| Janusz Korczak |
The situation grows ever worse with respect to our domestic existence. Despite Mama's great resourcefulness certain shortages are making themselves felt. Especially as it is no longer easy to buy anything, despite the fact that we still have money.
Dr. Zygmunt has disappeared without a trace. Everyone in the house tries to avoid the subject. Only Sulenka whispers from time to time: "It is taking Daddy such a long time to build that little house for us that I can't wait for him to come and tell us that we can see it."
Poor child. In her girlish head she has already furnished her room, allocating separate space for the dolls which she is to "inherit" from me. Hearing his sister's plaintive complaint Josek simply turns into a wild wolf. He clenches his fists on his breast as if trying to restrain his thumping heart and hisses like a snake, sifting the words through his teeth as he comes close to Sula so only she can hear him well:
"Stop talking about it! Look after your dolls because I see that you are still such a brat that you don't understand anything. As a girl you will never understand men's business, that's for sure. Daddy is gone - understand?"
Seeing Sula's eyes open wide in surprise, he added: "You must forget that Daddy was with us. He is hidden away and it is not allowed to talk about him or they will take him away altogether. Do you understand? Because if not then you'll get frostbite in your legs just like Lala and I that time!"
Sula was terrified of this, having previously seen our wounds and the suffering they caused us.
In that way Josek forced all sorts of vows and promises from Sula that they did not have a daddy at all. And - surprise! Sula accepted it with amazing speed. There were moments when she began to open her little mouth to say: "When Daddy..."etc., but immediately fell silent or changed the subject herself.
Jos believes, as he confessed to me one evening, that his father was sure to be waiting somewhere in hiding and would appear among us as soon as he was able to come out. Of course I supported this hope and began to believe that perhaps it would be so.
Not just because I wanted it to happen - because which of us did not? But I wanted it with all my heart for his children, so lovely and intelligent, that he should live and should at last be here with us. And his wife, who shared such great love with him and with all their family - with ourselves.
