"An accident," Lemmy said, shocked at his own chutzpah.

His father shrugged. "A gift perhaps, for which we were unprepared, but nevertheless grateful to the Master of the Universe."

His mother's face broke into a brief smile.

"It appears," his father continued, "that we failed as Jewish parents by overindulging you."

After the circuitous introduction, this was more in line with Lemmy's expectations.

"We gave you everything on a silver platter. Your own room. Your own bed, bookshelves, and desk. Your own little universe of privacy, which you have recently begun to abuse."

Lemmy opened his mouth to protest.

His father silenced him with an open hand. "All that is in the past. You're grown now, a learned young man who can serve G.o.d. You're ready to a.s.sume responsibility for others."

"We're very proud of you," Temimah said.

"Proud of your capabilities," his father clarified. "We have never asked anything of you, except what every Jewish parent hopes for: To see his child grow up to study Talmud, marry well, and do good deeds. Is it too much to ask, considering what we've given you? Your meals are prepared by your mother. Your clothes are washed. Your sheets and blankets are pressed. Your room is cleaned every day. Have we deprived you of anything?"

Lemmy shook his head.

"Our only expectation is that you continue on the path of our tradition, be studious and righteous as G.o.d expects of you, and over time a.s.sume the honor of leaders.h.i.+p. Is that too much to ask?"

His urge to argue was stifled by his mother's sad eyes.

"Do you think," Rabbi Gerster asked, "that we want what's bad for you?"

Lemmy shook his head.

"Do you think we want you to be unhappy?"

He shook his head again.

"Do you think we want you to have a bad life?"

"No."

"Very well." The rabbi put his hand on Lemmy's shoulder. "It's settled. Blessed be He, Master of the Universe."

"Amen," Temimah said. "Amen!"

"Now," the rabbi clapped his hands, "I want you to know that I've given a great deal of thought to your future. I've decided that you need a mature study companion, a man whose wisdom and knowledge can help you navigate those perfectly natural doubts and occasional confusion."

Lemmy held his breath. Was his father going to become his study companion? It would be hard work to keep up with Rabbi Gerster's intellectual intensity, but the prospect of such daily closeness- "Cantor Toiterlich has agreed to take you on as his protege, so to speak." Rabbi Gerster glanced at Temimah, who was glowing with joy. "Which makes perfect sense considering that we'll be family soon!"

"G.o.d willing," Temimah said.

"You see," the rabbi held his big hands together, fingers interwoven, "Cantor Toiterlich and his wife have given us their final consent to engage Sorkeh to you in marriage immediately. Therefore, tomorrow night, after the evening prayers, we will meet to celebrate your engagement-a wonderful, blessed union!"

His parents took turns hugging and kissing him, congratulating each other, "Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov!"

Lemmy knew he should insist that he didn't want to become engaged yet, that he wanted time to think, to explore his feelings, to read more about the world and its marvels. But he remained silent, unable to speak up. In his mind, like a broken record, the words replayed: Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov!

Chapter 24.

Tanya pointed at the figure standing by her house, and Elie slammed on the brakes, which made the tires screech as the car rocked back and forth on its soft suspension.

"That's Abraham's son," she said. "You don't want to meet him."

"No," he said. "Not yet."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him, alarmed.

"Only kidding. He's all yours."

Tanya collected her coat from the rear seat.

"I a.s.sume our deal is still on?" Elie did not turn to her, keeping the burnt skin out of her view.

"Next time you screw with me, it won't end with hot tea."

"Do not threaten me." Elie pulled the wool cap down to his eyebrows. His head hung forward, his aquiline nose almost touching the steering wheel. Would Abraham's son recognize the car as the one that had delivered the grenades to Redhead Dan? Even if he did, the cheap Deux Chevaux was a common car in Israel.

She waved at the boy through the winds.h.i.+eld. He waved back.

"Ah," Elie said, "the allure of youth."

"Jealous?"

"Through and through."

One foot already outside the car, she pointed at the beggar's cloak he was wearing. "That thing stinks like somebody p.i.s.sed on it."

Lemmy watched Tanya get out of the little Citroen and walk up the street toward him. The driver sat low, his wool cap showing over the steering wheel. Did they work together? Another translator of secret doc.u.ments? Or a lover? For a moment, Lemmy felt foolish for rus.h.i.+ng to see her, for waiting by her door like a desperate suitor. But there was no one else he could talk to.

The car U-turned and drove away, leaving a trail of bluish fumes.

"Who's the mystery man?"

Tanya reached and pinched Lemmy's nose between a finger and a thumb.

"Nice car."

Tanya unlocked the door. "Sarcastic today, aren't we?"

"No, really." He followed her inside. "It's a Citroen Deux Chevaux-very innovative!"

"A piece of French junk." Tanya went into the bathroom and washed her hands and face.

