May 20, 2023 • 14 mins
https://www.solgood.org - Check out our Streaming Service for our full collection of audiobooks, podcasts, short stories, & 10 hour sounds for sleep and relaxation at our website
Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian literature, existentialism, identity, love, relationships, social commentary, cultural norms, social class, personal growth, literary style, literary legacy, literary analysis, literary adaptation, literary criticism, Cairo, modernity, cultural influence, societal expectations, individualism, human nature, psychological analysis, Arab culture, family, urbanization
Naguib Mahfouz, Egyptian literature, existentialism, identity, love, relationships, social commentary, cultural norms, social class, personal growth, literary style, literary legacy, literary analysis, literary adaptation, literary criticism, Cairo, modernity, cultural influence, societal expectations, individualism, human nature, psychological analysis, Arab culture, family, urbanization
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Chapter fifteen. She was awakened bythe rattling of the pots and pans in
the tiny kitchen. She sat up, startled, and looked about her.
It was very early. The firstsunlight was streaming redly through the window screens,
and the freshness of the morning waseverywhere, for all the windows were
wide open. The stillness of thecountry, broken only by the joyous chorus
(00:24):
of the birds, struck her asa wonderful thing. She laid down again
and closed her eyes to listen musicwith a scent of clover. The cheery
little home noises in the kitchen seemeda pleasant background for the peace of the
Sabbath morning. It was so newand strange. Then came the thought of
camp and the anticipation of the day, with a sharp pang at the memory
(00:48):
that perhaps, even now Cameron wasgone, orders were so uncertain in the
army. A man must be readyto move at a moment's notice. What
if while she slept he had passedby on one of those terrible troop trains.
She sat up again and began toput her hair into order and make
herself presentable. He had promised thatif such a thing as a sudden move
(01:11):
should occur, he would throw outan old envelope with his name written on
it as they passed by the hut, and she meant to go out to
that railroad track and make a thoroughsearch before the general public wore up.
Missus Cameron was still sleeping soundly,one work worn hand partly shading her face.
Ruth knew instinctively that she must havebeen weeping in the night. In
(01:34):
the early morning dawn, she droopedon the hard little cot in a crumpled
heap, and the girl's heart achedfor her sorrow. Ruth stole into the
kitchen to ask for water to washher face. I'm sorry, said the
pleasant faced woman who was making coffeeand frying bacon, But the wash basins
are all gone. We've had somany folks come in. But you can
(01:56):
have this pail. I just gotthis water for myself, and I'll have
it and i'll get some more.You see, the water pipes aren't put
in the building yet, and wehave to go down the road quite a
piece to get any This is allthere was left last night. She handed
Ruth a two gallon galvanized tin bucketcontaining a couple inches of water. Obviously,
clean and added a brief towel tothe toilet arrangements. Ruth beat a
(02:22):
hasty retreat back to the shelter ofthe piano with her collection, fearing lest
mirth would get the better of her. She could not help thinking how her
aunt would look if she could seeher washing her face in this pittance of
water in the bottom of a great, big bucket. But Ruth MacDonald was
adaptable in spite of her upbringing.She managed to make a most pleasing toilet
(02:43):
in spite of the paucity of water, and then went back to the kitchen
with the bucket. If you showme where you get the water, I'll
go for some more, she offered, anxious for an excuse to get out
and explore the track. The womanin the kitchen was not abashed at the
offer. She accepted the suggestion asa matter of course, taking for granted
(03:05):
the same helpful spirit that seemed topervade all the people around the place.
