追风筝的人是真实的吗 残忍而美丽的情谊:The Kite Runner 追风筝的人(43)

残忍而美丽的情谊:The Kite Runner 追风筝的人(43)  

"No monster
" I said
feeling a little better
to my own surprise.
He smiled. "No monster."
"Are you sure?"
"你确定?"
He closed his eyes. Nodded.
I looked to the kids scampering down the street
flinging snowballs. "It is a beautiful day
isn't it?"
"Let's fly
" he said.
It occurred to me then that maybe Hassan had made up his dream. Was that possible? I decided it wasn't. Hassan wasn't that smart. I wasn't that smart. But made up or not
the silly dream had lifted some of my anxiety. Maybe I should take off my shirt
take a swim in the lake. Why not?
"Let's do it
"I said.
Hassan's face brightened. "Good
"he said. He lifted our kite
red with yellow borders
and
just beneath where the central and cross spars met
marked with Saifo's unmistakable signature. He licked his finger and held it up
tested the wind
then ran in its direction-on those rare occasions we flew kites in the summer
he'd kick up dust to see which way the wind blew it. The spool rolled in my hands until Hassan stopped
about fifty feet away. He held the kite high over his head
like an Olympic athlete showing his gold medal. I jerked the string ice
our usual signal
and Hassan tossed the kite.
Caught beeen Baba and the mullahs at school
I still hadn't made up my mind about God. But when a Koran ayat I had learned in my diniyat class rose to my lips
I muttered it. I took a deep breath
exhaled
and pulled on the string. Within a minute
my kite was rocketing to the sky. It made a sound like a paper bird flapping its wings. Hassan clapped his hands
whistled
and ran back to me. I handed him the spool
holding on to the string
and he spun it quickly to roll the loose string back on.
At least o dozen kites already hung in the sky
like paper sharks roaming for prey. Within an hour
the number doubled
and red
blue
and yellow kites glided and spun in the sky. A cold breeze wafted through my hair. The wind was perfect for kite flying
blowing just hard enough to give some lift
make the sweeps easier. Next to me
Hassan held the spool
his hands already bloodied by the string.
Soon
the cutting started and the first of the defeated kites whirled out of control. They fell from the sky like shooting stars with brilliant
rippling tails
showering the neighborhoods below with prizes for the kite runners. I could hear the runners now
hollering as they ran the streets. Someone shouted reports of a fight breaking out o streets down.