44
PARTISAN REVIEW
There was a peal of laughter. Schpitalnik, the piano-player,
inhaled some snuff into his nose.
"It
make me feel happy," he said.
Next to speak was the Minister of Water and Power, the percus–
sionist, Paradyz: "I have also thought of a joke. What is the difference
between Horowitz and the sun? The sun goes down in the west and
Horowitz goes down in the east!"
"Ha! Ha! In the east! In Russia, you mean! It's clever! " The
person laughing had just that moment come through the door.
It
was
F. X. Wohltat. He had on a white linen suit with wet stains under both
arms. As soon as the Jewish Government saw him, they jumped up
from their places. Off went their hats. Even Schpitalnik stood up,
dizzily swaying.
"Sit down, ladies. Gentlemen, please, replace your hats. All men
are the same to me." After he said that, Wohltat did something unique,
something new: he held his right arm outward, toward the shocked
Jews, as if he wanted to shake their hands. "Friends! Let us greet each
other as colleagues. As equals.
If
you won't put your hats on, look, I'll
remove my own." In one hand he gripped his derby, with the other he
squeezed the fingers of Gutfreind, Minister of Education.
"This is because of the resistance of Kiev! There are positive
reports from the eastern front! That's why you're shaking hands!" said
Margolies.
"No wonder he wants to be our friend. The shoe is on the other
foot now!"
"Yes!" cried two or three others. "The other foot!"
Then Nomberg, still the Minister of Religious Affairs, held up his
palms. "Jews of the Judenrat! What kind of talk is this? We should
welcome the head of the Civilian Authority as an honored guest."
"Please, that's all right," the Volksdeutscher said. His damp skin
shone in the windowlight. He stared at the Council, member by
member: waiters and musicians and actors and cooks. Yet, in their
black jackets, their stiffened shirtfronts, they were dressed better than
he. They laughed, they swaggered, they wou ld not shake his hand.
How could this be?
Schotter rocked forward on his turned-up shoes. "I just heard the
following news. Horowitz has requisitioned every chair in the Ghetto."
" I know why!" said Margolies, waving his arm like a schoolchi ld.
"Because he's tired of standing outside of Kiev!"
At last Wohltat turned to Dorka Kleinweiss, the Minister of
Provisions and Supply. "I will tell you why I have interrupted your
meeting. I need one hundred Jews. It's for a farming project. Light