It did not seem to strike heras anything strange that this young woman should
be willing to go for water.She was not giving attention to details like
clothes and handbags, and neither wealthnor social station belonged to her scheme of
life, so she smilingly gave thedirections to the pump and went on breaking
(03:29):
nice brown eggs into a big yellowbowl. Ruth wished she could stay and
watch. It looked so interesting.She took the pail and slipped out the
back door. But before she wentin search of water, she hurried down
to the railroad track and scanned itfor several rods either way, carefully examining
each bit of paper. Her breathheld in suspense as she turned over an
(03:52):
envelope or scrap of paper lest itmight bear his name. At last,
with a glad look backward to besure she had missed nothing, she hurried
up the bank and took her waydown the grassy path toward the pump,
satisfied that Cameron had not yet leftthe camp. It was a lovely summer
morning, and the quietness of thecountry struck her as never before. The
(04:15):
wild roses shimmered along the roadside inthe early sun, and bees and butterflies
were busy about their own affairs.It seemed such a lovely world, if
it had only not been for war. How could God bear it? She
lifted her eyes to the deep blueof the sky, where little clouds floated
lazily like lovely aviators out for pleasure. Was got up there if she might
(04:41):
only find him? What did itall mean anyway? Did he really care
for individuals? It was all sucha new experience. The village pump and
the few early stragglers watching her curiouslyfrom the station platform. A couple of
grave soldiers hurried by, and thepang of what was to come shot through
(05:01):
her heart. The thought of theday was full of mingled joy and sorrow.
They ate a simple little breakfast,good coffee, toast and fried eggs.
Ruth wondered why it tasted so goodamid such primitive surroundings. Yet everything
was so clean and tidy, thoughcoarse and plain. When they went to
pay their bill, the proprietor saidtheir beds would be only twenty five cents
(05:26):
apiece because they had had no pillow. If they had had a pillow,
he would have had to charge themfifty cents. The food was fabulously cheap.
They looked around and wondered how itcould be done. It was obvious
that no tips would be received,and that money was no consideration. In
fact, the man told them hisorders were merely to pay expenses. He
(05:47):
gave them a parting word of goodcheer and promised to try to make them
more comfortable if they wanted to returnthat night, and so they started out
for camp. Ruth was silent andthoughtful. She was wishing she had had
the boldness to ask this quaint Christianman some of the questions that troubled her.
He looked as if he knew God, and she felt as if he
(06:10):
might be able to make some thingsplain to her. But her life had
been so hedged about by conventionalities thatit seemed an impossible thing to her to
open her lips on the subject toany living being, unless it might be
to John Cameron. It was queerhow they two had grown together in the
last few months. Why could theynot have known one another before? Then
(06:31):
there came a vision of what heraunt might have thought, and possible objections
that might have come up if theyhad been intimate friends earlier. In fact,
that too seemed practically to have beenan impossibility. How had the war
torn away the veil from foolish lawsof social rank and station. Never again
could she submit to much of thesystem that had been the foundation of her
(06:55):
life so far. Somehow she mustfind a way to tear her spirit free
from things that were not real.The thought of the social activities that would
face her at home under the guiseof patriotism turned her soul sick with loathing.
When she went back home after hewas gone, she would find a
way to do something real in theworld that would make for righteousness and peace.
(07:17):
Somehow, knitting and dancing with loathsomesoldiers did not satisfy her. That
was a wonderful day, and theymade the most of every hour, realizing
that it would probably be the lastday they had together for many a long
month or year. In the morning, they stepped into the Great Auditorium and
attended the YMCA service for an hour. But their hearts were so full,
(07:41):
and they all felt so keenly thatthis day was to be the real farewell,
and they could not spare a momentof it. That presently they slipped
away to the quiet of the woodsonce more, for it was hard to
listen to the music and keep thetears back. Missus Cameron especially found it
impossible to keep her composure. Sundayafternoon, she went into the hostess house
(08:03):
to lie down in the rest roomfor a few minutes, and sent the
two young people off for a walkby themselves. Cameron took Ruth to the
log in the woods and showed herhis little Testament and the Covenant he had
signed. Then they opened their heartstogether about the eternal things of life,
shyly at first, and then withthe assurance that sympathy brings. Cameron told
(08:26):
her that he was trying to findGod, and Ruth told him about their
experiences the night before. She alsoshyly promised that she would pray for him,
although she had seldom until lately donevery much real praying for herself.
