第21部分(第3/7 頁)

s　not　a　sign　of　your　death　but　a　sign　that　I’ve　found　you

again。　I　saw　one　of　your　children；　Orhan。　That　poor　fatherless　boy。　One　day　I　will

bee　his　father！

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“God　protect　him；　he’s　written　well；”　I　said；　“this　one　has　bee　quite　the

poet。”

“”Are you an angel that approaching you should be so terrifying？“” he

repeated。　“He　stole　that　line　from　Ibn　Zerhani。　I　could　do　better。”　He　took　his

own　letter　out　of　his　pocket。　“Take　this　and　deliver　it　to　Shekure。”

For　the　first　time；　accepting　money　along　with　the　letters　disturbed　me。　I

felt something like disgust toward this man and his mad obsession； his

unrequited　love。　Hasan；　as　if　to　confirm　my　hunch；　for　the　first　time　in　a　long

while　set　aside　his　good　etiquette　and　said　quite　rudely：

“Tell　her　that　if　we　so　desire；　we’ll　force　her　back　here　under　pressure　of　the

judge。”

“You　really　want　me　to　say　that？”

Silence。 “Nay；” he said。 The light from the oil lamp illuminated his face；

allowing　me　to　see　him　lower　his　head　like　a　guilty　child。　It’s　because　I　know

this　side　of　Hasan’s　character　as　well　that　I　have　some　respect　for　his　feelings

and　deliver　his　letters。　It’s　not　only　for　the　money；　as　you　might　think。

I　was　leaving　the　house；　and　he　stopped　me　at　the　door。

“Do　you　let　Shekure　know　how　much　I　love　her？”　he　asked　me　excitedly　and

foolishly。

“Don’t　you　tell　her　so　in　your　letters？”

“Tell　me　how　I　might　convince　her　and　her　father？　How　might　I　persuade

them？”

“By　being　a　good　person；”　I　said　and　walked　to　the　door。

“At　this　age；　it’s　too　late…”　he　said　with　sincere　anguish。

“You’ve　begun　to　ea