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第103章

my name is red-我的名字叫红-第103章

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and brave young men so you can spread out your bundle and sell them some 
flowery handkerchiefs; silk sashes and purses with silver embroidery for their 
secret lovers。” 
It was a good sign that Black could still make jokes in his pitiable state; but I 
could  fathom  the  seriousness  behind  his  mirth。  “If  you’re  going  to  gather  a 
posse; I’ll never take you to Hasan’s house;” I said。 “I’m frightened to death of 
fights and brawls。” 
“If you continue to be the intelligent Esther you’ve always been;” he said; 
“there’ll be neither fight nor brawl。” 
We  passed  through  Aksaray  and  entered  the  road  heading  back;  straight 
toward  the  Langa  gardens。  On  the  upper  part  of  the  muddy  road;  in  a 
neighborhood that had seen happier days; Black walked into a barbershop that 
was  still  open。  I  saw  him  talking  to  the  master  barber  being  shaved  by  an 
honest…looking boy with lovely hands by the light of an oil lamp。 Before long; 
the barber; his handsome apprentice; and later; two more of his men joined up 
with  us  at  Aksaray。  They  carried  swords  and  axes。  At  a  side  street  in 
Shehzadebash?; a theology student; whom I couldn’t picture involved in such 
rough affairs; joined us in the darkness; sword in hand。 
“Do  you  plan  on  raiding  a  house  in  the  middle  of  the  city  in  broad 
daylight?” I said。 
“It’s not day; it’s night;” said Black in a tone more pleased than joking。 
370 
 
“Don’t  be  so  confident  just  because  you’ve  put  together  a  gang;”  I  said。 
“Let’s hope the Janissaries don’t catch sight of this fully equipped little army 
wandering around。” 
“No one will catch sight of us。” 
“Yesterday the Erzurumis first raided a tavern and then the dervish house 
at Sa??rkap?; beating up everyone they found in both places。 An elderly man 
who  took  a  blow  to  his  head  with  a  stick  died。  In  this  pitch  blackness;  they 
might think you’re of their lot。” 
“I hear you went to dearly departed Elegant Effendi’s house; saw his wife; 
God bless her; and the horse sketches with the smeared ink before relaying it 
all  to  Shekure。  Had  Elegant  Effendi  been  spending  a  lot  of  time  with  the 
henchmen of the preacher from Erzurum?” 
“If I sounded out Elegant Effendi’s wife; it was because I thought it might 
ultimately help my poor Shekure;” I said。 “Anyway; I’d gone there to show her 
the latest cloth which had e off the Flemish ship; not to involve myself in 
your  legal  and  political  affairs—which  my  poor  brain  couldn’t  fathom 
anyway。” 
As  we  entered  the  street;  which  ran  behind  Charsh?kap?;  my  heart 
quickened with fear。 The bare; wet branches of the chestnut and mulberry trees 
glimmered in the pale light of the half…moon。 A breeze kicked up by jinns and 
the  living  dead  rippled  the  laced  edging  of  my  satchel;  whistled  through  the 
trees and carried the scent of our group to neighborhood dogs lying in wait。 As 
they began to bark one by one; I pointed out the house to Black。 We stared 
quietly at its dark roof and shutters。 Black had the men take positions around 
the  house:  in  the  empty  garden;  on  either  side  of  the  courtyard  gate  and 
behind the fig trees in back。 
“In that entryway over there is a vile Tatar beggar;” I said。 “He’s blind; but 
he’ll   know   who’s   e   and   gone   along   this   street   better   than   the 
neighborhood headman does。 He continually plays with himself as if he were 
one of the Sultan’s vulgar monkeys。 Without letting your hand touch his; give 
him eight or ten silver pieces and he’ll tell you everything he knows。” 
From  a  distance;  I  watched  Black  hand  over  the  coins;  then  lay  his  sword 
against  the  throat  of  the  beggar  and  begin  to  pressure  him  with  questions。 
Next; I’m not sure how it happened; the barber’s apprentice; who I thought 
was simply watching the house; began to beat the Tatar with the butt of his 
axe。 I watched for a while; thinking it wouldn’t last; but the Tatar was wailing。 
I ran over and pulled the beggar away before they killed him。 
371 
 
