Naguib Mahfouz - Palace Walk

With childish glee Aisha said, as though she knew nothing about it, "My brother’s a man of property… How lovely to hear that… Are you really rich, Mr. Yasin?"

Khadija 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 yourselves. God knows I paid her expenses during her illness from my own money.' What a man! His 'own money'… that son of a washerwoman".

Aisha said sympathetically, "The poor dear… sick, confined to bed, at the mercy of a man who wanted her money… without a friend or a loved one. She left the world without anyone to grieve for her".

Yasin asked, "Without anyone to grieve for her?"

Khadija pointed through the half-open door at Yasin’s clothes 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 Lord be merciful to her and forgive her sins. Didn't we become reconciled 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, I 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, apartment, 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 congratulations to you".

Khadija observed sarcastically, "God willing, the real congratulations will soon be for you when you're escorted to your second bride. Isn't that so?"

He could not help but laugh. "May God hear your prayer," he said.

Aisha asked with interest, "Really?"

He 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".

Khadija 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 Khadija 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 Khadija, "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 special cravings I have lost all the flesh that Umm Hanafi worked hard 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 everywhere in vain for the bride he married".

They laughed again. Yasin commented, "The truth is that your 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 beggars 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 identical 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?"