Chapter 6.

1 hey buried Nana in a corner of the cemetery¹ in GulDaman. Mariam stood beside Bibi jo, with the women, asMullah Faizullah recited prayers at the graveside and the menlowered Nana's shrouded² body into the ground-Afterward, Jalilwalked Mariam to thekolba, where, in front of the villagers whoaccompanied them, he made a great show of tending toMariam. He collected a few of her things, put them in asuitcase. He sat beside her cot, where she lay down, andfanned her face. He stroked her forehead, and, with awoebegone expression on his face, asked if sheneededanything? anything? - he said it like that, twice.
"I want Mullah Faizullah," Mariam said.
"Of course. He's outside. I'll get him for you."It was when Mullah Faizullah's slight, stooping figure appearedin thekolba's doorway³ that Mariam cried for the first time thatday.
"Oh, Mariam jo."He sat next to her and cupped her face in his hands. "Yougo on and cry, Mariam jo. Go on. There is no shame in it.
But remember, my girl, what the Koran says, 'Blessed is He inWhose hand is the kingdom, and He Who has power over allthings, Who created death and life that He may try you.' TheKoran speaks the truth, my girl.
Behind every trial and every sorrow that He makes usshoulder, God has a reason."But Mariam could not hear comfort in God's words. Not thatday. Not then. All she could hear was Nana saying,I'll die ifyou go. I'll just die. All she could do was cry and cry and lether tears fall on the spotted⁴, paper-thin skin of MullahFaizullah's hands.
* * *On the ride to his house, Jalil sat in the backseat of his carwith Mariam, his arm draped over her shoulder.
"You can stay with me, Mariam jo," he said. "I've asked themalready to clean a room for you. It's upstairs. You'll like it, Ithink. You'll have a view of the garden."For the first time, Mariam could hear him with Nana's ears.
She could hear so clearly now the insincerity that had alwayslurked beneath, the hollow, false assurances. She could notbring herself to look at him.
When the car stopped before Jalil's house, the driver openedthe door for them and carried Mariam's suitcase. Jalil guidedher, one palm cupped around each of her shoulders, throughthe same gates outside of which, two days before, Mariam hadslept on the sidewalk waiting for him. Two days before-whenMariam could think of nothing in the world she wanted morethan to walk in this garden with Jalil-felt like another lifetime.
How could her life have turned upside down so quickly,Mariam asked herself. She kept her gaze to the ground, onher feet, stepping on the gray stone path. She was aware ofthe presence of people in the garden, murmuring, steppingaside, as she and Jalil walked past. She sensed the weight ofeyes on her, looking down from the windows upstairs.
Inside the house too, Mariam kept her head down. Shewalked on a maroon⁵ carpet with a repeating blue-and-yellowoctagonal pattern, saw out of the corner of her eye the marblebases of statues, the lower halves of vases, the frayed⁶ ends ofrichly colored tapestries⁷ hanging from walls. The stairs she andJalil took were wide and covered with asimilar carpet, naileddown at the base of each step. At the top of the stairs, Jalilled her to the left, down another long, carpeted hallway. Hestopped by one of the doors, opened it, and let her in.
"Your sisters Niloufar and Atieh play here sometimes," Jalilsaid, "but mostly we use this as a guest room. You'll becomfortable here, I think. It's nice, isn't it?"The room had a bed with a green-flowered blanket knit in atightly woven, honeycomb design. The curtains, pulled back toreveal the garden below, matched the blanket. Beside the bedwas a three-drawer chest with a flower vase on it. There wereshelves along the walls, with framed pictures of people Mariamdid not recognize. On one of the shelves, Mariam saw acollection of identical wooden dolls, arranged in a line in orderof decreasing size.
Jalil saw her looking."Matryoshka dolls. I got them in Moscow.
You can play with them, if you want. No one will mind."Mariam sat down on the bed.
"Is there anything you want?" Jalil said.
Mariam lay down. Closed her eyes. After a while, she heardhim softly shut the door.
* * *Except for "when she had to use the bathroom down thehall, Mariam stayed in the room. The girl with the tattoo⁸, theone who had opened the gates to her, brought her meals ona tray: lamb kebab,sabzi, aush soup. Most of it went uneaten.
Jalil came by several times a day, sat on the bed beside her,asked her if she was all right.
"You could eat downstairs with the rest of us," he said, butwithout much conviction. He understood a little too readilywhen Mariam said she preferred to eat alone.
From the window, Mariam watched impassively what she hadwondered about and longed to see for most of her life: thecomings and goings of Jalil's daily life. Servants rushed in andout of the front gates. A gardener was always trimming bushes,watering plants in the greenhouse. Cars with long, sleek⁹ hoodspulled up on the street. From them emerged men in suits,inchapcms and caracul hats, women inhijabs, children withneatly combed hair. And as Mariam watched Jalil shake thesestrangers' hands, as she saw him cross his palms on his chestand nod to their wives, she knew that Nana had spoken thetruth. She did not belong here.
