the kite runner-第84章

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　Thank　you；　Farid；　　I　said　through　jaws　wired　shut。　Armand　was　right……I　did　sound　like　Al　Pacino　from　The　Godfather。　And　my　tongue　surprised　me　every　time　it　poked　in　one　of　the　empty　spaces　left　by　the　teeth　I　had　swallowed。　　I　mean；　thank　you。　For　everything。　
He　waved　a　hand；　blushed　a　little。　　Bas；　it　s　not　worthy　of　thanks；　　he　said。　I　turned　to　Sohrab。　He　was　wearing　a　new　outfit；　light　brown　pirhan…tumban　that　looked　a　bit　big　for　him；　and　a　black　skullcap。　He　was　looking　down　at　his　feet；　toying　with　the　IV　line　coiled　on　the　bed。
　We　were　never　properly　introduced；　　I　said。　I　offered　him　my　hand。　　I　am　Amir。　
He　looked　at　my　hand；　then　to　me。　　You　are　the　Amir　agha　Father　told　me　about？　　he　said。
　Yes。　　I　remembered　the　words　from　Hassan　s　letter。　I　have　told　much　about　you　to　Farzana　jan　and　Sohrab；　about　us　growing　up　together　and　playing　games　and　running　in　the　streets。　They　laugh　at　the　stories　of　all　the　mischief　you　and　I　used　to　cause！　　I　owe　you　thanks　too；　Sohrab　jan；　　I　said。　　You　saved　my　life。　
He　didn　t　say　anything。　I　dropped　my　hand　when　he　didn　t　take　it。　　I　like　your　new　clothes；　　I　mumbled。
　They　re　my　son　s；　　Farid　said。　　He　has　outgrown　them。　They　fit　Sohrab　pretty　well；　I　would　say。　　Sohrab　could　stay　with　him；　he　said；　until　we　found　a　place　for　him。　　We　don　t　have　a　lot　of　room；　but　what　can　I　do？　I　can　t　leave　him　to　the　streets。　Besides；　my　children　have　taken　a　liking　to　him。　Ha；　Sohrab？　　But　the　boy　just　kept　looking　down；　twirling　the　line　with　his　finger。
　I　ve　been　meaning　to　ask；　　Farid　said；　a　little　hesitantly。　　What　happened　in　that　house？　What　happened　between　you　and　the　Talib？　
　Let　s　just　say　we　both　got　what　we　deserved；　　I　said。
Farid　nodded；　didn　t　push　it。　It　occurred　to　me　that　somewhere　between　the　time　we　had　left　Peshawar　for　Afghanistan　and　now；　we　had　bee　friends。　　I　ve　been　meaning　to　ask　something　too。　
　What？　
I　didn　t　want　to　ask。　I　was　afraid　of　the　answer。　　Rahim　Khan；　　I　said。
　He　s　gone。　
My　heart　skipped。　　Is　he……　
　No；　just。。。　gone。　　He　handed　me　a　folded　piece　of　paper　and　a　small　key。　　The　landlord　gave　me　this　when　I　went　looking　for　him。　He　said　Rahim　Khan　left　the　day　after　we　did。　
　Where　did　he　go？　
Farid　shrugged。　　The　landlord　didn　t　know　He　said　Rahim　Khan　left　the　letter　and　the　key　for　you　and　took　his　leave。　　He　checked　his　watch。　　I　d　better　go。　Bia；　Sohrab。　
　Could　you　leave　him　here　for　a　while？　　I　said。　　Pick　him　up　later？　　I　turned　to　Sohrab。　　Do　you　want　to　stay　here　with　me　for　a　little　while？　
He　shrugged　and　said　nothing。
　Of　course；　　Farid　said。　　I　ll　pick　him　up　just　before　evening　_namaz_。　
