Last Train to Istanbul (42 page)

I wish I’d listened to those back home when I was released from the camp and seen a doctor, he thought. If I’d done that, it’s possible we might not have had that incident last night. He realized that if Marcel and Selva hadn’t run after him, he might have been shot by
the soldiers trying to stop him from running away! He decided he was indeed a lucky soul: this was the second time his life had been spared by God.

A new day was dawning, a sunny, quiet, run-of-the-mill day. David, who couldn’t bear being cooped up in small places since his time in the camp, felt stifled by the thought of spending the whole day in the compartment. He tried to relax.

Your life has been spared yet again, he thought. You’re among friends. You’re heading toward freedom. Come on, man, pull yourself together!

Margot was opposite him, sleeping. He smiled to himself. She was a beautiful girl. He wished she had been the one who showed him the care Selva had; maybe then this boring journey would be a little more interesting.

Selva, Perla, and Fazıl weren’t in the compartment. They had probably gone to the toilet. The rest were still sleeping, their heads leaning on the shoulders of those next to them. Samuel’s head was on the knees of the man in the cap. David went outside to go to the toilet and saw Selva talking to Perla.

“For God’s sake, David, don’t get off again, even if you really need to relieve yourself. They might recognize you and cause you trouble.”

“I promise I won’t. Please don’t worry,” David assured her.

“How did you sleep?”

“Extremely well. Madame Alfandari, I want to apologize sincerely for last night. Had it not been for you and Marcel, I would have been in big trouble. I’m deeply sorry for putting you in danger. Please forgive me.”

“Don’t mention it, and let’s not talk about it again. There’s nothing more natural than being scared of armed soldiers, after what you’ve been through. I can assure you that there is no need to apologize. Now then, I want to ask you a favor. First of all, please
call me Selva, and second, throughout this journey, I want you to feel free to talk to me about anything, anytime, whatever it is that bothers you.”

“I promise you it won’t happen again.”

“I know, David. This sort of thing doesn’t often recur anyway. If it does, we’ll
all
get locked up.”

Just then David saw Rafael coming out of another compartment. “Here comes your husband,” he said, trying to cheer her up, but she wasn’t amused.

Rafo hugged and kissed his son. “Did you sleep well?” he asked his wife. Selva didn’t reply, and David felt obliged to answer.

“Extremely,” he said. “How about you?”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been having nightmares all night,” Rafo replied.

David bent his head down as his face turned crimson. Selva held Fazıl by the hand and walked him back to the compartment. Margot had woken up and was staring at the man in the corner.

“Haven’t you figured out who he is yet?” Selva asked.

“No, I just can’t place him.”

The man’s cap had slid back while he was sleeping, and despite the stubble on his face, Margot could see him more clearly now.

“Oh dear!” she said suddenly. “Selva, I’ve got it. I know who he is.”

“So who is he?”

“Come outside with me.” Margot pulled herself together and they went out.

“I’m dying to know—for God’s sake, who is he? Is he someone important?”

“You bet. He’s only one of the world’s leading scientists. He’s a force to reckon with in the world of physics. Two years ago he won many awards for some discovery or other. Don’t you remember? I remember seeing his photograph all over the medical magazines
at work. He was being interviewed on the radio all the time. He’s Meyer…Siegfried Meyer. That’s it! The famous Siegfried Meyer.”

“Oh yes! I remember. Oh, Margot!” said Selva, choking with excitement. “The Germans must be looking for him everywhere. They’d take him away the moment they spotted him.”

She wanted to share this exciting discovery with her husband. What a pity that she was still annoyed with him. They returned to the compartment. Now Selva started scrutinizing the man’s face herself. Yes, of course it was him. She was absolutely sure. In spite of his shaven head and having no beard, it was definitely him.

The sun had finally brightened up the whole compartment. Everyone had woken up. When Samuel opened his eyes and realized he had his head on a stranger’s lap, he immediately sat up.

“Where’s Perla?” he asked Margot, who was smiling at him. “Let me go and find her.”

“Go if you wish, but don’t worry about your sister. She’s fine now. There’s nothing to worry about.”

All the same, Samuel got up and walked out. When Selva heard him greeting Ferit outside, she jumped from her seat and rushed out to see him.

“Ferit, I need to tell you something,” she said, holding him by the arm.

“What? Has something gone wrong again?”

“Ferit, do you know who’s traveling with us in our compartment?”

“Who?”

“Siegfried Meyer, the—”

Ferit covered her mouth with his hand. “Yes, I know.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“No one knows. Is there anyone else who does?”

“Margot. She’s the one who recognized him.”

“Please keep this to yourselves,” he said.

“Does Rafael know?”

“Yes, he’s the only one apart from me.”

“What name is he traveling under?” She tried to hide the fact that she was disappointed her husband hadn’t shared his knowledge with her.

“Kohen.”

“Has he got a Turkish passport?” she asked.

“Yes, he does.”

“But he doesn’t speak Turkish, does he?”

“That’s why I sat him in the same compartment as you and David, and those who, thanks to you, can manage a few Turkish words. The Nazis don’t generally speak Turkish, but you never know. An officer who spent time in Turkey might come along and want to show off. I know how quick and capable you are in such situations. I thought I’d better put him with you.”

“How would I have known that? I should have been warned.”

“I have faith in you, Selva. You don’t miss a thing.”

Samuel interrupted their conversation. “How much longer do you think we’re going to wait here?” he asked.

“That’s what I was just going to find out,” replied Ferit. “I’m just going to see my wife, and then find out if anyone knows when we’re supposed to continue.”

“Give my regards to Evelyn, even though I’ve never met her. Ask her if she needs anything to eat or drink,” Selva offered.

