“None at all； my darling。”
“Fine； then。 My guardian has no claims of money or gold on you。 Please
excuse the impropriety of my discussing marital circumstances on my own
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behalf； but I have certain prerequisites that I must； unfortunately； explain to
you。”
As I fell silent for a while； Black said； “Yes；” in a manner that suggested an
apology for his hesitation。
“First；” I began； “you must swear before two witnesses that if you behave
badly toward me in our marriage； to a degree that I find unbearable； or if you
take a second wife； you will grant me a divorce with alimony。 Second； you
must swear before two witnesses that if for whatever reason you are absent
from the house for more than a six…month period without a visit； I will also be
granted a divorce with alimony。 Third； after we are married； you will of course
move into my home； however； until the villain who has murdered my father
has been caught or until you find him—how I’d love to torture him myself！—
and until Our Sultan’s book； pleted under the guidance of your talents
and efforts； has been honorably presented to Him； you will not share my bed。
Fourth； you will love my sons； who do share my bed with me； as if they were
your own children。”
“I agree。”
“Good。 If all of the obstacles that still lie before us disappear this quickly；
we’ll soon be wed。”
“Yes； wed； but not in the same bed。”
“The first step is marriage；” I said。 “Let’s see to that first。 Love es after
marriage。 Don’t forget： Marriage douses love’s flame； leaving nothing but a
barren and melancholy blackness。 Of course； after marriage； love itself will
vanish anyway； but happiness fills the void。 Still； there are those hasty fools
who fall in love before marrying and； burning with emotion； exhaust all their
feeling； believing love to be the highest goal in life。”
“What； then； is the truth of the matter？”
“The truth is contentment。 Love and marriage are but a means to obtaining
it： a husband； a house； children； a book。 Can’t you see that even in my state；
with a missing husband and a deceased father； I’m better off than you in your
isolation？ I’d die without my sons； with whom I spend my days laughing；
tussling and loving。 Moreover； since you long for me even in my present
predicament； since you secretly ache to spend the night with me—even if not
in the same bed—under the same roof with my father’s body and my unruly
children； you’re pelled to listen with all your heart to what I now have to
say。”
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“I’m listening。”
“There are various ways that I might secure a divorce。 False witnesses could
swear that before my husband set out on campaign； they witnessed him grant
me a conditional divorce； for example； that he’d pledged that if he didn’t
return within two years； I should be considered free。 Or； more simply； they
might swear they’d seen my husband’s corpse in the field of battle； citing
various convincing and descriptive details。 But taking my father’s body and
the objections of my in…laws into consideration； to rely on false witnesses
would be an unsound way to proceed； as no judge of any intelligence or
caution would be persuaded。 Considering that my husband left me without
alimony and hasn’t returned from war for four years； even judges of our
Hanefi creed couldn’t grant me a divorce。 The üsküdar judge； however；
knowing how the number of women in my situation is increasing each day； is
more sympathetic and so—with a nod from Our Excellency the Sultan and the
Sheikhulislam—the judge occasionally allows his proxy of the Shafü creed to
rule in his place； thereby granting divorces left and right to women like me；
including conditions of alimony。 Now； if you can find two witnesses to testify
openly to my predicament； pay them off； cross the Bosphorus with them to
the üsküdar side； arrange for the judge； making certain that his proxy will sit
in for him so the divorce might be granted by virtue of the witnesses； register
the divorce in the judge’s ledger； obtain a certificate testifying to the
proceeding； obtain written permission for my immediate remarriage； and if
you can acplish all of this and get back to this side of the Bosphorus by the
afternoon； then—assuming no difficulty in finding a preacher who might
marry us this evening—then； as my husband； you could spend this night with
me and my children。 Thereby； you’ll also spare us a sleepless night of hearing
in every creaking of the house the steps of that devilish murderer。 Moreover；
you’ll save me from the wretchedness of being a poor unprotected woman
when we announce the death of my father in the morning。”
“Yes；” said Black with good humor and somewhat childishly。 “Yes。 I agree to
make you mine。”
You remember how only recently I declared I didn’t know why I was
speaking to Black in such a high…handed and insincere manner。 Now I know：
I’ve e to realize that only by assuming such a tone might I convince
Black—who has yet to outgrow his childhood muddle…headedness—to believe
in the possibility of events that even I have a hard time believing will e to
pass。
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“We have a lot to do in fighting our enemies； those who would obstruct the
