HEGLARESOUT,eacheyeapath,downtheloheendofwhichisHana.Aftershehasbathedhimshebreaksthetipoffanampouleandturnstohimwiththemorphine.Aneffigy.Abed.Heridestheboatofmorphirahim,implodingtimeandgeographythespresstheworldontoatwo-dimensionalsheetofpaper.

    ThelongCairoevenings.Theseaofnightsky,hawksinrowsuntiltheyarereleasedatdusk,argtowardsthelastcolourofthedesert.Aunisonofperformancelikeahandfulofthrownseed.

    Inthatcityinyoucouldbuyanything—fromadogorabirdthatcameatochofawhistle,tothoseterribleleashesthatslippedoverthesmallestfingerofawomansoshewastetheredtoyouinacrowdedmarket.

    IheastseofCairowasthegreatcourtyardiousstudents,andbeyondittheKhanelKhalilibazaar.

    Abovethenarrowstreetswelookeddownuponcatsonthecatedtinroofswhoalsolookeddowtehestreetandstalls.Aboveallthiswasourroom.Windowsopentomis,feluccas,cats,tremendousnoise.Shespoketomeofherchildhoodgardens.Whenshecouldn’tsleepshedrewhermardenforme,wordbyword,bedbybed,theDecembericeoverthefishpond,thecreakofrosetrellises.Shewouldtake-mywristatthefluenceofveinsandguideitontothehollowiionatherneck.

    March,Uweinat.Madoxisirritablebecauseofthethinnessintheair.Fifteenhundredfeetabovesealevelandheisunfortablewitheventhisminimalheight.Heisadesertmanafterall,havihisfamily’svillageofMarstonMagna,Somerset,alteredallsandhabitssohehavetheproximitytosealevelaswellasregulardryness.

    “Madox,whatisthehathollowatthebaseofawoman’sneck?Atthefront.Here.Whatisit,doesithaveanoffiame?Thathollowaboutthesizeofanimpress