Page 57 - LEIBY

Chapter 6 57

“If you go to the farmer, you can forget ever seeing Mirushka
again,” Leiby warned. “She won’t give up on the child so easily.
We’re only a small group, and the farmers are strong and totally
outnumber us. We surprised them, but as soon as they get
over their surprise, they won’t hesitate a minute to fight back.
Besides, I don’t have money to pay the farmer woman to let the
child go. No, we’ll just have to take her and disappear. Maybe
in another year or two, when we all get to Eretz Yisrael, you’ll
be able to send her a carton of Jaffa oranges and a letter of
appreciation for having saved your sister.”

The journey continued, the silence in the cart broken only by
Mirushka’s quiet weeping. Leiby pulled a bar of chocolate out
of his pocket and tried to calm the distraught young girl. “Soon
you’ll get to ride in a big car, and we’ll give you lots of candies.
When we get to the city we’ll also buy you some nice new
clothes, just be a good girl.”

“But where’s Mama? I want Mama…”It was clear that Mirushka
had had a close relationship with her adoptive mother.

Leiby didn’t know how to react, and so he didn’t respond.
Yosef was quiet too, and Mirushka’s soft crying accompanied
them until, late at night, they reached the farmhouse they had
invaded at the beginning of their trip. They returned the horse
and cart to the astonished farmer, who was thrilled to have them
back. In spite of Leiby’s promise to return them, the farmer had
been sure he would never see them again. He knew that the
partisans and soldiers never bothered to return the animals that
they stole; they preferred to sell them on to other farmers, in
exchange for a few bottles of vodka.

“Give the child some bread with jam, and we want a good
drink.” Leiby ordered. The farmer set the table for them with
a large round loaf of farmhouse bread, a jar of jam and a bottle
of vodka. “We’re on our way back from an important military
operation. Not a word to anyone about having seen us!” Leiby
warned him. “In Russia, even one unnecessary word may result
in you being sent to Siberia.”