The Gypsy Moon

by Gilbert, Morris

  “Nothing for me, thank you. How are you? You look tired.”

  “So do you. Everybody looks tired these days.”

  The two sat there talking for a time. Karel Citroen came to the hospital almost every day to visit the wounded. The church had grown under his leadership, and there were a great many older people he visited faithfully as well. Gabrielle had come to admire this man a great deal. He was, in her judgment, one of the finest ministers she had ever known. He was a scholarly man, yet his sermons were not dull. He had a sparkling wit that kept his congregation alert, and besides this, he was a fine musician, playing both piano and violin expertly.

  Gabby had taken part in a number of church activities, and the two had worked long hours on various projects, often late at night. She had wondered why he had never married, for she knew that many of the women in the village had their eye on him.

  During a lull in the conversation, Gabby noted that Karel seemed a little on edge. “Is anything wrong, Karel?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “That’s odd. Are you sick? Something troubling you physically?”

  “No, it’s a matter of the heart.”

  Gabby blinked with surprise. “Of the heart? What do you mean?”

  He faced her squarely and took a deep breath. Then he said calmly, “You must have noticed that I’ve come to care for you, Gabrielle.” He always called her Gabrielle, disliking the shortened form of her name.

  He had spoken in such an ordinary tone that Gabby thought she might have misunderstood him. “Care for me?” she echoed. “What do you mean?”

  “What does a man mean when he says he cares for a woman? I love you. I’m not romantic, but I guess I don’t need to tell you that.”

  She could not restrain a smile. “Well, you certainly aren’t romantic. Haven’t you ever seen a movie? You’re supposed to do more than simply barge in and say you care for me.”

  Karel smiled. “You’d see through me in a moment if I tried singing love songs and writing poetry. I admire and respect you more than any woman I’ve ever known.” He reached over the desk and took her hand and kissed it, something he had never done before. “No, I’m not romantic, but if you could come to care for me, and we could be married, I think you might teach me a little more.”

  “But I don’t love you, Karel.”

  His eyes sparkled. “You’ll love me after we’ve been married awhile. I’m very lovable.”

  Despite his light manner and his unorthodox approach, she knew Karel was very serious. He often acted lighthearted to help people get through difficult situations. It was as if he were afraid to let himself go emotionally. She desperately wanted to find some way to respond in a way that would not hurt him. She was trying to form an answer when suddenly the door flew open and Hilda burst in. “Doctor! You must come quickly!”

  Jumping to her feet, Gabby asked, “What is it, Hilda?”

  The nurse started to speak, but suddenly a large figure filled the doorway. A stern-faced man in a German staff officer’s uniform stepped inside, brushing Hilda roughly to the side. “I am Oberleutnant Mueller. Our commandant has been shot. You must come at once.”

  “Of course.”

  Gabby followed the burly officer down the hall with Hilda at her side filling in details. “He’s already in the operating room ready for you.”

  “You must save him. You understand, Doctor?”

  “I will do the best I can for your commandant, exactly as I would do for any other patient.”

  Mueller turned and glared at her, anger flaring in his eyes. But when he saw that she was calm and returning his look with determination, he nodded. “Do the best you can, Doctor. You must save him.”

  Gabby directed the German to the waiting room, and she and Hilda scrubbed up. Hilda was an excellent operating nurse, and Gabby was glad she was on duty. The two pushed through the doors into the operating room and greeted the anesthesiologist.

  “He’s ready, Dr. Winslow,” the man said. The patient was lying facedown on the operating table, sheets draped over all of his body except his shoulder.

  “Thank you, Gregor.”

  Gabby listened to Hilda rattle off the patient’s vital signs as she studied the entry point of the bullet. It had taken him high on his back on the left, and she knew there was some danger that it had punctured a lung. Quickly, she went to work probing for the bullet and soon said, “It looks good. It missed the lung.”

  Removing the bullet proved to be relatively simple, and she dropped it into a pan and started to close the wound. “You can bandage the wound now, Hilda. I’ll speak to Lieutenant Mueller.”

  She left the operating room and found Mueller waiting nervously, his face tense. Pulling the mask from her face, Gabby said, “He’s going to be all right. The bullet missed the lung.” She watched as relief washed across his stern face. “He will need to stay here for a couple days.”

  “Certainly. I will assign guards to watch over his room.”

  “As you wish. How did this happen?”

  “A civilian appeared out of nowhere and shot before we could stop him.”

  “And the civilian? Where is he?”

  Mueller’s face hardened, and his eyelids pulled down over his eyes slowly, giving him a cruel visage. “He is dead, of course! He’s fortunate. I would have hanged him!”

  ****

  Gabby was getting ready to leave when Hilda came into her office and said, “The German officer, he is awake. Do you wish to see him?”

  “Yes. Is he doing well?”

  “Perfectly well. He’s very strong.” Hilda shook her head. “It’s a shame the assailant missed the heart.”

  “Come, Hilda, we mustn’t speak like that.”

