He cast  one  last look at  her  and  removed  himself  to  the workroom. He sat at his desk and opened  a book and began to slowly leaf through it. He let out a heavy sigh and  closed   the book and leant on his elbows  and  faced the lantern. He stayed in that  position  until a figure  appeared at  the door. He then looked up and said:
       “Souad? Come here, darling. Sit down!”
       Souad walked in and  settled herself  down in  an  arm-chair and laid her arm on the desk, then said:
       “What’s the matter with you?”
       “Don’t you see this?” he rumbled. “Here are two books of Abu Saeed. This is Mussa’s book. Other books are over there. All waiting. I’m exhausted, don’t you see?”
       Souad gave a sigh and looked on while he drew a copybook towards him and opened another book and picked up a quill and began to write in silence.
       “I’m going to my room,” said Souad, forcing a smile; but as she rose and began to go out, he dropped the quill and said in a hushed voice:
       “Stay!”
       Souad turned round and returned to her place and stared in astonishment. She waited for him to speak. He coughed and said:
       “Do you know where Mimuna is?”
       “Mimuna?” said Souad, startled. She now looked like a faithful wife being prepared by her penitent husband for bad news, about a secret love or a secret wife.
       “No, I don’t know where she is,” she muttered at length.
       “She’s at the palace.”
       “At the palace?” Souad rolled her eyes in disbelief. She looked as if she were trying to ferret out a secret. “What does she do there?” she said at length.
       “You know, she’s a maid.”
       “Who told you?”
       “Well, someone came to me one day and said, ‘Teach your maid Souad as many beautiful songs as you taught Mimuna and sell her to the Princess.’”
       Souad gave a chuckle, then said in jest:
       “So why didn’t you sell me to her? What are you waiting for?”
       “Souad, this is serious. The man who told me that was not joking.”
       Souad stopped laughing and said:
       “Well, I think you should do it, not because I want you to, but for your own good. Those people won’t let you live in peace. I’m not worth your head. Sell me and pray for a good wife.”
       “Do you think I can bear your absence after all these long years we’ve lived together?”
       “Khalid, listen to me. I feel this is a serious matter indeed. You have no choice if those people are after you. You must sell me.”
       “Well, I am pleased to hear that from you.”

*                         *                           *

       Khalid looked at himself in the mirror. He combed his smooth, dark hair, trimmed his beard and left the workroom. He went down to the guest-room, where his younger brother was waiting for him. The two of them said their morning prayers there, and then they joined the other members of the family, who had gathered for breakfast.
       Immediately after breakfast, Khalid rose and went up to the workroom. He tried to start work at once. But he seemed too tired to do anything. He sighed. He stood up and shifted over to the window in the back wall. He looked through it…at the palace, at the river… But he turned round suddenly. Souad had walked stealthily into the room and then gave a cough. When Khalid’s eyes met hers, she smiled and said:
       “Why all this haste?”
       Khalid  reddened.
       “I’m quite sure there’s somebody on the other bank doing just what you did a moment ago,” said Souad with a merry smile.
       Khalid coughed and mumbled:
       “What did I do a moment ago?”
       “Nothing. You only looked at the palace!”
       Souad and Khalid kept looking at each other for a while, then Souad sank into a chair and folded her arms. Khalid walked over to her and flashed a smile at her. She did not give more than a little smile in return, but she had a tender look in her eye. Khalid  made as if to sit by her side, but then he moved forward and stood just behind her. He hung his arms over her breast and cupped his hands round her chin. Then he bent down and whispered in her ears:
       “Darling! Have I not loved you? Have I not said I would like to marry you? Have I ever thought of selling you to anybody? How many maids have I bought and then let go, if you remember? Answer me!”
       Souad unfolded her arms and seized Khalid’s trembling hands and  looked up at his pink face, and said:
       “When will you sell me?”
       Khalid removed his hands and made to go to his seat. Somebody knocked at the door.
       “Come in!” said Khalid.
       His younger brother came in and whispered something in his ear and left.
       “What’s the matter?” Souad asked.
       Khalid sat down and said:
       “I sent Hassan for Uthman. It’s Uthman who’ll take you to those people.”
       “Why Uthman? Why not you?”
       Khalid looked down and fell silent. Then he suddenly raised his eyes and fastened them on Souad’s. Souad smiled. Khalid too smiled, and sighed. Then, he said in a tremulous voice:
       “You’ll soon go, you know. You’ll soon start another life. You’ll soon forget all about me.”
       “It’s you who’ll forget all about me!”  
       “That’s what you say! But time will prove you wrong. I will never forget you.”
       “And what about the Princess?”
       “The Princess?” Khalid dropped his eyes and paused. Then he looked up and said: “I’ve got nothing to do with the Princess. Now, please! Leave me alone!”
       “You dismiss me?”
       “Oh, no! How so? I only wish to be alone.”
       “You wish to look out of the window…at the Princess!”
        “Souad, that’s a harsh thing to say!”
       “I’m sorry, but my feelings were hurt by what you said.”
       “What was it I said that hurt you, darling?”    
       “You wanted me to get out, didn’t you? You know that your friend Uthman is coming to take me away, but apparently I’ve become a burden to you. That’s why you can’t put up with me.”    
       Khalid buried his head in his arms. Souad sighed and, without a word, left the room.

