He realized that he needed to go too. Part of his pain was no doubt
related to his swollen bladder. Thinking about it seemed to make it
much worse, and the pressure of his bladder was intense. "Me too,"
he said.
"What can we do?"
"There's no solution at hand."
"Look over there at that monkey pissing in front of All al-Zaiiai's
store "
"Oh "
"Getting a little urine out of my body's more important to me now
than getting the English out of Egypt."
PALACE. WALK
,'Get the English out of all of Egypt? Let them get out of alqahhsin
to begin with."
"0 Lord Look. The soldiers are still bringing people in."
Ai.Sayyid Abroad saw a new batch making their way toward the
trench.
When al-Sayyid Ahmad awoke it was almost time for the afternoon
prayer. News of his mishap had spread among his family and friends.
Many of them stopped by the house to congratulate him on his deliverance.
Despite the seriousness of the topic, he told them the
whole story in a style graced by comic touches and flourishes
inspired their comments.
Amina was the first to hear the story, which he recounted while
still psychologically shattered and physically weak, scarcely able to
believe he had escaped alive. She heard the terrifying aspects uncensored.
Once he fell asleep, she wept profusely and began to pray to
God to watch over her family with His care and mercy. She prayed
so long she felt she was losing her voice.
AI-Sayyid Ahmad, on finding himself surrounded by friends, especially
close ones like Ibrahim al-Far, All Abd al-Rahim, and Muhammad
Iffat, recovered his spirits and had difficulty ignoring the
humorous aspects of the incident, which finally won out over everything
else. His rendition turned the episode into a comedy. He might
have been telling them about one of his escapades.
While the top floor was crowded with male visitors,' the family
gathered on the lower floor, except for the mother, who was busy
with Umm Hanafi preparing coffee and cold drinks. Once again the sitting room witnessed a reunion of Yasin, Fahmy, Kamal, Khadija,
and Aisha for the traditional coffee hour. Khalil and Ibrahim Shawkat
had been with them all day long but had gone to the father's room
shortly after he had awakened, leaving the brothers and sisters alon Their sorrow over what had happened to their father vanished
they became reassured. Their hearts were filled with affection, at
they jumped at the chance to chat and joke with each other the wa
they had in the past. They had felt anxious until they had seen their
father with their own eyes. They had gone to him, one after the
other, kissed his hand, and prayed he would have a long and peaceful
life. Then they had left his room with military order and discipline.
Although the father had merely held his hand out to Yasin, Fahm)
and Kamal without saying a word, he had smiled at Khadija and
PALACE WALK 4Y3
Aisha, asking them tenderly how they were doing and if they were
i, good health. They had been treated to this tenderness only after
they got married. Kamal had noticed it with delighted astonishment,
as though he were the recipient. In fact, Kamal was the happiest of
yone whenever his sisters visited. On those occasions he enjoyed
a profound happiness tarnished only by anticipation of the visit's end.
The warning would come when one of the men, Ibrahim or Khalil,
stretched or yawned. Then he would say, "It's time for us to leave."
The phrase was a command to be obeyed, not rejected.
Neither of Kamal's sisters was gracious enough, even once, to tell
her husband, for example, "You go. I'll join you tomorrow."
In time, Kamal became accustomed to the strange bond linking his
sisters to their husbands and accepted its authority. He contented
himself with their short visits every now and then and rejoiced without
longing for more. Yet he could not keep himself from asking
wishfully sometimes, "Why don't you return and live here the way
you used to?"
His mother would quickly reply, "May God spare them the evil of
your good wishes."
The most amazing thing he had noticed about their married life
was the bizarre change that had befallen their bellies and the attendant
symptoms, which seemed as frightening as a disease and as exotic
as legends. He had learned some new concepts, like pregnancy and
cravings, and associated ones like vomiting, malaise, and the consumption
of pellets of dry clay.... So what was the matter with
Aisha's belly? When would it stop growing? It looked like an inflated
waterskin. Khadija's belly too appeared to be undergoing the same
transformation. If Aisha with her ivory complexion and golden hair
craved mud, what would Khadija crave? As it turned out, Khadija
confounded his fears and craved pickles.
Kamal had countless questions but was unable to elicit a satisfactory
answer for any of them. His mother told him that Aisha's belly,
as well as Khadija's, would produce a tiny baby, who would be the
le of his eye. But where was this baby living? How was it living?
it hear and see? What did it hear and see? How did it come into
Stence? Where did it come from? For these significant questions
e received answers that deserved to be added to the lore about saints
id, ji.nn, amulets and soells, and other such matters he had leaned
,ura his.,. o.
wi,L motlaer s personal encyclopedia. Therefore he asked Alsha
""Le°.ncern, "When will the ba'by "come out?"
vae laughed and replied, "Be patient. It won't be long."
