and had the Qur'an recited for three nights. Every Friday I visit the cemetery with fragrant herbs and fruit. Do you want me to strike my face, wail, and spread dirt on my head? Men grieve differently from women'.
She shook her head as though to say, 'You have assisted me. May God assist you'. Then with a sigh she remarked, 'Oh, the grief of men!.. But tell me, by my life, didn't the shop, apartment, and house alleviate some of the torment of your grief?'
He grumbled, 'The person was right who said, 'An ugly tongue bespeaks an ugly face.''
'Who said that?'
Smiling, he replied, 'Your mother-in-law!'
Aisha laughed. Fahmy laughed too and asked Khadija, 'Haven't relations between you improved?'
Aisha answered for her, 'Relations between the English and the Egyptians will improve before theirs do'.
Khadija for the first time spoke resentfully: 'She’s a strong-willed woman. May our Lord hold it against her. By God, I'm innocent and falsely accused'.
'We all believe you,' Yasin commented sarcastically. 'There’s no need for an oath. We'll testify to that before God on Judgment Day'.
Fahmy asked Aisha, 'How are you doing with her?'
Glancing apprehensively at Khadija, she replied, 'As well as could be hoped'.
Khadija shouted, 'Fie on your sister Aisha. She knows when to lead and when to bow her head. Fie…'
Pretending to be serious, Yasin said, 'At any rate, may God be merciful to your mother-in-law and my sincere congratulations to you'.
Khadija observed sarcastically, 'God willing, the real congratulations will soon be for you when you're escorted to your second bride. Isn't that so?'
He could not help but laugh. 'May God hear your prayer,' he said.
Aisha asked with interest, 'Really?'
He thought a little. Then he said somewhat seriously, 'The Believer does not put his hand back in the lair to be bitten a second time, but who knows what the morrow will bring? Perhaps second, third, and fourth brides'.
Khadija exclaimed, 'That’s what I expect. May God be compassionate to your grandfather'.
They all laughed, even Kamal. Then Aisha said sadly, 'Poor Zaynab! She was such a fine girl'.
She was… and also stupid, with a father as unbearable as my own. If she had been content to live with me the way I wanted, I would never have renounced her'.
'Don't admit that. Protect your honor. Don't give Khadija a chance to gloat over your misfortune'.
He said scornfully, 'She got what she deserves. Let her father brew her up and drink her down'.
Aisha muttered, 'But she’s pregnant, poor dear. Are you pleased that your child will grow up in someone else’s custody until returned to you as a boy?'
Oh, she had drawn blood. His child would grow up in the mother’s custody the way Yasin had before him. Perhaps he would suffer misery like Yasin’s or even worse. He might grow up hating his mother or father. In any case, it was miserable. Frowning, he said 'Let his fate be like his father's. There’s nothing that can be done about it'.
They were quiet for a time until Kamal asked Khadija, 'And you, sister, when will your baby come out?'
Laughing and feeling her belly, she answered, 'He’s still in his first stage'.
Studying her face, he told her innocently, 'You've really gotten thin, sister, and your face has become ugly.
They all laughed, covering their mouths with their hands. They laughed so much that Kamal felt embarrassed and confused. Khadija was unable to take offense at Kamal and was inclined to flow with the current. Laughing, she agreed: 'I confess that during this time of special cravings I have lost all the flesh that Umm Hanafi worked hard for so many years to create. I've grown thin, my nose sticks out, and my eyes are sunken. I imagine my husband’s looking everywhere in vain for the bride he married'.
They laughed again. Yasin commented, 'The truth is that your husband has been wronged. Despite his obvious stupidity, he’s good-looking. Glory to God who united a stallion and a jenny'.
Khadija pretended to ignore him. Pointing toward Aisha, she told Fahmy, 'Both her husband and mine are slow. They hardly leave the house by night or day. They have no interests or jobs. Her husband squanders his time smoking or playing the lute like those beggars who go to people’s houses at the festivals. My husband is always lying around smoking or chattering so much it makes me dizzy'.
