“That was just fine,” he said. “I don’t know much about music, but I could see that you played that piece very carefully, as if you were worried you might get carried away and snap the strings. It made me think of how quickly you figured out what was wrong with the Caterpillar. If you’d like, I’ll say a word about you to Srulik. He’s in charge of music around here. For now, though, we’d better think of going to the dining hall for supper.”

“Comrade Yolek,” said Azariah, “mistook me for that Srulik yesterday. I myself, of course, do not believe in pure coincidence. Everything happens for a reason.”

Before he left, Rimona gave Azariah Gitlin the electric kettle, a bag of sugar, a can of coffee, and yet more pastry: Yonatan rummaged through drawers and found a new light bulb for Azariah’s room. One look at it, though, was enough to establish that it wouldn’t be any brighter than the old one.

Over supper Azariah once again began to lecture his hosts, which struck Yonatan as tiresome. He went on chewing in silence on a piece of bread while helping himself generously to the salad and a double portion of omelet. Rimona, however, listened attentively to every word. At one point, when she asked Azariah what he would do to stave off political disaster, it so went to his head that he forgot all about the vegetables she had just put on his plate. He began rehearsing an ingenious plan for engineering a big-power confrontation that would enable little Israel to slip safely away and even come out ahead.

During this recital, Etan R. stopped by their table and interrupted Azariah with a grin: “Well, well, I see you didn’t get lost after all. I live in the last room by the swimming pool. If by any chance you find any justice around here, come tell me about it right away so we can nip it in the bud.”

From across the hall, Yonatan’s mother Hava waved hello. Little Shimon, mug in hand, came over to ask Yonatan to lend him the newcomer for a few days in the hope he might work some miracles in the sheep pen as well.

Before they parted and went their separate ways, Rimona invited Azariah, touching his elbow, to come again some evening to chat and play chess and to bring his guitar if he felt like it.