"He was Jewish, Andrea Citroen, the largest car maker in Europe before the second world war. He asked farmers what's important to them, and they wanted a car to transport eggs to the market on dirt roads and drive to church wearing a top hat.

That's why it looks like a frog. And there's no axle-the first car in history to have an individual suspension for each wheel."

"Where did you learn all this?" She started brus.h.i.+ng her teeth.

"I read it in one of your magazines. Citroen built one hundred prototypes for a media demonstration, but the n.a.z.is invaded France. All cars were destroyed, except two that were hidden in barns in the south of France. When the war ended, he was long dead, but one of the prototypes survived and was used to build millions of Deux Chevaux cars."

Tanya clapped her hands. "Bravo!"

Lemmy bowed, taking off his black hat, holding it to his chest, and then throwing it behind his back. She turned to him while undoing the bun in her hair. He took her face in his hands, her carved cheekbones aligned with his thumbs. He kissed her hungrily, his hands moving down her back, to her b.u.t.tocks, pressing her slim body against him. She balked at his sudden a.s.sertiveness and drew back. But then, she gave in, reached up, and pulled down his head, her fingers in his hair, their tongues exploring each other. His yarmulke fell to the floor. They moved together toward the sofa, Tanya's shoe leaving a dusty footprint on his black yarmulke.

"We should stop doing this," Tanya said. It was late in the afternoon. Her hand was on Lemmy's bare chest, and he was examining the lines on her open palm. "I'm twice your age."

"More than twice," he said.

She laughed.

"It doesn't matter. Love has nothing to do with age."

"You're not in love with me." Tanya's finger circled his bellyb.u.t.ton. "You're infatuated. It will pa.s.s."

She was wrong, but he said nothing.

"I'm too old for you, and not only in years. By the time I reached your age, I'd been through enough to fill a hundred years of life. I could never fall in love again."

"Again?"

She bit her lower lip.

"Then maybe I should start seeing Bira. We had a good time walking to the city together."

"No!" Tanya pulled away from him. She collected her s.h.i.+rt from the floor and put it on.

"I'm joking." He placed his arms around her waist. "Bira is way too young for me."

"She's three years older than you, silly!" Tanya turned within his embrace.

"I only have eyes for you."

"That has to change."

"Why? Are you still in love with my father?"

She sighed. "Whatever happened between me and your father was a long time ago. In another life. I doubt we'll ever speak again."

"Tell me more."

"No."

"I found a Mauser in his study last night." He reached down to the floor, where his clothes lay in a pile. "It must have belonged to a n.a.z.i once. Look!" He showed her the engraved inscription: K.v.K. 1943 Deutschland uber Alles. "And someone scratched Nekamah in Hebrew on the other side." He turned the gun to show her.

Tanya looked away. "Your father is a foolish man for keeping this gun. And you must return it."

"But-"

"Promise me you'll forget you've ever seen this gun, and never ask me about your father again."

"But why-"

"No more questions! Otherwise, I won't see you anymore."

"That's not fair!"

"Promise!"

"Okay, I promise." He held the Mauser in his hand, feeling its weight. "On one condition: That you teach me how to use it."

"h.e.l.l, no!"

"What if I'm attacked on my way home?"

"Oh, please!" Shaking her head, Tanya plucked the gun from his hand. "I'm going to regret this." She held the gun up. "Magazine release." She pressed the release, letting the magazine drop to her open hand. "Magazine in." She pushed it in. "Loading." She held the gun with one hand and pulled back the barrel with the other hand, letting it spring forward. "c.o.c.ked. Bullet in the barrel." She aimed at the opposite wall. "Safety switch, secure position." She flipped the switch with her thumb. "Safety off. Ready to shoot."

"Let me try."

Tanya secured the Mauser and handed it to Lemmy, handle first. He repeated the process, only that when he c.o.c.ked the gun, the bullet already in the barrel popped out.

She picked up the bullet. "If you ever have to shoot, press the trigger slowly until it goes. Otherwise, you'll spoil your aim by s.h.i.+fting the direction of the gun."

"I'll remember that." He released the magazine and added the bullet back in.

"And no more questions!"

"It's not fair."

Her face softened. She touched his lips with a finger. "You're young, smart, and handsome. You have a great life ahead of you." With both hands she manipulated his dangling payos behind his ears, out of the way. "Your father is a prisoner of a horrible past, serving a life sentence. As I am. But you are free to read, explore, choose your own way in the world."

Suddenly, as if a chandelier had turned on inside his head, the dim twilight of doubts cleared up and he knew what he must do. He looked deep into the green pools of her eyes and kissed her.

"Elie Weiss! Just the man I wanted to see!" Prime Minister Levi Eshkol leaned over the wide desk, extending a hand, which Elie shook. "So? The black hats stood you up?"