友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
the kite runner-第65部分
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
or almost a month。 All the Afghans in Virginia were talking about it。
Padar eventually found us。 He showed up at the door and。。。 made me e home。 I was hysterical。 Yelling。 Screaming。 Saying I hated him。。。
Anyway; I came home and…… She was crying。 Excuse me。 I heard her put the phone down。 Blow her nose。 Sorry; she came back on; sounding hoarse。 When I came home; I saw my mother had had a stroke; the right side of her face was paralyzed and。。。 I felt so guilty。 She didn t deserve that。
Padar moved us to California shortly after。 A silence followed。
How are you and your father now? I said。
We ve always had our differences; we still do; but I m grateful he came for me that day。 I really believe he saved me。 She paused。 So; does what I told you bother you?
A little; I said。 I owed her the truth on this one。 I couldn t lie to her and say that my pride; my iftikhar; wasn t stung at all that she had been with a man; whereas I had never taken a woman to bed。 It did bother me a bit; but I had pondered this quite a lot in the weeks before I asked Baba to go khastegari。 And in the end the question that always came back to me was this: How could I; of all people; chastise someone for their past?
Does it bother you enough to change your mind?
No; Soraya。 Not even close; I said。 Nothing you said changes anything。 I want us to marry。
She broke into fresh tears。
I envied her。 Her secret was out。 Spoken。 Dealt with。 I opened my mouth and almost told her how I d betrayed Hassan; lied; driven him out; and destroyed a forty…year relationship between Baba and Ali。 But I didn t。 I suspected there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me。 Courage was just one of them。
THIRTEEN
When we arrived at the Taheris home the next evening……for lafz; the ceremony of giving word ……I had to park the Ford across the street。 Their driveway was already jammed with cars。 I wore a navy blue suit I had bought the previous day; after I had brought Baba home from _khastegari_。 I checked my tie in the rearview mirror。
You look khoshteep; Baba said。 Handsome。
Thank you; Baba。 Are you all right? Do you feel up to this?
Up to this? It s the happiest day of my life; Amir; he said; smiling tiredly。
I COULD HEAR CHATTER from the other side of the door; laughter; and Afghan music playing softly……it sounded like a classical ghazal by Ustad Sarahang。 I rang the bell。 A face peeked through the curtains of the foyer window and disappeared。 They re here! I heard a woman s voice say。 The chatter stopped。 Someone turned off the music。
Khanum Taheri opened the door。 _Salaam alaykum_; she said; beaming。 She d permed her hair; I saw; and wore an elegant; ankle…length black dress。 When I stepped into the foyer; her eyes moistened。 You re barely in the house and I m crying already; Amir jan; she said。 I planted a kiss on her hand; just as Baba had instructed me to do the night before。
She led us through a brightly lit hallway to the living room。 On the wood…paneled walls; I saw pictures of the people who would bee my new family: A young bouffant…haired Khanum Taheri and the general……Niagara Falls in the background; Khanum Taheri in a seamless dress; the general in a narrow…lapelled jacket and thin tie; his hair full and black; Soraya; about to board a wooden roller coaster; waving and smiling; the sun glinting off the silver wires in her teeth。 A photo of the general; dashing in full military outfit; shaking hands with King Hussein of Jordan。 A portrait of Zahir Shah。
The living room was packed with about two dozen guests seated on chairs placed along the walls。 When Baba entered; everybody stood up。 We went around the room; Baba leading slowly; me behind him; shaking hands and greeting the guests。 The general……still in his gray suit……and Baba embraced; gently tapping each other on the back。 They said their Salaams in respectful hushed tones。
The general held me at arm s length and smiled knowingly; as if saying; Now; this is the right way……the Afghan way……to do it; _bachem_。 We kissed three times on the cheek。
We sat in the crowded room; Baba and
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!