第9部分(第5/7 頁)

　literate people： A maiden who

can’t read begs you to read a love letter she’s received。 The letter is so

surprising；　exciting　and　disturbing　that　its　owner；　though　embarrassed　at　your

being　privy　to　her　most　intimate　affairs；　ashamed　and　distraught；　asks　you

all　the　same　to　read　it　once　more。　You　read　it　again。　In　the　end；　you’ve　read　the

letter　so　many　times　that　both　of　you　have　memorized　it。　Before　long；　she’ll

take　the　letter　in　her　hands　and　ask；　“Did　he　make　that　statement　there？”　and

“Did　he　say　that　here？”　As　you　point　to　the　appropriate　places；　she’ll　pore　over

those　passages；　still　unable　to　make　sense　of　the　words　there。　As　she　stares　at

the　curvy　letters　of　the　words；　sometimes　I　am　so　moved　I　forget　that　I　myself

can’t　read　or　write　and　feel　the　urge　to　embrace　those　illiterate　maidens　whose

tears　fall　to　the　page。

Then　there　are　those　truly　accursed　letter…readers；　pray；　don’t　you　turn　out

to　be　like　one　of　them：　When　the　maiden　takes　the　letter　in　her　own　hands　to

touch　it　again；　desiring　to　look　at　it　without　understanding　which　words　were

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spoken where； these beasts will say to her； “What are you trying to do？ You

can’t read； what more do you want to look at？” Some of them won’t even

return　the　letter；　treating　it　henceforth　as　if　it　belonged　to　them。　At　times；　the

task　of　accosting　them　and　retrieving　the　letter　falls　to　me；　Esther。　That’s　the

kind　of　good　woman　I　am。　If　Esther　likes　you；　she’ll　e　to　your　aid　as　well。

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I；　SHEKURE

Oh； why was I there at the window just when Black rode by on his white

steed？　Why　did　I　open　t