4 4
Naguib Mahfou¢
Yasin asked, "Aren't you in your ninth month?"
She answered, "Yes, although my mother-in-law insists I'na in
eighth."
Khadija observed sharply, "It's just that our mother-in-law always
wants to have a different opinion. That's all there is to it."
Since everyone knew of the frequent disputes that flared up
tween Khadija and her mother-in-law, they looked at each other and
laughed.
Aisha said, "I want you to move to our house and stay with
until the English evacuate your street."
Khadija said enthusiastically, "Yes. Why not? The house is large.
You'll be comfortable and have plenty of space. Papa and Mama can
stay with Aisha because she's on the middle floor, and the rest of you
can stay with me."
Kamal was overjoyed by the suggestion and to prod them asked,
"Who will tell Papa?"
Fahmy shrugged his shoulders and said, "You both know perfectly
well that Papa will not agree."
"But he likes to go out at night, and he'll be exposed to interference
from the soldiers," Khadija protested. "What criminals they are! To
lead him off in the dark and make him carry dirt My head spins
whenever I think about it."
Aisha said, "I waited for my turn to kiss his hand so I could examine
him from head to toe, to reassure myself. My heart was pounding
and my eyes were blinking away tears God's curse on those
dogs, the bastards."
Yasin smiled. Winking at Kamal, he cautioned Aisha, "Don't insult
the English. They have a friend among us."
Fahmy observed sarcastically, "Perhaps it would amuse Papa to
know that the soldier who captured him last night was just one of
Kamal's buddies."
Smiling at Kamal, Aisha asked, "Do you still love them after what
they've done?"
Blushing from embarrassment and confusion, Kamal stammered
"If they had known he was my father, they wouldn't have harmed
him."
Yasin could not keep himself from laughing so loudly he had to
put a hand over his mouth. He looked up at the ceiling warily, as
though afraid the sound of his laughter might reach the upper story.
Then he said mockingly, "What you ought to say is: If they had
PALACE WALK
realized that Kamal was Egyptian they would not have tormented
Egypt.a.n.d the Egyptians. They just don't know any better."
Khadqa said fiercely, "You should leave this talk to someone
else Are you denying that you have befriended them too?" She
addressed Kamal in as biting a tone: "Will you be brave enough to
rform the Friday prayer at the mosque of our master al-Husayn
w that people know about your friendship with them?"
Yasin understood her allusion and replied with mock regret, "It's
permissible for you to give me a hard time now that you're married
and have acquired some basic human rights "
"Didn't I have this particular right before?"
"God's mercy on those bygone years... but it's marriage that
returns the spirit to wretched girls. Bow down in thanks to the
saints.., and to Umm Hanafi's incantations and prescriptions."
Trying not to laugh, Khadiia retorted, "You've gained the fight to
attack people, whether or not what you say is true, after inheriting
from your late mother and becoming a man of property."
With childish glee Aisha said, as though she knew nothing about
it, "My brother's a man of property How lovely to hear that....
Arc you really rich, Mr. Yasin?"
Khadiia said, "Let me enumerate his properties for you. Listen,
lady: the store in al-Hamzawi, a residence in al-Ghuriya, the house
in Palace of Desire Alley..."
Shaking his head and lowering his eyes, Yasin recited, "And from
the evil of the envious person when he envies..." (Qur'an, 113:5)
Khadija continued her comments without paying any attention to
his interruption: "And valuables like jewelry and coins worth even
more than the real estate."
Yasin cried out with genuine sorrow, "That all disappeared, by
your life. Stolen. That son of a bitch stole them. Father asked him if
she had left jewelry or money, but the thief said, 'Search for your
selves.
God knows I paid her expenses during her illness from my
own money.' What a man! His 'own money'.., that son of a wash
erWoman.,,
Aisha said sympathetically, "The poor dear... sick, confined to
bed, at the mercy of a man who wanted her money.., without a
friend o loved one.
for her., a
She left the world without anyone to grieve
Yasin ask
t
ea, wimout anyone to grieve for her?"
'madija pointed through the half-open door at Yasin's clothes
Naguib Mahfou
hanging on a rack. She protested ironically, "And this black bow tie?
... Isn't that a sign of mourning?"
Yasin said seriously, "I really did mourn for her, may our Lortl be
merciful to her and forgive her sins. Didn't we become reconcil at
our last meeting? May God be merciful to her and forgive her and
the rest of us."
