The driver had gotten out of the car and stood there half blinded by the glare of the accusations leveled at him. He protested, 'She suddenly swerved off the sidewalk. I couldn't keep from hitting her. I quickly put on my brakes, so I just grazed her. But for the grace of God I would have run her down'.
One of the men staring at her said, 'She’s still breathing… She’s just unconscious'.
Seeing a policeman approaching, with the sword he carried on his left side swinging back and forth, the driver began speaking again: 'It was only a little bump… It couldn't have done anything to her… She’s fine… fine, everybody, by God'.
The first man to examine her stood up straight and as though delivering a sermon said, 'Get back. Let her have air… She’s opened her eyes. She’s all right… fine, praise God'. He spoke with a joy not devoid of pride, as though he was the one who had brought her back to life. Then he turned to Kamal, who was weeping so hysterically that the consolation of the bystanders had been without effect. He patted Kamal on the cheek sympathetically and told him, 'That’s enough, son… Your mother’s fine… Look… Come help me get her to her feet'.
Even so, Kamal did not stop crying until he saw his mother move. He bent toward her and put her left hand on his shoulder. He helped the man lift her up. With great difficulty she was able to stand between them, exhausted and faint. Her wrap had fallen off her and some people helped put it back in place as best they could, wrapping it around her shoulders. Then the pastry merchant, in front of whose store the accident had taken place, brought her a chair. They helped her sit down, and he brought a glass of water. She swallowed some, but half of it spilled down her neck and chest. She wiped off her chest with a reflex motion and groaned. She was breathing with difficulty and looked in bewilderment at the faces staring at her. She asked, 'What happened?… What happened?… Oh Lord, why are you crying, Kamal?'
At that point the policeman came forward. He asked her, 'Are you injured, lady? Can you walk to the police station?'
The words 'police station' came as a blow to her and shook her to the core. She shouted in alarm, 'Why should I go to the police station? I'll never go there'.
The policeman replied, 'The car hit you and knocked you down. If you're injured, you and the driver must go to the police station to fill out a report'.
Gasping for breath, she protested, 'No… certainly not. I won't go… I'm fine'.
The policeman told her, 'Prove it to me. Get up and walk so we can see if you're injured'.
Driven by the alarm that the mention of the police station aroused in her, she got up at once. Surrounded by inquisitive eyes, she adjusted her wrap and began to walk. Kamal was by her side, brushing away the dust that clung to her. Hoping this painful situation would come to an end, no matter what it cost her, she told the policeman, 'I'm fine'. Then she gestured toward the driver and continued: 'Let him go… There’s nothing the matter with me'. She was so afraid that she no longer felt faint. The sight of the men staring at her horrified her, especially the policeman, who was in front of the others. She trembled from the impact of these looks directed at her from everywhere. They were a clear challenge and affront to a long life spent in seclusion and concealment from strangers. She imagined she saw the image of al-Sayyid Ahmad rising above all the other men. He seemed to be studying her face with cold, stony eyes, threatening her with more evil than she could bear to imagine.
She lost no time in grabbing the boy’s hand and heading off with him toward the Goldsmiths Bazaar. No one tried to stop her. No sooner had they turned the corner and escaped from sight than she moaned. Speaking to Kamal as though addressing herself, she said, 'My Lord, how did this happen? What have I seen, Kamal? It was like a terrifying dream. I imagined I was falling into a dark pit from high up. The earth was revolving under my feet. Then I didn't know anything at all until I opened my eyes on that frightening scene. My Lord… did he really want to take me to the police station? O Gracious One, O Lord… my Savior, my Lord. How soon will we reach home? You cried a lot, Kamal. May you never lose your eyes. Dry your eyes with this handkerchief. You can wash your face at home… Oh'.
She stopped when they were almost at the end of the Goldsmiths Bazaar. She rested her hand on the boy’s shoulder. Her face was contorted.
