the kite runner-第30章

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re　gold　colored　and　the　steel…frame　body　red；　like　a　candy　apple。　Or　blood。　Any　other　kid　would　have　hopped　on　the　bike　immediately　and　taken　it　for　a　full　block　skid。　I　might　have　done　the　same　a　few　months　ago。
　You　like　it？　　Baba　said；　leaning　in　the　doorway　to　my　room。　I　gave　him　a　sheepish　grin　and　a　quick　　Thank　you。　　I　wished　I　could　have　mustered　more。
　We　could　go　for　a　ride；　　Baba　said。　An　invitation；　but　only　a　halfhearted　one。
　Maybe　later。　I　m　a　little　tired；　　I　said。
　Sure；　　Baba　said。
　Baba？　
　Yes？　
　Thanks　for　the　fireworks；　　I　said。　A　thank…you；　but　only　a　halfhearted　one。
　Get　some　rest；　　Baba　said；　walking　toward　his　room。
The　other　present　Baba　gave　me……and　he　didn　t　wait　around　for　me　to　open　this　one……was　a　wristwatch。　It　had　a　blue　face　with　gold　hands　in　the　shape　of　lightning　bolts。　I　didn　t　even　try　it　on。　I　tossed　it　on　the　pile　of　toys　in　the　corner。　The　only　gift　I　didn　t　toss　on　that　mound　was　Rahim　Khan　s　leather…bound　notebook。　That　was　the　only　one　that　didn　t　feel　like　blood　money。
I　sat　on　the　edge　of　my　bed；　turned　the　notebook　in　my　hands；　thought　about　what　Rahim　Khan　had　said　about　Homaira；　how　his　father　s　dismissing　her　had　been　for　the　best　in　the　end。　She　would　have　suffered。　Like　the　times　Kaka　Homayoun　s　projector　got　stuck　on　the　same　slide；　the　same　image　kept　flashing　in　my　mind　over　and　over：　Hassan；　his　head　downcast；　serving　drinks　to　Assef　and　Wali。　Maybe　it　would　be　for　the　best。　Lessen　his　suffering。　And　mine　too。　Either　way；　this　much　had　bee　clear：　One　of　us　had　to　go。
Later　that　afternoon；　I　took　the　Schwinn　for　its　first　and　last　spin。　I　pedaled　around　the　block　a　couple　of　times　and　came　back。　I　rolled　up　the　driveway　to　the　backyard　where　Hassan　and　Ali　were　cleaning　up　the　mess　from　last　night　s　party。　Paper　cups；　crumpled　napkins；　and　empty　bottles　of　soda　littered　the　yard。　Ali　was　folding　chairs；　setting　them　along　the　wall。　He　saw　me　and　waved。
　Salaam；　All；　　I　said；　waving　back。
He　held　up　a　finger；　asking　me　to　wait；　and　walked　to　his　living　quarters。　A　moment　later；　he　emerged　with　something　in　his　hands。　　The　opportunity　never　presented　itself　last　night　for　Hassan　and　me　to　give　you　this；　　he　said；　handing　me　a　box。　　It　s　mod　est　and　not　worthy　of　you；　Amir　agha。　But　we　hope　you　like　it　still。　Happy　birthday。　
A　lump　was　rising　in　my　throat。　　Thank　you；　Ali；　　I　said。　I　wished　they　hadn　t　bought　me　anything。　I　opened　the　box　and　found　a　brand　new　_Shahnamah_；　a　hardback　with　glossy　colored　illustrations　beneath　the　passages。　Here　was　Ferangis　gazing　at　her　newborn　son；　Kai　Khosrau。　There　was　Afrasiyab　riding　his　horse；　sword　drawn；　leading　his　army。　And；　of　course；　Rostam　inflicting　a　mortal　wound　onto　his　son；　the　warrior　Sohrab。　　It　s　beautiful；　　I　said。
