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

“I think you should try and phone Pietrek,” Raz said. She was looking over a list of Elwira’s family treasures. They had already cut the Canaletto landscape from its frame, rolled it up in heavy cloth and stowed it safely in the pocket of one of the cases. “I don’t think much more will fit once we pack our clothing,” Raz said, “but I suppose we might try and squeeze in a bit more.”


“We will take what we can.” Elwira picked up a small silver cup and held it up to the light. “From my Holy Communion. One forgets. Father had it engraved. See? To Elwira, our darling girl.” She put the cup back where she’d found it, in a box Raz brought up from the storage room. “I don’t know why I’m being so cavalier. A month ago I wouldn’t have parted with one of these mementos. Today, I can do it with ease and not give a thought to leaving it behind.”


Raz dropped her list on the table. “Shouldn’t we be doing something to speed things along?”


Chapter 17