B005OWFTDW EBOK Read Online Free PDF

something she doubted.
    ‘You will do as you are told,’ Razia said firmly. ‘We have been lenient with you so far but that ends now. I am warning you, if the three acts of injustice against my blameless son are repeated at the next birth, neither he nor I will be responsible for the consequences. Like all good and honest people, my son has enemies, forever waiting for an opportunity to strike. They’ll take everything away from him if he doesn’t have sons to stand beside him in later years.’
    A black air-conditioned jeep with tinted windows took them from the mansion to the riverbank, from where they crossed the waters of the Indus on a boat. Both Leila and Razia were entirely veiled, and a path was cleared for them through the crowd. A man selling a soap-bubble-making device for children was told to stop demonstrating lest the bubbles come into contact with the two women. Four servant girls accompanied them, three Muslims and one Christian. Philomena, the Christian, was to remain in the unconsecrated area until required to assist, and then approach either on tiptoe or on the outer edges of her feet to minimize contact with the sacred building.
    It was a long white room off the main prayer hall, featureless but comfortable, and as Timur turned to go he saw Philomena try to pass an envelope into Leila’s hand. Leila didn’t seem to notice it and so Philomena quickly pulled it back into the folds of her veil. From the door he asked Philomena to come back to the mansion because more things were needed for the room.
    Two men with Kalashnikovs under their blankets were positioned outside the room, pretending to say the rosary beads, and when he told them just before leaving, ‘Be on your guard,’ one of them grinned in response.
    ‘It’ll be easier for a man to fetch a bowl of lioness milk than to get past us.’
    Timur took Philomena back to the mansion, re-emerging an hour later and driving back to the mosque. He had managed to make her talk just in time.
    Upon entering the prayer hall he saw three women in conversation with the guards. When they saw Timur, one of the guards said, ‘This woman says she is a midwife and has been summoned.’
    She turned round and saw Timur.
    ‘She is a midwife,’ Timur said, smiling.
    Her voice echoing off the high dome, the midwife said, ‘In Allah’s house today I am going to reveal the truth about you to everyone.’ A few of the worshippers sitting around the prayer hall became interested and looked up. However, one man, without raising his eyes from his Quran, said, ‘Yes, this is Allah’s house, so would the lady kindly allow us some silence and peace?’
    Timur addressed the hall. ‘I apologize, but this dire matter concerns all Muslims. This woman was a midwife employed by me for the birth of my first child. When my son was born, she – a Christian – strangled him.’ A few cries went up uncontrollably around the prayer hall at this. ‘Yes, she was a Muslim but has secretly converted to Christianity, and is now conspiring against us genuine Muslims.’
    ‘Liar!’ the woman shouted, but she became intimidated when the imam of the mosque appeared, gazing in displeasure at the scene. She said in a lowered voice, ‘Allah is still my Lord. And I am walking out of here with that poor girl.’ All around were constant murmurs and sounds of agitation from the worshippers.
    ‘She disappeared immediately after killing my unfortunate newborn son, and has reappeared today. Earlier this afternoon she bribed a Christian servant girl from my household who agreed to help her. She has brought with her these other women – schoolteachers and members of a foreign organization that preaches vulgarity to our pious womenfolk in the name of liberation. They have come here to this blessed place – which, as everyone knows, was built by angels at Allah’s own command – to kidnap my wife. Go in and see how the Christian servant has drugged my Allah-loving mother by putting