Children of Gebelaawi by Naguib Mahfouz Page A

Suddenly,
    there was Umayma, looking very pretty. She sat down beside
    him and said:
    - I peeped out of the window to see what was keeping you;
    why didn 't you ask me to join you?
    He smiled as he rep lied:
    - I was afrai d of boring you.
    - Boring me? I have always loved this garden. Don't you
    remember our first meeti ng here?
    He took her hand in his and rested his head against the
    tru nk of a date-palm, looking up at the branches and the sky
    between them. She assured him again of her love for the
    garden, and the more he wanted si lence, the more she i nsisted
    on talking, for she hated silence as much as she loved the
    garden. Her favorite subject of conversation was their life
    together, bu t she was also not unwi lling to chatter about recen t
    events i n the house, especially whatever concerned the wives
    of Radwaan, Abbaas and jaleel. Then she said reproachfully:
    - You 're very far away from me, Ad ham.
    - How can that be when you fill my heart?
    - But you aren't listening to me.
    This was true. But although he had not welcomed her
    arrival, neither did he resent it. And if she had tried to go away
    again, he would have stopped her quite sincerely. The truth
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    Adham
    was, he felt her to be an integral part of himself. He said almost
    apologetically:
    - I love this garden. Nothing in my past life was sweeter to
    me than sitting in it. Its tall trees and i ts twitteri ng birds and its
    brimming streams know me as well as I know them. I want you
    to share my love for it. Have you seen how the sky looks
    through the branches?
    She raised her eyes for a moment, then looked at him with
    a smile.
    - It really is lovely - lovely enough to be the dearest thing
    in your life.
    He detected the hidden reproach i n her words and said
    hurriedly:
    - That's how it was before I knew you.
    - And now?
    He squeezed her hand lovingly.
    - Its beau ty is incomp lete wi thout you.
    She raised her eyes to his.
    - One good thing about it is that itdoesn't mind when you
    desert it for me.
    Adham laughed, drew her closer so that h is lips rested
    against her cheek, then asked her:
    - Don 't these flowers deserve our attention rather than
    gossip about my brothers' wives?
    Umayma said sadly:
    - The flowers arc more beautiful; but your brothers' wives
    never stop talking about you and the management of the
    Trust, always the management of the Trust, and your father's
    faith in you, over and over again.
    Adham frowned, forgetti ng the garden, and said bitterly:
    - They don't miss anything.
    - I' m really afraid they'll give you the Evil Eye.
    Adham cried out angrily:
    - Dam n the Trust! It's weighed me down and turned
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    Children of Gebelaawi
    people against me and taken away my peace of mind. To hell
    with it!
    She put her finger on his lips.
    - Don't be ungrateful, Adham; managi ng the Trust is
    important and it may bring benefits we haven't thought of.
    - Up till now all it's brought is trouble. The sufferings of
    ldrees are bad enough.
    She smiled, bu t wi thout joy, and her eyes showed that she
    was seriously worried.
    - Look at our future as hard as you look at the branches and
    the sky and the birds.
    After that Umayma regularly shared Adham's sessions i n
    the garden, and was hardly ever silent. But he got used to her,
    and learned to listen with only half an ear, or not to listen at all.
    When he felt like it he would take out his bamboo flute and
    make music. He could really say with complete satisfaction that
    everything was good. l-Ie got used even to ldrees's sufferi ngs.
    But his mother's illness was getting worse, and she was racked
    by new pains. His heart grieved for her. She used to call for him
    often, and prayed coun tless prayers for him. One day she
    entreated h im: 'Pray to God constantly to protect you from evil
    and to lead you on the right path.' She would not let him leave,
    but went on moaning to herself and murmuring her last
    wishes, till she died in his arms. Adham and Umayma wept for
    her, and Gebelaawi