Page 85 - Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

women directly behind Hannah smelled of garlic. Some-
where a child cried out that she had to go to the bath-
room. A little while later, a smell announced that she
had.
"How long?" someone called out.
The rabbi's voice replied calmly, "We are in God's
hands now."
"God's hands are very hot and sweaty," Gitl said.
"How can you say such a thing?" It was Fayge.
Just then the car shook and everybody screamed.
"I hear a train," Hannah cried out. She bent her good
knee again and looked through the crack. A dark engine
was coming down the track, backing toward them. "I
see it."
"God's hands, my children," the rabbi said loudly.
As the engine bumped against the two cars, shaking
them and making it hard to stand, Hannah managed to
twist just enough to speak directly to the rabbi. "Please,
Rabbi," she pleaded, "we must do something. And
quickly. I know where they're taking us. I am . . I
.
am . . . from the future. Please."
Rabbi Boruch cleared his voice before speaking. "All
children are from the future. I am from the past. And
the past tells us what we must do in the future. That is
why adults do the teaching and children the learning.
So you must listen to me when I tell you that what we
must do now is pray. Pray, for we are all in God's
hands."

Gitl was right, Hannah thought. God's hands were very
hot and sweaty. The stench in the crowded boxcar was

78