Balthasar's Odyssey by Amin Maalouf Read Free Book Online

water. Then he said to me:
    â€œWe’re always glad to see you!”
    This meant that my present visit was over. I stood up sheepishly and said a word of farewell to those closest to me; the rest had already scattered.
    Stunned, I began to walk back to the hostelry where we were to spend the night. Hatem came and told me he was going to buy some provisions. Habib whispered that he was off for a stroll by the harbour. I let them both go without comment. Only jaber stayed with me, but I didn’t speak to him either. What could I have said? “A plague on you, Boumeh — It’s your fault I’ve been humiliated!” His fault, and Evdokim’s, and Idriss’s, and Marmontel’s, and the fault of many others, but most of all it’s mine. And It’s first and foremost up to me to preserve my reason, my reputation and my dignity.
    I wonder, though, why those booksellers reacted as they did. Their attitude was very cold and curt toward someone who’s always found them friendly and prudent. I expected amused smiles at most. Not such hostility. And I framed my question so carefully! I don’t understand. I simply don’t understand.
    Writing these lines has calmed me down. But that incident put me in a bad humour for the rest of the day. I went for Hatem because he didn’t buy what I meant him to buy. Then I scolded Habib for not coming back from his excursion till after dark.
    To Boumeh, the main cause of my discomfiture, I couldn’t think what to say.
    On the road, 26 August
    How could I have been so naive?
    It was staring me in the face and I didn’t see it!
    When I woke up this morning, Habib wasn’t there. He’d risen early and whispered to Hatem that he had to go and buy something in the Citadel market and would meet us afterwards near the Bassatine gate to the north-east of the city.
    â€œI just hope he gets there before we do,” I exclaimed, “because I shan’t wait for him! Not a single minute!” And I gave the order for us to leave at once.
    The gate isn’t far from the hostelry so we were soon there. I looked around. No Habib in sight.
    â€œGive him time,” pleaded my clerk, who has always had a soft spot for the boy.
    â€œI shan’t wait long!” I replied, tapping my foot impatiently. But I had to wait for him. What else could I do? We were setting out on a long journey — I couldn’t very well abandon my nephew on the way!
    After an hour, by which time the sun was high in the sky, Hatem, pretending to be all excited, called out to me: “Here comes Habib, running and waving his arms! He’s a good lad really, God save him! Always smiling and affectionate. The main thing, master, is that he hasn’t come to any harm.”
    All this, obviously, to try to spare him a trouncing! But I wouldn’t be mollified. An hour we’d been waiting! There was no question of my greeting him or smiling at him; I wouldn’t even look in the direction he was coming from. I just waited another minute, long enough for him to come up with us, and then I stalked off towards the city gate.
    Habib was now behind me: I could feel his presence and hear his breathing. But I kept my back turned on him. I’ll start talking to him again, I thought, when he’s kissed my hand respectfully and promised not to stay away again without my permission! If we’re to continue this journey together I need to know all the time where my nephews are!
    When we reached the officer keeping the gate, I greeted him formally, told him who I was, and slipped him a suitable coin.
    â€œAnd is this your son?” he asked, nodding towards the person behind me.
    â€œNo, I’m his nephew.”
    â€œAnd this woman?”
    â€œThat’s his wife,” said Habib.
    â€œRight! You may proceed.”
    My wife?
    I decided to get through the gate and away from the customs post and the soldiers, still looking straight in front of