  Gabby went down the hall and past the two German guards stationed outside the private room that had been assigned to the commandant. They watched her as she went into the room but didn’t stop her, as she had already been introduced by Oberleutnant Mueller. She started to greet the man, but a shock ran over her when she realized she was looking down at Erik Raeder!

  She had thought of this man so often, but now as she stood speechless staring down at him, she saw recognition come into his eyes, and he smiled.

  “Hello, Gabby,” he whispered.

  “Erik! I didn’t know—” She could not finish, for her ability to think failed her at the shock of seeing him. She could not believe that this man whom she had loved—or thought she had loved—was lying in the bed.

  “You’re surprised to see me,” he said. “But I knew you were here. That’s why I had them bring me here—I knew I’d be in good hands.” He reached for her hand. He squeezed it, but then his eyes began to close as the medication took over. “I always knew,” he whispered faintly, “that you would do me good, Gabby. Thank you for saving my life.”

  She was so stunned it was difficult for her to answer. “You must sleep,” she said, not wanting to speak further.

  He struggled to open his eyes and squeezed her hand again. “You are more beautiful than ever. I never forgot you,” he said before his eyes closed and his grip relaxed.

  Gabrielle laid his hand on his chest and then found that her legs and knees were weak and that she was breathing rapidly, almost hyperventilating. She quickly walked from the room, and the thoughts that ran through her mind were as wild as any she had ever had.

  ****

  For two days Gabby walked about almost in a state of shock. She stayed busy enough with her work and her visits with her great-aunt, but beneath these activities her mind went back to the room where Commandant Erik Raeder lay. She tried to act professional each time she stopped in to check on his progress, but she couldn’t help but think back on their time together in Germany.

  Each night she lay awake, asking herself, Why am I so upset? It’s all over. And yet she could not put Erik out of her mind, which bothered her so much she almost forgot about the proposal, such as it was, from Karel Citroen.

  Finally, on Thursday, she wrot
e the order for Erik to be discharged. As she went from one ward to the next, she was surprised to encounter Erik in the hallway, fully dressed and in his uniform. She had not seen him in a Nazi uniform, and the sight of it sent a cold chill through her.

  His face, however, seemed to blot out that sight. He smiled and came to stand in front of her. “You don’t take very good care of your patients, Doctor.”

  “Why do you say that, Herr Commandant?”

  “Herr Commandant! Not Erik?”

  “We’re very formal in this hospital.”

  “I see that.”

  She stood for a moment, aware that he was studying her face. “I won’t be here long, Gabby. I’ll be going to the front soon. General Bruno Rahn will be in charge of the occupation forces. He’s been ill but should be here soon.”

  “I see. You must be very careful. You were very fortunate that the bullet missed your lung.”

  “I know I was lucky, and I had good care. You’re an excellent doctor, Gabby.” He waited for her reply, but when she was silent, he went on, “I would like to see you sometime. Perhaps we could have dinner.”

  “That wouldn’t be wise, Erik.” Feeling the need to bring closure to her relationship with this tall, handsome man she had once had such strong feelings for, she said, “What we had is over.”

  “Love is never over. You know, since I’ve been here, I’ve been thinking of a poem that I memorized when I was just a boy in school.”

  “What poem is that?”

  “I’m sure you know it. By the Scottish poet Burns.” He spoke slowly, his eyes fixed on her.

  “O my luve’s like a red, red rose,

  That’s newly sprung in June;

  O my luve’s like the melodie,

  That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

  “I always think of you when I remember those lines, Gabby.”

  She dropped her eyes. “You mustn’t say those things to me, Erik. I must go.” She turned and went into the next ward, and as she did, she was protesting with all the vehemence of her spirit, I can’t feel anything for him. It’s all over! It has to be!

  CHAPTER TEN

  An Unusual Picnic

  Gabby had just finished her rounds at the hospital when Betje tracked her down.

  “Do you have a free moment, Gabby?”

  “Of course. Let’s get some cold tea and go outside.”

  The two women got some tea from the kitchen and found seats on an iron bench under a spreading chestnut tree. The branches threw a welcome shade over the bench. As soon as they sat down, Betje said, “I suppose you’re surprised to see me here.”

  “A little bit, but I’m glad. How have you been, Betje?”

  “All right.” The answer was weak, and her usually merry eyes were sober. She took a sip of her tea. “You know what I’ve been doing.”

  “About the underground? Yes, I’ve been worried sick about you.”

  “Don’t worry about me. It’s the Jews who are in trouble. They’re killing them like flies in concentration camps. It’s a sure death for them to go there.”

  “We don’t actually know that. That is, we don’t have proof.”

  “A few have miraculously gotten away. They say the Nazis are working them to death in slave labor camps. Those who can’t work are being beaten and shot by firing squads. As for families, they tear children from their parents, husbands from wives. They’re monsters!”

  A floppy-eared hound of mottled mustard colors came loping across the yard, catching their attention. They watched as he chased a squirrel into a small grove of trees to the north of the hospital. When the yard was quiet again, Betje asked, “Have you heard about Saul Nimitz and his family?”

