第3部分(第4/7 頁)

the

dervish　houses　are　closed；　coffeehouses　ought　to　be　banned。　Do　the　poor　have

enough　money　to　drink　coffee？　Men　frequent　these　places；　bee　besotted

with coffee and lose control of their mental faculties to the point that they

actually　listen　to　and　believe　what　dogs　and　mongrels　have　to　say。　But　those

who　curse　me　and　our　religion；　it　is　they　who　are　the　true　mongrels。”

With your permission； I’d like to respond to this last ment by the

esteemed　cleric。　Of　course；　it　is　mon　knowledge　that　hajis；　hojas；　clerics；

and　preachers　despise　us　dogs。　In　my　opinion；　the　whole　matter　concerns　our

revered　Prophet　Muhammad；　peace　and　blessings　be　upon　him；　who　cut　off　a

piece　of　his　robe　upon　which　a　cat　lay　sleeping　rather　than　wake　the　beast。　By

pointing out this affection shown to the cat； which has incidentally been

denied　to　us　dogs；　and　due　to　our　eternal　feud　with　this　feline　beast；　which

even the stupidest of men recognizes as an ingrate； people have tried to

14

intimate　that　the　Prophet　himself　disliked　dogs。　They’re　convinced　that　we’ll

defile those who have performed ritual ablutions； and the result of this

erroneous　and　slanderous　belief　is　that　we’ve　been　barred　from　mosques　for

centuries and have suffered beatings in their courtyards from broomstick…

wielding　caretakers。

Allow　me　to　remind　you　of　“The　Cave；”　the　most　beautiful　of　the　Koran’s

chapters。 I’m reminding you not because I suspect there may be those who

never　read　the　Koran　among　us　in　this　good　coffeehouse；　but　because　I　want

to　refresh　your　memories：　This　chapter　recou