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my name is red-我的名字叫红-第85章

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men。 They’re prepared to fight Hasan。” 
“Hasan isn’t here;” said the polite father…in…law。 
“How fortunate。 Take a look at this;” I said; giving him Black’s note like a 
proud ambassador of the Sultan executing His merciless will。 
As the gentlemanly father…in…law read the note; Shekure said; “Esther; e 
and let me pour you a bowl of lentil soup to warm you up。” 
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“I don’t like lentil soup;” I said at first。 I didn’t like the way she spoke as if 
she were mistress of the house。 But when I understood that she wanted to be 
alone with me; I grabbed the spoon and rushed after her。 
“Tell  Black  that  it’s  all  because  of  Shevket;”  she  whispered。  “Last  night  I 
waited  all  night  alone  with  Orhan  deathly  afraid  of  the  murderer。  Orhan 
trembled  with  fright  until  morning。  My  children  had  been  separated!  What 
kind of mother could remain apart from her child? When Black failed to e 
back;  they  told  me  that  Our  Sultan’s  torturers  had  made  him  talk  and  that 
he’d a hand in my father’s death。” 
“Wasn’t Black with you when your father was being killed?” 
“Esther;” she said; opening her beautiful black eyes wide; “I beg of you; help 
me。” 
“Then tell me why you’ve e back here so I might understand and help。” 
“Do  you  think  I  know  why  I’ve  returned?”  she  said。  She  seemed  on  the 
verge of tears。 “Black was rough with my poor Shevket;” she said。 “And when 
Hasan said that the children’s real father had returned; I believed him。” 
But I could tell from her eyes that she was lying; and she knew I could tell。 
“I was duped by Hasan!” she whispered; and I sensed that she wanted me to 
infer  from  this  that  she  loved  Hasan。  But  did  Shekure  realize  that  she  was 
thinking more and more about Hasan because she had married Black? 
The door opened and Hayriye entered carrying freshly baked bread whose 
aroma  was  irresistible。  When  she  caught  sight  of  me;  I  could  tell  from  her 
expression  of  displeasure  that  after  the  death  of  Enishte  Effendi;  the  poor 
thing—she couldn’t be sold; couldn’t be dismissed—had bee a legacy of 
misery for Shekure。 The scent of fresh bread filled the room; and I understood 
the truth of the matter as Shekure faced the children: Whether it be their real 
father; Hasan or Black; her problem wasn’t finding a husband she could love; 
her challenge was to find a father who would love these boys; both of whom 
were  wide…eyed  with  fear。  Shekure  was  ready;  with  the  best  of  intentions;  to 
love any good husband。 
“You’re  seeking  what  you  want  with  your  heart;”  I  said  unthinkingly; 
“whereas you need to be making decisions with your mind。” 
“I’m prepared to go back to Black immediately with the children;” she said; 
“but  I  have  certain  conditions!”  She  fell  quiet。  “He  must  treat  Shevket  and 
Orhan y reasons for ing here。 Above all; he 
must  abide  by  our  original  conditions  of  marriage—he’ll  know  what  I’m 
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talking  about。  He  left  me  all  alone  to  fend  for  myself  last  night  against 
murderers; thieves and Hasan。” 
“He hasn’t yet found your father’s murderer; but he told me to tell you he 
has。” 
“Should I go to him?” 
Before I could answer; the former father…in…law; who’d long since finished 
reading  the  note;  said;  “Tell  Black  Effendi  I  can’t  take  the  responsibility  of 
handing over my daughter…in…law without my son being present。” 
“Which son?” I said for the sake of being shrewish; but softly。 
“Hasan;” he said。 Since he was a man of etiquette; he blushed。 “My oldest 
son is on his way back from Persia; there are witnesses。” 
“Where’s  Hasan?”  I  asked。  I  ate  two  spoonfuls  of  the  soup  Shekure  had 
offered me。 
“He  went  to  gather  the  clerks;  porters  and  other  men  of  the  Customs 
Office;” he said in the childish manner of decent yet dull men who cannot lie。 
“After what the Erzurumis did yesterday; the Janissaries are certain to be on 
the streets tonight。” 
“We didn’t see anything of the sort;” I said as I walked toward the door。 “Is 
this all you have to say?” 
I  asked  this  question  of  the  father…in…law  to  intimidate  him;  but  Shekure 
knew  full  well  that  I  was  really  addressing  her。  Was  her  head  truly  this 
befuddled  or  was  she  hiding  something;  for  example;  was  she  awaiting  the 
return of Hasan and his men? Oddly; I sensed that I liked her indecisiveness。 
“We don’t want Black;” Shevket said confidently。 “And make this your last 
visit; fat lady。” 
“But  then  who’ll  bring  around  the  lace  tablecloths;  the  handkerchiefs 
embroidered  with  flowers  and  birds  that  your  pretty  mother  likes;  and  your 
favorite red shirt cloth?” I said; leaving my bundle in the middle of the room。 
“Until  I  return;  you  can  open  it  up  and  take  a  look;  try  on;  alter  and  sew 
whatever you like。” 
I was saddened as I left。 I’d never seen Shekure’s eyes so wet with tears。 As 
soon as I adjusted to the cold outside; Black stopped me on the muddy road; 
sword in hand。 
“Hasan’s not home;” I said。 “Perhaps he’s gone to the market to buy wine 
to celebrate Shekure’s return。 Perhaps he’ll soon be back with his men。 In that 
374 
 
