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第61章

my name is red-我的名字叫红-第61章

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bride’s  tinsel  and  red  veil;  far  from  being  saddened  by  all  these  pitiful 
shortings;  she  seemed  heartened  to  know  that  we’d  concluded  our 
procession  and  our  journey  with  neither  accident  nor  mishap。  So;  like  all 
grooms;  I  lowered  my  beautiful  bride;  whom  I  would  shortly  wed;  from  her 
horse; took her by the arm; and handful by handful; slowly emptied a bag of 
silver coins over her head before the gleeful crowd。 While the children who’d 
followed  behind  our  meager  parade  scrambled  for  the  coins;  Shekure  and  I 
entered  the  courtyard  and  crossed  the  stone  walkway;  and  as  soon  as  we 
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entered the house; we were struck not only by the heat; but the horror of the 
heavy smell of decay。 
While the throng from the procession was making itself fortable in the 
house;  Shekure  and  the  crowd  of  elders;  women  and  children  (Orhan  was 
glaring  suspiciously  at  me  from  the  corner)  carried  on  as  if  nothing  were 
amiss;  and  momentarily  I  doubted  my  senses;  but  I  knew  how  corpses  left 
under the sun after battle; their clothes tattered; boots and belts stolen; and 
their  faces;  their  eyes  and  lips  ravaged  by  wolves  and  birds  smelled。  It  was  a 
stench that had so often filled my mouth and lungs to the point of suffocation 
that I could not mistake it。 
Downstairs  in  the  kitchen;  I  asked  Hayriye  about  Enishte  Effendi’s  body; 
aware that I was speaking to her for the first time as master of the house。 
“As  you  asked;  we  laid  out  his  mattress;  dressed  him  in  his  nightclothes; 
dre and placed bottles of syrup beside him。 If he’s giving 
off an unpleasant smell; it’s probably due to the heat from the brazier in the 
room;” the woman said through tears。 
One or two of her tears fell; sizzling into the pot she was using to fry the 
mutton。  From  the  way  she  was  crying;  I  supposed  that  Enishte  Effendi  had 
been  taking  her  into  his  bed  at  night。  Esther;  who  was  quietly  and  proudly 
sitting in a corner of the kitchen; swallowed what she was chewing and stood。 
“Make  her  happiness  your  foremost  concern;”  she  said。  “Recognize  her 
worth。” 
In  my  thoughts  I  heard  the  lute  I’d  heard  on  the  street  the  first  day  I’d 
e to Istanbul。 More than sadness; there was vigor in its melody。 I heard the 
melody of that music again later; in the half…darkened room where my Enishte 
lay in his white nightgown; as the Imam Effendi married us。 
Because  Hayriye  had  furtively  aired  out  the  room  beforehand  and  placed 
the oil lamp in a corner so its light was dimmed; one could scarcely tell that 
my Enishte was sick let alone dead。 Thus; he served as Shekure’s legal guardian 
during  the  ceremony。  My  friend  the  barber;  along  with  a  know…it…all 
neighborhood elder; served as witnesses。 Before the ceremony ended with the 
hopeful  blessings  and  advice  of  the  preacher  and  the  prayers  of  all  in 
attendance; a nosy old man; concerned about the state of my Enishte’s health; 
was about to lower his skeptical head toward the deceased; but as soon as the 
preacher pleted the ceremony; I leapt from my spot; grabbed my Enishte’s 
rigid hand and shouted at the top of my voice: 
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“Put your worries to rest; my sir; my dear Enishte。 I’ll do everything within 
my power to care for Shekure and her children; to see they’re well clothed and 
well fed; loved and untroubled。” 
Next;  to  suggest  that  my  Enishte  was  trying  to  whisper  to  me  from  his 
sickbed; I carefully and respectfully pressed my ear to his mouth; pretending to 
listen  to  him  intently  and  wide…eyed;  as  young  men  do  when  an  elder  they 
respect  offers  one  or  two  words  of  advice  distilled  from  an  entire  lifetime; 
which  they  then  imbibe  like  some  magic  elixir。  The  Imam  Effendi  and  the 
neighborhood  elder  appeared  to  appreciate  and  approve  of  the  loyalty  and 
eternal devotion I showed my father…in…law。 I hope that nobody still thinks I 
had a hand in his murder。 
I announced to the wedding guests still in the room that the afflicted man 
wished  to  be  left  alone。  They  abruptly  began  to  leave;  passing  into  the  next 
room where the men had gathered to feast on Hayriye’s pilaf and mutton (at 
this point I could scarcely distinguish the smell of the corpse from the aroma 
of thyme; cumin and frying lamb)。 I stepped into the wide hallway; and like 
some  morose  patriarch  roaming  absentmindedly  and  wistfully  through  his 
own  house;  I  opened  the  door  to  Hayriye’s  room;  paying  no  mind  to  the 
women who were horrified to have a man in their midst; and gazing sweetly at 
Shekure; whose eyes beamed with bliss to see me; said: 
“Your father’s calling for you; Shekure。 We’re married now; you’re to kiss 
his hand。” 
The  handful  of  neighborhood  women  to  whom  Shekure  had  sent  last…
minute invitations and the young maidens I assumed were relatives motioned 
to  collect  themselves  and  cover  their  faces;  all  the  while  scrutinizing  me  to 
their heart’s content。 
Not  long  after  the  evening  call  to  prayer  the  wedding  guests  dispersed; 
having heartily partaken of the walnuts; almonds; dried fruit leather; fits 
and clove candy。 In the women’s quarters; Shekure’s incessant crying and the 
bickering of the unruly children had dampened the festivity。 Among the men; 
my stony…faced silence in response to the mirthful wedding…night gibes of the 
neighbors was attributed to my preoccupation with my father…in…law’s illness。 
Amid all the distress; the scene most clearly ingrained in my memory was my 
leading Shekure to Enishte’s room before dinner。 We were alone at last。 After 
both of us kissed the dead man’s cold and rigid hand with sincere respect; we 
withdrew to a dark corner of the room and kissed each other as if slaking a 
great thirst。 Upon my wife’s fiery tongue; which I’d successfully taken into my 
mouth; I could taste the hard candies that the children greedily ate。 
224 
 
