第80节

    【】sohrabandthatshoe,ik.hat”

    sohrab,theohebruise.

    iflippedtothepageihadbentiaxiselfanddisveredthatihaddees.i,thoughitbeatalerepleteeaboutthatonarosefroisuother,tahheprinengan,aoknoheidentityofhisfather.iclosed

    thebook.“doyouetogoontherearebattlesingup,reersohrableadinghisartotheecastleiniranshouldireadon”

    heshookhisheadsloorrow.howdoyoufeel”

    sohrabsuthopenedandahoarsesoundcaout.dr.ofthebreathingtubetheyhadslidthroughhisvocalrds.helickedhislipsandtriedagain.“tired.”

    “iknohatobeexpected”hewasshakinghishead.

    “,sohrab”

    hehathuskyvoice,barelyaboveahing.”

    isighedandsluedinefroheothersideofitarblesullahbeltedouttheeveningazanandalirdoirunkofbabas.

    hegaveaslohing,”herepeated.

    “e.”

    “iyoldlifeback,”hebreathed.

    “oh,sohrab.”

    “ikhansahibinthegarden.iacrosshiseyes.“iyoldlifeback.”

    ididntknoyhands.youroldlife,ithought.oldlifetoo.iplayedinthesayard,sohrab.ilivedinthesahouse.butthegrassisdeadandastrangersjeepisparkedinthedriveenoe.

    “itgiveyouthat,”isaid.“i”

    “pleasedontsaythat.”

    “eintheer.”

    “donteversaythat,sohrab,”isaid,leaningforbeartohearyoutalklikethat.”itouchedhisshoulderandheflinched.drewaway.i

    droppedhand,reeringruefullyhoyprosetohiehadfinallybeeateaseytoutotellyou.youhaveavisatogotoariyise.”

    hesighedthroughhisnoseandaybehangoingbaiseideyou.butthatsoveryprofoundlysorry.iaskforyourbakhshesh,yiveness.ee”idroppedvoice.“ee”

    asiyndflashedbaifhee.noicrospe,theoneyhiness.ideservedthis.

    sohrabrolledtohisside,hisbae.andthen,justasithoughtheghthavedriftedtosleep,hesaidsokhasta.”soverytired.isatbyhisbeduntilhefellasleep.sothiiletingarfaisal,alightofhopehadbeguersohrabseyeslikeatidguest.noiledagain.hoe.ifever.

    soilefttheroondostayearherword.

    intheend,sohrabneveraeued,heelesshazaraorphan.oreofaquietsurrender,notsoentbyoooeandarions.

    andsoit,blaafghanistantoarioilanddroppinghinaturilofuainty.

    oneday,ybearound1983or1984,iont.ie,sippingkefro7elevenagnifiesbuandrobertvaughn.”hegaveapinan,”hesaid,shakinghisheadandtteringsothingasheeriov

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