“Thank you, but I’m afraid that I can’t do that. She isn’t aware we are all traveling on the same train.”

That Thursday by the German border was a rather long day. It was boring being cooped up in the train. Time passed more easily when the train moved through ever-changing scenery. Stopping away from a town or village, in the middle of nowhere, waiting from morning until night, was stifling, even though they were allowed out of the train to stretch their legs. Most of the passengers took advantage of a stroll along the track to get a breath of fresh air.
Ferit spent most of his time with his wife. In spite of her brother’s insistence, Perla decided not to go out, but rather to lie down and read her book in the nearly empty compartment. The only other person who stayed was the man in the cap. He would be solving puzzles until the early hours of the morning.

At one point, David and Marcel played backgammon on a board Marcel had brought with him. Passengers in different compartments, even in different carriages, now had had a chance to mingle and talk with one another. Those in the same carriage somehow felt bound together. Realizing they shared the same fate, they had begun to feel more and more like a family. Even Selva, who had avoided eye contact with her husband all day long, had begun to relax a little. But at about five o’clock, as the evening sky turned from blue to purple, people started feeling restless again. The weather turned cooler and everyone returned to their seats, cramming into the small compartments. How much longer would this tiring journey last?

Marcel was able to coax a very uncooperative conductor who hadn’t deigned to answer any questions all day to give them some sort of indication as to when they’d continue their journey.

“Don’t hold me to it, but I don’t think for one moment we’ll be leaving before midnight,” he said, grinning through his teeth.

Having eaten dinner in their compartments, the passengers decided to call it a day. They began to settle down to sleep early. Selva had had to take Fazıl to the toilet frequently the previous night, so she swapped seats and sat by the door, next to Siegfried. When the lights were turned off, just a few switched on their reading lights. Selva turned to the man whose identity she finally knew.

“Excuse me, monsieur. Would you mind terribly if I read for a little while, or would you prefer me to switch off my reading light?” she asked softly.

“Read to your heart’s content, madame. I don’t mind at all.”

“Thank you very much. By the way, I’m Selva, Selva Alfandari. We haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet.”

“Let me introduce myself too. My name is Kohen,” said the man.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Monsieur Kohen. I hope my son isn’t disturbing you too much with his fidgeting.”

“He’s a bright lad, and very lovable,” the man replied.

They had spent so much time together even he was beginning to relax a bit now. When he took off his cap in the dim light of the compartment, Margot winked at Selva.

A new night was beginning. Who knew what the following day had in store? Feeling a bit more optimistic, the passengers in the Star and Crescent carriage went to sleep.

Selva was dreaming that they had reached Istanbul. Her father had come to meet her. She wasn’t on a train; she was on a ship. As the ship approached the deep-blue harbor with its background of minarets and domes, she jumped into the sea, swimming toward her father, who was waiting. Father and daughter were diving hand in hand into the depths of the sea. How she missed being together with him. They were swimming and swimming, down among the fish and the green seaweed.

Selva was woken up by a sudden shudder.

“What’s happening?” Constance whispered.

“I think we’re moving.”

No one knew what time it was. Outside, it was still pitch-dark. While the train began to creak into motion, Fazıl grumbled, turning in Selva’s arms. David Russo walked into the corridor, making sure not to disturb anyone. It was impossible for him to remain in the same place for more than a few hours. He lit a cigarette. Far away
in the distance, lights could be seen. Would his life ever brighten again? As he paced up and down the corridor, the dark-blue sky was gradually making way for the crimson-red colors of dawn.

The train crossed the German frontier while they were having breakfast. Selva’s heart nearly broke in fear when she saw Ferit and Rafo walking toward customs. “Please, God, protect us; don’t let anything go wrong,” she prayed aloud. She had woken up so happy after her dream, and she didn’t want anything to spoil it.

“I wonder if we could go out for some fresh air?” asked Constance.

“Stay right where you are!” replied her husband.

Margot boiled some water on the hot plate at the end of the corridor. Their bread had become stale, but they were managing with biscuits and cakes. Selva offered some to the old man, who never wanted to eat anything.

“You didn’t eat anything last night either. I know it’s all a bit dry, but please let me slice you a piece of cake at least.”

“Thank you, my dear,” he said. “I just can’t.”

“I guess dry cake isn’t very appetizing. How about a slice of salami?”

“I’ll just have some tea, thank you.”

Selva was suddenly aware of a bad smell coming from the salami she’d taken from her basket. I’d better throw this away in the station later, she thought to herself.

She left the basket on her seat to go to the toilet. Stepping out of the compartment, she found several German soldiers in the corridor checking the compartments. Selva joined the line at the toilet and when she’d come out, the Germans had gone.

Rafo had returned and asked Margot where his wife was. When he saw Selva, he asked, “Am I still getting the silent treatment?”

“Weren’t
you
the one divorcing me?”

“Don’t be silly, for God’s sake.”

Selva passed by her husband without saying anything, and Rafo grabbed her by the arm. “Can’t you see that I worry about you? You keep putting yourself in dangerous situations. One of these days, you’ll get into serious trouble.”

Back in the compartment, Selva lifted her basket to put it away, but the salami was no longer there. She looked around. Fazıl was sitting on Samuel’s lap, munching away. She immediately rushed and took the remaining piece from him.

“Did you eat all of it?” she asked.

Fazıl looked at her with pleasure in his eyes, nodding his head.

“What have you done? This salami is rotten!”

She became extremely anxious. What would she do if Fazıl became sick on the train?

“He ate this rotten salami while I was in the toilet,” she said, turning to Margot. “What are we going to do?”