'Just as you wish,' she muttered, looking at him in a stern and challenging fashion.
He stepped from the taxi, very pleased with himself. She followed boldly with apparent indifference and stood examining the building while he paid the driver. Her thoughts recalled the alley she had just left, and she felt amazed at the unexpected adventure that brought her to this massive building. Who would ever believe it? What would Radwan Hussainy say, for example, if he were to see her entering this apartment block? A smile played over her lips, and she had a strange feeling that today was certain to be the happiest one in her whole life.
The man hurried to take her by the arm and they entered the building together. They walked up a wide staircase to the second floor and turned into a long corridor until they stopped at the door of an apartment on the right. The man drew out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, saying to himself, 'I've saved at least another day or two!' He pushed the door open wide for her and she went in, while he followed, locking the door behind them. She found herself in a long hall with rooms leading off on both sides and lit by a strong electric light. The apartment was not empty, for besides the light that was on when they entered she could hear sounds from behind one of the closed doors; people were talking, shrieking, and singing inside.
Ibrahim Faraj went to the door opposite the entrance, pushed it open, and asked her to come in. She found herself in a medium-sized room furnished with leather-covered couches somewhere between armchairs and sofas in shape. In the middle was an embroidered rug. Facing the door inside the room a mirror stretched to the ceiling above a long table with gold-painted legs. He was delighted to see the look of amazement in the girl's eyes and he now spoke to her gently: 'Do take off your cloak and sit down.'
She chose a chair and, without taking off her cloak, leaned back enjoying the comfortable cushions. In a tone of warning, she murmured, 'I must not be too late…'
He went to an elegant table in the middle of the room on which a thermos flask stood and poured iced lemonade into two cups. He handed one to her, saying, 'Oh, the taxi will take you back in a couple of minutes.'
They both drank and he then put the cups back on the table. While he was doing this Hamida gazed at him closely. She appraised his tall, slim body, and her eyes rested for a long time on his hands, noting with astonishment how beautiful they were. They were delicate and graceful; the long fingers gave an impression of strength as well as beauty. They had a strange effect on her, giving her a sensation she had never before experienced. He stood looking down at her, smiling gently as though trying to give her reassurance and courage. The fact was, however, that she felt no trace of fear, although her nerves were tingling with anticipation, apprehension, and excitement. She remembered the voices she heard when they entered the apartment and she was amazed that she had forgotten them till now. She asked, 'What's all that noise in the apartment?'
Still standing facing her, he replied, 'Oh, some of the family. You will get to know them at the appropriate time. Why don't you take off your cloak.'
When he had invited her to his home, she thought he lived alone, and she was surprised that he brought her to a house with people in it. She ignored his last question and sat looking up at him calmly and challengingly. He did not repeat his request but came closer until his shoes touched her slippers. Then he leaned forward toward her, stretched out his hand to hers, gripped it, and pulled her gently, saying, 'Come, let's sit on the sofa.'
She obeyed, and they moved to sit side by side on a large sofa. All this time Hamida fought an inward battle for the attraction she felt for this man whom she loved in the face of the hostility she felt for his thinking he could make fun of her. He moved slowly toward her until he was touching her. Then he put his arms around her waist, and she submissively permitted this, not knowing when to start resisting him. He moved his right hand up to her chin and raised her mouth toward him, searching for it slowly and carefully with his own, as though he was thirsty, drawing water from a stream. Their lips met and they remained close together a long time, lost in a dream of love. He tried hard to summon all his strength and passion to his lips to accomplish what he wished. She was in a state of intoxication, though still alert and on her guard. She felt one of his hands leave her waist and travel up to her shoulder, lifting off her cloak. Her heart beat wildly and she drew her head away from him to replace the cloak in one nervous movement. She said harshly, 'Oh no…'
He looked at her in amazement to find her staring back with an expression of stubborn and defiant determination on her face. He smiled sheepishly, saying to himself, 'Just as I thought, a difficult one. No, a very difficult one.' He spoke quietly to her: 'Please, don't be angry with me, my darling. I forgot myself.'