But where do I belong? What am I going to do now?
I'm all you have in this world, Mariam, and when I'm goneyou'll have nothing. You'll have nothing. Youarenothing!
Like the wind through the willows¹⁰ around thekolba, gusts¹¹ ofan inexpressible blackness kept passing through Mariam.
On Mariam's second full day at Jalil's house, a little girl cameinto the room.
"I have to get something," she said.
Mariam sat up on the bed and crossed her legs, pulled theblanket on her lap.
The girl hurried across the room and opened the closet door.
She fetched a square-shaped gray box.
"You know what this is?" she said. She opened the box. "It'scalled a gramophone.Gramo. Phone. It plays records. You know,music. A gramophone.""You're Niloufar. You're eight."The little girl smiled. She had Jalil's smile and his dimpledchin. "How did you know?"Mariam shrugged¹². She didn't say to this girl that she'd oncenamed a pebble¹³ after her.
"Do you want to hear a song?"Mariam shrugged again.
Niloufar plugged in the gramophone. She fished a small recordfrom a pouch¹⁴ beneath the box's lid. She put it on, lowered theneedle. Music began to play.
1 will use a flower petal¹⁵ for paper, And write you the sweetestletter, You are the sultan of my heart, the sultan of my heart"Do you know it?""No.""It's from an Iranian film. I saw it at my father's cinema. Hey,do you want to see something?"Before Mariam could answer, Niloufar had put her palms andforehead to the ground She pushed with her soles and thenshe was standing¹⁶ upside down, on her head, in a three-pointstance.
"Can you do that?" she said thickly.
"No."Niloufar dropped her legs and pulled her blouse back down.
"I could teach you," she said, pushing hair from her flushedbrow. "So how long will you stay here?""I don't know.""My mother says you're not really my sister like you say youare.""I never said I was," Mariam lied.
"She says you did. I don't care. What I mean is, I don't mindif you did say it, or if you are my sister. I don't mind."Mariam lay down. "I'm tired now.""My mother saysa jinn made your mother hang herself.""You can stop that now," Mariam said, turning to her side.
"The music, I mean."Bibi jo came to see her that day too. It was raining by thetime she came. She lowered her large body onto the chairbeside the bed, grimacing¹⁷.
"This rain, Mariam jo, it's murder on my hips¹⁸. Just murder, Itell you. I hope…Oh, now, come here, child. Come here to Bibijo. Don't cry. There, now. You poor thing.Ask You poor, poorthing."That night, Mariam couldn't sleep for a long time. She lay inbed looking at the sky, listening to the footsteps below, thevoices muffled¹⁹ by walls and the sheets of rain punishing thewindow. When she did doze²⁰ off, she was startled awake byshouting. Voices downstairs, sharp and angry. Mariam couldn'tmake out the words. Someone slammed a door.
The next morning, Mullah Faizullah came to visit her. Whenshe saw her friend at the door, his white beard and hisamiable, toothless smile, Mariam felt tears stinging the cornersof her eyes again. She swung her feet over the side of the bedand hurried over. She kissed his hand as always and he herbrow. She pulled him up a chair-He showed her the Koran hehad brought with him and opened it. "I figured no sense inskipping our routine, eh?""You know I don't need lessons anymore, Mullah sahib. Youtaught me everysurrah andayat in the Koran years ago."He smiled, and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Iconfess, then. I've been found out. But I can think of worseexcuses to visit you.""You don't need excuses. Not you.""You're kind to say that, Mariam jo."He passed her his Koran. As he'd taught her, she kissed itthree times-touching it to her brow between each kiss-and gaveit back to him.
"How are you, my girl?""I keep," Mariam began. She had to stop, feeling like a rockhad lodged²¹ itself in her throat. "I keep thinking of what shesaid to me before I left. She-""Nay²², nay, nay."Mullah Faizullah put his hand on her knee.
"Your mother, may Allah forgive her, was a troubled andunhappy woman, Mariam jo. She did a terrible thing to herself.
To herself, to you, and also to Allah. He will forgive her, forHe is all-forgiving, but Allah is saddened by what she did. Hedoes not approve of the taking of life, be it another's or one'sown, for He says that life is sacred You see-" He pulled hischair closer, took Mariam's hand in both of his own. "You see,I knew your mother before you were born, when she was alittle girl, and I tell you that she was unhappy then. The seedfor what she did was planted long ago, I'm afraid. What Imean to say is that this was not your fault. It wasn't yourfault, my girl.""I shouldn't have left her. I should have-""You stop that. These thoughts are no good, Mariam jo. Youhear me, child? No good. They will destroy you. It wasn't yourfault. It wasn't your fault. No."Mariam nodded, but as desperately²³ as she wanted to shecould not bring herself to believe him.
* * *One apternoon, a week later, there was a knock on the door,and a tall woman walked in. She was fair-skinned, had reddishhair and long fingers.
"I'm Afsoon," she said. "Niloufar's mother. Why don't youwash up, Mariam, and come downstairs?"Mariam said she would rather stay in her room.
"No,nafahmidi, you don't understand. Youmedio come down.
We have to talk to you. It's important."

