Beyond the Storm. Diana Finley
Чтение книги онлайн.

Читать онлайн книгу Beyond the Storm - Diana Finley страница 15

Название: Beyond the Storm

Автор: Diana Finley

Издательство: HarperCollins

Жанр: Современная зарубежная литература

Серия:

isbn: 9780008348335

isbn:

СКАЧАТЬ in the timing. Others are doing the same.’

      It is true. Esther and Reuben are planning to go to America, and Margaret to England. Immediately after their marriage, Jakob explains, they will travel to Switzerland. It should be possible to find temporary jobs in Zurich. He has one or two contacts. He will sort out their papers – and of course Fritz has offered to help. Until they leave, normal life must go on as far as the families are concerned. Artur is already displeased that Anna has left her job. He is suspicious too, knowing how ambivalent she had felt about marriage to Jakob.

      ‘Marriage is a big commitment, Anna. You are quite sure? Why such a great rush all of a sudden?’

      ‘I’m sure, Papa.’

      ‘Otto and Karin like you. What possible reason is there to give up a good position at a time like this? You young people have no stamina.’

      ‘There were problems, Papa.’

      She wishes she could tell her father the truth.

      ‘Problems, problems – you think no one else has problems? Have you even thought about your mother and how this will upset her?’

      * * *

      Although Jakob has not been able to complete his architectural training, he is offered a position as a clerk in a firm of Zurich architects. He has no option but to accept it, though Anna knows he finds it beneath him. She is able to present testimonials from her work as a nanny and governess, including – to her great shame – a glowing one from Karin. These enable her to find a job as an assistant at a kindergarten. Jakob also makes the necessary arrangements with a discreet maternity clinic in Zurich.

      Esther and Reuben visit Switzerland from time to time, on the pretext of ‘walking expeditions’. Esther’s visits mean everything to Anna; she misses her parents desperately – it will be many months before she can see them again. Jakob and Anna live simply in a clean but modest apartment block. They rent one small room, and share a tiny kitchen and bathroom with four other families. They spend little, saving as much as possible for the journey ahead.

      The year 1935 is an exceptionally hot summer and Anna becomes tired and depressed by the final month, when she has to give up her job. Despite having agreed readily to the baby’s adoption at first, as the time draws near, she is taken over by a sick foreboding. She tries not to visualise the baby as a child, but rather as the unfortunate by-product of a mistake. Yet as her belly grows, the baby makes its presence felt more and more, kicking and turning. Sometimes a part of its body pushes against the wall of her stomach. She finds herself responding involuntarily, by stroking what must be a foot, or a tiny elbow, and smiling. She stops hastily if she notices Jakob watching her. Anna dreads the birth. As long as she is pregnant, the child inside her is hers alone.

      Anna grows increasingly quiet and withdrawn as the birth draws near. Finally, one night, she gently touches Jakob awake and whispers, ‘It’s coming.’

      She is wheeled into a delivery room, while Jakob is told to wait outside, his face pale and drawn. At this most monumental event of her life, they are separate. It is the beginning of a pattern that will continue for years to come, one she is powerless to alter.

      Anna screams. Jakob, alone outside, is agonised by sounds he is unable to interpret fully. He leaps to his feet, his heart pounding unevenly, his fists clenched. Every now and then one of the nurses leaves the room to tell Jakob that all is going as it should, all is well.

      At last the struggle is over. Jakob hears a thin wailing sound. He leans against the closed door, sobbing. The sound that comes next is more disturbing, a strange primitive howling, like a wild animal in extreme pain. The door is flung open and the noise envelops Jakob. He realises it comes from Anna. A nurse scurries past him, holding a small bundle. She pauses in front of Jakob, revealing a tiny monkey-like face in the white shawl.