THERE　WERE　THREE　OTHER　PATIENTS　in　my　room。　Two　older　men；　one　with　a　cast　on　his　leg；　the　other　wheezing　with　asthma；　and　a　young　man　of　fifteen　or　sixteen　who　d　had　appendix　surgery。　The　old　guy　in　the　cast　stared　at　us　without　blinking；　his　eyes　switching　from　me　to　the　Hazara　boy　sitting　on　a　stool。　My　roommates　　families……old　women　in　bright　shalwar…kameezes；　children；　men　wearing　skullcaps……shuffled　noisily　in　and　out　of　the　room。　They　brought　with　them　pakoras；　_naan_；　sa；nosas；　biryani。　Sometimes　people　just　wandered　into　the　room；　like　the　tall；　bearded　man　who　walked　in　just　before　Farid　and　Sohrab　arrived。　He　wore　a　brown　blanket　wrapped　around　him。　Aisha　asked　him　something　in　Urdu。　He　paid　her　no　attention　and　scanned　the　room　with　his　eyes。　I　thought　he　looked　at　me　a　little　longer　than　necessary。　When　the　nurse　spoke　to　him　again；　he　just　spun　around　and　left。
　How　are　you？　　I　asked　Sohrab。　He　shrugged；　looked　at　his　hands。
　Are　you　hungry？　That　lady　there　gave　me　a　plate　of　biryani；　but　I　can　t　eat　it；　　I　said。　I　didn　t　know　what　else　to　say　to　him。　　You　want　it？　
He　shook　his　head。
　Do　you　want　to　talk？　
He　shook　his　head　again。
We　sat　there　like　that　for　a　while；　silent；　me　propped　up　in　bed；　two　pillows　behind　my　back；　Sohrab　on　the　three…legged　stool　next　to　the　bed。　I　fell　asleep　at　some　point；　and；　when　I　woke　up；　daylight　had　dimmed　a　bit；　the　shadows　had
stretched；　and　Sohrab　was　still　sitting　next　to　me。　He　was　still　looking　down　at　his　hands。
THAT　NIGHT；　after　Farid　picked　up　Sohrab；　I　unfolded　Rahim　Khan　s　letter。　I　had　delayed　reading　it　as　long　as　possible。　It　read：
Amirjan；　_Inshallah_；　you　have　reached　this　letter　safely。　I　pray　that　I　have　not　put　you　in　harm　s　way　and　that　Afghanistan　has　not　been　too　unkind　to　you。　You　have　been　in　my　prayers　since　the　day　you　left。　You　were　right　all　those　years　to　suspect　that　I　knew。　I　did　know。　Hassan　told　me　shortly　after　it　happened。　What　you　did　was　wrong；　Amir　jan；　but　do　not　forget　that　you　were　a　boy　when　it　happened。　A　troubled　little　boy。　You　were　too　hard　on　yourself　then；　and　you　still　are……I　saw　it　in　your　eyes　in　Peshawar。　But　I　hope　you　will　heed　this：　A　man　who　has　no　conscience；　no　goodness；　does　not　suffer。　I　hope　your　suffering　es　to　an　end　with　this　journey　to　Afghanistan。
Amir　jan；　I　am　ashamed　for　the　lies　we　told　you　all　those　years。　You　were　right　to　be　angry　in　Peshawar。　You　had　a　right　to　know。　So　did　Hassan。　I　know　it　doesn　t　absolve　anyone　of　anything；　but　the　Kabul　we　lived　in　in　those　days　was　a　strange　world；　one　in　which　some　things　mattered　more　than　the　truth。
Amir　jan；　I　know　how　hard　your　father　was　on　you　when　you　were　growing　up。　I　saw　how　you　suffered　and　yearned　for　his　affections；　and　my　heart　bled　for　you。　But　your　father　was　a　man　torn　between　two　halves；　Amir　jan：
you　and　Hassan。　He　loved　you　both；　but　he　could　not　love　Hassan　the　way　he　longed　to；　openly；　and　as　a　father。　So　he　took　it　out　on　you　instead……Amir；　the　socially　legitimate　half；　the　half　that