'Aristocrats don't work,' Aisha said apologetically.
Khadija sneered. 'I beg your pardon… It’s right for you to defend that life. The truth is that God never united two such identical people as when he united the two of you. When it comes to laziness, mildness, and indolence you're the same person. Mr. Fahmy, by the Prophet, her husband spends the whole day smoking and playing music while she adorns herself and flits back and forth in front of the mirror'.
Yasin inquired, 'Why not, so long as what she sees in the mirror is pretty?' Before Khadija could open her mouth, he quickly asked, 'Tell me, sister, what will you do if your child looks like you?'
She was fed up with his attacks and answered him seriously, 'With God’s permission he will resemble his father, grandfather, grandmother, or aunt… If…' She laughed. 'If he insists on resembling his mother, then he'll deserve to be banished even more than Sa'd Pasha'.
With the tone of a man of experience, Kamal told her, 'The English don't care about beauty, sister. They like my head and nose a lot'.
Khadija struck her breast with her hand and cried out, 'They claim to be your friends when all the time they're making fun of you… May our Lord send another zeppelin after them'.
Aisha cast a tender look at Fahmy and said, 'How your prayer would please some people'.
Fahmy smiled and muttered, 'How can I be happy when they have gullible friends in our house?'
'What a pity your influence has failed with the boy'.
'Some people aren't helped by good influences'.
Kamal protested, 'Didn't I ask Julian to bring back Sa'd Pasha?'
Khadija laughed and said, 'Next time have him swear by that head of yours he likes so much'.
More than once Fahmy had felt they were trying to draw him into the conversation and distract him every chance they got, although that did nothing to dissipate his feeling of alienation, which for a long time had come between him and his family whenever he was with them. He would feel alienated or alone no matter how crowded the coffee hour was. He would withdraw into his heart, grief, and zeal when surrounded by giddy, laughing people. When they could, they even made a joke out of Sa'd’s banishment.
He glanced stealthily at each of them in succession and found they were all happy. Aisha was flourishing, although a little tired because of the pregnancy. She was happy about everything, even her fatigue. Khadija was bouncy and quick to laugh. Yasin’s health was outstanding, and he looked blissful. Who among them cared what was happening nowadays? Who among them was concerned whether Sa'd was in Egypt or in exile and whether the English left or stayed? He felt like a stranger or at least estranged from these people. Although this feeling was usually blunted by his magnanimous spirit, now he felt angry and resentful, perhaps because of what he had been going through over the past few days. He had frequently expected to hear that Maryam was getting married. He had been concerned and troubled about that, even though he had already resigned himself to it in despair. As time passed he had almost accepted the idea. Even his love had retreated from center stage in his emotions while he was distracted by weighty concerns. But the incident with Julian had been like an earthquake. What was the meaning of her flirtation with an Englishman she could not hope to marry? Would anyone but a shameless woman do such a thing? Was Maryam a shameless woman? What had happened to the object of his dreams?
The first chance he had had to be alone with Kamal he had asked his little brother to tell the story again, insisting on all the details. How had he observed what took place? Where was the soldier standing? Where was Kamal standing? Was he certain that it was Maryam herself who was in the little window? Was she really looking at the soldier? Did he see her smile at the man? Where…? Was…? Did…? Clenching his teeth as though trying to crush the distress that was tormenting him, Fahmy had asked, 'Did she act scared and leave when she saw you?'
Afterward Fahmy had visualized the whole episode, gesture by gesture and scene by scene. He imagined her smile at length until he could almost see her lips parting, the way he had seen them the day of Aisha’s wedding when the girl was following along after the bride in the courtyard of the Shawkat family residence.
'It seems Mama won't join us today,' Aisha said sadly.
Khadija commented, 'The house is full of visitors'.
