第36部分(第6/7 頁)

ts　size。

Later still； when he abruptly tried to force me to perform that vulgar act

that　even　Kipchak　women　and　concubines　who　tell　stories　at　the　public　baths

wouldn’t　do；　I　froze　in　astonishment　and　indecision。

“Don’t　furrow　your　brow；　my　dear；”　he　begged。

I stood up； pushed him away and began shouting at him without paying

the　slightest　mind　to　his　disappointment。

164

I　AM　CALLED　BLACK

Within the darkness of the house of the Hanged Jew； Shekure furrowed her

brow　and　began　raving　that　I　might　easily　stick　the　monstrosity　I　held　in　my

hands into the mouths of Circassian girls I’d met in Tiflis； Kipchak harlots；

poor brides sold at inns； Turkmen and Persian widows； mon prostitutes

whose　numbers　were　increasing　in　Istanbul；　lecherous　Mingerians；　coquettish

Abkhazians；　Armenian　shrews；　Genoese　and　Syrian　hags；　thespians　passing　as

women　and　insatiable　boys；　but　it　would　not　go　into　hers。　She　angrily　accused

me of having lost all sense of decorum and self…control by sleeping with all

manner of cheap； pathetic riffraff—from Persia to Baghdad and from the

alleyways of small hot Arabian towns to the shores of the Caspian—and of

having forgotten that some women still took pains to maintain their honor。

All　my　words　of　love；　she　charged；　were　insincere。

I respectfully listened to my beloved’s outburst； which caused the guilty

member　in　my　hand　to　fade；　and　though　I　was　thoroughly　embarrassed　by　the

situation and the rejection I was suffering； two things pleased me： 1。 that I

refrained　fr