case  you’ll  e  to  blows;  because  he’s  crazy。  And  if  he  takes  up  that  red 
sword of his; there’s no telling what he’ll do。” 
“What did Shekure say?” 
“The father…in…law said absolutely not; I won’t give up my daughter…in…law; 
but if I were you I wouldn’t worry about him; worry about Shekure。 Your wife 
is  confused。  If  you  ask  me;  she  took  refuge  here  two  days  after  her  father 
perished  for  fear  of  the  murderer;  because  of  Hasan’s  threats  and  your 
disappearance without a word。 She knew she couldn’t spend another night in 
that same house plagued by the same fears。 They also told her that you had a 
hand  in  her  father’s  death。  But  her  first  husband  hasn’t  e  back  or 
anything like that。 Shevket; and it seems the father…in…law; believed Hasan’s lie。 
She wants to return to you; but she has certain conditions。” 
Staring  directly  into  Black’s  eyes;  I  listed  her  conditions。  He  accepted  at 
once with an official air as if he were speaking with a genuine ambassador。 
“I; too; have a condition;” I said。 “I’m heading back into the house again。” I 
pointed  out  the  shutters  of  the  window  behind  which  the  father…in…law  sat。 
“In a little while attack from there and the front door。 When I scream; that’ll 
be the signal for you to stop。 If Hasan arrives; don’t hesitate to attack him。” 
My  words;  of  course;  did  not  befit  an  ambassador;  to  whom  no  harm 
should e; but I let myself get carried away; you see。 This time; as soon as I 
yelled “Clothierrr;” the door opened。 I went directly to the father…in…law。 
“The  entire  neighborhood;  and  the  judge  who  presides  over  these  parts; 
that  is  everyone;  knows  that  Shekure  has  long  been  divorced  and  properly 
remarried in keeping with the dictates of the Koran;” I said。 “Even if your son; 
who has long since passed away; came back to life and returned here to you 
from Heaven in the pany of the Prophet Moses; it’d be of no use for he’s 
divorced  from  Shekure。  You’ve  abducted  a  married  woman  and  are  holding 
her here against her will。 Black requested that I tell you he and his men will see 
to your punishment for this crime before the judge can。” 
“Then he will have made a grave mistake;” said the father…in…law delicately。 
“We didn’t abduct Shekure at all! I’m the grandfather of these children; praise 
be to God。 Hasan is their uncle。 When Shekure was left all alone; what choice 
did she have but to seek shelter here? If she wants; she can leave now and take 
her children with her。 But never forget that this is her first home; where she 
gave birth to her children and happily raised them。” 
375 
 
“Shekure;”  I  said  unthinkingly;  “do  you  want  to  return  to  your  father’s 
house?” 
She’d  begun  to  cry  on  account  of  the  “happy  hearth”  speech。  “I  have  no 
father;” she said; or was that how I heard it? Her children first embraced her 
legs; then sat her down and hugged her; the three of them hugged one another 
in a large ball and wept。 But Esther is no idiot: I knew full well that Shekure’s 
tears were meant to appease both sides without her having to make a decision。 
But I also knew they were genuine tears; because they moved me to cry; too。 A 
while later; I noticed that Hayriye; that snake; was also crying。 
As if to pay back the green…eyed father…in…law for being the sole person in 
the  room  who  wasn’t  crying;  Black  and  his  men  began  their  attack  on  the 
house that very moment by banging on the shutters and forcing the door。 Two 
men were at the front door with a battering ram whose blows sounded like 
cannonfire through the house。 
“You’re an experienced and dignified man;” I said; encouraged by my own 
tears; “open the door and tell those rabid mongrels out there that Shekure is 
on her way。” 
“Would  you  send  an  unprotected  woman;  your  daughter…in…law  no  less; 
who’d taken refuge in your house; out onto the streets with those dogs?” 
“She herself wants to go;” I said。 With my purple handkerchief I wiped my 
nose; which had stuffed up from crying。 
“In that case she’s free to open the door and leave;” he said。 
I  sat  down  beside  Shekure  and  her  children。  At  each  new  blow;  the 
terrifying noise made by the men forcing the door became yet another excuse 
for yet more tears; the children began to cry louder; which in turn increased 
Shekure’s  wailing  and  mine  as  well。  Still;  even  taking  into  account  the 
threatening cries from outside and the blows of the battering ram that seemed 
on the verge of destroying the house; both of us knew we were crying to gain 
time。 
“My   beautiful   Shekure;”   I   said;   “your   father…in…law   has   given   you 
permission  and  your  husband  Black  has  accepted  all  of  your  terms;  he’s 
waiting for you lovingly; you no longer have any business in this house。 Put on 
your cloak; don your veil; take your belongings and your children; and open 
the door so we can go quietly back to your house。” 
This  statement  of  mine  made  the  children  wail  even  more;  and  caused 
Shekure to open her eyes in shock。 
376 
 
“I’m  afraid  of  Hasan;”  she  said;  “his  revenge  will  be  horrible。  He’s  wild。 
Remember; I came here on my own。” 
“This doesn’t cancel out your new marriage;” I said。 “You were left helpless; 
of course you were going to take refuge somewhere。 Your husband’s forgiven 
you; he’s prepared to take you back。 As for Hasan; we’ll deal with him the way 
we have for years。” I smiled。 
“But  I’m  not  going  to  open  the  door;”  she  said;  “because  then  I’ll  have 
returned to him of my own free will。” 
“My dearest Shekure; I cannot open the door either;” I said。 “You know as 
well  

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