White Masks Read Online Free PDF Page A

long baggy shift, struck a match and lit them. The smell of incense and other strange aromas filled the house.
    And then, she started saying in this throaty voice: “Hmm . . . I smell something, my dear . . . I can smell . . . I smell . . . this house . . . I smell . . . I can smell djinns! This house is inhabited, my dear, your home is possessed . . .
the djinn . . . the Good Lord protect us . . . The djinn, he’s in another room, such a strong smell he’s got ... he’s inside a man . . . it’s your husband who’s inhabited by the djinn! And it’s an evil djinn . . . I’ve got to see the man and talk to him, then the djinn will leave, he’ll have to leave him . . . Hmmm . . . Oh, the smell of the djinn . . . O-o-oh!”
    By now, I was good and frightened. Djinns are terrifying, and it seemed that this one was right there before me, just like she was. She blew out the incense sticks, put them away inside her shift, and asked me to open the windows and air the room. I told her that it wouldn’t be possible for her to see my husband, that he refused to open the door.
    â€œThe djinn, dear Sitt Noha . . . Oh, if you only knew . . . I see them, I can feel them, with my own hands, every day . . . It’s as if Beirut were overrun with these evil and godless demons, Lord have mercy upon us . . . They have come here from the very ends of the earth, they don’t know the Arabic language, and they speak in strange tongues that we don’t understand . . . but, with God’s grace, I shall overcome the djinn that is here. Go and tell your husband that I want to see him for five minutes - five minutes and everything will be alright. You know,” she went on, “this city is full of strange things . . . and now this demon, this alien, is in our midst . . . and we’ve got to find a way to get rid of it, or else we’re done for! The very moral fiber of our society is at stake! Get up now and go to your husband, go on, go and tell him just five minutes. The djinn, oh my, the djinn . . .”
    Even though I knew he wouldn’t agree, I got up and went to his door. She came with me, and we stood there, together, knocking on the door, over and over again, but he wouldn’t open. She started speaking to him in that throaty voice of hers, begging him to open and let her in just for five
minutes, but he wouldn’t. She reminded him that he had once asked her to summon the spirit of our boy, Ahmad, and that she was ready to do so now, provided that he opened the door. Just five minutes, she insisted. There was absolutely no response, we couldn’t even hear him: he was probably sitting up in bed, immobile. We went back to the living room. Sitt Khadijah was clearly disheartened.
    â€œThe situation’s desperate,” she said. “Let’s try something else. Although I haven’t ever before come across the particular djinn that’s possessed your husband, we’ll try another way. You know, don’t you, that djinns love to inhabit cats; they prefer cats to people, don’t ask me why, I couldn’t tell you. What do you think of this? I’ll go and buy him a cat, a completely black cat, and I’ll make sure it’s not possessed, and then we’ll slip it into his room ... Then, hopefully - there are no guarantees, you understand - the evil djinn will leave your husband and enter the cat, and you’ll be relieved and so will he, poor man.”
    I said I agreed, but what if he didn’t?
    â€œWell, at that point only God can help,” she replied.
    She sat down and began to fidget, as if she wanted to get up again, and added, “Let me have a hundred lira, dear, and I’ll get the cat.”
    â€œOne hundred lira for a cat!” I exclaimed in astonishment.
    â€œIf not more,” she said. “But I’m mindful of your circumstances. I’ve got to find a cat that’s not possessed and then I have to make