”

    Asifsheheardsomeonewalkinginthedarkandsnow-cardeurnedhersweetface,whichfortwelveyearsIhadn’tbeeorecall,towardthedavemethepleasureofseeingherprofile.Whenweheardamomentaryclatterihwaitedinsilenobodyentered.Irecalledhowevenwhenshewasonlytwelve,ShekurehadarousedinmeanoddfeelingbecausesheknewmorethanIdid.

    “TheghostoftheHangedJewhauntsthisplace,”shesaid.

    “Doyoueverehere?”

    “Jinns,phantoms,theliviheyewiththewind,possessobjedmakesoundsoutofsilence.Everythingspeaks.Idon’thavetoeallthewayhere.Ihearthem.”

    “Shevketbroughtmeheretoshowmethedeadcat,butitwasgone.”

    “Iuandyoutoldhimthatyoukilledhisfather.”

    “ly.Isthatthewaymywordsweretwisted?NotthatIkilledhisfather,ratherthatI’dliketobeehisfather.”

    “Whydidyousaythatyou’dkilledhisfather?”

    “He’daskedmefirstifI’deverkilledaman.Itoldhimthetruth,thatI’dkilledtwomen.”

    “Ioboast?”

    “Toboast,andtoimpressachildwhosemotherIlove,becauseIrealizedthatthismotherfortedthosetwolittlebrigandsbyexaggeratiimeheroicsoftheirfatherandbyshowingofftheremnantsofhispluhehouse.”

    “Goonboastiheydon’tlikeyou.”

    “Shevketdoesn’tlikeme,butOrhandoes,”Isaid,inthepridefulglowofhavingcaughtmybeloved’serror.“Yet,Ishallbeefathertothemboth.”

    Weshudderedanxiouslyandtrembledinthehalf-lightasthoughtheshadowofsomeentthinghadpassedbetweenus.IpulledmyselftogetherandsawthatShekurewasgwithtinysobs.

    “Myill-fatedhusbandhasabrothernamedHasan.AsIwaitedformyhusband’sreturn,Ilivedtwoyearsinthesam