The list of physicians-turned-writers is a long and honored one: SmoUet, 0. W. Holmes the elder, Doyle, Maugham, to name some few-in SF, Dooid Keller and Allan Nourse among others. Dr. William Carlos WiUiams, in Patterson, N. ] . long practiced both poetry and medicine. Dr. Leonard Tushnet, in Irvington, N. ]. is a general pracHtioner of many years standing, and author of such articles as "Mt.rder By Disease," "Diabetes Mellitus and Sexual Impotence," and "Health Conditions in the Ghetto of Lodz." For the past few ysars he has turned his pen to fiction and 1aas had short stories printed m various literary and general magazines, and hi& history of the Jewish r:esiatanoe movement in Warsaw W11l be pub­ lished by Citadel Press. He writes: "[lam] at prestmt seeking a publisher for a medical historical work . on starvation in the Warsaw Ghetto." PCJland, peasants, and politics-this iB the back­ ground for Dr. Tushnet's story of a favorite fanttuy theme, to which he gh>es a new-and unexpected-tum. IN THE CALENDAR OF SAINTS by Leonard T ushnet }ANUSZ PIONTEK MET THE Devil scattered about. "You see, Your early Gne cold November morning Worship," Janusz smirked, wiping near the BrubMw Co-operetive off a stool with his sleeve, "we pig-sty. He greeted the black­ Poles have always heen a cultured coated gentleman in the stylishly people, so the Village Co-opera· creased homburg courteousJv, tive made a place where a worldng "Good morning, Your Wors~. peasant could shelter hi:mself Would you ldndly step into the when hts necessities occurred." rest-house? It is warmer titere." The Devil twitched his nose The rude shack set against the and sat down gingerly. He said, wall of the pig-sty was merely an "Well, Janusz, I've heard a lot enlarged out-house, its essential about you and I want to do busi· purpose hidden by a curtain. The ness with you." visible remainder was white­ "With me, Your Worship?" washed and had several low stools Janusz snatched off his fur-lined 113 114 PANTASY AND $CIENCB PICTIOM cap and held It stiflly at his side. tive. I have no idea what you "Excuse me. I forgot. These new can offer me." The Devil looked democratic customs-. Your Wor· straight at Janusz. "Well, Your ship wants to do business with Worship, there are indeed some me? I am only Janusz Piontek, the things I want, but I do without Chairman of the Grubrow Co­ them as any good citizen should operative." in the interest of building Social­ The Devil waved a black-gloved ism for a bright and golden fu. hand. "I know all about you. This ture." morning, for instance, you were "Spare me the speeches!" the going to take the speckled pig to Devil shouted. "In other times you sell in Nowy Brzecz." kept quiet about your humble Janusz blanched beneath his origin, but now you boast you were leathery tan. He rubbed a hand so poor your father boiled herring over the grayish-blond stubble on barrels to get salt. Your family his scalp, then bowed low. "In· died of typhus in 1921, so you deed, Your Worship, it was not for went as an unpaid orphan servant me that the money would be in­ to the landlord's house. You ran tended. The Co-operative could away to join the army, from which use a little cash for the luxuries you were kicked out for stealing that the working class enjoys as from your comrades. You came well as the decadent bourgeoisie back and became the toady of the -." gentry. You were the bully-boy for "Enough!" the Devil interrupt· the Nationalists in the town. You ed. "I've heard that speech, with raided the Jews' stores and beat up variations, dozens of times before. the visiting Deputy from the I've got something you want and Sejm-." you've got something I want. So­ "Please, Your Worship," Janusz on to business!" broke in, "speak a little more soft­ So this is the Devil, Janusz ly. What you have said is true, but thought. This remnant of ancient please remember that a poor young superstition, this straw man set up fellow has a hard job to make his by the priests to frighten the way in this life. The rulers of the credulous, is nothing but an ordi­ world like others to do their dirty nary businessman, an obsolete work for them and they pay-who carry-over in a modern People's else can pay? Don't forget that Republic! He said, ''Your Worship, while the drunken gentry were I need very little. I was born here clapping their hands at my patri­ before the First War in a poor otism I managed to hide away for farm-laborer's family, and now I myself some of the Jews' merchan­ am the Chairman of the Co-opera- dise.