　Hassan　said　your　copy　was　old　and　ragged；　and　that　some　of　the　pages　were　missing；　　Ali　said。　　All　the　pictures　are　hand…drawn　in　this　one　with　pen　and　ink；　　he　added　proudly；　eyeing　a　book　neither　he　nor　his　son　could　read。
　It　s　lovely；　　I　said。　And　it　was。　And；　I　suspected；　not　inexpensive　either。　I　wanted　to　tell　Ali　it　was　not　the　book；　but　I　who　was　unworthy。　I　hopped　back　on　the　bicycle。　　Thank　Hassan　for　me；　　I　said。
I　ended　up　tossing　the　book　on　the　heap　of　gifts　in　the　corner　of　my　room。　But　my　eyes　kept　going　back　to　it；　so　I　buried　it　at　the
bottom。　Before　I　went　to　bed　that　night；　I　asked　Baba　if　he　d　seen　my　new　watch　anywhere。
THE　NEXT　MORNING；　I　waited　in　my　room　for　Ali　to　clear　the　breakfast　table　in　the　kitchen。　Waited　for　him　to　do　the　dishes；　wipe　the　counters。　I　looked　out　my　bedroom　window　and　waited　until　Ali　and　Hassan　went　grocery　shopping　to　the　bazaar；　pushing　the　empty　wheelbarrows　in　front　of　them。
Then　I　took　a　couple　of　the　envelopes　of　cash　from　the　pile　of　gifts　and　my　watch；　and　tiptoed　out。　I　paused　before　Baba　s　study　and　listened　in。　He　d　been　in　there　all　morning；　making　phone　calls。　He　was　talking　to　someone　now；　about　a　shipment　of　rugs　due　to　arrive　next　week。　I　went　downstairs；　crossed　the　yard；　and　entered　Ali　and　Hassan　s　living　quarters　by　the　loquat　tree。　I　lifted　Hassan　s　mattress　and　planted　my　new　watch　and　a　handful　of　Afghani　bills　under　it。
I　waited　another　thirty　minutes。　Then　I　knocked　on　Baba　s　door　and　told　what　I　hoped　would　be　the　last　in　a　long　line　of　shameful　lies。
THROUGH　MY　BEDROOM　WINDOW；　I　watched　Ali　and　Hassan　push　the　wheelbarrows　loaded　with　meat；　_naan_；　fruit；　and　vegetables　up　the　driveway。　I　saw　Baba　emerge　from　the　house　and　walk　up　to　Ali。　Their　mouths　moved　over　words　I　couldn　t　hear。　Baba　pointed　to　the　house　and　Ali　nodded。　They　separated。　Baba　came　back　to　the　house；　Ali　followed　Hassan　to　their　hut。
A　few　moments　later；　Baba　knocked　on　my　door。　　e　to　my　office；　　he　said。　　We　re　all　going　to　sit　down　and　settle　this　thing。　
I　went　to　Baba　s　study；　sat　in　one　of　the　leather　sofas。　It　was　thirty　minutes　or　more　before　Hassan　and　Ali　joined　us。
THEY　D　BOTH　BEEN　CRYING；　I　could　tell　from　their　red；　puffed　up　eyes。　They　stood　before　Baba；　hand　in　hand；　and　I　wondered　how　and　when　I　d　bee　capable　of　causing　this　kind　of　pain。
Baba　came　right　out　and　asked。　　Did　you　steal　that　money？　Did　you　steal　Amir　s　watch；　Hassan？　
Hassan　s　reply　was　a　single　word；　delivered　in　a　thin；　raspy　voice：　　Yes。　
I　flinched；　like　I　d　been　slapped。　My　heart　sank　and　I　almost　blurted　out　the　truth。　Then　I　understood：　This　was　Hassan　s　final　sacrifice　for　me。　If　he　d　said　no；　Baba　would　have　believed　him　because　we　all　knew　Hassan　never　lied。　And　if　Baba　believed　him；　then　I　d　be　the　accused；　I　would　have　to　explain　and　I　would　be　revealed　for　what　I　really　was。　Baba　would　neve