1 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

2 shrouded   

v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密

参考例句：

• The hills were shrouded in mist . 这些小山被笼罩在薄雾之中。
• The towers were shrouded in mist. 城楼被蒙上薄雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

4 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

5 maroon   

v.困住，使（人）处于孤独无助之境；n.逃亡黑奴；孤立的人；酱紫色，褐红色；adj.酱紫色的，褐红色的

参考例句：

• Five couples were marooned in their caravans when the River Avon broke its banks.埃文河决堤的时候，有5对夫妇被困在了他们的房车里。
• Robinson Crusoe has been marooned on a desert island for 26 years.鲁滨逊在荒岛上被困了26年。

6 frayed   

adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His shirt was frayed. 他的衬衫穿破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The argument frayed their nerves. 争辩使他们不快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 tapestries   

n.挂毯( tapestry的名词复数 )；绣帷，织锦v.用挂毯（或绣帷）装饰( tapestry的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The wall of the banqueting hall were hung with tapestries. 宴会厅的墙上挂有壁毯。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rooms were hung with tapestries. 房间里都装饰着挂毯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 tattoo   

n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于

参考例句：

• I've decided to get my tattoo removed.我已经决定去掉我身上的纹身。
• He had a tattoo on the back of his hand.他手背上刺有花纹。

9 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

10 willows   

n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木

参考例句：

• The willows along the river bank look very beautiful. 河岸边的柳树很美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Willows are planted on both sides of the streets. 街道两侧种着柳树。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 gusts   

一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作

参考例句：

• Her profuse skirt bosomed out with the gusts. 她的宽大的裙子被风吹得鼓鼓的。
• Turbulence is defined as a series of irregular gusts. 紊流定义为一组无规则的突风。

12 shrugged   

vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
• She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

14 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

15 petal   

n.花瓣

参考例句：

• Each white petal had a stripe of red.每一片白色的花瓣上都有一条红色的条纹。
• A petal fluttered to the ground.一片花瓣飘落到地上。

16 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

17 grimacing   

v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• But then Boozer drove past Gasol for a rattling, grimacing slam dunk. 可布泽尔单吃家嫂，以一记强有力的扣篮将比分超出。 来自互联网
• The martyrdom of Archbishop Cranmer, said the don at last, grimacing with embarrassment. 最后那位老师尴尬地做个鬼脸，说，这是大主教克莱默的殉道士。 来自互联网

18 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 muffled   

adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）

参考例句：

• muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
• There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 doze   

v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐

参考例句：

• He likes to have a doze after lunch.他喜欢午饭后打个盹。
• While the adults doze,the young play.大人们在打瞌睡，而孩子们在玩耍。

21 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

23 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。