• IN THB CALBNDAJ. OF SAINTS 115 The Devil went on more quiet­ tell vou · something, my lord. I ly, "You hounded the refugee ki:.ow how to pour the milk so that Ukrainian Orthodox priest, a I don't get 8ies in the bowl. What harmless old man with a sickly was, was. There is a new life here wife, from the village to curry for workers and peasants. So if favor with the Catholic Party. you've got something for me, don't When the Second War started, hide it behind your back. Open you were taken for the army-." the sack and let me see the hen." "And when the Germans won, I The Devil spread his hands, came home unhurt. God and the deprecatingly. "Now, Janusz, Holy Virgin of Czenstochowa calm down. I can give you what­ watched over me," Janusz re­ ever your heart desires. Just name marked, automatically crossing it and it's yours-anything, that himself. He started, realizing his is, except immortality." faux-pas. Janusz's eyes narrowed. HJ'Il The Devil went on, ''You came tell you," he said at last, "just give home unhurt because you hid out me success in everything I put my during the fighting. During the mind or hand to." retreat you managed to com­ The Devil chuckled. ''You're a mandeer two horses for yourself in genius, Janusz! Most men ask for the name of the Partisans. By the money or for women or for power, way, you're a professed unbe­ but you-you ask for everything liever, so that Sign means noth­ all at once! And you're even will­ ing. You denounced the Kowalskis ing to work a little for it! Agreed to the Nazis as members of the un­ -you shall have what you want derground Catholic Rescue Soci­ -success! How long do you ety. And when the Nazis were want? Twenty years? Fifty? A gone and the Russians came, you hundred?" offered the priest to hide the gold Janusz blew his nose to hide his altar chalice and the ciborium and satisfaction. "A successful old man the silver censers in your cellar is still an old man. Let me stay and then you accused the priest of the same age I am now." appropriating the people's prop­ "Agreed! But for how longr erty for counter-revolutionary pur­ the Devil de.nanded. poses." "I am not a pig," Janusz replied. ''Yes, so I did." Janusz shrugged. "To be successful even for a short "'What good would valuable sacred time is worth much. Just to St. objects be to the godless Rus­ Mlotekisierp's Day is enough for sians?" He stopped being on the me." defensive. Why excuse himself to "St. Mlotekisierp? I'm not fa­ this relic of a dark past? "Let me miliar with that one." The Devil 116 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION regarded Janusz quizzically. "It butter :tilled him with a sense of almost sounds as though you said power. Why, there was nothing he St. Hammer-and-Siclde in your couldn't do! With su.clden reSGlve, country-Polish. No matter-I will he said, "I'm going to town." give you sue«ss in everything you He hitched up the wagon and put your mind or hand to at the drove the six miles oYer the rutted, same age you are now until that­ f10zen roads to Nowy lkzecz, right that Whatever-his-name-is' Saint's up to the inn. There, he chal­ Day. And naw-you are willing to lenged Kawalek, the innkeeper, a give me your immortal soul on burly e~e-blacksmith who had lost that day?" his left arm in the war, "I'll hand­ Janusz quickly assented. No wrestle you for a bottle of vodlae." wonder the Devil never won over Kawalek grinneci. ".Better get God! No wonder even ianorant out your money now. Double-if priests could exorcise him! you lose. Remember, I'm the cham­ The Devil walked toward the pion." Janusz and he rested their door, turned to say, "Until St.­ elbows on the table, clasped St.-St. Whoever-it-is~ Day, hands, and started the game. It then," and vanished. was over in five seconds. The inn­ Going horne, Janusz saw a hare keeper was ast.ounded. "You've the nibbling at stubble near his gar­ strength of an ox!" With a grand den. With an oath, he flung a manner, Janusz told him to get stone in its general directien. It glasses and they drank together. fell short lmt then, to his amaze­ They had finished off half the ment, rebounded from the dark bottle when the innkeeper's broth­ earth, flew tGward the animal, and er-in-law came in with a large, struck it S'!uarely on the head.