Mariam and Rasheed didn't join the neighbors. They listenedin on the radio as some ten thousand people poured into thestreets and marched up and down Kabul's government district.
Rasheed said that Mir Akbar Khyber had been a prominentcommunist, and that his supporters were blaming the murderon President Daoud Khan's government. He didn't look at herwhen he said this. These days, he never did anymore, andMariam wasn't ever sure if she was being spoken to.
"What's a communist?" she asked.
Rasheed snorted, and raised both eyebrows5. "You don't knowwhat a communist is? Such a simple thing.
Everyone knows. It's common knowledge. You don't…Bah. Idon't know why I'm surprised." Then he crossed his ankles onthe table and mumbled6 that it was someone who believed inKarl Marxist.
"Who's Karl Marxist?"Rasheed sighed.
On the radio, a woman's voice was saying that Taraki, theleader of the Khalq branch of the PDPA, the Afghancommunist party, was in the streets giving rousing speeches todemonstrators.
"What I meant was, what do they want?" Mariam asked.
"These communists, what is it that they believe?"Rasheed chortled and shook his head, but Mariam thoughtshe saw uncertainty7 in the way he crossed his arms, the wayhis eyes shifted. "You know nothing, do you? You're like achild. Your brain is empty. There is no information in it.""I ask because-""Chupko.Shut up."Mariam did.
It wasn't easy tolerating him talking this way to her, to bearhis scorn, his ridicule8, his insults, his walking past her like shewas nothing but a house cat. But after four years of marriage,Mariam saw clearly how much a woman could tolerate whenshe was afraid And Mariamwas afraid She lived in fear of hisshifting moods, his volatile9 temperament10, his insistence11 onsteering even mundane12 exchanges down a confrontational13 paththat, on occasion, he would resolve with punches, slaps, kicks,and sometimes try to make amends14 for with polluted apologiesand sometimes not.
In the four years since the day at the bathhouse, there hadbeen six more cycles of hopes raised then dashed, each loss,each collapse15, each trip to the doctor more crushing forMariam than the last. With each disappointment, Rasheed hadgrown more remote and resentful Now nothing she did pleasedhim. She cleaned the house, made sure he always had asupply of clean shirts, cooked him his favorite dishes. Once,disastrously, she even bought makeup16 and put it on for him.
But when he came home, he took one look at her and wincedwith such distaste that she rushed to the bathroom andwashed it all off, tears of shame mixing with soapy water,rouge, and mascara.
Now Mariam dreaded17 the sound of him coming home in theevening. The key rattling18, the creak of the door- these weresounds that set her heart racing19. From her bed, she listened totheclick-clack of his heels, to the muffled20 shuffling21 of his feetafter he'd shed his shoes. With her ears, she took inventory22 ofhis doings: chair legs dragged across the floor, the plaintivesqueak of the cane23 seat when he sat, the clinking of spoonagainst plate, the flutter of newspaper pages flipped24, theslurping of water. And as her heart pounded, her mindwondered what excuse he would use that night to pounce25 onher. There was always something, some minor26 thing that wouldinfuriate him, because no matter what she did to please him,no matter how thoroughly27 she submitted to his wants anddemands, it wasn't enough. She could not give him his sonback. In this most essential way, she had failed him-seven timesshe had failed him-and now she was nothing but a burden tohim. She could see it in the way he looked at her,when helooked at her. She was a burden to him.
"What's going to happen?" she asked him now.
Rasheed shot her a sidelong glance. He made a soundbetween a sigh and a groan28, dropped his legs from the table,and turned off the radio. He took it upstairs to his room. Heclosed the door.
* * *On April 27, Mariam's question was answered with cracklingsounds and intense, sudden roars. She ran barefoot down tothe living room and found Rasheed already by the window, inhis undershirt, his hair disheveled, palms pressed to the glass.
Mariam made her way to the window next to him. Overhead,she could see military planes zooming29 past, heading north andeast. Their deafening30 shrieks31 hurt her ears. In the distance,loud booms resonated and sudden plumes32 of smoke rose tothe sky.
"What's going on, Rasheed?" she said. "What is all this?""God knows," he muttered. He tried the radio and got onlystatic.
"What do we do?"Impatiently, Rasheed said, "We wait."* * *Later in the day, Rasheed was still trying the radio as Mariammade rice with spinach33 sauce in the kitchen. Mariamremembered a time when she had enjoyed, even lookedforward to, cooking for Rasheed. Now cooking was an exercisein heightened anxiety. Thequrma% were always too salty or toobland for his taste. The rice was judged either too greasy34 ortoo dry, the bread declared too doughy35 or too crispy.
Rasheed's faultfinding left her stricken in the kitchen withself-doubt.
When she brought him his plate, the national anthem36 wasplaying on the radio.
"I madesabzi, " she said.
"Put it down and be quiet."After the music faded, a man's voice came on the radio. Heannounced himself as Air Force Colonel Abdul Qader. Hereported that earlier in the day the rebel Fourth ArmoredDivision had seized the airport and key intersections37 in the city.
Kabul Radio, the ministries38 of Communication and the Interior,and the Foreign Ministry39 building had also been captured.
Kabul was in the hands of the people now, he said proudly.
Rebel MiGs had attacked the Presidential Palace. Tanks hadbroken into the premises40, and a fierce battle was under waythere. Daoud's loyalist forces were all but defeated, Abdul Qadersaid in a reassuring41 tone.
Days later, when the communists began the summaryexecutions of those connected with Daoud Khan's regime, whenrumors began floating about Kabul of eyes gouged43 and genitalselectrocuted in the Pol-e-Charkhi Prison, Mariam would hear ofthe slaughter44 that had taken place at the Presidential Palace.
