第49节

    【】ashisfather.youshouldhaveseensanaubarirjaoysfroesohrabwereinseparable.

    shelivedtoseehiufour,andthen,oneing,shejustdidnot,atpeainddyieryonthehill,theohepograree,andisaidaprayerforhertoo.thelossoretohaveandlosethantonothaveinthefirstplace.butittlesohrab.hekepthehouse,lookingforsasa,butyouknoheyfetsoquickly.

    bythenthateailiarendiggingbodiesoutofpilesofrubble.kabulinthosedays,arjan,uch,soeoftheotheeighborhoods.

    onthosedaysa.hassantaughthioeheedeadlytoreadandtakehisfirststep,heardhitterhisfirstthebookstorebytohiherendedofyou,hoirjan.sotis,ireadtohitnight,playedriddles,taughthiardtricks.isshierribly.

    inthee,hassantookhissonkiterunning.thereanykitetouantsasintheolddayssafeoutsidefortoolongbutthereents.hassanbingtreeseer,arjan,ainhalluplikepaintings.

    itoldyouhhothatnightandfindinghassani,listeningtotheradio.hehadasoberlookinhiseyes.iasked

    hihansahib,”hesaid.

    “the.noreroorefunerals”buthejusttuedofftheradioandaskedifheuldgetanythingbeforehetobed.

    afeassacredthehazarasinzarisharif.

    seventeen

    rahihansloariggersspikesofpain.outside,adonkeyeohinginurdu.thesunshacklebuildings.

    ithitagain,theenortyofr.thenasranginhead:hassan,sohrab,ali,farzana,andsanaubar.hearingrahihanspeakalisnausielodybegantoplayiediately:eesitstealsallthedetailsforitself.

    “ishassanstillinthathousenow”iasked.

    rahihanraisedtheteathebreastpoe.“foryou.”

    itorethesealedenvelope.inside,ifoundapolaroidphotographandafoldedletter.istaredatthephotographforafullnute.

    atallndressedi,anihavenoreet.thelittleboystoodbarefoot,onearnsthigh,hisshavedheadrestingagainsthisfathership.hetooing.

    iunfoldedtheletter.ititted,nocrossesfotten,noostchildlikeinitsness.ibegantoread:

    inthenaofallahthestbenefierciful,aragha,ydeepestrespects,

    farzanajan,sohrab,andipraythatthislatestletterfindsyouingoodhealthandinthelightofallahsgoodgrayestthankstorahibr>

    khansahibforhopefulthatonedayiyhandsandreadofyourlifeinariischiefyouandiusedtocause

    aragha,

    alastheafghanistanofouryouthislongdead.kindnessisgonefrohelandandyouotescapethekillings.alhekillings.inkabul,feariseveryhestreets,inthe

    ...