“He cursed my mother;” said the apprentice。 
“He says that Hasan isn’t home;” Black said。 “Can we trust what this blind 
man says?” He handed me a note that he’d quickly written。 “Take this; bring it 
to the house; give it to Hasan; and if he’s not there; give it to his father;” he 
said。 
“Haven’t you written anything for Shekure?” I asked as I took the note。 
“If I send her a separate note; it’ll incite the men of the house even more;” 
Black said。 “Tell her I’ve found her father’s vile murderer。” 
“Is this true?” 
“Just tell her。” 
Chastising  the  Tatar;  who  was  still  crying  and  plaining;  I  quieted  him 
down。 “Don’t forget what I’ve done for you;” I said; ing to the realization 
that I’d drawn out the incident so I wouldn’t have to leave。 
Why had I stuck my nose into this affair? Two years ago in the Edirne Gate 
neighborhood  they’d  killed  a  clothes  peddlar—after  cutting  off  her  ears—
because  the  maiden  she’d  promised  to  one  man  married  another。  My 
grandmother used to tell me that Turks would often kill a man for no reason。 I 
longed to be with my dearest Nesim; at home having lentil soup。 Even though 
my feet resisted; I thought about how Shekure would be there; and walked to 
the house。 Curiosity was eating at me。 
“Clothierrr! I have new Chinese silks for holiday outfits。” 
I  sensed  the  orangish  light  filtering  out  between  the  shutters  move。  The 
door  opened。  Hasan’s  polite  father  invited  me  inside。  The  house  was  warm; 
like  the  houses  of  the  rich。  When  Shekure;  who  was  seated  at  a  low  dining 
table with her boys saw me; she rose to her feet。 
“Shekure;” I said; “your husband’s here。” 
“Which one?” 
“The  newer;”  I  said。  “He’s  surrounded  the  house  with  his  band  of  armed 
men。 They’re prepared to fight Hasan。” 
“Hasan isn’t here;” said the polite father…in…law。 
“How fortunate。 Take a look at this;” I said; giving him Black’s note like a 
proud ambassador of the Sultan executing His merciless will。 
As the gentlemanly father…in…law read the note; Shekure said; “Esther; e 
and let me pour you a bowl of lentil soup to warm you up。” 
372 
 
“I don’t like lentil soup;” I said at first。 I didn’t like the way she spoke as if 
she were mistress of the house。 But when I understood that she wanted to be 
alone with me; I grabbed the spoon and rushed after her。 
“Tell  Black  that  it’s  all  because  of  Shevket;”  she  whispered。  “Last  night  I 
waited  all  night  alone  with  Orhan  deathly  afraid  of  the  murderer。  Orhan 
trembled  with  fright  until  morning。  My  children  had  been  separated!  What 
kind of mother could remain apart from her child? When Black failed to e 
back;  they  told  me  that  Our  Sultan’s  torturers  had  made  him  talk  and  that 
he’d a hand in my father’s death。” 
“Wasn’t Black with you when your father was being killed?” 
“Esther;” she said; opening her beautiful black eyes wide; “I beg of you; help 
me。” 
“Then tell me why you’ve e back here so I might understand and help。” 
“Do  you  think  I  know  why  I’ve  returned?”  she  said。  She  seemed  on  the 
verge of tears。 “Black was rough with my poor Shevket;” she said。 “And when 
Hasan said that the children’s real father had returned; I believed him。” 
But I could tell from her eyes that she was lying; and she knew I could tell。 
“I was duped by Hasan!” she whispered; and I sensed that she wanted me to 
infer  from  this  that  she  loved  Hasan。  But  did  Shekure  realize  that  she  was 
thinking more and more about Hasan because she had married Black? 
The door opened and Hayriye entered carrying freshly baked bread whose 
aroma  was  irresistible。  When  she  caught  sight  of  me;  I  could  tell  from  her 
expression  of  displeasure  that  after  the  death  of  Enishte  Effendi;  the  poor 
thing—she couldn’t be sold; couldn’t be dismissed—had bee a legacy of 
misery for Shekure。 The scent of fresh bread filled the room; and I understood 
the truth of the matter as Shekure faced the children: Whether it be their real 
father; Hasan or Black; her problem wasn’t finding a husband she could love; 
her challenge was to find a father who would love these boys; both of whom 
were  wide…eyed  with  fear。  Shekure  was  ready;  with  the  best  of  intentions;  to 
love any good husband。 
“You’re  seeking  what  you  want  with  your  heart;”  I  said  unthinkingly; 
“whereas you need to be making decisions with your mind。” 
“I’m prepared to go back to Black immediately with the children;” she said; 
“but  I  have  certain  conditions!”  She  fell  quiet。  “He  must  treat  Shevket  and 
Orhan y reasons for ing here。 Above all; he 
must  abide  by  our  original  conditions  of  marriage—he’ll  know  what  I’m 
373 
 
talking  about。  He  left  me  all  alone  to  fend  for  myself  last  night  against 
murderers; thieves and Ha

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