第23部分(第7/7 頁)

“I’m　not　continuing　with　the　book　any　longer。”

“What？”　said　Butterfly　as　his　expression　changed。

“There’s　some　kind　of　ill…fortune　in　it。　Our　Sultan　has　cut　off　the　funding。

You’re　to　tell　Olive　and　Stork；　as　well。”

Perhaps he would have inquired further； but we found ourselves on the

slopes　of　the　graveyard　amid　tightly　spaced　towering　cypresses；　high　ferns　and

tombstones。　As　the　great　crowd　encircled　the　grave　site；　my　only　clue　that　the

body　was　at　that　very　moment　being　lowered　into　the　grave　was　the　increasing

intensity　of　the　weeping　and　sobbing　and　the　exclamations　of　bismillahi　and

ala　milleti　Resulullah。

“Uncover　his　face　pletely；”　someone　said。

They were removing the white shroud； and they must’ve been eye to eye

with　the　corpse　if　indeed　there　was　an　eye　remaining　in　that　smashed　head。　I

was　in　the　back　and　I　couldn’t　see　anything。　I’d　once　gazed　into　the　eyes　of

Death；　not　at　a　grave　site；　in　an　entirely　different　place…

A　memory：　Thirty　years　ago；　Our　Sultan’s　grandfather；　Denizen　of　Paradise；

decided once and for all to take