第48部分(第5/7 頁)

“I grant the divorce。 And I rule that her husband no longer has any

superceding　rights　should　he　return。”

The subsequent illustration； that is； the fourth； ought to depict the proxy

recording the divorce in the ledger； unleashing obedient armies of black…ink

letters；　before　presenting　me　with　the　document　declaring　that　my　Shekure　is

now　a　widow　and　there　is　no　obstacle　to　her　immediate　remarriage。　Neither

by　painting　the　walls　of　the　courtroom　red；　nor　by　situating　the　picture　within

bloodred borders could the blissful inner radiance I felt at that moment be

expressed。　Running　back　through　the　crowd　of　false　witnesses　and　other　men

gathering　before　the　judge’s　door　seeking　divorces　for　their　sisters；　daughters

or　even　aunts；　I　set　out　on　my　return　journey。

After I crossed the Bosphorus and headed directly to the Yakutlar

neighborhood；　I　dismissed　both　the　considerate　Imam　Effendi；　who　wanted　to

perform　the　marriage　ceremony；　and　his　brother。　Since　I　suspected　everyone　I

saw　on　the　street　of　hatching　some　mischief　out　of　jealousy　over　the　incredible

happiness I was on the verge of attaining； I ran straight to Shekure’s street。

How　had　the　ominous　crows　divined　the　presence　of　a　body　in　the　house　and

taken　to　hopping　around　excitedly　on　the　terra…cotta　shingles？　I　was　overe

by guilt because I hadn’t been able to grieve for my Enishte or even shed a

single tear； even so； I knew from the tightly closed shutters and door of the

house；　from　the　silence；　and　even　from　the　look　of　the　pomegranate　tree　that

everything　was　proce