the kite runner-第65部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


or　almost　a　month。　All　the　Afghans　in　Virginia　were　talking　about　it。
　Padar　eventually　found　us。　He　showed　up　at　the　door　and。。。　made　me　e　home。　I　was　hysterical。　Yelling。　Screaming。　Saying　I　hated　him。。。
　Anyway；　I　came　home　and……　　She　was　crying。　　Excuse　me。　　I　heard　her　put　the　phone　down。　Blow　her　nose。　　Sorry；　　she　came　back　on；　sounding　hoarse。　　When　I　came　home；　I　saw　my　mother　had　had　a　stroke；　the　right　side　of　her　face　was　paralyzed　and。。。　I　felt　so　guilty。　She　didn　t　deserve　that。
　Padar　moved　us　to　California　shortly　after。　　A　silence　followed。
　How　are　you　and　your　father　now？　　I　said。
　We　ve　always　had　our　differences；　we　still　do；　but　I　m　grateful　he　came　for　me　that　day。　I　really　believe　he　saved　me。　　She　paused。　　So；　does　what　I　told　you　bother　you？　
　A　little；　　I　said。　I　owed　her　the　truth　on　this　one。　I　couldn　t　lie　to　her　and　say　that　my　pride；　my　iftikhar；　wasn　t　stung　at　all　that　she　had　been　with　a　man；　whereas　I　had　never　taken　a　woman　to　bed。　It　did　bother　me　a　bit；　but　I　had　pondered　this　quite　a　lot　in　the　weeks　before　I　asked　Baba　to　go　khastegari。　And　in　the　end　the　question　that　always　came　back　to　me　was　this：　How　could　I；　of　all　people；　chastise　someone　for　their　past？
　Does　it　bother　you　enough　to　change　your　mind？　
　No；　Soraya。　Not　even　close；　　I　said。　　Nothing　you　said　changes　anything。　I　want　us　to　marry。　
She　broke　into　fresh　tears。
I　envied　her。　Her　secret　was　out。　Spoken。　Dealt　with。　I　opened　my　mouth　and　almost　told　her　how　I　d　betrayed　Hassan；　lied；　driven　him　out；　and　destroyed　a　forty…year　relationship　between　Baba　and　Ali。　But　I　didn　t。　I　suspected　there　were　many　ways　in　which　Soraya　Taheri　was　a　better　person　than　me。　Courage　was　just　one　of　them。
THIRTEEN
When　we　arrived　at　the　Taheris　　home　the　next　evening……for　lafz；　the　ceremony　of　　giving　word　……I　had　to　park　the　Ford　across　the　street。　Their　driveway　was　already　jammed　with　cars。　I　wore　a　navy　blue　suit　I　had　bought　the　previous　day；　after　I　had　brought　Baba　home　from　_khastegari_。　I　checked　my　tie　in　the　rearview　mirror。
　You　look　khoshteep；　　Baba　said。　Handsome。
　Thank　you；　Baba。　Are　you　all　right？　Do　you　feel　up　to　this？　
　Up　to　this？　It　s　the　happiest　day　of　my　life；　Amir；　　he　said；　smiling　tiredly。
I　COULD　HEAR　CHATTER　from　the　other　side　of　the　door；　laughter；　and　Afghan　music　playing　softly……it　sounded　like　a　classical　ghazal　by　Ustad　Sarahang。　I　rang　the　bell。　A　face　peeked　through　the　curtains　of　the　foyer　window　and　disappeared。　　They　re　here！　　I　heard　a　woman　s　voice　say。　The　chatter　stopped。　Someone　turned　off　the　music。
Khanum　Taheri　opened　the　door。　　_Salaam　alaykum_；　　she　said；　beaming。　She　d　permed　her　hair；　I　saw；　and　wore　an　elegant；　ankle…length　black　dress。　When　I　stepped　into　the　foyer；　her　eyes　moistened。　　You　re　barely　in　the　house　and　I　m　crying　already；　Amir　jan；　　she　said。　I　planted　a　kiss　on　her　hand；　just　as　Baba　had　instructed　me　to　do　the　night　before。
She　led　us　through　a　brightly　lit　hallway　to　the　living　room。　On　the　wood…paneled　walls；　I　saw　pictures　of　the　people　who　would　bee　my　new　family：　A　young　bouffant…haired　Khanum　Taheri　and　the　general……Niagara　Falls　in　the　background；　Khanum　Taheri　in　a　seamless　dress；　the　general　in　a　narrow…lapelled　jacket　and　thin　tie；　his　hair　full　and　black；　Soraya；　about　to　board　a　wooden　roller　coaster；　waving　and　smiling；　the　sun　glinting　off　the　silver　wires　in　her　teeth。　A　photo　of　the　general；　dashing　in　full　military　outfit；　shaking　hands　with　King　Hussein　of　Jordan。　A　portrait　of　Zahir　Shah。
The　living　room　was　packed　with　about　two　dozen　guests　seated　on　chairs　placed　along　the　walls。　When　Baba　entered；　everybody　stood　up。　We　went　around　the　room；　Baba　leading　slowly；　me　behind　him；　shaking　hands　and　greeting　the　guests。　The　general……still　in　his　gray　suit……and　Baba　embraced；　gently　tapping　each　other　on　the　back。　They　said　their　Salaams　in　respectful　hushed　tones。
The　general　held　me　at　arm　s　length　and　smiled　knowingly；　as　if　saying；　　Now；　this　is　the　right　way……the　Afghan　way……to　do　it；　_bachem_。　　We　kissed　three　times　on　the　cheek。
We　sat　in　the　crowded　room；　Baba　and