The Haj - Leon Uris [157]
‘But that brings up the mathematical imbalance and that brings up the honesty that has overcome me. We need two good sets of guards down by the sea.’
‘Surely you do not expect Haj Ibrahim to leave this most urgent command post.’
‘Such a thought never occurred to me,’ I added very quickly.
‘Then there is no way to correct the imbalance.’
‘A vague possibility occurred to me,’ I said.
‘Are you trying to reason with me or to persuade me?’ Ibrahim said.
‘Merely trying to correct an imbalance. We can increase Kamal’s and Omar’s daytime tasks to those things which they can handle. As you already know, Father, we can send neither of them to Jericho, for they have already bungled their tasks there. The information they return with is rarely sound and they may have even given away our location. They must do things like gather firewood and set traps and go to the springs. They cannot be given tasks in which a decision must be made.’
‘If what you say finds merit in my heart, then we will have to do it with three night guards.’
‘It will be a burden that we do not have to bear ... mathematically,’ I said.
‘Ishmael, do not try to enlighten me with your education. We have six men. I must remain at the command post and, according to you, two others are worthless. That leaves three men. Does that not make six?’
I closed my eyes, drew in that breath of fear that I had so often drawn in, and said, ‘We have a healthy, capable woman who has almost nothing to do.’
‘I do not grasp your meaning,’ Ibrahim said.
‘Father,’ I said shakily. ‘I have taught Nada to shoot my rifle. I will put her up against anyone here ... except you, of course.’
‘And you also allow her to ride behind you on Absalom and you are secretly teaching her to read and write,’ Ibrahim said.
OH! By the Prophet’s holy name! I knew I would be thrown from the ledge fifty feet to the ground with a slap, a kick, a shove! I closed my eyes and waited for the collision. I had been so careful to keep it secret! So very careful!
‘I am sure Sabri would like to stand night guard with Nada,’ Ibrahim said.
‘Oh no!’ I cried, jumping to my feet, exuding family honor. ‘I meant only myself and Jamil!’
‘Sit down,’ my father said with an ominous softness. ‘What you are trying to do with Nada is not possible. It will only lead to a life of confusion for her.’
‘But our old life is gone, Father.’
‘Then we must spend years waiting for it to return and in the meanwhile we must not abandon what we know and who we are. What possible good will it be for Nada to read and write?’
‘When we leave here ... during the years it may take to get back to Tabah ... Allah only knows. She may need a job.’
‘Never.’
‘But to read and write may ... may bring her happiness.’
‘She will be happy with the man I marry her to.’
‘Father, things have changed!’
‘Some things never change, Ishmael. Allow the woman to walk in the path in front of you and you will catch her wind for the rest of your life.’
He was adamant and his orders for me to cease teaching and helping Nada were absolute. I had failed badly in my mission and I wanted to leave.
‘Sit down,’ he said again. Looking out to the desert, he treated me as abstractly as he would a stone. ‘We must watch Sabri. He comes from a town of unscrupulous thieves. A family can have only so many male children, but only one son. You are learning your first lesson about forming close friendships. To be the son that follows the father, you must learn what is real about everyone around you ... who will be your loyal slave ... who will play both sides ... and mainly who is dangerous. Few leaders outlive their assassins. If you have a hundred friends, throw out ninety-nine and beware of the other. If, indeed, he is your assassin, eat him for lunch before he eats you for dinner.’
I must have seemed like an idiot. My mouth was too dry to respond.
‘Well, my son, you have aspired to leadership from the time you could walk.’
‘I am stupid,’ I blurted.
‘A combination of many stupidities can end up being a worthy man if he learns from his stupidities. The balance