Naguib Mahfouz: Palace of Desire

As they went into the courtyard, they could hear a voice from the street crying out, "Special edition of al-Muqattamy"

Kamal murmured inquisitively, "A special edition for the paper?"

In a sad voice, Yasin said, "Oh! I know what it's about. When I was on my way here, I heard people spreading the news. Sa'd Zaghlul has died."

Kamal cried out from the depths of his heart, "Sa'd?"

Yasin stopped walking and turned toward his brother to say,"Don't take it so hard. We have enough problems of our own."

Kamal stared into the darkness without speaking or moving. He seemed oblivious to Khalil, Uthman, Muhammad, and Aisha, to everything except the death of Sa'd Zaghlul.

Yasin walked on and remarked, "He died after receiving his full share of life and greatness. What more would you wish for him than that? May God be merciful to him."

Still stunned, Kamal followed him silently. He did not know how he would have received this news in circumstances that were not so grim. When disasters come at the same time, they compete with each other. Thus Kamal's grandmother had died soon after Fahmy had been slain, at a time when no one had tears to spare for her. So Sa'd was dead. The hero of the exile, the revolution, the liberation, and the constitution had died. Why should he not mourn for Sa'd Zaghlul, when the best qualities of his personality came from Sa'd's guidance and leadership?

Yasin stopped once more to open the door. Then he held out his hand to Kamal. After shaking hands with him, Kamal remembered something that had slipped his mind for too long. Embarrassed that he had forgotten, he told Yasin, "I pray to God that you'll find your wife has given birth safely."

Starting to leave, Yasin replied, "God willing. And I hope you sleep soundly."

The End