Kamal looked up with alarm and asked her, 'What’s the matter?' She closed her eyes and said in a weak voice, 'I'm tired, very tired. My feet can barely support me. Get the first vehicle you can find, Kamal'.
Kamal looked around. All he could see was a donkey cart standing by the doorway of the ancient hospital of Qala'un. He summoned the driver, who quickly brought the cart to them. Leaning on Kamal’s shoulder, the mother made her way to it. She clambered on board with his help, supporting herself on the driver’s shoulder. He held steady until she was seated cross-legged in the cart. She sighed from her extreme exhaustion and Kamal sat down beside her. Then the driver leaped onto the front of the cart and prodded the donkey with the handle of his whip. The donkey walked off slowly, with the cart swaying and clattering behind him.
The woman moaned. She complained, 'My pain’s severe. The bones of my shoulder must be smashed'. Meanwhile Kamal watched her with alarm and anxiety.
The vehicle passed by al-Sayyid Ahmad’s store without either of them paying any attention. Kamal watched the road ahead until he saw the latticed balconies of their house. All he could remember of the happy expedition was its miserable conclusion.
28
When Umm Hanafi opened the door she was startled to see her mistress sitting cross-legged on a donkey cart. Her first thought was that Mrs. Amina had decided to conclude her excursion with a cart ride just for the fun of it. So she smiled but only briefly, for she saw that Kamal’s eyes were red from crying. She looked back at her mistress with alarm. This time she was able to fathom the exhaustion and pain the lady was suffering. She moaned and rushed to the cart, crying out, 'My lady, what’s the matter? May evil stay far away from you'.
The driver replied, 'God willing, it’s nothing serious. Help me get her down'.
Umm Hanafi grasped the woman in her arms and carried her inside. Kamal followed them, sad and dejected. Khadija and Aisha had left the kitchen to wait for them in the courtyard, thinking about some joke they could make when the two returned from their excursion. They were terribly surprised when Umm Hanafi appeared, struggling to carry their mother in from the outer hall. They both screamed and ran to her. Terrified, they were shouting, 'Mother… Mother… what’s wrong?'
They all helped carry her. At the same time Khadija kept asking Kamal what had happened. Finally the boy was forced to mutter with profound fear, 'A car!'
'A car!'
The two girls shouted it together, repeating the word, which sounded incredibly alarming to them. Khadija wailed and screamed, 'What terrible news!.. May evil stay far away from you, Mother'.
Aisha could not speak. She burst into tears. Their mother was not unconscious but extremely weak. Despite her fatigue she whispered to calm them, 'I'm all right. No harm’s done. I'm just tired'.
The clamor reached Yasin and Fahmy. They came to the head of the stairs and looked down over the railing. Alarmed, they immediately hurried down, asking what had happened. From fear of repeating the dreadful word, Khadija gestured to Kamal to answer for himself. The two young men went over to the boy, who once again muttered sadly and anxiously, 'A car!'
Then he started sobbing. The young men turned away from him, postponing for a time the questions that were troubling them. Together they carried the mother to the girls' room and sat her down on the sofa. Then Fahmy asked her anxiously and fearfully, 'Tell me what’s the matter, Mother. I want to know everything'.
She leaned her head back and did not say anything while she tried to catch her breath. Meanwhile Khadija, Aisha, Umm Hanafi, and Kamal were weeping so loudly that they got on Fahmy’s nerves. He scolded them till they stopped. Then he caught hold of Kamal to ask, 'How did the accident come about? What did the people there do to the driver? Did they take you to the police station?' Without any hesitation Kamal answered his questions in full, giving most of the details.
The mother followed the conversation, despite her feeble condition. When the boy finished, she summoned all the strength she had and said, 'I'm fine, Fahmy. Don't alarm yourself. They wanted me to go to the police station, but I refused. Then I came along as far as the end of the Goldsmiths Bazaar, where my strength suddenly gave out. Don't be upset. I'll get my strength back with a little rest'.
