小说园

第438章 人生半日间（第1页）

halfaday

人生半日间

Naguibmahfouz

Iproceededalongsidemyfather，clutchinghisrighthand，runningtokeepupwiththelongstrideshewastaking。Allmyclotheswerenew:theblackshoes，thegreenschooluniform，andtheredtarboosh。mydelightinmynewclothes，however，wasnotaltogetherunmarred，forthiswasnofeastdaybutthedayonwhichIwastobecastintoschoolforthefirsttime。

mymotherstoodatthewindowwatchingourprogress，andIwouldturntowardherfromtimetotime，asthoughappealingforhelp。wewalkedalongastreetlinedwithgardens;onbothsideswereextensivefieldsplantedwithcrops，pricklypears，hennatrees，andafewdatepalms。

“whyschool?“Ichallengedmyfatheropenly。“Ishallneverdoanythingtoannoyyou。“

“Imnotpunishingyou，“hesaid，laughing。“Schoolsnotapunishment。Itsthefactorythatmakesusefulmenoutofboys。dontyouwanttobelikeyourfatherandbrothers?“

Iwasnotconvinced。Ididnotbelievetherewasreallyanygoodtobehadintearingmeawayfromtheintimacyofmyhomeandthrowingmeintothisbuildingthatstoodattheendoftheroadlikesomehuge，high-walledfortress，exceedinglystemandgrim。

whenwearrivedatthegatewecouldseethecourtyard，vastandcrammedfullofboysandgirls。“Goinbyyourself，“saidmyfather，“andjointhem。putasmileonyourfaceandbeagoodexampletoothers。“

Ihesitatedandclungtohishand，buthegentlypushedmefromhim。“beaman，“hesaid。“todayyoutrulybeginlife。Youwillfindmewaitingforyouwhenitstimetoleave。“

Itookafewsteps，thenstoppedandlookedbutsawnothing。thenthefacesofboysandgirlscameintoview。Ididnotknowasingleoneofthem，andnoneofthemknewme。IfeltIwasastrangerwhohadlosthisway。butglancesofcuriosityweredirectedtowardme，andoneboyapproachedandasked，“whobroughtyou?“

“myfather，“Iwhispered。

“myfathersdead，“hesaidquitesimply。

Ididnotknowwhattosay。thegatewasclosed，lettingoutapitiablescreech。Someofthechildrenburstintotears。thebellrang。Aladycamealong，followedbyagroupofmen。themenbegansortingusintoranks。wewereformedintoanintricatepatterninthegreatcourtyardsurroundedonthreesidesbyhighbuildingsofseveralfloors;fromeachfloorwewereoverlookedbyalongbalconyroofedinwood。

“thisisyournewhome，“saidthewoman。“heretootherearemothersandfathers。herethereiseverythingthatisenjoyableandbeneficialtoknowledgeandreligion。dryyourtearsandfacelifejoyfully。“

wesubmittedtothefacts，andthissubmissionbroughtasortofcontentmentLivingbeingsweredrawntootherlivingbeings，andfromthefirstmomentsmyheartmadefriendswithsuchboysasweretobemyfriendsandfellinlovewithsuchgirls，asIwastobeinlovewith，sothatitseemedmy

misgivingshadhadnobasis。Ihadneverimaginedschoolwouldhavethisrichvariety。weplayedallsortsofdifferentgames:swings，thevaultinghorse，ballgames。Inthemusicroomwechantedourfirstsongs。wealsohadourfirstintroductiontolanguage。wesawaglobeoftheEarth，whichrevolvedandshowedthevariouscontinentsandcountries。westartedlearningthenumbers。thestoryofthecreatoroftheuniversewasreadtous，weweretoldofhispresentworldandofhishereafter，andweheardexamplesofwhathesaid。weatedeliciousfood，tookalittlenap，andwokeuptogoonwithfriendshipandlove，playandlearning。

Asourpathrevealeditselftous，however，wedidnotfinditastotallysweetanduncloudedaswehadpresumed。dust-ladenwindsandunexpectedaccidentscameaboutsuddenly，sowehadtobewatchful，attheready，andverypatient。Itwasnotallamatterofplayingandfoolingaround。Rivalriescouldbringaboutpainandhatredorgiverisetofighting。Andwhiletheladywouldsometimessmile，shewouldoftenscowlandscold。Evenmorefrequentlyshewouldresorttophysicalpunishment。

Inaddition，thetimeforchangingonesmindwasoverandgoneandtherewasnoquestionofeverreturningtotheparadiseofhome。Nothinglayaheadofusbutexertion，struggle，andperseverance。thosewhowereabletookadvantageoftheopportunitiesforsuccessandhappinessthatpresentedthemselvesamidtheworries。

thebellrangannouncingthepassingofthedayandtheendofwork。thethrongsofchildrenrushedtowardthegate，whichwasopenedagain。Ibadefarewelltofriendsandsweetheartsandpassedthroughthegate。Ipeeredaroundbutfoundnotraceofmyfather，whohadpromisedtobethere。Isteppedasidetowait。whenIhadwaitedforalongtimewithoutavail，Idecidedtoreturnhomeonmyown。AfterIhadtakenafewsteps，amiddle-agedmanpassedby，andIrealizedatoncethatIknewhim。hecametowardme，smiling，andshookmebythehand，saying，“Itsalongtimesincewelastmet—howareyou?“

withanodofmyhead，Iagreedwithhimandinturnasked，“Andyou，howareyou?““Asyoucansee，notallthatgood，theAlmightybepraised!“

Againheshookmebythehandandwentoff。Iproceededafewsteps，thencametoastartledhalt。GoodLord!wherewasthestreetlinedwithgardens?wherehaditdisappearedto?whendidallthesevehiclesinvadeit?Andwhendidallthesehordesofhumanityetorestuponitssurface?howdidthesehillsofrefuseetocoveritssides?Andwherewerethefieldsthatborderedit?highbuildingshadtakenover，thestreetsurgedwithchildren，anddisturbingnoisesshooktheair。Atvariouspointsstoodconjurersshowingofftheirtricksandmakingsnakesappearfrombaskets。thentherewasabandannouncingtheopeningofacircus，withclownsandweightlifterswalkinginfront。Alineoftruckscarryingcentralsecuritytroopscrawledmajesticallyby。thesirenofafireengineshrieked，anditwasnotclearhowthevehiclewouldcleaveitswaytoreachtheblazingfire。Abattleragedbetweenataxidriverandhispassenger，whilethepassengerswifecalledoutforhelpandnooneanswered。GoodGod!Iwasinadaze。myheadspun。Ialmostwentcrazy。howcouldallthishavehappenedinhalfaday，betweenearlymorningandsunset?Iwouldfindtheanswerathomewithmyfather。butwherewasmyhome?Icouldseeonlytallbuildingsandhordesofpeople。IhastenedontothecrossroadsbetweentheburdensandAbuKhoda。IhadtocrossAbuKhodatoreachmyhouse，butthestreamofcarswouldnotletup。thefireenginessirenwasshriekingatfullpitchasitmovedatasnail’space，andIsaidtomyself，“Letthefiretakeitspleasureinwhatitconsumes。”Extremelyirritated，IwonderedwhenIwouldbeabletocross。Istoodtherealongtime，untiltheyounglademployedattheironingshoponthecornercameuptome。hestretchedouthisarmandsaidgallantly，“Grandpa，letmetakeyouacross。“