  Instantly, Gabby grew alert. Nimitz had been her favorite professor at the university in Amsterdam. He was a brilliant man, warmhearted, always willing to help, and she had always been grateful to him for his assistance. She had been in his home and knew his wife, Irma, and their children, Sarah and Aaron.

  “What’s happened to them? Are they ill?”

  “No, but I learned they’re going to be picked up by the Nazis.”

  For a moment Gabby could not speak. Her throat seemed to close as she thought of the happy times she had enjoyed in their home. “I can’t believe it. He’s not political at all.”

  “He’s a Jew. That’s all that matters.”

  “How’d you find out about this?”

  “We have a cleaning woman who’s a member of our covert cell group. Gretchen keeps her ears open as she does the cleaning. You’d be surprised how a person like that becomes almost invisible. The Germans don’t think about a cleaning woman being a member of the underground. If they caught her, they’d kill her instantly.”

  Gabby sat utterly still as she tried to digest the information. “We’ve got to do something!” she said vehemently. “We’ve got to get them out of here.”

  Betje laughed. “I came here wondering how to convince you of that, and here you are ready for anything.” She leaned forward onto her elbows. “You’re like two women—one very careful and cautious, backing off from anything involving the emotions, but underneath that there’s a fiery rebel. I’m glad to see it.”

  “Never mind me. What about Saul and Irma and the children?”

  “They’ve got to get out before this weekend, but I can’t figure out how. It’s not as easy as it once was, Gabby. The Germans have placed a line of guards around the city. Nobody can get in or out without a pass.”

  “Where would they go if we could get them out?”

  “A fisherman would take them to England. The Germans are smart enough but stupid in some ways. The fishing boats go out every morning. The guards don’t count them. So if we could get the Nimitz family to one of the canals, their boat could mingle with the other boats. Twenty-two fishing boats would go out and twenty-one would come back. They’d never know the difference.”

  “All right, I’ll help.” She tapped her fingernails on the bench while a plan began to form in her mind. “As a matter of fact, I believe I might even know a way that would work.”

  “It’s got to be nearly foolproof. They’ll shoot you if they catch you, Gabby.”

  “I know.”

  “Aren’t you afraid?”

  “Fear has nothing to do with it. I need to do the right thing. You know, I think if Jesus were here, He would have been a member of the underground.”

  Betje laughed. “That almost makes me want to become a Christian.” She got up and said, “I’ll keep in touch. Think through your plan from every angle. I’m counting on you.”

  From that moment on, Gabby knew her life would never be the same. Up till now she had avoided any thoughts of joining the underground, determined as she was to continue her work as a physician and keep herself available to the orphanage and the sick. But as of July 14, 1940—as she later recorded in her journal—she knew she was going to have to do much more.

  ****

  Gabby was hungry when she left the hospital that evening, and she did not fancy going home and cooking, so she stopped at one of the cafés. She had become fond of a small place called La Belle époque. It had only eight tables and a six-stool counter, and the room was decorated in turn-of-the-century decor. The food was not expensive and very good. She gave the waitress her order—sauerkraut with bacon and sausages—and sat back to let the fatigue seep out of her.

  She closed her eyes for just a moment and opened them to see Erik Raeder walk through the door. He came straight to her table and smiled. “May I join you?”

  Actually, Gabby didn’t think that was a good idea, for it was not smart for a Dutch woman to be seen with a German officer. But she had little choice, so she nodded and said, “Of course.”

  “You wouldn’t go out with me, so I followed you,” he said. “I know it puts you in a bad position, but I had to see you, Gabby.”

  “Why don’t you order something, Erik?”

  “All right. What do you recommend? What are you having?” S
he told him what she was having, and he told the waitress he would have the same.

  He ordered wine, and when the bottle was brought, he offered her some. When she refused, he smiled. “Still no alcohol, eh?”

  “That’s right.”

  “You don’t change, do you, Gabby?”

  “Of course I change. Everybody does.” As she studied him, she saw that he was even better looking than she’d remembered. He was aging well, and she had to admit that the Nazis knew how to design uniforms. The perfect fit revealed his muscular build nicely. He was tanned, and his eyes were clear. “Your wound doesn’t bother you?” she asked.

  “Not a bit. I had an excellent doctor.” He sipped his wine as the waitress set Gabby’s plate of food down in front of her. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll catch up when mine comes.”

  “I am hungry,” she said. “It’s been a long day.” She ate, enjoying the spicy food, and when he asked about the hospital, she told him about several cases. He also inquired about the orphanage, and she wasn’t surprised that he knew about her movements.

  “Erik, I wish you would help. If you could do anything for the orphanage, I’d appreciate it.”

  “Why, of course. Help in what way?”

  “The supplies are being cut way back, and the children are suffering. They don’t need to be punished like this. They are innocent.”

  “Of course. I will see to it at once that things are better.”

  “Thank you very much.”

  Erik’s meal came, and he ate heartily. After they had finished, he continued to drink his wine while she drank strong black coffee.

  “Gabby, do you hate me?” he asked quietly.

  She looked up and saw that he was totally serious.

  “Of course not. Why do you say such a thing?”

  “We are hated, we Germans. I regret it.”