the kite runner-第12章

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Assef　crossed　his　thick　arms　on　his　chest；　a　savage　sort　of　grin　on　his　lips。　Not　for　the　first　time；　it　occurred　to　me　that　Assef　might　not　be　entirely　sane。　It　also　occurred　to　me　how　lucky　I　was　to　have　Baba　as　my　father；　the　sole　reason；　I　believe；　Assef　had　mostly　refrained　from　harassing　me　too　much。
He　tipped　his　chin　to　Hassan。　　Hey；　Flat…Nose；　　he　said。　　How　is　Babalu？　
Hassan　said　nothing　and　crept　another　step　behind　me。
　Have　you　heard　the　news；　boys？　　Assef　said；　his　grin　never　faltering。　　The　king　is　gone。　Good　riddance。　Long　live　the　president！　My　father　knows　Daoud　Khan；　did　you　know　that；　Amir？　
　So　does　my　father；　　I　said。　In　reality；　I　had　no　idea　if　that　was　true　or　not。
　So　does　my　father；　　Assef　mimicked　me　in　a　whining　voice。　Kamal　and　Wali　cackled　in　unison。　I　wished　Baba　were　there。
　Well；　Daoud　Khan　dined　at　our　house　last　year；　　Assef　went　on。　　How　do　you　like　that；　Amir？　
I　wondered　if　anyone　would　hear　us　scream　in　this　remote　patch　of　land。　Baba　s　house　was　a　good　kilometer　away。　I　wished　we　d　stayed　at　the　house。
　Do　you　know　what　I　will　tell　Daoud　Khan　the　next　time　he　es　to　our　house　for　dinner？　　Assef　said。　　I　m　going　to　have　a　little　chat　with　him；　man　to　man；　_mard_　to　_mard_。　Tell　him　what　I　told　my　mother。　About　Hitler。　Now；　there　was　a　leader。　A　great　leader。
A　man　with　vision。　I　ll　tell　Daoud　Khan　to　remember　that　if　they　had　let　Hitler　finish　what　he　had　started；　the　world　be　a　better　place　now　
　Baba　says　Hitler　was　crazy；　that　he　ordered　a　lot　of　innocent　people　killed；　　I　heard　myself　say　before　I　could　clamp　a　hand　on　my　mouth。
Assef　snickered。　　He　sounds　like　my　mother；　and　she　s　German；　she　should　know　better。　But　then　they　want　you　to　believe　that；　don　t　they？　They　don　t　want　you　to　know　the　truth。　
I　didn　t　know　who　　they　　were；　or　what　truth　they　were　hiding；　and　I　didn　t　want　to　find　out。　I　wished　I　hadn　t　said　anything。　I　wished　again　I　d　look　up　and　see　Baba　ing　up　the　hill。
　But　you　have　to　read　books　they　don　t　give　out　in　school；　　Assef　said。　　I　have。　And　my　eyes　have　been　opened。　Now　I　have　a　vision；　and　I　m　going　to　share　it　with　our　new　president。　Do　you　know　what　it　is？　
I　shook　my　head。　He　d　tell　me　anyway；　Assef　always　answered　his　own　questions。
His　blue　eyes　flicked　to　Hassan。　　Afghanistan　is　the　land　of　Pashtuns。　It　always　has　been；　always　will　be。　We　are　the　true　Afghans；　the　pure　Afghans；　not　this　Flat…Nose　here。　His　people　pollute　our　homeland；　our　watan。　They　dirty　our　blood。　　He　made　a　sweeping；　grandiose　gesture　with　his　hands。　　Afghanistan　for　Pashtuns；　I　say。　That　s　my　vision。　
Assef　shifted　his　gaze　to　me　again。　He　looked　like　someone　ing　out　of　a　good　dream。　　Too　late　for　Hitler；　　he　said。　　But　not　for　us。　
