the kite runner-第17部分

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_But　he　s　not　my　friend！_　I　almost　blurted。　_He　s　my　servant！_　Had　I　really　thought　that？　Of　course　I　hadn　t。　I　hadn　t。　I　treated　Hassan　well；　just　like　a　friend；　better　even；　more　like　a　brother。　But　if　so；　then　why；　when　Baba　s　friends　came　to　visit　with　their　kids；　didn　t　I　ever　include　Hassan　in　our　games？　Why　did　I　play　with　Hassan　only　when　no　one　else　was　around？
Assef　slipped　on　the　brass　knuckles。　Gave　me　an　icy　look。　　You　re　part　of　the　problem；　Amir。　If　idiots　like　you　and　your　father　didn　t　take　these　people　in；　we　d　be　rid　of　them　by　now。　They　d　all　just　go　rot　in　Hazarajat　where　they　belong。　You　re　a　disgrace　to　Afghanistan。　
I　looked　in　his　crazy　eyes　and　saw　that　he　meant　it。　He　_really_　meant　to　hurt　me。　Assef　raised　his　fist　and　came　for　me。
There　was　a　flurry　of　rapid　movement　behind　me。　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　Hassan　bend　down　and　stand　up　quickly。　Assef　s　eyes　flicked　to　something
behind　me　and　widened　with　surprise。　I　saw　that　same　look　ol　astonishment　on　Kamal　and　Wali　s　faces　as　they　too　saw　what　had　happened　behind　me。
I　turned　and　came　face　to　face　with　Hassan　s　slingshot。　Hassan　had　pulled　the　wide　elastic　band　all　the　way　back。　In　the　cup　was　a　rock　the　size　of　a　walnut。　Hassan　held　the　slingshot　pointed　directly　at　Assef　s　face。　His　hand　trembled　with　the　strain　of　the　pulled　elastic　band　and　beads　of　sweat　had　erupted　on　his　brow。
　Please　leave　us　alone；　Agha；　　Hassan　said　in　a　flat　tone。　He　d　referred　to　Assef　as　　Agha；　　and　I　wondered　briefly　what　it　must　be　like　to　live　with　such　an　ingrained　sense　of　one　s　place　in　a　hierarchy。
Assef　gritted　his　teeth。　　Put　it　down；　you　motherless　Hazara。　
　Please　leave　us　be；　Agha；　　Hassan　said。
Assef　smiled。　　Maybe　you　didn　t　notice；　but　there　are　three　of　us　and　two　of　you。　
Hassan　shrugged。　To　an　outsider；　he　didn　t　look　scared。　But　Hassan　s　face　was　my　earliest　memory　and　I　knew　all　of　its　subtle　nuances；　knew　each　and　every　twitch　and　flicker　that　ever　rippled　across　it。　And　I　saw　that　he　was　scared。　He　was　scared　plenty。
　You　are　right；　Agha。　But　perhaps　you　didn　t　notice　that　I　m　the　one　holding　the　slingshot。　If　you　make　a　move；　they　ll　have　to　change　your　nickname　from　Assef　　the　Ear　Eater　　to　　One…Eyed　Assef；　　because　I　have　this　rock　pointed　at　your　left　eye。　　He　said　this　so　flatly　that　even　I　had　to　strain　to　hear　the　fear　that　I　knew　hid　under　that　calm　voice。
Assef　s　mouth　twitched。　Wali　and　Kamal　watched　this　exchange　with　something　akin　to　fascination。　Someone　had　challenged　their　god。　Humiliated　him。　And；　worst　of　all；　that　someone　was　a　skinny　Hazara。　Assef　looked　from　the　rock　to　Hassan。　He　searched　Hassan　s　face　intently。　What　he　found　in　it　must　have　convinced　him　of　the　seriousness　of　Hassan　s　intentions；　because　he　lowered　his　fist。
　You　should　know　something　about　me；　Hazara；　　Assef　said　gravely。　　I　m　a　very　patient　person。　This　doesn　t　end　today；　believe　me。　　He　turned　to　me。　　This　isn　t　the　end　for　you　either；　Amir。　Someday；　I　ll　make　you　face　me　one　on　one。　　Assef　retreated　a　step。　His　disciples　followed。
　Your　Hazara　made　a　big　mistake　today；　Amir；　　he　said。　They　then　turned　around；　walked　away。　I　watched　them　walk　down　the　hill　and　disappear　behind　a　wall。
Hassan　was　trying　to　tuck　the　slingshot　in　his　waist　with　a　pair　of　trembling　hands。　His　mouth　curled　up　into　something　that　was　supposed　to　be　a　reassuring　smile。　It　took　him　five　tries　to　tie　the　string　of　his　trousers。　Neither　one　of　us　said　much　of　anything　as　we　walked　home　in　trepidation；　certain　that　Assef　and　his　friends　would　ambush　us　every　time　we　turned　a　corner。　They　didn　t　and　that　should　have　forted　us　a　little。　But　it　didn　t。　Not　at　all。
FOR　THE　NEXT　COUPLE　of　years；　the　words　_economic　development_　and　_reform_　danced　on　a　lot　of　lips　in　Kabul。　The　constitutional　monarchy　had　been　abolished；　replaced　by　a　republic；　led　by　a　president　of　the　republic。　For　a
while；　a　sense　of　rejuvenation　and　purpose　swept　across　the　land。　People　spoke　of　women　s　rights　and　modern　technology。
And　for　the　most　part；　even　though　a　new　leader　lived　in　_Arg_……the　royal　palace　in　Kabul……life　went　on