pletion of my father’s book and those who could contest my divorce and
our marriage ceremony—which will be performed tonight； God willing。 But I
suppose I shouldn’t further confuse you； since you are already even more
confused than I。”
“You aren’t confused at all；” said Black。
“Perhaps； but only because these aren’t my own ideas； I learned them from
my father over the years。” I said this so he wouldn’t dismiss what I said；
assuming that these plans had sprung from my feminine mind。
Next； Black said what I’d heard from every man who wasn’t afraid to admit
he found me very intelligent：
“You’re very beautiful。”
“Yes；” I said； “it pleases me to be praised for my intelligence。 When I was a
child； my father would often do so。”
I was about to add that once I’d grown up my father ceased to praise my
intelligence； but I began to weep。 As I cried； it was as if I’d left myself and was
being another； entirely separate woman。 Like some reader troubled by a
sad picture in the pages of a book； I saw my life from the outside and pitied
what I saw。 There’s something so innocent in crying over one’s troubles； as
though they were another’s； that when Black embraced me； a sense of well…
being spread over us both。 Yet； this time； as we hugged； this sense of fort
remained there between us； unable to affect the adversaries circling us。
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I AM CALLED BLACK
Widowed； abandoned and aggrieved； my beloved Shekure fled with featherlike
steps； and I stood as if stunned in the stillness of the house of the Hanged Jew；
amid the aroma of almonds and dreams of marriage she’d left in her wake。 I
was bewildered； but my mind was churning so fast it almost hurt。 Without
even a chance to grieve properly over my Enishte’s death； I swiftly returned
home。 On the one hand； a worm of doubt was gnawing at me： Was Shekure
using me as a pawn in a grand scheme； was she duping me？ On the other
hand； fantasies of a blissful marriage stubbornly played before my eyes。
After making conversation with my landlady who interrogated me at the
front door as to where I’d gone and whence I was ing at this morning
hour； I went to my room and removed the twenty…two Veian gold pieces
from the lining of the sash I’d hidden in my mattress； placing them in my
money purse with trembling fingers。 When I returned to the street； I knew
immediately I’d see Shekure’s dark； teary； troubled eyes for the rest of the day。
I changed five of the Veian Lions at a perpetually smiling Jewish money
changer。 Next； deep in thought； I entered the neighborhood whose name I’ve
yet to mention because I’m not fond of it： Yakutlar； where my deceased
Enishte and Shekure； along with her children； awaited me at their house。 As I
made my way along the streets almost running； a tall plane tree seemed to
reproach me for being overjoyed by dreams and plans of marriage on the very
day my Enishte had passed away。 Next； as the ice had melted； a street fountain
hissed into my ear： “Don’t take matters too seriously； see to your own affairs
and your own happiness。” “That’s all fine and good；” objected an ill…omened
black cat licking himself on the corner； “but everybody； yourself included；
suspects you had a hand in your uncle’s murder。”
The cat left off licking himself as I suddenly caught sight of its bewitching
eyes。 I don’t have to tell you how brazen these Istanbul cats get when the
locals spoil them。
I found the Imam Effendi； whose droopy eyelids and large black eyes gave
him a perpetually sleepy look； not at his house； but in the courtyard of the
neighborhood mosque； and there I asked him quite a trivial legal question：
“When is one obligated to testify in court？” I raised my eyebrows as I listened
to his haughty answer as if I were hearing this information for the first time。
“Bearing witness is optional if other witnesses are present；” explained the
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Imam Effendi； “but； in situations where there was only one witness； it is the
will of God that one bear witness。”
“That’s just the predicament I find myself in now；” I said； taking up the
conversation。 “In a situation everyone knows about； all the witnesses have
shirked their responsibilities and avoided going to court with the excuse that
”it’s only voluntary；“ and as a result the pressing concerns of those I’m trying
to help are being pletely disregarded。”
“Well；” said the Imam Effendi； “why don’t you loosen your purse…strings a
little more？”
I took out my pouch and showed him the Veian gold pieces huddled
within： The broad space of the mosque courtyard； the face of the preacher；
everything was suddenly illuminated by the glimmer of gold。 He asked me
what my dilemma was all about。
I explained who I was。 “Enishte Effendi is ill；” I confided。 “Before he dies； he
wants his daughter’s widowhood certified and an alimony to be instituted。”
I didn’t even have to mention the proxy of the üsküdar judge。 The Imam
Effendi understood at once and said the entire neighborhood had long been
troubled over the fate of hapless Shekure； adding that the situation had already
persisted too long。 Instead of searching for a second witness required for a
legal separation at the door of the üsküdar judge； the I