the kite runner-第127部分

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t　up。　
　I　m　sorry？　
　Your　petition　to　adopt　this　young　fellow。　Give　it　up。　That　s　my　advice　to　you。　
　Duly　noted；　　I　said。　　Now；　perhaps　you　ll　tell　me　why。　
　That　means　you　want　the　long　answer；　　he　said；　his　voice　impassive；　not　reacting　at　all　to　my　curt　tone。　He　pressed　his　hands　palm　to　palm；　as　if　he　were　kneeling　before　the　Virgin　Mary。　　Let　s　assume　the　story　you　gave　me　is　true；　though　I　d　bet　my　pension　a　good　deal　of　it　is　either　fabricated　or　omitted。　Not　that　I　care；　mind　you。　You　re　here；　he　s　here；　that　s　all　that　matters。　Even　so；　your　petition　faces　significant　obstacles；　not　the　least　of　which　is　that　this　child　is　not　an　orphan。　
　Of　course　he　is。　
　Not　legally　he　isn　t。　
　His　parents　were　executed　in　the　street。　The　neighbors　saw　it；　　I　said；　glad　we　were　speaking　in　English。
　You　have　death　certificates？　
　Death　certificates？　This　is　Afghanistan　we　re　talking　about。　Most　people　there　don　t　have　birth　certificates。　
His　glassy　eyes　didn　t　so　much　as　blink。　　I　don　t　make　the　laws；　sir。　Your　outrage　notwithstanding；　you　still　need　to　prove　the　parents　are　deceased。　The　boy　has　to　be　declared　a　legal　orphan。　
　But……　
　You　wanted　the　long　answer　and　I　m　giving　it　to　you。　Your　next　problem　is　that　you　need　the　cooperation　of　the　child　s　country　of　origin。　Now；　that　s　difficult　under　the　best　of　circumstances；　and；　to　quote　you；　this　is　Afghanistan　we　re　talking　about。　We　don　t　have　an　American　embassy　in　Kabul。　That　makes　things　extremely　plicated。　Just　about　impossible。　
　What　are　you　saying；　that　I　should　throw　him　back　on　the　streets？　　I　said。
　I　didn　t　say　that。　
　He　was　sexually　abused；　　I　said；　thinking　of　the　bells　around　Sohrab　s　ankles；　the　mascara　on　his　eyes。
　I　m　sorry　to　hear　that；　　Andrews　s　mouth　said。　The　way　he　was　looking　at　me；　though；　we　might　as　well　have　been　talking　about　the　weather。　　But　that　is　not　going　to　make　the　INS　issue　this　young　fellow　a　visa。　
　What　are　you　saying？　
　I　m　saying　that　if　you　want　to　help；　send　money　to　a　reputable　relief　organization。　Volunteer　at　a　refugee　camp。　But　at　this　point　in　time；　we　strongly　discourage　U。S。　citizens　from　attempting　to　adopt　Afghan　children。　
I　got　up。　　e　on；　Sohrab；　　I　said　in　Farsi。　Sohrab　slid　next　to　me；　rested　his　head　on　my　hip。　I　remembered　the　Polaroid　of　him　and　Hassan　standing　that　same　way。　　Can　I　ask　you　some　thing；　Mr。　Andrews？　
　Yes。　
　Do　you　have　children？　
For　the　first　time；　he　blinked。
　Well；　do　you？　It　s　a　simple　question。　
He　was　silent。
　I　thought　so；　　I　said；　taking　Sohrab　s　hand。　　They　ought　to　put　someone　in　your　chair　who　knows　what　it　s　like　to　want　a　child。　　I　turned　to　go；　Sohrab　trailing　me。
　Can　I　ask　you　a　question？　　Andrews　called。
　Go　ahead。　
　Have　you　promised　this　child　you　ll　take　him　with　you？　
　What　if　I　have？　
He　shook　his　head。　　It　s　a　dangerous　business；　making　promises　to　kids。　　He　sighed　and　opened　his　desk　drawer　again。　　You　mean　to　pursue　this？　　he　said；　rummaging　through　papers。
　I　mean　to　pursue　this。　
He　produced　a　business　card。　　Then　I　advise　you　to　get　a　good　immigration　lawyer。　Omar　Faisal　works　here　in　Islamabad。　You　can　tell　him　I　sent　you。　
I　took　the　card　from　him。　　Thanks；　　I　muttered。
　Good　luck；　　he　said。　As　we　exited　the　room；　I　glanced　over　my　shoulder。　Andrews　was　standing　in　a　rectangle　of　sunlight；　absently　staring　out　the　window；　his　hands　turning　the　potted　tomato　plants　toward　the　sun；　petting　them　lovingly。
　TAKE　CARE；　　the　secretary　said　as　we　passed　her　desk。
　Your　boss　could　use　some　manners；　　I　said。　I　expected　her　to　roll　her　eyes；　maybe　nod　in　that　　I　know；　everybody　says　that；　　kind　of　way。　Instead；　she　lowered　her　voice。　　Poor　Ray。　He　hasn　t　been　the　same　since　his　daughter　died。　
I　raised　an　eyebrow。
　Suicide；　　she　whispered。
ON　THE　TAXI　RIDE　back　to　the　hotel；　Sohrab　rested　his　head　on　the　window；　kept　staring　at　the　passing　buildings；　the　rows　of　gum　trees。　His　breath　fogged　the　glass；　cleared；　fogged　it　again。　I　waited　for　him　to　ask　me　about　the　meeting　but　he　didn　t。
ON　THE　OTHER　SIDE　of　the　closed　bathroom　door　the　water　was　running。　Since　the　day　we　d　checked