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and one of my sisters went from us in this way. Other brothers and other sisters, however, returned to tell
of being given strange things to eat and drink, of being put through great physical hardship, and finally of
Grandfather praying over them in strange words before telling them to return to our father.
 I asked my mother if she had been tested in this way when she was a girl, and she admitted that she had,
and that she thought that her failure of this test was one reason she had been permitted to marry my
father. She did not miss the desert, not one bit. Even the veiled life of a city woman seemed finer to her.
I, however, was a romantic child and sought to make myself worthy of my grandfather.
Miriam looked momentarily sad.  I was never given the chance. The old man was shot through the heart
when leading a raid. We heard that there was much squabbling among his heirs. Still, when this was
resolved someone might have come for me, but before that happened, I had met Eddie and chosen a
different life. My mother s kin settled their differences and continued to occasionally trade with my father.
Gradually I thought nothing more of it, except to be glad that no fierce man from the desert would come
and demand my children of me, as my grandfather had done.
 Your cousin, Neville asked, wanting to make certain he understood how this story related to the
previous night s murderous attacks,  he was of this fierce desert tribe?
Miriam took a deep breath.  He was, and though I spoke the truth when I said he was my cousin, he
was more. He was also my brother, the oldest of the sons who had been taken from my parents by my
grandfather.
Eddie looked shocked and grasped her hand.
 Miri, I didn t . . . I m terribly sorry. I didn t know.
Miriam touched the side of his face.
 How could you, when neither he nor I told you? The first time I saw him after he had been taken away,
I greeted him warmly and called him  brother. He scorned me and my embrace, pushing me aside and
telling me that someday I might be his sister, but for now I was simply a cousin, an annoying girl child
who should better know her place.
 What a . . . pig! Jenny cried.
Neville swallowed a smile, certain his niece had been about to use a far stronger term.
 He was really little more than a boy then, Miriam said,  newly taken from all he had known and put
under a very hard master. I can understand now why he might have spoken so, but at the time I will not
deny that I was deeply hurt.
 He must not have liked your marrying Eddie, Jenny said, still defensive.
 He did not. Indeed, he told me that he would prefer if I did not even name him  cousin  though, of
course, the relationship was known by then in too many circles and could not be denied. I will admit that
I rather enjoyed pressing him to admit our relationship, though there were times he quite frightened me.
 Now, when my mother came in and saw the body of her firstborn son upon the floor, tattooed with
heathen symbols, and outlandish clothing spread on the floor beside him, she did not weep. She looked
at him levelly and said,  He turned from Allah, and his pagan gods did not defend him. I said to her,
 Mother, you grew to womanhood in the tents of my grandfather. I think you know more of this
strangeness than you have ever admitted. Tell me what you know.
 She resisted, looking quite afraid, but I was without pity since this danger had come to my husband and
might have touched my children. I even threatened to send her back to her father s people, saying,  And
do you think that the sons and daughter you gave away will welcome you, especially when their brother
has died on your doorstep? That frightened my mother indeed, but it still took much effort to get her to
talk.
Miriam paused and smiled.  I realize I have talked immodestly long, but bear with me and you will have
the story you truly want.
Neville smiled in return.  And in my eagerness to hear, I have been a terrible host. Wait and I will bring
refreshments, then you can go on.
Miriam did not refuse, and feeling like six types of monster for making a pregnant woman talk so long
with only the splash of the fountain to cool her, Neville ordered the promised refreshments, made certain
everyone was comfortable, and then asked Miriam to continue her tale. She did, picking up as if there
had been no interruption.
 Perhaps because my grandfather was so confident that none of his children would fail in the test put to
them, he was less than perfectly cautious about this mysterious other alliance, at least when only his family
was about. The uninitiated were sent away when secret matters were discussed, but not guarded. One
day, curious about what might await her, my mother spied on the ceremonies of initiation. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]