God Dies by the Nile and Other Novels Read Online Free PDF

Why had this man led the conversation away from Zeinab’s rosy heels to such weighty matters as religion and faith? He smiled in Haj Ismail’s direction and said, ‘Tell me, in your capacity as doctor-healer in this village, how is it possible that a dark-skinned devil like Kafrawi should have fathered daughters who are as white as a bowl of cream?’
    Sheikh Hamzawi butted in again, attempting to chase away the image of the Mayor’s disapproving pout, which was still upsetting his tranquillity. He intoned, ‘And Allah doth create from the loins of a man of God a corrupt descent.’
    â€˜You have not told me what you think, Haj Ismail,’ said the Mayor, ignoring Sheikh Hamzawi’s interruption.
    The village barber was still busy turning over in his mind the title of ‘doctor-healer’ which the Mayor had bestowed upon him. It made him feel as though he had been accorded a bachelor’s degree in medicine, which put him on an equal footing with any medical doctor in the area. He pulled himself up and gazed fixedly in front of him with narrowed eyes as though lost in deep thought. On his face was the look of a manof science, who has penetrated into the secrets of life and is now endowed with great knowledge.
    â€˜By Allah, your highness, and verily it is Allah alone who knows, the mother of Nefissa must have been yearning for a bowl of cream at the time when she was pregnant with the girl. Or maybe she was possessed by a white devil.’
    The Mayor was seized with a fit of almost uncontrollable laughter. He threw his head back, giving full vent to his mirth, before turning to the Chief of the Village Guard as though looking for someone to come to his rescue.
    The Chief of the Village Guard stood up imitating the same dramatic stance he had adopted a while before, and shouted into the night.
    â€˜Boy, bring the handcuffs and chains at once. Catch hold of the devils, boy, and clap them in irons.’ Then spitting into the neck of his galabeya , he whispered, ‘Let not our words anger them, Almighty God.’
    Everyone joined in the laughter, but the loudest voice of all was that of Sheikh Hamzawi, who felt that now a special effort was required to melt the ice between him and the Mayor. Leaning over he whispered into his car, ‘It’s a well-known fact that the womenfolk in the Kafrawi family have their eyes wide open and are quite brazen, your highness.’
    The Mayor gurgled softly. ‘Is it only their eyes that are wide open, Sheikh Hamzawi?’ he asked half seriously.
    There was another storm of laughter. It was slowly carried across the still waters of the river, this time sounding carefree, as though the men were at last rid of their bitterness and melancholy. Even the Mayor felt better. He had chased away the bitterness which invaded his heart the moment he saw his brother’s picture in the newspaper. Now he no longer had a need to be distracted, or entertained. He yawned copiously, displaying two rows of long white teeth like the fangs of a fox, or a wolf. When he spoke it was in a tone which brooked no discussion.
    â€˜Let’s go.’
    He stood up, and in the wink of an eye the three men were also on their feet.
    _________
    * The central government in Cairo which manages national affairs. Misr, here, is Egypt, but also refers to the capital.
    * A popular saying meaning that sometimes when you try to improve a situation you may make it worse.

III
    She piled up pieces of stone and pebbles in the ditch beneath the slope of the river bank, covered them with earth, and flattened the surface with the palm of her hand. Then, resting her arm on the ground, she sat down with her back to the trunk of a mulberry tree. The earth was fresh against her hot skin. A damp coolness seemed to flow from the tree into the aching muscles and bones of her back. She pressed her forehead and face up against it, licking the moisture that exuded from it with her