Daoud Khanhadbten killed, but not before the communist rebelshad killed some twenty members of his family, including womenand grandchildren. There would be rumors42 that he had takenhis own life, that he'd been gunned down in the heat of battle;rumors that he'd been saved for last, made to watch themassacre of his family, then shot.
Rasheed turned up the volume and leaned in closer.
"A revolutionary council of the armed forces has beenestablished, and ourwatan will now be known as theDemocratic Republic of Afghanistan," Abdul Qader said. "Theera of aristocracy, nepotism45, and inequality is over,fellowhamwaians. We have ended decades of tyranny. Power isnow in the hands of the masses and freedom-loving people. Aglorious new era in the history of our country is afoot. A newAfghanistan is born. We assure you that you have nothing tofear, fellow Afghans. The new regime will maintain the utmostrespect for principles, both Islamic and democratic. This is atime of rejoicing and celebration."Rasheed turned off the radio.
"So is this good or bad?" Mariam asked.
"Bad for the rich, by the sound of it," Rasheed said. "Maybenot so bad for us."Mariam's thoughts drifted to Jalil. She wondered if thecommunists would go after him, then. Would they jail him? Jailhis sons? Take his businesses and properties from him?
"Is this warm?" Rasheed said, eyeing the rice.
"I just served it from the pot."He grunted46, and told her to hand him a plate.
* * *Do"WN the street, as the night lit up in sudden flashes of redand yellow, an exhausted47 Fariba had propped48 herself up onher elbows. Her hair was matted with sweat, and droplets49 ofmoisture teetered on the edge of her upper lip. At her bedside,the elderly midwife, Wajma, watched as Fariba's husband andsons passed around the infant. They were marveling at thebaby's light hair, at her pink cheeks and puckered50, rosebudlips, at the slits51 of jade52 green eyes moving behind her puffylids. They smiled at each other when they heard her voice forthe first time, a cry that started like the mewl of a cat andexploded into a healthy, full-throated yowl. Noor said her eyeswere like gemstones. Ahmad, who was the most religiousmember of the family, sang theazan in his baby sister's earand blew in her face three times.
"Laila it is, then?" Hakim asked, bouncing his daughter.
"Laila it is," Fariba said, smiling tiredly. "Night Beauty. It'sperfect."* * *Rasheed made a ball of rice with his fingers. He put it in hismouth, chewed once, then twice, before grimacing53 and spittingit out on thesofrah.
"What's the matter?" Mariam asked, hating the apologetic toneof her voice. She could feel her pulse quickening, her skinshrinking.
"What's the matter?" he mewled, mimicking54 her. "What's thematter is that you've done it again.""But I boiled it five minutes more than usual.""That's a bold lie.""I swear-"He shook the rice angrily from his fingers and pushed theplate away, spilling sauce and rice on thesojrah. Mariamwatched as he stormed out of the living room, then out of thehouse, slamming the door on his way out.
Mariam kneeled to the ground and tried to pick up the grainsof rice and put them back on the plate, but her hands wereshaking badly, and she had to wait for them to stop. Dreadpressed down on her chest. She tried taking a few deepbreaths. She caught her pale reflection in the darkenedliving-room window and looked away.
Then she heard the front door opening, and Rasheed wasback in the living room.
"Get up," he said. "Come here. Get up."He snatched her hand, opened it, and dropped a handful ofpebbles into it.
"Put these in your mouth." "What?""Put. These. In your mouth.""Stop it, Rasheed, I'm-"His powerful hands clasped her jaw56. He shoved two fingersinto her mouth and pried57 it open, then forced the cold, hardpebbles into it. Mariam struggled against him, mumbling58, but hekept pushing the pebbles55 in, his upper lip curled in a sneer59.
"Now chew," he said.
Through the mouthful of grit60 and pebbles, Mariam mumbled aplea. Tears were leaking out of the corners of her eyes.
"CHEW!" he bellowed61. A gust62 of his smoky breath slammedagainst her face.
Mariam chewed. Something in the back of her mouth cracked.
"Good," Rasheed said. His cheeks were quivering. "Now youknow what your rice tastes like. Now you know what you'vegiven me in this marriage. Bad food, and nothing else."Then he was gone, leaving Mariam to spit out pebbles, blood,and the fragments of two broken molars.
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收听单词发音
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1
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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volatile
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| adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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mundane
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| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
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confrontational
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| adj.挑衅的；对抗的 | |
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amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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makeup
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| n.组织；性格；化装品 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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18
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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muffled
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| 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） | |
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21
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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22
inventory
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| n.详细目录，存货清单 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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24
flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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zooming
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| adj.快速上升的v.（飞机、汽车等）急速移动( zoom的过去分词 )；（价格、费用等）急升，猛涨 | |
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30
deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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31
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
plumes
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| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
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spinach
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| n.菠菜 | |
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greasy
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| adj. 多脂的，油脂的 | |
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doughy
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| adj.面团的，苍白的，半熟的；软弱无力 | |
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anthem
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| n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌 | |
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37
intersections
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| n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集 | |
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38
ministries
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| （政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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42
rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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43
gouged
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| v.凿( gouge的过去式和过去分词 )；乱要价；（在…中）抠出…；挖出… | |
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44
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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45
nepotism
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| n.任人唯亲；裙带关系 | |
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46
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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47
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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48
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
droplets
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| n.小滴( droplet的名词复数 ) | |
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50
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
slits
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| n.狭长的口子，裂缝( slit的名词复数 )v.切开，撕开( slit的第三人称单数 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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52
jade
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| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
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53
grimacing
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的现在分词 ) | |
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54
mimicking
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| v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的现在分词 )；酷似 | |
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55
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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56
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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57
pried
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| v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的过去式和过去分词 )；撬开 | |
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58
mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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59
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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60
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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61
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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62
gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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