“My dearest Shekure; I cannot open the door either;” I said。 “You know as
well as I that this would mean I’ve meddled in your affairs。 They’d bitterly
avenge such meddling。”
I could see from her eyes that she understood。 “Then no one will open the
door;” she said。 “Let’s wait for them to break it down and take us by force。”
I knew at once this would be the best alternative for Shekure and her
children; and I was afraid。 “But that means blood will be spilled;” I said。 “If the
judge isn’t involved in this affair; blood will flow; and a blood feud will last for
years。 No honorable man could stand by and watch as his house was broken
into and raided to abduct a woman residing there。”
I once again understood regretfully how deceptive and calculating this
Shekure was as she embraced her two boys and wailed with all her being
rather than answer。 A voice was telling me to forget everything and leave; but I
could no longer walk back through the door; which was being battered to the
breaking point。 Actually; I was afraid of both what would happen if they broke
down the door and came through and what would happen if they didn’t; I
kept thinking that Black’s men; who trusted in me; were worried about going
too far and might retreat at any moment; which would; in turn; embolden the
father…in…law。 When he went to Shekure’s side; I knew he’d begun to cry fake
tears; but what’s worse; he was trembling in a way that couldn’t be feigned。
Stepping toward the door; I screamed with all my strength; “Stop; that’s
enough!”
The motion outside and the wailing inside ended in a heartbeat。
“Mother; have Orhan open the door;” I said in a moment of inspiration and
in a sweet voice; as if I were speaking to the boy。 “He wants to go home; no
one will take issue with that。”
The words had hardly left my mouth when Orhan freed himself from his
mother’s loosening arms; and like somebody who’d lived here for years; slid
377
open the bolt; lifted the wooden bar; then unfastened the latch; and moved
backward two steps。 The cold from outside entered as the door yawned open。
There was such a silence that all of us heard a lazy dog bark off in the distance。
Shekure kissed Orhan; who was back in his mother’s lap; and Shevket said;
“I’m going to tell Uncle Hasan。”
I saw Shekure stand; take up her cloak and prepare her bundle to leave; and
I was so greatly relieved; I was afraid I might laugh。 I seated myself and had
two more spoonfuls of the lentil soup。
Black was intelligent enough not to e anywhere near the door of the
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