He　reached　for　something　from　the　back　pocket　of　his　jeans。　　I　ll　ask　the　president　to　do　what　the　king　didn　t　have　the　quwat　to　do。　To　rid　Afghanistan　of　all　the　dirty；　kasseef　Hazaras。　
　Just　let　us　go；　Assef；　　I　said；　hating　the　way　my　voice　trembled。　　We　re　not　bothering　you。　
　Oh；　you　re　bothering　me；　　Assef　said。　And　I　saw　with　a　sinking　heart　what　he　had　fished　out　of　his　pocket。　Of　course。　His　stainless…steel　brass　knuckles　sparkled　in　the　sun。　　You　re　bothering　me　very　much。　In　fact；　you　bother　me　more　than　this　Hazara　here。　How　can　you　talk　to　him；　play　with　him；　let　him　touch　you？　　he　said；　his　voice　dripping　with　disgust。　Wali　and　Kamal　nodded　and　grunted　in　agreement。　Assef　narrowed　his　eyes。　Shook　his　head。　When　he　spoke　again；　he　sounded　as　baffled　as　he　looked。　　How　can　you　call　him　your　　friend　？　
_But　he　s　not　my　friend！_　I　almost　blurted。　_He　s　my　servant！_　Had　I　really　thought　that？　Of　course　I　hadn　t。　I　hadn　t。　I　treated　Hassan　well；　just　like　a　friend；　better　even；　more　like　a　brother。　But　if　so；　then　why；　when　Baba　s　friends　came　to　visit　with　their　kids；　didn　t　I　ever　include　Hassan　in　our　games？　Why　did　I　play　with　Hassan　only　when　no　one　else　was　around？
Assef　slipped　on　the　brass　knuckles。　Gave　me　an　icy　look。　　You　re　part　of　the　problem；　Amir。　If　idiots　like　you　and　your　father　didn　t　take　these　people　in；　we　d　be　rid　of　them　by　now。　They　d　all　just　go　rot　in　Hazarajat　where　they　belong。　You　re　a　disgrace　to　Afghanistan。　
I　looked　in　his　crazy　eyes　and　saw　that　he　meant　it。　He　_really_　meant　to　hurt　me。　Assef　raised　his　fist　and　came　for　me。
There　was　a　flurry　of　rapid　movement　behind　me。　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　Hassan　bend　down　and　stand　up　quickly。　Assef　s　eyes　flicked　to　something
behind　me　and　widened　with　surprise。　I　saw　that　same　look　ol　astonishment　on　Kamal　and　Wali　s　faces　as　they　too　saw　what　had　happened　behind　me。
I　turned　and　came　face　to　face　with　Hassan　s　slingshot。　Hassan　had　pulled　the　wide　elastic　band　all　the　way　back。　In　the　cup　was　a　rock　the　size　of　a　walnut。　Hassan　held　the　slingshot　pointed　directly　at　Assef　s　face。　His　hand　trembled　with　the　strain　of　the　pulled　elastic　band　and　beads　of　sweat　had　erupted　on　his　brow。
　Please　leave　us　alone；　Agha；　　Hassan　said　in　a　flat　tone。　He　d　referred　to　Assef　as　　Agha；　　and　I　wondered　briefly　what　it　must　be　like　to　live　with　such　an　ingrained　sense　of　one　s　place　in　a　hierarchy。
Assef　gritted　his　teeth。　　Put　it　down；　you　motherless　Hazara。　
　Please　leave　us　be；　Agha；　　Hassan　said。
Assef　smiled。　　Maybe　you　didn　t　notice；　but　there　are　three　of　us　and　two　of　you。　
Hassan　shrugged。　To　an　outsider；　he　didn　t　look　scared。　But　Hassan　s　face　was　my　earliest　memory　and　I　knew　all　of　its　subtle　nuances；　knew　each　and　every　twitch　and　flicker　that　ever　rippled　across　it。　And　I　saw　that　he　was　scared。　He　was　scared　plenty。
　You　are　right；　Agha。　But　perhaps　you　didn　t　notice　th