LESLIE EPSTEIN
59
to
the table, where they dropped in despair into their chairs.
Somebody said,
"It
was too low anyway. Only two stories." Then
it was qui et again.
In not much more than a whisper, Fried Rievesaltes finally spoke.
"Ladi es, gentlemen, Rabbis. I am sure you have noticed my buttons,
those on my vest and the matching ones on my cuffs. These are real
pearls. Is there anyone here who knows what a pearl is? I shall tell you.
Long ago each one of these buttons was inside an oyster, the kind that
people ea t in Paris, France. Indian boys dive for these oysters at the
boltom of the Indian Ocean. This button here, which cost at Palfing–
er's one-thousand zlotys, I am not speaking of the mounting and trim,
was at one time nothing but a grain of sand. It's a fact , Jews! This sand
annoys the oyster, which makes a ball around it, the same as a gall
stone, or a stone that is passed through the kidney. See? How smooth?
How shiny? This takes the oyster years and years. Many times I thought
how delighful to be an Indian pea rl-diver boy. The Indian Ocean is
blue. Here, feel it, Minister Verble. Minister Baggelman, you feel it,
too. You have to open a thousand shells before you get this good a
pearl. Those brown boys have just a scarf wrapped around them, and
they dri ve down carrying a heavy stone. Past all the different varieties
and kinds of fish. I read they can stay under at one time five or six
minutes. I also read it's like a garden there, with the pink rocks and the
sea flowers.
It
was not my fate to be one of those people. My fate led me
elsewhere. "
The moon-faced Minister, while he was speaking, tore the pearls
from his clothing. Then to the amazement of the J ews, he tossed the
matchl ess collection onto the Chancellory floor. "Years and years and
years," he repeated.
It
was not clear wh ether he was referring to the
time it took the oysters to manufacture the gems, or to the decades of
suffering tha t Ri evesaltes had undergone-yes, and inflicted-in order
to pay Palfinger for them.
"A fortune," Schpitalnik said.
" No," said the head of the J ewish poli ce. "Only sand.
This
is the
fortune." So saying, Ri evesaltes took from his jacket pocket a small vial
fill ed with oblong white pills. He took the cap off and distributed them
about the table. " Priceless! Priceless! Who would not give for just one
of these pearls all that he owns?"
"What's inside?" Verble asked.
"Darkness. In just five minutes. Painless darkness. Can you think
of a more valuable gift?"
And without more ado, using the dregs in his wineglass, Rieve–
saltes gulped his tabl et down. There was a gasp. No one stirred.
