Chapter 46 Section forty-six

We went to a nearby mall, which had been stripped of seasonal food by the war, and picked some up, and the money Wojciech gave us now came in handy.We improvised a picnic and enjoyed it very much. We slept in an abandoned barn that night without talking.We set off from the farm at dawn the next day, but didn't arrive in Krakow until late afternoon.We first found the train station, then followed the map given by Wojciek, and when night fell, we finally came to Pomorska Street. Outside Henrik's house, I urge the children to straighten their clothes and clean grass clippings from their hair after a night's sleep on hay bales.We waited patiently for the door to open, with Ilo standing beside me and Nicholas shyly hiding behind.Finally, the door opened, and a man appeared inside, looking down at us with a surprised and curious expression.

"Henrik? Henrik? Brzezinski?" This inquiry seems to be just out of politeness, and I'm sure it's him. Although he is much younger than Wojciech, the similarity between the two is very obvious. "What if I say yes, boy? What's the matter with you?" I find it hard to say, "I... we... your brother Wojciech put us here." Henrik scanned the street cautiously. "Wojciech? Did he send you here? For what, son?" "He... he is because..." I really have limited grasp of the other party's language, and suddenly I couldn't say anything, so I had to timidly take out the letter to replace my explanation.

Henrik took the envelope carefully, checked the writing on it, and then looked back at us, "Is this a letter from Wojciech?" "He greets you, and Isabella. I'm sorry, but I only speak a little Polish. You'll understand everything when you read this letter." Henrik is still staring at us, occasionally turning his eyes back to the envelope, turning it over and over in his hand, as if trying to figure out its contents without wanting to face the variables it brings. "You still know Isabella?" "We lived with them in the forest for almost six months."

He took one last look at the envelope, glanced up and down the street, and stood aside to let us in: "Come on, come in. I admit I'm still confused, but I don't want you to be seen standing in the door, no matter what you're here for." .” He led us to a small room in the back room, where there was a small stove, and fragrant meat soup was being stewed in a copper pot. We stood there, smelling the tempting fragrance, at a loss, not knowing what to do.Nikolai took my hand, still timidly beside me.Yiluo approached the stove, sniffing the nutritious meat soup, looking forward to it.

I followed the owner's movements, and saw that he opened the envelope and took out the letter inside.He read the contents of the letter, occasionally stopping to look at us, as if he was reading the information described in some letters to confirm our identity.Finally, he folded the letter slowly, pocketed it carefully, and turned to us, smiling for the first time. "You must be Anka," he said, "this must be Nikolai, this is Ilo. From Romania! Oh, incredible! I don't know anything about your stories, but if Wojciech thinks you worthy of help, then I shall be glad to serve you, young lady. Are you hungry?"

He glanced at Yiluo who was hovering by the stove: "Oh, of course, I can tell by the way you smell the aroma. Take off your coats, children, and sit at the table, fill up first Stomach, then you can tell me in detail what you need my help for." Although we have all experienced situations far more serious than not eating for a day, it did not prevent us from wolfing down two bowls of meat soup, and taking half a loaf of rye salty bread that the host generously provided everyone, and the bowls The residue was scraped clean. During this period, Henrik didn't ask us why we came here, just kept us fed and drunk, and occasionally asked about Wojciech and Isabella.

Finally he said: "Whatever you're going to do, there's obviously no time today. The little ones are exhausted, Anka. There's a spare bed in the next room, big enough for the three of you. When you're done eating, I'll It is suggested that you let the two children go to bed first, and you can stay and talk about your affairs." Ilo immediately objected to the arrangement and insisted on joining our conversation, but within an hour she and Nicola were both comfortably fast asleep in the queen-sized bed. After they were settled, I went back to the next room, where Henrik was waiting for me, with nothing but a steaming teapot and a dusty gramophone.He prepared two goblets to hold steaming tea.A scratched old record played Strauss' music quietly in the background. During our communication and understanding, whenever we fell into a long silence, it was filled by this soft melody.

As I struggled to tell my story, Henrik listened patiently and compassionately. When I was talking about the train attack and how the Nazis slaughtered the survivors, he stopped rewinding the phonograph and came and took my hand, his eyes gleaming in the candlelight. "Poor child. Do you know how many people survived in the end?" "I'm afraid it's very few. Except for Nicholas, Yiluo and myself, there are probably only a few dozen people..." "Where's the little girl's parents? Haim and Golda? You don't know if they're on this train?"

"I can't say for sure, but Golda was right behind us at the time, with Ilo. There were still a few empty cars. I can't think of any possibility that she wasn't forced onto this train with her daughter... ...if that's the case..." I can't express the result of the inference, because I dare not face the situation where Yiluo knows that both of his parents are dead. I would rather believe that they are still alive, no matter how unrealistic it is. Henrik asked softly, "What about your mother, Anka? How is she?" Trying to maintain my composure, I said, "At the Bucharest station, we were separated from the Jews. It was because of Nikolai who bravely rescued my friend that I got on their train with him. You know, all the Jews were stuffed into the train." Got into that train. There's another train waiting not far away. I'm not sure, but we were supposed to be loaded into that train, after the first train was full."

