Bahaa Taher - Sunset Oasis

I understood of course that the agwad were making a fuss over Wasfi as a way of stressing my isolation and of slighting me by displaying far more respect and good feeling towards the underling than they did to his superior. I supposed too that Wasfi wanted to prove how successful he was in his new job. So far I have no objection to what he's doing.

His relations with the agwad may have contributed to calming the people of the oasis after all that has happened, even though Ibraheem hasn't stopped warning me against imagining that the problem is over. In any case, Ibraheem was relieved that his duties as my orderly excuse him from having much to do with Wasfi, who treats all the soldiers strictly and severely. He's always organizing exercises — marching, running and sometimes even firing — from first thing in the morning.

The soldiers fear and obey him. He asked my permission as soon as he arrived to conduct these daily training exercises for the troops, and I agreed, saying to myself, what's the harm in maintaining the troops' fitness and constant readiness when we are indeed living in the midst of danger?

I didn't, however, take Wasfi with me on my nightly patrols to the edges of the oasis, which have become rare. There hasn't been much call for them now that the Bedouin raids have almost come to a stop.

I was very concerned at that time with Fiona's condition. I hadn't succeeded in delaying the caravan, which, on the ministry's instructions, had had to return quickly to transport those shares of the tax that had been collected, and Fiona's state didn't permit her to undertake another long and arduous journey. Her and Catherine's expectations that the warmth and the dry atmosphere would help to improve her general health and her cough proved ill founded, especially as they couldn't leave the house. In fact, they moved from one room to another following the sun's rays, and spent most of their time in the back courtyard, which resembled a terrace, open to the air and with high walls, which was flooded by the sun all day long and where Fiona would sit, a heavy woollen abaya covering her chest and shoulders.

Captain Wasfi kept asking after the health of 'Miss Fiona' and I'd answer him tersely. One morning, however, after she had spent the whole night in ceaseless coughing, Catherine at her side, I told Wasfi that it wasn't improving. Disquiet and sorrow appeared in his face and he said he wanted to suggest something that he didn't know whether I or Miss Fiona would accept. I wondered whether he wanted to ask for her hand in marriage! I looked at him so that he would continue his speech and he said that Corporal Wahba, who had come with him, had told him that they had herbs and plants in this oasis that were to be found nowhere else in Egypt, and that many people came from Marsa Matrouh, and even from Alexandria, to be treated with these herbs, which had magical effects.

I said I could well believe that because it was treatment with such herbs that had saved Sergeant Ibraheem's life and I was astounded that that hadn't occurred to me till now.

Then I thought, how can I ask for the help of Sheikh Sabir, or anyone else in this oasis, now that I've become the enemy whom no one even speaks to? I told Wasfi that I'd present the idea to Miss Fiona and leave it to her to decide.

The same day I told Fiona of our conversation and talked to her about my experience with Ibraheem. She looked interested and said, 'Let's try, Mahmoud. What can we lose? This bitter medicine that the doctors in Ireland prescribed for me no longer helps at all.' I looked at Catherine and, unconvinced, she knitted her brow, but Fiona insisted.

I went back to the station and summoned Wasfi, and with him Corporal Wahba el Salmawi.

I'd seen him before but hadn't charged him with any task. The corporal had a huge body, Bedouin features and a Bedouin accent that I found repulsive. I asked him what he knew and he repeated in front of me what he'd said to Wasfi.

'Do you know who it is that treats people with these herbs?'

An expression of regret on his face, he said, 'I'm sorry, Your Excellency. The last person the people of Matrouh recommended and to whom they'd go in Siwa for treatment has renounced the world and shut himself up in his garden.'

Wasfi said, enthusiastically, 'Let's try with him.'

Wahba repeated warningly, 'He meets no one, Captain.' Then he looked at me and said slowly in his deep voice, 'Even if we told him we were coming from His Excellency the district commissioner, he would refuse to see us. I know him.'

I realized that Wahba knew about what had taken place in the oasis, so I made no comment, but Wasfi said with the same enthusiasm, 'Will you allow us to try, Your Excellency?'

I was silent for a moment, during which Wasfi watched me eagerly. Then I repeated what Fiona had said: 'What do we have to lose?'

Wasfi gave the salute that he never tires of delivering, then said in commanding tones, 'Follow me, Corporal.'

After a little, I heard horses leaving the forecourt of the police station.

Did you say his name is Sheikh Yahya? I know him.

I told Mahmoud and Fiona about my meeting with the sheikh and said it was the day of that other visit to our house, knowing Mahmoud would understand. Fiona said, 'If you know him, Catherine, let us try him. I don't mind going with you to meet him.' Mahmoud objected. 'It's not possible,' he said. 'If he refused to meet an officer and a soldier he's known for a long time, what would make him…'

I, however, could see Fiona's eagerness, so I interrupted him by saying, 'If I'd been in his place, I would have refused too. It was like a military order to a man who, as you say, has forsworn the world, to break his seclusion. But perhaps, if we went to him, just us, on our own, just two women seeking help, things might be different.'

In Arabic Mahmoud said to me, 'For you, especially, to go out in these circumstances is dangerous, and you know it. Dangerous for you and dangerous for Fiona too.'

When Fiona heard her name on his lips, she said in a tone of entreaty, 'Please agree, Mahmoud. I beg you. I don't expect miracles, naturally, but if there were something that would relieve this cough, even just a little…' Then she fell silent.

Mahmoud took his eyes off Fiona and appeared to be sunk in thought. Then he said, 'I don't feel at ease about the two of you going out unaccompanied. I shall send some soldiers with you.'

In almost one voice, we exclaimed, 'No!' and then laughed.

He stood there hesitating for a moment, then left. All the same, I'm sure he'll send some soldiers to follow us.

I put on my riding dress and Fiona wore a grey dress and put a woollen shawl round her shoulders. Then we waited for a long time for Mahmoud to send us the two donkeys. I supposed he must have had difficulties in finding someone willing to hire anything to us at a time when the whole oasis was against us.

I recounted to Fiona, in summary, the story of Maleeka. I told her only about her visit when she was a ghoul-woman and about her death. She didn't show great surprise when she heard the legend of the ghoul-woman, but an expression of sadness passed over her face when she heard of her death, which still remained a mystery — murder or suicide?

Fiona said, 'Don't be angry with me, Catherine. Whether she killed herself or not, either way she was murdered. Whatever their customs here may be, whether we like them or not, they are their customs and they are happy with them. What business is it of ours whether they see ill-omen in widows or not? It's their way of life, which has lasted on the basis of their traditions for hundreds of years. I imagine that no death or murder occurred as a result of this custom until outsiders came.'

I defended myself. 'I didn't do anything. She's the one who came from her house when it was forbidden for her to leave.'