She turned her head away to hide her smile of triumph. However, the smile did not last long, for just then her eyes fell on her hands and she immediately noticed the immense contrast between his delicate hands and her own coarse ones. She felt overcome with shame. Finally, she said to him viciously, 'Why did you bring me here? This whole business is absurd!'
'This is the most wonderful thing I have ever done in my life,' he insisted forcibly. 'Why should you feel strange in my house? Is it not your house too?'
He gazed at her hair which could be seen under her cloak and, drawing his head close, kissed it, saying, 'Oh God, how beautiful your hair is. It's the loveliest hair I have ever seen.'
He said this sincerely, despite the smell of kerosene that filled his nose. His compliment delighted her, but she asked, 'How long will we stay here?'
'Until we know one another. Surely there must be many things we have to say to one another. Are you afraid? Impossible! I can see you aren't afraid of anything.'
This pleased her so much she could have kissed him. He had been watching her closely and, having seen how his remark delighted her, said to himself, 'Now I understand you, you tigress.' He spoke out loud, his voice full of emotion: 'My heart has chosen you and my heart never lies. Nothing can separate two people brought together by love. You are mine and I am yours.'
He drew his face toward her as though in supplication, and she bent her neck toward him. They met in a violent kiss. He could feel the magical pressure of her lips pressing upon his so hard that they were almost crushed. He whispered in her ear, 'My darling… my darling…'
She sighed deeply and then turned away to regain her breath. He continued politely 'in a near-whisper: 'This is where you belong. This is your home. No' — he pointed to his chest — 'this is where you belong.'
She laughed shortly and said, 'You are reminding me that I must now go home.'
He had, in fact, been following a planned course and he now said in disbelief, 'Which home? That house in the alley! What is there that so pleases you about that alley? Why are you going back there?'
'How can you ask me that?' she asked, laughing. 'Isn't my home where my family is?'
'That's not your home nor is it your family,' he insisted scornfully. 'You are made of different stuff, my beloved. Why, it's nothing less than sinful for a lively, healthy, blooming body to live in a graveyard of decaying bones. Didn't you see all the beautiful women strolling along in their fine clothes? You are more beautiful and enchanting than any of them, so why shouldn't you strut about like them, wearing fine clothes and jewelry? God has sent me to you to restore your precious jewel of a self, your stolen rights. That's why I say this is your house.' His words played on her heart like the strings of a violin. Her mind had become almost numb, her eyelids half closed, and a dreamy look came into her eyes. However, she was still capable of asking herself what he meant. All this her heart yearned for, but how to achieve these hopes and dreams? Why didn't he explain what he wanted and what his intentions were? He was certainly expressing all her hopes, dreams, and desires as if she had stated them herself. His words revealed to her what had been obscure and hidden, giving form to it all, so that she could almost see everyting she desired before her eyes. There was only one thing he did not mention, or even hint at, for that matter. She fixed her bold, beautiful eyes on him and asked, 'What exactly do you mean?'
The man realized he was now entering a difficult phase of his planned course. He gazed at her in a seductive and charming manner and said, 'I mean that you should stay in a house more suitable for you and that you should enjoy the finest things life has to offer.'
'I don't understand,' she said, laughing, in a state of bewildered confusion.
He gently smoothed her hair, taking refuge in silence while he collected his thoughts. Then he said, 'Perhaps you are wondering how I can possibly want you to stay in my house. Let me ask you, in my turn, why you should go back to the alley. To wait, like all those other poor girls until one of the wretched alley men is kind enough to marry you, to enjoy your beauty in its bloom and your glorious youth and then cast you out in the garbage can? I know I'm not talking to one of those empty-headed girls. I know for sure that you are a very rare girl indeed. Your beauty is exquisite, but it is only one of your many gifts. You are daring personified. When someone like you wants something, you just have to say, 'So be it,' and so it is.'
Her color faded and the lines of her face were set. Angry now, she said, 'This is just flirting and you should
