Stempenyu: A Jewish Romance

XVIII STEMPENYU FALLS IN LOVE

In the secret world which Stempenyu spent such a large portion of his time, Rochalle began to play an important part — the greatest part that anyone had ever played in his life hitherto. The letter he wrote her, which we have already seen, was full of sincerity and truth. For, he had fallen madly in love with Rochalle the very moment he had set eyes on her at the wedding of Chayam-Benzion’s daughter. He did not write the letter at once. It took several days before the fire which Rochalle’s blue eyes had enkindled in his heart had burst into flame. And, when he could control his feelings no longer, he locked himself up in his little room, in which he played his fiddle when he was in the mood, and with the same pen, and on the same music-sheets that he used for his compositions, he wrote his letter to Rochalle.

To Stempenyu writing was by no means an easy matter. On the contrary, he found it very difficult, and sweated and toiled before he succeeded in saying what he wished to say. He had never been taught to write, but had himself picked up the rudiments at random, and in a haphazard fashion. And, he felt quite tired and dull after writing only a few lines.

He carried the letter about with him for several days before he found a way of putting it into her hands. Michsa Drummer was a good messenger to send with such letters. But, that was only when they were in strange places. Here it was too risky to employ him; for, since Freidel’s eyes penetrated through everything, even Michsa was far from safe. He was decidedly dangerous in such a case. Stempenyu hardly managed to live over the hours until the Sabbath came around. And, the afternoon of that day found him dressing with more than usual care and exactitude. He wore a high hat, in accordance with the very latest fashion of the day. He went out and walked slowly along the Berdettsever Road, hoping that Rochalle would be walking there, too. But, he sought her in vain. All the women and girls of the village were there, promenading up and down, throwing shy glances at Stempenyu, and smiling at him — everybody was there except Rochalle. The letter that was in his pocket would not let him rest. It drew him to her, closer, and still closer every minute.

“Perhaps I ought to go down the street in which Isaac-Naphtali lives. I may see her there,” thought Stempenyu. And, he walked along slowly until he came to the open window, behind which Rochalle was sitting, absorbed in a brown study, and singing softly to herself the well-known little song which she used tossing long ago, when she found joy in singing, and was not yet aware of the awfulness of doing what she liked in that matter.

“Alone — alone!

Lonely as a stone!

I have no one to talk to;

But, to myself alone!

Lonely as a stone!

I have no one to talk to!”

When Rochalle heard Stempenyu’s “Good Sabbath!” and saw him standing before her, she thought that she was dreaming; for, she had already grown accustomed to seeing Stempenyu in her dreams. But, when she found the music-sheet in her hand, she saw that he had really been and gone again. She read the letter through, got up from her seat, glanced furtively through the window, and said to herself: “It’s well for him that he has run away. I would have told him what is what. There’s an idea for you! Stempenyu, all of a sudden!”

She caught up the letter, and was about to throw it out the window; but, she checked herself in the nick of time. She read it carefully a second time, folded it and put it in her pocket.

Her anger increased each moment. She would have liked to see Stempenyu, and to ask him face to face what he meant by such conduct, and what name one might give to it. It was the height of impudence to write such a letter. Who was she, and who was he, that he might treat her so shamelessly?

She began to make plans to meet him, preferably in some quiet place where no one would see them — where she might talk to him, without interruption or fear, and tell him in full what she thought of him. And, a most ingenious plan came into her mind!