44
PARTISAN REVIEW
Hesitantly, the inhabitants were coming out from the shuttered
houses . Some took a stroll to the mosque square to have a look at the
conquerors .
The sound behind me was so faint, it barely reached me. I
swung around and saw a girl pressed against the wall. "No! Please
don't!" Her hand trembled against her throat. I rushed forward, but
she had already collapsed. I picked her up and carried her to one of
the beds . She was emaciated , lost in a large hospital gown. Her eyes
opened wide as I bent over her, and I could hear her whispering,
"You're not like them . You won't do that!"
"Won't do what?"
She put out her tongue to moisten her lips as she regained her
breath.
"Who are you?"
"Muna. My name is Muna." Her quivering English barely con–
cealed an accent. "You are an Israeli?" She tried to raise her voice.
"A doctor?"
Her eyes kept watching me. I arranged the pillow under her
head. "Why were you admitted to this hospital?"
"Perhaps you can tell me . I have been here over a month . Five
doctors examined me . Perhaps you can tell me why."
"What did they tell you?"
"Nothing." She closed her eyes, then opened them again . "They
found nothing, or perhaps they preferred that I should not know."
"How old are you?"
"I look forty. I'm nineteen. Am I dying?"
I had no chance to answer. The door opened. Sergeant Bashan
stood on the threshold. "Hey! Who's she? Where did you find her?"
I looked at him .
"We made a thorough search!" he went on . "Where did you find
her ?"
"Here ."
"Where 'here'?"
"Inside one of the test tubes. "
I strode out to the corridor. He caught up with me . "No kid-
ding . Tell me!"
"What does it matter?"
"It matters ."
"Why?"
"I thought no patient was left here ."
"You mean left alive ."
