ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER
605
tors, but no one could help her. Our own healer, Lippe, was called
in , and he heard one of the doctors say that her blood turned to
water. God forbid , when the time comes, the Angel of Death will
find a way. The sickness lingered for months, and although
everyone had given up on her , Chwalski kept on bringing new doc–
tors , professors, various quacks. He even went to the rabbi arid of–
fered him money for charity to light candles for Aliza's sake in the
synagogue. Nothing availed. Aliza was dying. The priest came and
she made her confession . He poured holy water on her and soon
Aliza was no more. Reb Betzalel told us that she passed away like a
saint. Who knows? There are good souls even among them.
It
is
written in a holy book that good Gentiles go to Paradise .
"The way Chwalski cried and moaned and howled cannot be
described. But dead is dead. They took her to the church and there
her body stayed until the funeral. Chwalski had bought plots for her
and for himself. He grew pale and emaciated as if he had consump–
tion. His clothes hung on him . His mustache became white . He
walked and spoke to himself like a madman.
"But if one has years, one lives . He tried to poison himself but
someone forced two fingers into his mouth so that he should vomit.
Whatever was left from his fortune was lost, although Reb Betzalel
tried to save as much as possible. A year or two passed and Chwalski
still lived. He had a portrait of Aliza and he stared at it day and
night. He spent more time at the cemetery than at home . Every day
he laid flowers on her grave. He ordered a headstone for her with the
figure of an angel carved to resemble her. He kissed the stone and
spoke to it. He no longer concerned himself with business matters .
Reb Betzalel had practically taken over. A number of years passed .
There is a saying that what the earth covers must be forgotten. But
Chwalski could not forget. The priest reproached him saying that it
is forbidden to mourn too long. Chwalski was visited by other squires
and relatives who tried to cheer him up, but he could not be com–
forted . He also took to drink. There was no lack of beautiful women
in the neighborhood but he wouldn't even look at another female.
"Now, listen to this . After Aliza was buried Chwalski locked the
bedroom and no one was allowed to enter, even the chamber maid.
He also kept her boudoir locked . Every stitch of clothing- even
things she simply touched- became sacred to him. He himself slept
in her nanny's bedroom. The cook prepared food for him but he
barely touched a thing. He became even smaller than he had been
and his mustache appeared even longer. In time he dismissed all his
