April 1939. Warsaw, Poland. To the casual observer, the houses on Podwale Street look very much alike. Yet at 16 Podwale, nothing is as it seems. Within, the walls hold many secrets that could destroy the lives of its inhabitants as they witness the city’s ever-mounting tide of Nazism. Wealthy recluse Elwira Malinowska is more an observer than participant in life. In her seclusion at 16 Podwale, she watches the world pass her by. Then Raz Zielinsky comes to work as a housemaid for her father, and Elwira’s life is suddenly divisible by two -- the time before Raz and the time after. Years pass, and the women become lovers. They depend on each other. Elwira is Raz’s protector, and Raz is Elwira’s conduit to the outside world, where people speak of nothing but the continual threat of war with Germany. Elwira, a steadfast Catholic, believes Pope Pius XII will intervene to save Poland from the rumblings of a maniac and an imminent invasion. But when the Pope fails to mediate peace and the political situation worsens, Elwira and Raz plan their escape to freedom.

The View from 16 Podwale Street

“He does, sometimes, but he’s such a talker and a fool in the bargain. You should have seen the way he brushed the crumbs off his lap and onto Father’s beautiful carpet. He’s not the one who’ll have to clean it.”


“If I don’t mind, Wira, why should you?”


“As usual you’ve missed my point. Borys is—”


“—A nice man,” Raz said. “Beautiful dark skin and those eyelashes.”


“I’m devoted to you, but I’m not dead. The man’s gorgeous.”


“Passable,” Elwira said, “but nothing like some of the men in our circle, and he has absolutely no morals. I’ve heard women have kept him in the past. And men.”


“No!” Raz put her hand to her mouth, feigning shock. 


“Yes. How do you think he stays so well groomed and wears such fine tailored clothes? They say he has no employment. Have you ever heard him speak of work?”


Chapter 10