The End of Days by Helen Sendyk Read Free Book Online Page A

their taxes. The Poles know they need us. What would they do without us?"

 

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"Naive, my boy. You have a lot of growing up to do. The Christians are not the same, neither our peasants nor your townspeople, since the new priests came on the scene. We never had the Garden of Eden here, but we lived and dealt with our neighbors well enough. Now every time they go to church they come out bloodthirsty. They are being fed wafers and poison, wine and Jew-hatred in the churches these days. Here they come from church now," Baruch said, pointing to a passing carriage.
As the carriage rolled by, the cold stare of enmity was unmistakable. The picnickers at the table didn't seem to notice, however.
When lunch was finished and grace said, we piled back into the wagon for the journey home. The sun was now falling behind the hills. The hood of the carriage was raised against the wind. The horse's hooves monotonously clip-clopped and the carriage wheels squeaked along in tune. Someone was telling a story. I fell asleep in Blimcia's lap.
"What a beautiful day it was! Thank you O God, King of the Universe, for granting us this day of pleasure," Blimcia added to her nightly prayers, her eyelids heavy with sleep.
Without delay, preparations began for Blimcia's wedding. A seamstress was summoned by Nachcia, and Mama unraveled rolls of linen cloth that she had been accumulating for just this purpose. The goods were measured, cut, and sewn into fine bed linen, every piece embroidered with a delicate design and Blimcia's initials. All the towels, nightgowns, and kitchen linens were similarly monogrammed. Dress designs were chosen from magazines brought by Papa from Katowice and Krakow. The seamstress and her girls busily made dresses for Mama, Nachcia, and me, as well as the wedding dress for Blimcia. There were new suits for the boys, and even Papa got a long black shiny new kapota .
Mama took some rare time out to shop with Blimcia for kitchen utensils. An apartment was rented for the new couple in an elegant new building on the Planty. Then came the hustle and bustle of preparing for the wedding itself. A caterer took

 

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a whole week to cook and prepare a multitude of delicacies, storing everything in our cool basement. The basement shelves were cleared of stock and used to store cooked fish, meats, browned chickens and ducks, sweet sponge cakes and honey cakes, stewed fruits and chilled wines. Early on the day of the wedding the household furniture was replaced by tables and chairs.
Blimcia had her fingernails clipped the day before in the mikvah . She now held court in our large kitchen-dining room in front of Goldzia's bed. Blimcia's hair was neatly combed beneath the veils that crowned her face. She was enthroned on a big soft chair, the folds of her white dress engulfing her slender body.
In the late afternoon the guests began arriving. They kissed Blimcia, admired her dress, and commented about her being pale from her prenuptial fast.
"God's presence is upon her," remarked Aunt Esther, "that is why she is a little pale and so beautiful."
"Yes," agreed Cousin Miriam, "that is what our sages teach us, that God's favor rests upon a bride on her wedding day."
Everybody was there. Great-aunt Channa, distinguished, matronly, and soft-spoken, embraced Blimcia and took an honored seat beside the bride. Great-uncle Moishe wore his fine Sabbath garb and greeted the guests from the doorway, wiping his tears with a big red hankie. He was so emotional that he wept like a woman.
When all the guests were present, a delegation was sent out to fetch the groom. Shlamek, the life of the party, called out, "Sholek, we are going to bring the groom." All three cousins named Sholekone in each family was named after Grandfather Shaulpresented themselves to Shlamek. While Shlamek, the three Sholeks, and other male members of the family were gone, the guests stepped outside. Tension filled the air. The musicians were tuning up on their fiddles,