Page 168 - Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
P. 168

WHEN THE DARK FINALLY RESOLVED ITSELF,  HANNAH FOUND
                                        she  was  looking  across  an  empty  hall  at  a  green  door
                                        marked 4N.
                                          "Four for  the four  members  of my family,"  Hannah
                                        thought.  "And  N for New  Rochelle."  She  couldn't  see
                                        Shifre or Esther anywhere. They had slipped away with-
                                        out a farewell.  She almost called out their names, thought
                                       better of it,  and  turned  to  look behind her.
                                          There  was  a  large  table  set  with  a white  cloth.  The
                                       table was piled high with food: matzah, roast beef, hard-
                                       boiled eggs, goblets of deep red wine.  Seven adults and
                                        a little blond boy were sitting there, their mouihs opened
                                       expectantly.
                                          "Well, Hannah?" said the old man at the head of the
                                       table.  "Is he coming?"
                                          Hannah turned back and looked down the long, dark
                                       hall.  It  was  still  empty.  "There's  no  one  there,"  she
                                       whispered.  "No one."



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