sound venture。”
“All the women of Istanbul whose husbands are missing at the front go to
him with their witnesses to get divorced。 Since he’s a Shafüte; he simply asks;
”Is your husband missing?“ ”How long has he been missing?“ ”Are you having
trouble making ends meet?“ ”Are these your witnesses?“ and immediately
grants the divorce。”
“My dear Shekure; who’s planted such schemes in your head?” he said。
“Who’s stripped you of your reason?”
“After I’m divorced once and for all; if there is a man who can truly strip
me of my reason; you will; of course; tell me who that might be and I shall
never question your decision about my husband。”
My shrewd father; realizing that his daughter was as shrewd as he; began to
blink。 My father would blink rapidly like this for three reasons: 1。 because he
was in a tight spot and his mind was racing to find a clever way out; 2。 because
he was on the verge of tears of hopelessness and sorrow; 3。 because he was in a
tight spot; cunningly bining reasons 1 and 2 to give the impression that he
might soon cry out of sorrow。
“Are you taking the children and abandoning your old father? Do you
realize that on account of our book”—yes; he said “our book”—“I was afraid
of being murdered; but now that you want to take the children and leave; I
wele death。”
“My dear father; wasn’t it you who always said that only a divorce could
save me from that good…for…nothing brother…in…law?”
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“I don’t want you to abandon me。 One day your husband might return。
Even if he doesn’t; there’s no harm in your being married—so long as you live
in this house with your father。”
“I want nothing more than to live in this house with you。”
“Darling; weren’t you just now saying that you wanted to get married as
soon as possible?”
This is the dead end you reach by arguing with your father: In due course;
you too will be convinced that you’re in the wrong。
“I was;” I said; gazing at the ground in front of me。 Then; holding back my
tears and encouraged by the truth of what came to mind; I said: