"Hush, child." The Rabbi held a finger briefly to his lips. "Come. They're waiting."

Pinafollowed the black clad figure back onto the street. His slightly hunched back became thecenter of her focus as they wound their way along the crowded, narrow thoroughfare. Several min-utes later theRabbi opened the door to a tall, shabby tenement and gestured her inside.

The stench assaulted her immediately: unwashed bodies; the copperyodor of blood; human waste and vomit; the pungency of fear and despair.Pina heard the moans of the injured and dying, the murmuring of prayers. She followed the Rabbi out of the cor-ridor and into a room packed with too many bodies to count.

Almost all the furniture had been removed. People lay in rows on the floor, only inches separating them.

Several women, all with the yellow circles sewn on their breasts, moved among the maimed, offering what comfort they could. Two men working in blood-stained outer coats were doctors she recognized from previous missions to the ghetto. One of them looked up when she entered.

"Thank the Lord," he groaned, and pushed to his feet. His yellow patch was nearly obliterated by his patients' effluvia.

6.

THE DREAM THIEF.

"God's angel has visited us once again in our time of need," the Rabbi said. His coal black eyes pinned her, and she looked away. She felt absurdly guilty, as if the plight of the people was her fault.

"You are not the cause of this," RabbiLevan said softly, star-tlingPina with the accuracy of his statement.

"Neither will you be the cure. But you are a blessing, and a light in the darkness."

The doctor who had risen stood before Andrea, who offered him the basket.

"There is material for bandages,"Pina said shyly. "Herbs and salves as well. It's so little, but it was all I could manage. We're running low aswell, and . . ."

"We know your dilemma," the doctor interrupted in a kindly manner. "We thank you for your generosity.And your courage." With that he turned away to resume his work.

"Can I . . . can we help?"Pina looked up at RabbiLevan . "You know my skills. I've helped before."

But the Rabbi shook his head. "You must not risk yourself by tarrying."

Pinacouldn't disagree. It was becoming harder and harder to think up excuses to leave the villa, particularly for any length of time. And with the recent murders her mother was getting more and more protective.

"All right," she conceded reluctantly. "But I'll be back as soon as I can gather more supplies. Oh, and take these."Pina dug into the velvet sac tied to her belt and withdrew a few gold coins. She pressed them into the Rabbi's palm. His black eyes glittered, and she turned away before his tears of gratitude could spill.

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