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CAIRO TO DAMASCUS
the Rond Point. When I went there I found three salesmen,
all speaking English. I was astonished to see the large stock
of out-and-out Communist propaganda, in English, French,
and Arabic. I bought a booklet with a drawing of Lenin on
the cover; one with a drawing of Marx; and a third on Tito.
These were in Arabic. I bought The Call of the Russian
Church, Soviet News, and Russia Today, all printed in London. I also bought New Times, published in Moscow, and an
old copy of our own Daily Worker!
Curiel himself was not in. One of the salesmen said that
Curiel's father would arrive at five o'clock. When I returned
later, I saw behind the cash register an elderly man wearing
dark glasses. I went directly to him and stretched out my
hand. He did not respond. I realized he was blind. I told him
I wanted to see Henri Curiel.
"Why do you want to see him? Are you a Communist?"
If I had said yes, it would have been difficult to live up to
it when I met his son. If I said no, it might prejudice the old
man against me, so I replied: "Don't make me answer that
question now, please. I'll answer directly to Henri."
It was the correct response because the old man smiled.
"You will contact Henri through my daughter-in-law," he
said. "Telephone her at 57270."
I phoned immediately and talked to the old man's wife,
who said her daughter-in-law would be in at eight o'clock.
When I called at eight, I reached the younger woman. Would
I call back again tomorrow?
I phoned. I phoned for the next two days and each time
was politely brushed off both by the young and the older
Curiels. Finally 1 lost my temper and demanded a showdown.
Just as angrily, young Mrs. Curiel snapped back: "You have
talked to Mahmoud Nabaoui. You have asked him many
questions; you have asked questions about finances. We do
not know who you are, or why you ask such questions. I will
try to get someone else to speak to you, but I will have to ask
my husband first."