三k小说网

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?“

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“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。

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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。“