Page 73 - Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

"Their argument is persuasive," Shmuel answered,
his thumb and forefinger pointed at her like a gun.
"They say all Jews are being resettled. It is government
\policy."
"I heard that too," Yitzchak added. "Government
policy. They have been settling villages closer to the big
cities. I thought out here they would leave us alone."
Another man argued, "What does a goyish govern-
ment have to do with us?"
"A kick in the face and a hand in the pocket," said
another. '
"Wait, wait," Shmuel said. His voice was soft but his
face was grim. "Remember those guns."
Fayge moved silently into the protection of his arms.
"What about our wedding?" She meant it for his ears
alone but Hannah was close enough to him to hear every
plaintive syllable.
. "We will be married, Fayge. Your father will marry
us. Maybe not here, in your shul. Maybe not even under
a wedding canopy."
. "Not under a canopy?" Fayge was shocked.
"We will be married, in God's sight," Shmuel said
adamantly. "I promise you that nothing will keep us
apart."
"The Nazis will," Hannah said suddenly. She could
feel the rapid thudding of her heart as she spoke. "They'll
take you from here and put you in a concentration
camp. Then they'll put you in gas ovens and kill you."
She could hear her voice rise in pitch; its intensity fright-
ened her.
"Chaya!" Gitl said sharply, putting her fingers up to

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