第3节

    【】frightenedsooftheyoungerobabalu,eyn.

    “hey,babalu,today”theybarkedtoachorusoflaughter.“,youflatnosedbabalu”

    theyongoloidfeatures.foryears,thatentiohendreferredtotheiranothersoldhistorybooks.itedkhora.ibleethatnight,andypeople,thepashtuns,hadperseypeoplehadkilledthehazaras,driventheroheirlands,buedtheirhos,andsoldtheiren.thebooksaidpartofthereasonpashtunshadoppressedthehazarass,yteaentioher.italsosaidsothingsididkhekidsintheneighborhoodyellthosenastohassan.

    thefolloyteadthroughaupleofpages,sniartyrs.”heekindofdisease.

    butdespitesharihniadeofherdisdainforhisappearance.

    “thisisahusband”shetersuitedtobeahusband.”

    intheend,stpeoplesuspeehonortohisunclesbleshedhoughali,theageoffive,hadnoaospeakof.

    alialiatedagainstanyofhistorntors,isupposepartlybeuotheinsultsofhisassailants;hehadfoundhisjoy,hisantidote,thentsanaubarhadgivenbirthtohassan.ithadbeenasileenoughaffair.noobstetrionitdeviattressiduchhelpatall,because,eveninbirth,hassaohisnature:

    heehassan.outhecasling.

    asoaneighborsservantbythegarrulousds,seenthecleftlip,andbarkedabitterlaughter.

    “there,”shehadsaid.“noilingforyou”shehadrefusedtoevenholdhassan,andjustfivedayslater,shewasgone.

    babahiredthesanursingaonursehassan.alitoldussheanfroayayofthegiantbuddhastatues.“assingingvoiceshehad,”heusedtosaytous.

    didshesing,hassanandiales.edtohearalising.

    hedclearhisthroatandbegin:

    onahighuntainistood,

    andcriedthenaofali,lionofgod.

    oali,lionofgod,kingofn,

    bringjoytooursorros.

    thenheindusthattherethesabreast,akinshipthatiuldbreak.

    hassanandifedfrohesabreasts.elaeyard.and,uhesaroof,words.

    newasbaba.

    hisir.na.

    lookingbaitnohinkthefoundationforhappeheerof1975andallthatfollohosefirstwords.

    three

    lorehasitfatheronostanationalafflieedthathissonaginedbabasats,ievertellbabafrohebear.

    itkhanasebabasfausnir.hurrikhaosay.atparties,thuotherooattentionshiftedtohiikesunflouingtothesun.

    babapossibletoignore,eveninhissleep.iusedtoburyttonyears,pulltheblaoverhead,andstillthesoundsofbabassnsobabasbedroohoythereverosleepinthesarooshisasteryto.itsonthelonglistofthingsiytherifihadeverther.

    ie1960s,khaoldbabahaddraselfdespitethefatostophisfoolishnessandhireanarayathisobstinatehen

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