*                         *                           *

       Khalid was in the workroom when Uthman arrived.

       “Surely you’re going to ask me about Souad again, aren’t you?” said Uthman, taking his seat in front of  Khalid.
       “Yes, it’s about Souad,” said Khalid, embarrassed.
       “What’s new then?”
       “I’ve made up my mind to sell her.”
       “I am very glad to hear the news, but what do I have to do with this?”
       “I’ll tell you. Somebody has asked me to sell him Souad. You don’t know who.”
       “Who, then?”
       “The Princess!”
       Uthman stared round-eyed, and, after a moment, said:
       “But still why have you summoned me over here? What do I have to do with this?”
       “You know those people. I can’t hide from you that I’m afraid. I can’t go out until I’ve got rid of this Souad. This is why I need you to help me get rid of her.”
       “How?”
       “Take Souad to Qadi Abu Bakr. I’m quite sure he’ll listen to you and he’ll find a way to take her into the palace.”
       “Well, brother Khalid,” said Uthman sullenly. “You know it’s not easy what you’ve asked me to do. I wish I could help. But, unfortunately, this time you’ve asked me something impossible.”
       “Why is it impossible?”
       “You know those people at the palace would not hesitate to kill one for the slightest suspicion. And you’re aware of what’s happening here and there, in Bani Mussa, in an-Nukhaylat, in Saba’ Bghal…everywhere. I’m sorry I can’t do that.”
       “But why ever not? What are you going to do after all? You’ll just go to Qadi Abu Bakr and tell him the story. You’ll explain to him that I want to sell Souad to the people in the palace and would like him to find us someone to take her there. That’s all!”
       “Why the palace? And why me?”
       “Uthman, I’m very disappointed in you. I think I shouldn’t have sent for you. I’ll get someone else to help me.”
       “I’m sorry, but–”
       “Enough said! Please leave me alone! I can’t hear anymore,” said Khalid, raising his hand. Then he held his head in his hands and gazed vacantly into space. Uthman cast a last glance at him and rose to go. Soon after Souad appeared at the door and said:
       “What did he say?”
       “Come here, darling!” said Khalid, forcing a smile.
       Souad sat down in front of him and said:
       “You look sad, very sad. Why?”
       Khalid, who was gazing at her tenderly, said:
       “Souad, my love! Souad, my pearl! Souad, my life! I can’t imagine there could be a woman as wonderful as you, as simple as you, as lovely as you, as powerful as you! Oh, what’s love without a woman like you– just like you? You really are unique among women! …”
       And he gave a deep sigh.
       “Really? What about the Princess, then?” said Souad with a wry smile.
       “See? You still don’t believe me. What difference is there between you and the Princess? You are my princess. Only, unfortunately, you will go. Oh! Then, who told you I’d see the Princess? I don’t even know whether Uthman will find anyone to take you there.”
       “What did Uthman say?”
       “You know, he’s afraid. But let’s wait and see what happens.”

*                         *                           *

       The sun was about to go down when Uthman dropped in on Khalid, and said:
       “Tell Souad to prepare herself for leaving just after the Dusk Prayer.”
       “What! You did it! Oh, how very kind of you!”
               
      As Uthman went out of sight, Khalid closed the front door and stepped back into the house. He was trembling all over. He tried hard to hold back his tears. At the foot of the stairs, his mother asked what was wrong with him. He did not answer a word. He just walked up the stairs, and into  Souad’s room. Souad was not there, so he sat on her bed and buried his face in his hands…

       Souad came and found him still burying his face in his hands. She looked at him for a while, and said:
       “Always weeping and sighing and covering your face– what’s the matter with you? Khalid? Oh, speak! Come on, now! Uncover your face and let me kiss you! Look up at me! Smile! Don’t you hear me? Don’t look like that! Smile! Yes, like this! Let me see your beautiful teeth! And now speak: tell me, what’s the matter with you?”
       Khalid sighed and then murmured:
       “Souad, somebody will come just after the Dusk Prayer to take you to those people. So please be prepared!”
       “Was that all? Don’t worry, my friend!”
       Khalid beamed at her as she made the sign of a kiss and darted out of the room. He too removed himself to the workroom and stayed there until he heard Souad's cough in her room. Then he rushed to see her. She was sitting on the bed and waiting in silence. A small bundle lay at her side. She was looking at the floor, thinking. Khalid was about to speak to her when a voice called out to him from downstairs. He then went down unhurriedly. Uthman and another man were waiting outside the front the door. After greetings, Khalid stepped back into the house and asked his sister Zineb, who was standing by the door of the living-room, to go upstairs and call Souad out. Souad came down and walked glumly to the front door. She glanced at Khalid while she said goodbye and stepped outside. Khalid just replied with the one word ‘goodbye’ and stayed there –at the front door– until Souad was seated on the back of a mule which was with the man who would take her to the Qadi. The mule moved away, followed by Uthman and the other man. As they went out of sight, Khalid turned round and closed the door…

Mohamed Ali LAGOUADER
Morocco
Copyright ©2006 by Mohammed Lagouader

http://arabicwithlagouader.blogspot.com/

Message was edited by: mamgoon