"But you said, your destination is the same place? How do you know?" I explained that on the train from Megidia to Bucharest we met Haim, who helped translate our travel documents.It was also at that time that Nicholas and Ilo became good friends. Henrik leaned forward solemnly and said, "Anka, this is very important. Do you remember the name of the labor camp you were escorted to?" I shook my head, "I don't remember, I just know that we went to the same place as Haim, Golda, and Ilo. That place is in Poland, and we have to go to Krakow first." I stopped and thought about how to express it. "Why do they send people so far, Henrik? And in that way? Why send Romanians to Poland? I don't understand."

"Don't let these things bother your little minds," said Henrik at once, "my boy, just know that there are many, many labor camps in this country. Some of them are what they claim to be, but others... . . . " He stopped, looked me in the eyes, and asked, "Would you like some more tea, Anka?" I politely declined. "You should drink some more. It has made your complexion much better. It looks very rosy now, and it was pale just now." "Henrik, these labor camps," I insisted, "my mother is in one of them, I'm sure of that. Maybe, just maybe, Haim and Golda are too. We have to go there." Henrik took a deep breath and grabbed my hand, not knowing what to say.I want to know what he is hiding. "Anka," he began hesitantly, "Anka, there are too many labor camps in this area, and they are all connected to the Krakow railway line. It is almost impossible to find out where your mother was sent. Finding a needle in a haystack. It can't be done. I'm sorry to take away your hope, but that's how it is." "But I have to know, Henrik. I have to find her. If you can't tell me where she might be, I'll search one by one and ask one by one." "It's not that simple, my boy. If only it were that simple. What do you know about these labor camps, Anka? Do you have any idea what's going on here in Poland?" I shrugged unmoved.What does that matter, as long as mother, Nikolay and I can be together?We have long since lost everything in Mejdiya.Could a Polish labor camp be any worse than that? I said, "My mother used to be a seamstress, a tradesman. I think that's one of the reasons we were deported. We, she, might have been useful to the Nazis in their war effort." Immediately I said again: "Please understand, Henrik, this is not what she wants, especially after Dad is taken by them... But if she doesn't work, how will she support Nikolai and me?" "Anka, you don't need to justify anything. I'm also working for the Nazis, although it pains me to admit it. It's not something we choose, it's a matter of necessity. Our country is already occupied by the Germans. Here Everyone is working for Nazi Germany, either that or..." He paused for a while before continuing, "Either you will end up with the same fate as the Jews." He looked away, unable to meet my gaze. "Son, my job is a driver. A truck driver. God save me, I pull and deliver these camps every day. These... these labor camps. Anka, what I want to say is..." "Henrik, please tell me, what is it?" He shook his head and took a big gulp of tea from his goblet. "I think we've talked enough tonight, boy. It's time for you to rest." "But, Henrik, you haven't told me anything. What are you hiding?" He stood up slowly and said irrefutably, "Anka, I'm going to get up very early tomorrow to deliver the goods. You saw the car across the road, it's my delivery truck. It's late, I You have to get up early, let's talk about it tomorrow night." I stood up angrily. "No, Henrik, right now. Tell me now, what is it that bothers you so much? I have a right to know." He put one hand on my shoulder, "My child, please don't forget your status here. You are my guest, so you have to obey me, otherwise it will be rude. Now you have to go to bed, you really need Rest. Tomorrow, and tomorrow night you can stay here. When I get home, we will have a good talk and see how to solve your predicament. But after that you have to leave, because to stay, It's bound to arouse suspicion." I opened my mouth to protest, but he pressed his finger lightly to my lips. "Stop arguing, Anka. We'll talk tomorrow night. You'll have to stay at home during the day. I'm sorry I don't have much food in the cupboard, I didn't expect any visitors, and I have to eat on the way. Something. But you can take whatever food you can find, and you must eat well to maintain your strength." "Thank you very much, Henrik." "Anka, I must emphasize that you must not leave the house during the day. There is nothing useful to you outside, except fresh air, and in the current environment, even this hardly exists. If it is known that there are three children in the Here, it's going to be very bad, Anka, very, very bad. There will be all kinds of troublesome questions, and I think you know very well that we should all try to avoid those. So, please, Anka, please, just stay At home, keep all the curtains drawn." "I understand, Henrik. Don't worry, we will never go out without your permission." "In case you are discovered, perhaps by someone who comes to the house unexpectedly, then you say that you are my nephew and niece, the children of my brother Wojciech and sister-in-law Isabella. Of course, their ages are different. There may be children as young as you, but no one else will know it." I nodded in understanding. "Finally, Anka, I know you know this very well, but I have to emphasize again that no matter what the circumstances, even if it's a lie, you must keep the secret that Ilo is Jewish. Here, in Krakow , Absolutely, absolutely must not let anyone know." I don't quite understand how important this request is, because although I know that the Nazis regarded the Jews as an inferior race, Henrik seems to be a bit too serious in concealing Ilo's identity.Of course we didn't want the SS to find out that she was Jewish, but was it to be kept that way from anyone else? I spoke out my doubts, and Henrik took my hand with both hands, holding my wrist tightly. "Anka, please try to understand. In Krakow, there are no Jews anymore."