I ruined the slipper with the crude sole. Both straps I cut in two with a pair of heavy shears and I dipped my thumb in machine oil to deface the surface of the kid. I pulled off the buckle with a pair of pliers and I drove a long nail through the heel and into the wood of the work table so that it was pinned there. And then, leaving the contents of my father’s boxes in disorder on the floor, I went out, glancing backwards once at Hopestill Mather’s absurd shoe.

•

Mrs. Henderson had prepared a meal for us: a cabbage soup, made according to my mother’s instructions, was simmering on the stove and beans were heating in the oven. She had brought a loaf of fresh brown bread, a glass of apple jelly, and a nicely colored pat of margarine. My mother had been asleep and she looked rosy and rested. When I helped her into the kitchen—for she said with entreaty in her eyes, “My condition makes me feel funny”—and put pillows at her back, brought the table near so that she would not have to stir about, I felt a momentary affection and kissed her lightly on the forehead. I told her that I thought we might sell my father’s clothes and his ski equipment. Since they were foreign, I believed they would fetch a high price, and I fancied a sign which I would put up over the door of the shop: “Miss Sonia Marburg’s Sports Goods Shoppe.”

“Sell them? My God, you are talking crazy! He would kill you if you sold any of his trash. Kill you till there’d be nothing left of you.”

“But perhaps he’s not coming back,” I said.

“I’ll take another plate of pokhlyobka. Mrs. H. is a saint from head to toe.” As she dawdled with the spoon, she went on, “He’ll come back, you’ll see, darling. I won’t say when, not knowing where he went, but he’ll come back and I know that. And if he finds his wool drawers sold, there’s no telling what kind of way he’ll kill us. I was saying to Mrs. Henderson that what I think he did was go to Boston to get a gun. For us, you know, sweetheart. And so tonight I am going to keep a lamp on and if they see it go out they’ll hurry over to save us.”