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367
I AM ESTHER
I was putting lentil soup on the boil for our evening meal when Nesim said；
“There’s a visitor at the door。” I replied； “Make sure the soup doesn’t burn；”
handing him the spoon and giving it a couple of turns in the pot while
holding his aged hand。 If you don’t show them； they’ll stand there for hours
idly holding the spoon in the pot。
When I saw Black at the door I felt nothing but pity for him。 There was such
an expression on his face I was afraid to ask what had happened。
“Don’t bother to e inside；” I said； “I’ll be out as soon as I change
clothes。”
I donned the pink and yellow garments that I wear when I’m invited to
Ramadan festivities； wealthy banquets and lengthy weddings； and took up my
holiday satchel。 “I’ll have my soup when I get back；” I said to poor Nesim。
Black and I had crossed one street in my little Jewish neighborhood whose
chimneys labor to expel their smoke； the way our kettles force out their steam；
and I said：
“Shekure’s former husband is back。”
Black fell silent and stayed that way until we left the neighborhood。 His face
was ashen； the color of the waning day。
“Where are they？” he asked sometime later。
From this question I guessed that Shekure and her children weren’t at
home。 “They’re at their house；” I said。 Because I meant Shekure’s previous
home； and knew at once that this would singe Black’s heart； I opened a door
of hope for him by tacking the word “probably” onto the end of my
statement。
“Have you seen her newly returned husband？” he asked me； looking deep
into my eyes。
“I haven’t seen him； neither did I see Shekure’s flight from the house。”
“How did you know they’d left？”
“From your face。”
“Tell me everything；” he said decisively。
Black was so troubled he didn’t understand that Esther—her eye eternally
at the window； her ear eternally to the ground—could never “tell everything”
368
if she wanted to continue to be the Esther who found husbands for so many
dreamy maidens and knocked on the doors of so many unhappy homes。
“What I’ve heard；” I said； “is that the brother of Shekure’s former husband；
Hasan； visited your house”—it heartened him when I said “your house”—
“and told Shevket that his father was on his way home from war； that he
would arrive around midafternoon； and that if he didn’t find Shevket’s
mother and brother in their rightful home； he’d be very upset。 Shevket told
this to his mother； who acted cautiously； but couldn’t e to a decision。
Toward midafternoon； Shevket left the house to be with his Uncle Hasan and
his grandfather。”
“Where did you learn these things？”
“Hasn’t Shekure told you about Hasan’s schemes over the last two years to
get her back to his house？ There was a time when Hasan sent letters to Shekure
through me。”
“Did she ever respond to them？”
“I know all the varieties of women in Istanbul；” I said proudly； “there’s no
one who’s as bound to her house； her husband and her honor as Shekure is。”
“But I am her husband now。”
His voice bore that typically male uncertainty that always depressed me。
Amazingly； to whichever side Shekure fled； the other side went to pieces。
“Hasan wrote a note and gave it to me to deliver to Shekure。 It described
how Shevket had e home to await the return of his father； how Shekure
had been married in an illegitimate ceremony； how Shevket was very unhappy
on account of the false husband who was supposed to be his new father and
how he was never going back。”
“How did Shekure respond？”
“She waited for you all through the night with poor Orhan。”
“What about Hayriye？”
“Hayriye’s been waiting for years for the opportunity to drown your
beautiful wife in a spoonful of water。 This was why she began sleeping with
your Enishte； may he rest in peace。 When Hasan saw that Shekure was
spending the night alone in fear of murderers and ghosts； he sent along
another note through me。”
“What did he write？”
369
Thanks be to God that your unfortunate Esther can’t read or write； because
when irate Effendis and irritable fathers ask this question； she can say： “I
couldn’t read the letter； only the face of the beautiful maiden reading the
letter。”
“What did you read in Shekure’s face？”
“Helplessness。”
For a long time we didn’t speak。 Awaiting nightfall； an owl was perched on
the dome of a small Greek church； runny…nosed neighborhood kids laughed at
my clothes and bundle； and a mangy dog happily scratching himself loped
down from the cemetery lined with cypresses to greet the night。
“Slow down！” I shouted at Black later； “I can’t get up these hills the way
you can。 Where are you taking me with my satchel like this？”
“Before you bring me to Hasan’s house； I’m taking you to some generous
and brave young men so you can spread out your bundle and sell them some
flowery handkerchiefs； silk sashes and purses with silver embroidery for their
secret lovers。”
It was a good sign that Black could still make jokes in his pitiable state； but I
could fathom the seriousness behind his mirth。 “If you’re going to gather a
posse； I’ll never take you to Hasan’s house；” I said。 “I’m frightened to death of
fights and brawls。”