      Jakob tries everything. He brings Anna small delicacies to try to tempt her to eat, suggests outings to the mountains or to Bodensee, even tries being stern with her. She remains distant, silent, wan. They have agreed never to speak of the events of the past months. She is grateful for that. Sometimes at night she wakes trembling and sweating.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAnMAAAPDCAIAAABXbxqYAAAACXBIWXMAAD1dAAA9XQGwZ5zFAAAL sGlUWHRYTUw6Y29tLmFkb2JlLnhtcAAAAAAAPD94cGFja2V0IGJlZ2luPSLvu78iIGlkPSJXNU0w TXBDZWhpSHpyZVN6TlRjemtjOWQiPz4gPHg6eG1wbWV0YSB4bWxuczp4PSJhZG9iZTpuczptZXRh LyIgeDp4bXB0az0iQWRvYmUgWE1QIENvcmUgNS42LWMxNDIgNzkuMTYwOTI0LCAyMDE3LzA3LzEz LTAxOjA2OjM5ICAgICAgICAiPiA8cmRmOlJERiB4bWxuczpyZGY9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3Jn LzE5OTkvMDIvMjItcmRmLXN5bnRheC1ucyMiPiA8cmRmOkRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIHJkZjphYm91dD0i IiB4bWxuczp4bXA9Imh0dHA6Ly9ucy5hZG9iZS5jb20veGFwLzEuMC8iIHhtbG5zOmRjPSJodHRw Oi8vcHVybC5vcmcvZGMvZWxlbWVudHMvMS4xLyIgeG1sbnM6cGhvdG9zaG9wPSJodHRwOi8vbnMu YWRvYmUuY29tL3Bob3Rvc2hvcC8xLjAvIiB4bWxuczp4bXBNTT0iaHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNv bS94YXAvMS4wL21tLyIgeG1sbnM6c3RFdnQ9Imh0dHA6Ly9ucy5hZG9iZS5jb20veGFwLzEuMC9z VHlwZS9SZXNvdXJjZUV2ZW50IyIgeG1wOkNyZWF0b3JUb29sPSJBZG9iZSBQaG90b3Nob3AgQ0Mg MjAxOCAoV2luZG93cykiIHhtcDpDcmVhdGVEYXRlPSIyMDE5LTA3LTMxVDE1OjQzOjUwKzAxOjAw IiB4bXA6TW9kaWZ5RGF0ZT0iMjAxOS0wNy0zMVQxNTo0Nzo0NyswMTowMCIgeG1wOk1ldGFkYXRh RGF0ZT0iMjAxOS0wNy0zMVQxNTo0Nzo0NyswMTowMCIgZGM6Zm9ybWF0PSJpbWFnZS9wbmciIHBo b3Rvc2hvcDpDb2xvck1vZGU9IjMiIHBob3Rvc2hvcDpJQ0NQcm9maWxlPSJzUkdCIElFQzYxOTY2 LTIuMSIgeG1wTU06SW5zdGFuY2VJRD0ieG1wLmlpZDowZDM3MzU4OC1jNWFkLWUyNDAtODFiYi1m MDZiOGQ3YzExYmUiIHhtcE1NOkRvY3VtZW50SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6MGQzNzM1ODgtYzVhZC1lMjQw LTgxYmItZjA2YjhkN2MxMWJlIiB4bXBNTTpPcmlnaW5hbERvY3VtZW50SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6MGQz NzM1ODgtYzVhZC1lMjQwLTgxYmItZjA2YjhkN2MxMWJlIj4gPHBob3Rvc2hvcDpEb2N1bWVudEFu Y2VzdG9ycz4gPHJkZjpCYWc+IDxyZGY6bGk+MDVFMDlGMTdDNEYyQTkxN0Q0OEJDQjA3QTAzQTU3 QzQ8L3JkZjpsaT4gPHJkZjpsaT4wNjRENzJBMkJFMjk3NDFEMEM1M0Y0ODRGQTJBNUY5QzwvcmRm OmxpPiA8cmRmOmxpPjJDQzExNjBCNkFDODg4MzBDRjZDM0FBRDA3NEI1NDM5PC9yZGY6bGk+IDxy ZGY6bGk+MkVGOEFGRTBGMkIyNTZFMjg0RkE1REMyQUFCRjVFRjQ8L3JkZjpsaT4gPHJkZjpsaT4z MTA3ODJERjFENEU5Rjk3NzQ1MDA4QzcwRUU0NkQ3QzwvcmRmOmxpPiA8cmRmOmxpPjM1QTZDMzE0 NzZCNTYyREEwNDY3MzNCNUEzRDBCNUE2PC9yZGY6bGk+IDxyZGY6bGk+M0ExOEQzQUNBOEZFRjMy MzY5MjVBOTZCREI4Mzk0MzI8L3JkZjpsaT4gPHJkZjpsaT40MDlERDU5NjBENDZCRUYxRUFBQjgx OUY4Mzk0Njc2NzwvcmRmOmxpPiA8cmRmOmxpPjQyODgzNDQ0NjY0RjVEMzVBNzdBQjNDNzUwNDEw QkFEPC9yZGY6bGk+IDxyZGY
СКАЧАТЬ