Eagle in the Sky - Smith Wilbur - Страница 21

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exposed the gold tooth in its nest of fur.

Lightly he punched David's arm Ken!  Yes!  said Major-General Joshua

Mordecai.  You'll do.

David was late to fetch Debra for dinner that evening, but she had

already learned the reason from her father.

They went to the Select behind David's Tower, inside the Jaffa Gate of

the old city.  Its unpretentious interior, decorated with patterns of

rope upon the walls, did not fully prepare David for the excellent meal

that the Arab proprietor served with the minimum of delay, mousakha

chicken, with nuts and spices on a bed of kouskous.

They ate almost in silence, Debra quickly recognizing and respecting

David's mood.  He was in the grip of postcombat tristesse, the adrenalin

hangover of stress and excitement, but slowly the good food in his belly

and the heavy Carmel wine relaxed him, until over the thimblesized cups

of Turkish coffee, black and powerfully reeking of cardamon seed, Debra

ask, What happened today, David?  He sipped the coffee before replying.

I killed a man.  She set down her cup and studied his face solemnly, and

he began to speak, telling her the detail of it, the chase and the kill,

until he ended lamely, I felt only satisfaction at the time.  A sense of

achievement.  I knew I had done what was right.  'And now?  she prompted

him.

Now I am sad, he shrugged.  I am saddened that I had to do it.  My

father, who has always been a soldier, says that only those who do the

actual fighting can truly know what it is to hate war.  David nodded.

Yes, I understand that now.  I love to fly, but I hate to destroy.  They

were silent again, both of them considering their own personal vision of

war, both of them trying to find words to express it.

And yet it is necessary, Debra broke the silence.  We must fight, there

is no other way.  There is no other way, with the sea at our backs and

the Arabs at our throats.  You speak like an Israeli, Debra challenged

him softly.

I made a decision today, or rather I was press-ganged by your father. He

has given me three weeks to brush up my Hebrew, and complete the

immigration formalities.  'And then?  Debra leaned towards him.

A comnission in the airforce.  That was the only point I scored on, I

had just enough strength to hold out for the equivalent rank I would

have had back home.

He haggled like a secondhand clothes dealer, but I had him, and he knew

it.  So he gave in at last.  Acting major, with confirmation of rank at

the end of twelve months.  'That's wonderful, Davey, you'll be one of

the youngest majors in the service.

Yeah, David agreed, and after I've paid my taxes I'll have a salary a

little less than a bus-driver back home.  'Never mind, Debra smiled for

the first time.  I'll help you with your Hebrew.  I was going to talk to

you about that, he answered her smile.  Come on, let's get out of here.

I'm restless tonight, and I want to walk.  They strolled through the

Christian quarter.  The open stalls on each side were loaded with garish

and exotic clothes, and leather work and jewellery, and the smells of

spices and food and drains and stale humanity was almost solid in the

narrow lanes where the arches met overhead.

Debra drew him into one of the antique stores in the Via Doloroso, and

the proprietor came to them, almost wriggling with pleasure.

Ah, Miss Mordecai, and how is your dearly esteemed father?  Then he

rushed into the back room to brew more coffee for them.

He's one of the half-honest ones, and he lives in mortal fear of the

Brig.  Debra selected an antique solid gold Star of David on a slim

golden neck chain, and though he had never before worn personal

jewellery, David bowed his head and let her place it about his neck. The

golden star lay against the coarse dark curls of his chest.

That's the only decoration you'll ever get, we don't usually give

medals, she told him laughingly.  But welcome to Israel anyway.  It's

beautiful, David was touched and embarrassed by the gift, thank you. And

he buttoned his shirt over it and then reached awkwardly to kiss her,

but she drew away and warned him.

Not in here.  He's a Moslem, and he'd be very offended.  All right, said

David.  Let's go and find some place where we won't hurt anybody's

sensibilities.  They went out through the Lion Gate in the great wall

and found a stone bench in a quiet place amongst the olive trees of the

Moslem cemetery.  There was a half moon in the sky, silver and

mysterious, and the night was warm and waiting, seemingly as expectant

as a new bride.

You can't stay on at the Intercontinental, Debra told him, and they both

looked up at its arched and lighted silhouette across the valley.  Why

not?  Well, first of all it's too expensive.  On your salary you just

can't afford it.  You don't really expect me to live on my salary? David

protested, but Debra ignored him and went on.

And what is more important, you aren't a tourist any more.  So you can't

live like one.  'What do you suggest?  'We could find you an apartment.

Who would do the housework, and the laundry, and the cooking?  he

protested vehemently.  I haven't had much practice at that sort of

thing.  I would, said Debra, and he froze for an instant and then turned

slowly on the seat to look at her.  What did you say?  I said, I would,

she repeated firmly, and then her voice quavered.  That's if you want me

to.  He was silent for a long moment.

See here, Debs.  Are you talking about living together?

I mean, playing house-house on a full-time basis, the whole bit? 'That's

precisely what I am talking about.  But - He could think of nothing

further to say.  The idea was novel, breath-taking, and alive with

enchanting possibilities.  All David's previous experiences with the

opposite sex had been profuse rather than deep, and he found himself on

the frontiers of unexplored territory.  Well?  Debra asked at last.

Do you want to get married?  his voice cracked on the word, and he

cleared his throat.

I'm not sure that you are the finest marriage material in the market, my

darling David.  You are as beautiful as the dawn, and fun to be with,

but you are also selfish, immature and spoiled stupid Thank you kindly

Well, there is no point in me mincing words now, David, not when I am

about to throw all caution aside and become your mistress.  Wow!  'he

exclaimed, with all the frost thawing from his voice.  When you say it

straight out like that, it almost blows my mind.  Me too, Debra

confessed.  But one condition is that we wait until we have our own

special place, you may recall that I'm not so high on public beaches or

rocky islands.  I'll never forget, David agreed.  Does this mean that

you don't want to marry me?  He found his mortal terror of matrimony

fading under this slur on his potential marriage worth.

I didn't say that either, Debra demurred.  But let's make that decision

when both of us are ready for it.  'Right on, doll, said David, with an

almost idiot grin of happiness spreading over his face.

And now, MajorMo an, youmaykissme, 'shesaid.

.  rg But do try and help me remember the conditions.  A long while

later, they drew a little apart to breathe and a sudden thought made

David frown with worry.

My God, he exclaimed, what will the Brig say!  He won't be joining us,

she told him, and they both laughed together, excited by their own

wickedness.  Seriously, what will you tell your parents?  I'll lie to

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