Khadija lowered her head a little and raised her eyebrows to gaze
at him, as though looking over the top of a pair of spectacles. She
said, "Ahem, ahem... listen to our revered preacher." She cast him
a skeptical look and continued: "But I suspect that your sorrow Was
not too deep?"
He looked at her furiously and replied, "Praise to God, 1 did not
fall short in my duties to her. I received people 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, apartraent, 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 congratultiotaS to yOU."
4
PALACE WALK 47
ladiia observed sarcastically, "God willing, the real congratulations
will soon be for you when you're escorted to your second bride.
ls't that so?"
lie could not help but laugh. "May God hear your prayer," he
said.
Aisha asked with interest, "Really?"
lie 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."
Khadiia 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 Khadiia 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 Khadiia, "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
a
pecial cravings I have lost all the flesh that Umm Hanafi worked
rd 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 every.
where in vain for the bride he married."
They laughed again. Yasin commented, "The truth is that 'out
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 bcggau
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 identicul
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."
Pasha?"
Kamal protested, "Didn't I ask Julian to bring back Sa'd
PALACE WALK
4Y9
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
0fthe 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 lore 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
l.dier? Did he
her smile the man? Where...?
?
see
at
Was...
id CI
. "... enchng his teeth as though trying to crush the distress
Ihat was tormenting him, Fahmy had asked, ")id she act scared and
leave When she saw you?"
Afterward Fahmy had visualized the whole episode, gesture by
N
gesture and scene by scene. He imagined her smile at length uatil
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.
Khadiia commented, "The house is full of visitors."
Yasin laughingly remarked, "I'm afraid the soldiers will
suspicious of the number of people coming here and think a political
rally is being held in our home."
Khadiia said proudly, "Papa's friends are so numerous they
hide the sun."
Aisha observed, "I saw Mr. Muhammad Iffat himself at the had of the procession."
Khadiia confirmed her sister's statement: "He's been his Ist friend
since before we saw the light of day."
Shaking his head, Yasin said, "Papa accused me falsely of destroying
their friendship."
"Doesn't divorce separate even the dearest friends?"
Yasin smilingly replied, "Not your father's friends!"
Aisha boasted, "Who would ever want to oppose Papa? By God,
there's no one in the whole world who's equal to him." Then with a
sigh she continued: "Whenever I think of what happened to him last
night, my hair turns gray."
Khadiia had finally had enough of Fahmy's despondency. She decided
to attack it directly, after indirect methods had failed. She mrncl
toward him and asked, "Brother, do you see how gracious our Lord
was the day you were denied your wish with regard.to... Maryam?"
Fahmy looked at her with astonished embarrassment. All eyes
were immediately focused on him with concern, even Kamal's. Profound
silence reigned, revealing the existence of a still sentiment
that had been ignored or concealed until Khadiia exprss it so
boldly. They looked at the young man as though awaiting his
almost as though he was the one who had asked the question.
Yasin thought he had better end the silence before it got any
and caused more pain. Pretending to be happy, he commented, "The
reason is that your brother's a saint, and God loves His saints."
Fahmy, suffering from anguish and embarrassment, said tersely,
"This is an old issue that's been forgotten."
To shield him, Aisha said, "Mr. Fahmy wasn't the only one to be
deceived by her. We were all taken in."
Khadija defended herself as. best she could against this alleged
PALACE WALK
oversight: "Well, I was never convinced for a moment--even when
i believed she was innocent--that she was worthy of you."
pretending to dismiss the whole affair, Fahmy said, "This is an old
issue that's been forgotten. An Englishman, an Egyptian, it's all the
saint thing. Let's skip all this."
Yasin found himself thinking once again about the "issue" of Maryarn
.... Maryam? He had never looked at her in the past if she came
into view except in a cursory fashion. Fahmy's attachment to her had
increased Yasin's desire to ignore her, until her scandal had been
broadcast in the family. That had aroused his interest, and he had
wondered for a long time what sort of girl she was. He would have
liked to study her carefully and observe the girl who had aroused the
desire of an Englishman sent to fight, not flirt. Yasin's anger at her
was only a conversational device. He was actually enraptured by the
presence nearby of a daring "fallen woman," separated from him by
a single wall. His broad, sturdy chest was pervaded by a bestial intoxication
bringing out the hunting instinct in him, but he held back
in honor of Fahmy's sorrow, for he loved his brother. He limited
himself to a passive, emotional delight, although no one in the whole
district so stirred his interest as Maryam.
"h's time to leave," Khadija remarked as she rose. She had heard
the voices of Ibrahim and Khalil, who were coming in from the hall.
Everyone stood up. Some stretched while others adjusted their clothing.
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