos ale tsu dir? farvos hobn zey dikh lib? afile eltere layt.... der mekhutn, di mekhutenes|te. meynst kh'hob nisht gehert? meynst ikh hob keyn seykhl nisht?.... az ikh bin ober blind geven.... kh'hob nisht farshtanen. nisht gezen, Rokhl|e, vi sheyn du bist. nisht gevust:˙ vos iz sheynkayt. antloyf nisht, Rokhl|e! trayb mikh nisht avek. neyn, gey nisht, gey nisht vekn di mame! az ikh hob dokh dikh lib. az ikh vil dokh.... ikh vil dokh far dir koyrem faln.... un in kleynem alkerl iz epes geshen azoyns, vos hot nisht geshtimt, nisht mit der oremer engshaft un nisht mit dem knapn shayn fun dem farroykhertn naft-lomp: Rokhl|e iz tkhiles aroyfgeshprungen oyfn hoykhn kufert, in shrek far gnendls koyrem faln. plutsling iz in ir opgefaln di shrek, iz zi geblibn zitsn oyfn kufert, di fis farvorfn eyner oyf der anderer, in zeyer fuler, vayser naketkayt un di hent oyf der brust farleygt, geblibn zitsn a shvaygndik-ruike, a mayestetishe [text:˙ mayestetite] un a shtrenge, vi a vayse marmorne figur. un gnendl hot zikh tsu ir tsugeshart oyf di kni, arumgenumen ire fis, zikh z' 549 (b) gedrikt tsu zey mit ire heyse, oyfgeregte brustn un bagosn zey mit trern. -- vi a sheyne du bist, Rokhl|e! vi a kalte du bist! hot zi gekhlipet. un Rokhl|e hot aropgekukt fun oybn arop oyf der farpaynikter elterer meydl, vos hot farblondzhet in di derner fun ir eygener laydnshaft un Rokhl|es harts hot zikh nisht opgerufn. ir shrek hot zikh oysgevebt. un dos gefil fun rakhmones un ekl, vos hobn zikh alts shvakher gehoydet in hartsn, zenen oykh langzam tserunen gevorn, vi der roykh fun a papiros. ir harts hot itst langzam ongefilt eyn zis gefil fun shtolts un fun oybermakht, fun bavustzayn fun ir eygener sheynkayt, un vos art es ir, vos a froy knit far ir vi far a heylik bild un badekt mit heyse, kimat baysndike kushn ir kalt layb? zi bavilikt tsu lozn zikh kushn. fun oybn arop kukt zi oyf der oremer kale, shtreng un mayestetish, vi zi volt zi mit a keniglekhe matone bashonken. -- ikh bin mir Rokhl|e ... un nisht di ekzotishe perfumen fun a parizer buduar demfn zikh oys in der ongegliter nakhtiker luft, un nisht di farkishefte blumen fun uraltn lesbos hobn geefnt zeyere bekhers tsu der oysterlisher misterye. shver un faykht, vi di opgeshundene fel fun a neveyle, hengt in der luft dos geshmak fun getriknte shvamen. ober Rokhl|e aleyn filt im shoyn nisht mer. oyf der provints iz azoy vi baym antikvar oyfn boydem. ---------------- romanized by Lucas Bruyn ---------------- Notes: 1) Partshev/Parczew lies between Lublin and Brest. ______________________________________________________ End of _The Mendele Review_ 02.021 In coming issues: a double issue on the alefbeys in memory of the great Jewish alphabet scholar Eliyohu Lipiner who died this past April Leonard Prager, editor˙ Subscribers to _Mendele_ (see below) automatically receive _The Mendele Review_. 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