The Cost of Sugar(64)

There she got bored, wandered around aimlessly, sat listlessly in an easy chair, while Mini-mini, Kwasiba and other domestic slave-girls were busy making clothes for the baby. Sarith looked at her body, which was swelling, and thought that having a child was nice, but it was all the same a bother that it had to grow in its mother’s body, with the ghastly things this did to her figure. To her horror she realized that in October, when the festivities would be taking place, her body would be even more gross and that she would then have nothing to wear. She must decidedly go again to Paramaribo to have gowns made that would to some degree disguise her condition. When she told Julius about this, he replied in amazement, “But Sarith, you’ve been back only three weeks. All that travelling to and fro can’t be good for you?”

“But I must have new clothes for the feast; nothing fits any more,” cried Sarith.

“Surely Kwasiba and Mini-mini can make something for you here?” remarked Julius.

“What? How could you dream for one second that I’d appear at the governor’s feast dressed in gowns made by slaves? Do you really want me to be mocked and ridiculed by everyone there?” And she burst into tears again, because Julius didn’t understand her and would have her be a figure of fun at such an important event. Julius could not cope with this feminine logic and gave in again.

And so Sarith went to the town again at the beginning of September and installed herself at her sister’s, this time to have the best dress-makers create gowns. In the last week of September Julius also came to the town, to travel to Joden-Savanna with his wife and in-laws, but first to Hébron, where they would spend a few days before travelling on.

It was inevitable that Sarith and Elza would meet, now that they were all staying together at Hébron, but Sarith managed to arrange things so that she was never alone with Elza and Rutger. Although Rutger and Julius often spoke with each other, Sarith always had something else to do if Elza came into the front room or on the front veranda. If Elza came through one door into the dining room, Sarith would leave by another door. If Elza was with her children in the summerhouse, Sarith would be in her room or somewhere else indoors. Elza noticed all this, but said nothing. In fact, she would not know what to say to Sarith.

The families had agreed not to take the very little children to Joden-Savanna. Only Esther and Jacob’s twins, who were now seven, went along. Esther’s two other boys, as well as Elza’s Gideon and Jonathan and Rebecca’s Zipporah, stayed with their nannies at Hébron. In Elza’s opinion that was more peaceful and certainly safer.

What superb festivities there were at the Savanna! After the service in the synagogue there were sumptuous meals and ball after ball. Despite her condition, Sarith managed to join in with nearly all the dancing. The seamstress had done her work well and had made marvellous gowns with full skirts or a satin jacket dropping over the hips, so that it was almost impossible to see that Sarith was seven months pregnant. She enjoyed herself and was still the desirable woman with whom all the men wanted to dance. In the governor’s party there were several handsome captains and lieutenants who were paying her so much attention that Julius would now and then intervene and dance with her, to make it clear to everyone that she was his wife.

Elza and Rutger had wandered hand in hand through Joden-Savanna, recalling memories from five years previously when they had first met each other. “Do you still remember how annoyed you were when I said that you were really quite wise for a young girl?” asked Rutger with a laugh. “Yes, but you said it in such a way as to suggest that only men could be wise,” answered Elza.

“Where has the time gone? Oh, yes, did you ever imagine that we would some day stand here again as man and wife?” asked Rutger again.

“Father and mother and two sons!” Elza laughed. She stopped and looked out over the valley. Rutger took her in his arms and gave her a kiss. As they walked back, Elza heard Sarith’s laugh ring out. That was five years ago, too, she thought, but what has happened between us in the meantime no-one knows except the three of us.

After the governor and his entourage had departed, the feasting went on for another week at Joden-Savanna, but Elza and Rutger did not stay to the end since Rutger’s duties did not permit such a long absence from the office.

Sarith and Julius did stay until the end, at Sarith’s insistence, and it was the last week of October when they arrived back in Paramaribo. After a few days at the De Ledesmas’ in the Saramaccastraat Julius said, “Well Sarith, it’s time for us to go back home.”