I; SHEKURE 
 
The last guests of our woeful wedding veiled and covered themselves; put on 
their shoes; dragged off their children; who were tossing a last piece of candy 
into  their  mouths;  and  left  us  to  a  perating  silence。  We  were  all  in  the 
courtyard;  nothing  could  be  heard  but  the  faint  noise  of  a  sparrow  gingerly 
drinking water from the half…filled well bucket。 This sparrow; whose tiny head 
feathers gleamed in the light of the stone hearth; abruptly vanished into the 
blackness;  and  I  felt  the  insistent  presence  of  the  corpse  in  my  father’s  bed 
within our emptied house; now swallowed by night。 
“Children;” I said in the cadence Orhan and Shevket recognized as the one I 
used to announce something; “e here; the both of you。” 
They did so。 
“Black is now your father。 Let’s see you kiss his hand。” 
They did so; quietly and docilely。 “Since they’ve grown up without a father; 
my unfortunate children know nothing of obeying one; of heeding his words 
while looking into his eyes; or of trusting in him;” I said to Black。 “Thus; if they 
behave  disrespectfully;  wildly;  immaturely  or  childishly  toward  you;  I  know 
that  you’ll  show  them  tolerance  at  first;  understanding  that  they’ve  been 
raised  without  ever  once  obeying  their  father;  whom  they  do  not  even 
remember。” 
“I remember my father;” said Shevket。 
“Hush…and listen;” I said。 “From now on Black’s word carries more weight 
than even my own。” I faced Black。 “If they refuse to listen to you; if they are 
disobedient  or  show  even  the  slightest  sign  of  being  rude;  spoiled  or  ill…
mannered; first warn them; but forgive them;” I said; forgoing the mention of 
beatings that was on the tip of my tongue。 “Whatever space I occupy in your 
heart; they shall share that space; too。” 
“I didn’t marry you solely to be your husband;” said Black; “but also to be 
father to these dear boys。” 
“Did you two hear that?” 
“Oh my Lord; I pray you never neglect to shine your light down upon us;” 
Hayriye  interjected  from  a  corner。  “My  dear  God;  I  pray  you  protect  us;  my 
Lord。” 
225 
 
“You  two  did  hear;  didn’t  you?”  I  said。  “Good  for  you;  my  pretty  young 
men。  Since  your  father  loves  you  like  this;  should  you  suddenly  lose  control 
and disregard his words; he will have forgiven you for it beforehand。” 
“And I’ll forgive them afterward; as well;” said Black。 
“However;  if  you  two  defy  his  warning  a  third  time…then;  you’ll  have 
earned the right to a beating;” I said。 “Are we understood? Your new father; 
Black; has e here from the vilest; the worst of battles; from wars that were 
the  very  wrath  of  God  and  from  which  your  late  father  did  not  return;  yes; 
he’s a hardened man。 Your grandfather has spoiled you and indulged you。 Your 
grandfather is now very ill。” 
“I want to go and be with him;” Shevket said。 
“If you’re not going to listen; Black will 

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