按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
vanished at war anyway？ Listen； I’d understand if there were a good；
trustworthy candidate for son…in…law； because then he wouldn’t pass away
with his wish unfulfilled。”
“There is a prospect； sir；” I said。
“Who might that be？”
“It is I！”
“e now！ You’re the guardian’s representative！” said the judge’s proxy。
“What line of work are you in？”
“In the eastern provinces； I served as secretary； chief secretary and assistant
treasurer to various pashas。 I pleted a history of the Persian wars that I
intend to present to Our Sultan。 I’m a connoisseur of illustrating and
decoration。 I’ve been burning with love for this woman for twenty years。”
“Are you a relative of hers？”
I was so embarrassed at having fallen so abruptly and unexpectedly into
groveling meekness before the judge’s proxy； at having bared my life like some
dull object devoid of any mystery； that I fell pletely silent。
“Instead of turning beet red； give me an answer； young man； lest I refuse to
grant her a divorce。”
“She’s the daughter of my maternal aunt。”
“Hmmm； I see。 Will you be able to make her happy？”
When he asked the question he made a vulgar hand gesture。 The
miniaturist should omit this indelicacy。 It’d be enough for him to show how
much I blushed。
“I make a decent living。”
“As I belong to the Shafü sect； there is nothing contrary to the Holy Book or
my creed in my granting the divorce of this unfortunate Shekure； whose
216
husband has been missing at the front for four years；” said the Proxy Effendi。
“I grant the divorce。 And I rule that her husband no longer has any
superceding rights should he return。”
The subsequent illustration； that is； the fourth； ought to depict the proxy
recording the divorce in the ledger； unleashing obedient armies of black…ink
letters； before presenting me with the document declaring that my Shekure is
now a widow and there is no obstacle to her immediate remarriage。 Neither
by painting the walls of the courtroom red； nor by situating the picture within
bloodred borders could the blissful inner radiance I felt at that moment be
expressed。 Running back through the crowd of false witnesses and other men
gathering before the judge’s door seeking divorces for their sisters； daughters
or even aunts； I set out on my return journey。
After I crossed the Bosphorus and headed directly to the Yakutlar
neighborhood； I dismissed both the considerate Imam Effendi； who wanted to
perform the marriage ceremony； and his brother。 Since I suspected everyone I
saw on the street of hatching some mischief out of jealousy over the incredible
happiness I was on the verge of attaining； I ran straight to Shekure’s street。
How had the ominous crows divined the presence of a body in the house and
taken to hopping around excitedly on the terra…cotta shingles？ I was overe
by guilt because I hadn’t been able to grieve for my Enishte or even shed a
single tear； even so； I knew from the tightly closed shutters and door of the
house； from the silence； and even from the look of the pomegranate tree that
everything was proceeding as planned。
I was acting intuitively in a great haste。 I tossed a stone at the courtyard
gate but missed！ I tossed another at the house。 It landed on the roof。
Frustrated； I began pelting the house with stones。 A window opened。 It was
the second…story window where four days ago； on Wednesday； I’d first seen
Shekure through the branches of the pomegranate tree。 Orhan appeared； and
from the gap in the shutters I could hear Shekure scolding him。 Then I saw her。
For a moment； we gazed hopefully at each other； my fair lady and I。 She was so
beautiful and being。 She made a gesture that I took to mean “wait” and
shut the window。
There was still plenty of time before evening。 I waited hopefully in the
empty garden； awestruck by the beauty of the world； the trees and the muddy
street。 Before long； Hayriye came in； dressed and covered not like a servant； but
rather； like a lady of the house。 Without nearing each other； we removed
ourselves to the cover of the fig trees。
217
“Everything is progressing as planned；” I said to her。 I showed her the
document I’d obtained from the proxy。 “Shekure is divorced。 As for the
preacher from another neighborhood…” I was going to add； “I’ll see to that；”
but instead blurted out； “He’s on his way。 Shekure should be ready。”
“No matter how small； Shekure wants a bride’s procession； followed by a
neighborhood reception with a wedding repast。 We’ve prepared a stewpot of
pilaf with almonds and dried apricots。”
In her excitement； she seemed prepared to tell me everything else she’d
cooked but I cut her off。 “If the wedding is going to be such an elaborate
affair；” I cautioned； “Hasan and his men will hear of it； they’ll raid the house；
disgrace us； have the marriage nullified and we’ll be able to do nothing about
it。 All our efforts will have been in vain。 We need to protect ourselves not only
from Hasan and his father； but from the devil who murdered Enishte Effendi
as well。 Aren’t you afraid？”
“How could we not be？” she said and began to cry。
“You’re not to tell anyone a thing；” I said。 “Dress Enishte in his
nightclothes； spread out his mattress and lay him upon it； not as a dead man；
but as though he were sick。 Arrange glasses and bottles of syrup by his head；
and draw the shutters closed。 Make certain there are no lamps in his room so
that he can act as Shekure’s guardian； her sick father； during the ceremony。
There’s no place now for a bride’s procession。 You can invite a handful of
neighbors at the last minute； that’s all。 While you’re inviting them； say that
this was Enishte Effendi’s last wish…It