“If you continue to be the intelligent Esther you’ve always been；” he said；
“there’ll be neither fight nor brawl。”
We passed through Aksaray and entered the road heading back； straight
toward the Langa gardens。 On the upper part of the muddy road； in a
neighborhood that had seen happier days； Black walked into a barbershop that
was still open。 I saw him talking to the master barber being shaved by an
honest…looking boy with lovely hands by the light of an oil lamp。 Before long；
the barber； his handsome apprentice； and later； two more of his men joined up
with us at Aksaray。 They carried swords and axes。 At a side street in
Shehzadebash？； a theology student； whom I couldn’t picture involved in such
rough affairs； joined us in the darkness； sword in hand。
“Do you plan on raiding a house in the middle of the city in broad
daylight？” I said。
“It’s not day； it’s night；” said Black in a tone more pleased than joking。
370
“Don’t be so confident just because you’ve put together a gang；” I said。
“Let’s hope the Janissaries don’t catch sight of this fully equipped little army
wandering around。”
“No one will catch sight of us。”
“Yesterday the Erzurumis first raided a tavern and then the dervish house
at Sa？？rkap？； beating up everyone they found in both places。 An elderly man
who took a blow to his head with a stick died。 In this pitch blackness； they
might think you’re of their lot。”
“I hear you went to dearly departed Elegant Effendi’s house； saw his wife；
God bless her； and the horse sketches with the smeared ink before relaying it
all to Shekure。 Had Elegant Effendi been spending a lot of time with the
henchmen of the preacher from Erzurum？”
“If I sounded out Elegant Effendi’s wife； it was because I thought it might
ultimately help my poor Shekure；” I said。 “Anyway； I’d gone there to show her
the latest cloth which had e off the Flemish ship； not to involve myself in
your legal and political affairs—which my poor brain couldn’t fathom
anyway。”
As we entered the street； which ran behind Charsh？kap？； my heart
quickened with fear。 The bare； wet branches of the chestnut and mulberry trees
glimmered in the pale light of the half…moon。 A breeze kicked up by jinns and
the living dead rippled the laced edging of my satchel； whistled through the
trees and carried the scent of our group to neighborhood dogs lying in wait。 As
they began to bark one by one； I pointed out the house to Black。 We stared
quietly at its dark roof and shutters。 Black had the men take positions around
the house： in the empty garden； on either side of the courtyard gate and
behind the fig trees in back。
“In that entryway over there is a vile Tatar beggar；” I said。 “He’s blind； but
he’ll know who’s e and gone along this street better than the
neighborhood headman does。 He continually plays with himself as if he were
one of the Sultan’s vulgar monkeys。 Without letting your hand touch his； give
him eight or ten silver pieces and he’ll tell you everything he knows。”
From a distance； I watched Black hand over the coins； then lay his sword
against the throat of the beggar and begin to pressure him with questions。
Next； I’m not sure how it happened； the barber’s apprentice； who I thought
was simply watching the house； began to beat the Tatar with the butt of his
axe。 I watched for a while； thinking it wouldn’t last； but the Tatar was wailing。
I ran over and pulled the beggar away before they killed him。
371
“He cursed my mother；” said the apprentice。
“He says that Hasan isn’t home；” Black said。 “Can we trust what this blind
man says？” He handed me a note that he’d quickly written。 “Take this； bring it
to the house； give it to Hasan； and if he’s not there； give it to his father；” he
said。
“Haven’t you written anything for Shekure？” I asked as I took the note。
“If I send her a separate note； it’ll incite the men of the house even more；”
Black said。 “Tell her I’ve found her father’s vile murderer。”
“Is this true？”
“Just tell her。”
Chastising the Tatar； who was still crying and plaining； I quieted him
down。 “Don’t forget what I’ve done for you；” I said； ing to the realization
that I’d drawn out the incident so I wouldn’t have to leave。
Why had I stuck my nose into this affair？ Two years ago in the Edirne Gate
neighborhood they’d killed a clothes peddlar—after cutting off her ears—
because the maiden she’d promised to one man married another。 My
grandmother used to tell me that Turks would often kill a man for no reason。 I
longed to be with my dearest Nesim； at home having lentil soup。 Even though
my feet resisted； I thought about how Shekure would be there； and walked to
the house。 Curiosity was eating at me。
“Clothierrr！ I have new Chinese silks for holiday outfits。”
I sensed the orangish light filtering out between the shutters move。 The
door opened。 Hasan’s polite father invited me inside。 The house was warm；
like the houses of the rich。 When Shekure； who was seated at a low dining
table with her boys saw me； she rose to her feet。
“Shekure；” I said； “your husband’s here。”
“Which one？”
“The newer；” I said。 “He’s surrounded the house with his band of armed
men。 They’re prepared to fight Hasan。”
“Hasan isn’t here；” said the polit