50 “Fa den kari yu pikin?”
51 “Yu n’afu frede, mi n’o du yu noti. Kon.”
52 “Suma seni yu kon dyaso?”
53 “Yu sabi san yu mus kon du dyaso?”
54 “Mi no sabi, masra.”
55 “Yu sribi nanga wan man, kaba?”
56 “Sa yu m’ma taki dan.”
57 “Mi no habi m’ma, masra.”
58 “Afanaisa, yu kan gowe baka yere, mi n’o du yu noti.”
59 “Masra n’o broko mi dan?”
60 “No no pikin, mi n’o du dati.”
61 “A moro betre masra broko mi.”
62 “Fu san-ede yu wani mi broko yu?”
63 “Bika a basya o sabi en dan a fon mi.”
64 “Mi n’o du yu noti, Afanaisa, yu no afu frede, no wan sma e go sabi san e pesa dyaso. Basya n’o sabi, mi e go sorgu fu dati. Ma luku, mi o aksi yu wan tu sani, dan yu musu piki mi. A bun?”
65 “Masra taki no wan man no mag fasi en, noso a dati o kisi wan pansboko.”
66 “Ke masra, tyari mi gew no, teki mi, tyari mi gwe; a basya, a o fon mi, m’e begi yu masra.”
CHAPTER V
ELZA
It was by now the beginning of August, and time for the marriage of Rebecca and Abraham Cohen. Although Rebecca herself did not want a huge celebration, Aunt Rachel felt that it should be a real happening, especially because the groom was not just anybody. A learned man, teacher, assistant rabbi for the moment, head of the Yeshiva, the Jewish school to which all Orthodox parents sent their sons and where they studied the Talmud under his guidance.
When Elza received the message that the wedding of Rebecca and Abraham would be celebrated at Hébron in the week 15–20 August, she and Rutger made plans to stay at the plantation for ten days or so. She would be happy to be home again, to see Ashana and all familiar things around. But how would it be with Sarith? When Rutger had returned from his Jericho journey he had been exceedingly loving and caring. They often laughed at his tales about Daniel Jeremiah. She had shared his anger and indignation at the mishandling of the slaves.
Maisa had immediately taken Afanaisa into her care. She said that the child would need extra feeding, and when she saw what a dear, diligent girl Afanaisa was, so willing to learn, she said to Elza that Afanaisa would make a good nanny once the baby had arrived. Everything in the home was pleasant and peaceful. How would it be when they were at Hébron? Would Rutger again fall under Sarith’s spell? And imagine that something were to happen? Would everyone get to know about it? How would she feel then?
Maisa looked forward enormously to the stay, and so did Amimba, for she was going along especially to be able to spend a week with her mother.
The guests for the wedding at Hébron were predominantly Jewish. The ceremony itself had taken place on the previous Sabbath at Joden-Savanna. That had been Abraham’s wish. The Sunday after, the couple travelled to Hébron, where all the guests were awaiting them. Rutger and Elza had not gone to Joden-Savanna, but rather had arrived at Hébron two days earlier.
When Elza saw Ashana, she threw herself literally into her arms and cried, “Ashana, oh Ashana, how I’ve missed you!” Then she toured the whole house to see whether everything was still the same. Of course she didn’t sleep in her old room, which she had in the past shared with Sarith, but she and Rutger were to sleep in the room next to Rebecca’s: ‘the bridal wing of the house,’ Aunt Rachel had laughingly called it.
During those first days before the guests arrived for the celebrations, as well as Elza and Rutger, Esther and Jacob de Ledesma were in the house with their three sons, as were David and Suzanna and their two children. How did it happen that Rutger always finished up sitting across the table from Sarith? How did it happen that Sarith was there during every walk they went for and every boat trip on the river? Sometimes she would be recounting something excitedly and would tug his arm as if there were no-one else around, and she even on occasion threw her arm round his shoulder and pressed her cheek to his. It seemed as if she wanted to make a statement to Elza.
When the guests arrived on the Sunday and the great feast began, Sarith’s attitude changed. She was really friendly towards Elza and behaved just normally with Rutger. All the guests were interested in Elza. How well she was looking! And, whisper whisper, was there a baby on the way? What a lovely little woman she was, and so pleasant. Didn’t that threesome get along with each other so well. Elza and Sarith had always been such good friends. How lovely for Elza that Sarith travelled so often to Paramaribo and stayed with her to keep her company. And Elza wanted to cry out in the face of all that chatter, “Does no-one see what is really happening? Are you all blind? Does no-one see how she’s luring him away from me?” But of course she did not do that, but rather nodded and confirmed how nice it was that Sarith kept her company in Paramaribo.