It was a beautiful hour wherein theytraveled miles in their friendship, an hour
in which their souls came close whilethey sat on the log under the tree,
(08:50):
with long silences in the intervals oftheir talk. It was whispered at
the barracks that evening, at five, when Cameron went back for retreat,
that this was the last night theywould move in the morning, surely,
perhaps before he hurried back to thehostess house where he had left his guests
to order the supper for all,feeling that he must make the most of
(09:13):
every minute. Passing the officer's headquarters, he heard the raucous laugh of Wainwright
and caught a glimpse of his fathead and neck through a window. His
heart sank. Wainwright was back then, he had been sent for, and
they must be going that night.He fled to the hostess house and was
silent and distraught as he ate hissupper. Suppose Wainwright should come in while
(09:35):
they were there and see Ruth andspoil those last few minutes together. The
thought was unbearable. Nobody wanted muchsupper, and they wandered outside in the
soft evening air. There was ahushed sorrow over everything. Even the roughest
soldiers were not ashamed of tears.Little faded mothers clung to the big burly
(09:56):
sons, and their sons smoothed theirgray hair awkwardly and were not ashamed.
A pair of lovers sat at thefoot of a tree, hand in hand,
and no one looked at them exceptin sympathy. There were partings everywhere.
A few wives with little children intheir arms were riding down hurried directions
and receiving a bit of money.But most desolate of all was the row
(10:18):
of lads lined up near the station, whose friends were gone or had not
come at all, and who hadto stand and endure the woe of others.
Couldn't we walk out of camp,asked Ruth, suddenly, must we
go on that awful trolley? Lastnight everybody was weeping. I wanted to
weep too. It is only afew steps from the end of camp to
(10:39):
our quarters, or is it toofar for you? Missus Cameron? Nothing
is too far tonight, so Imay be with my boy one hour longer.
Then we must start at once,said Cameron. There is barely time
to reach the outskirts before the hourwhen all visitors must be out of camp.
It is over three miles, mother, I can walk it if Ruth
(11:01):
can, said the mother, smilingbravely. He drew an arm of each
within his own and started off,glad to be out of Wainwright's neighborhood,
gladder still to have a little longerwith those he loved. Out through the
deserted streets, they passed where emptybarracks were being prepared for the next Draftmen
passed the tank headquarters and the coloredbarracks, the store houses, and more
(11:26):
barracks, just emptied that afternoon intotroop trains out beyond the Great Laundry,
and on up the cinder road tothe top of the hill and the end
of the way. There, atlast, in sight of the military police
pacing back and forth at the entranceto camp, with the twinkling lights of
the village beyond, and the longwooded road winding back to camp, they
(11:48):
paused to say good bye. Thecinder path and the woods at its edge
made a blot of greenish black againsta brilliant stormy sky. The sun was
setting like a ball of fire behindthe tree, and some strange freak of
its rays formed a golden cross restingback against the clouds, its base buried
among the woods, its crossbar risingbrilliant against the black of a thundercloud.
(12:13):
Look said Ruth. It is anomen. They looked, and a great
wonder and awe came upon them.The cross Cameron looked back and then down
at her, and smiled. Itwill lead you safely home, she said
softly, and laid her hand inhis. He held her fingers close for
an instant, and his eyes daredsome of the things his lips would never
(12:35):
have spoken now, even if theytwo had been alone. The military police
stepped up. You don't have tostay out here to say goodbye. You
can come into the station right hereand sit down. Or if your friends
are going to the village, youmay go with them. Comrade, I
can trust you to come back rightaway. I thank you, Cameron said.
(12:56):
That is the kindest thing that hashappened to me at this camp.
I wish I could avail myself ofit, but I have barely time to
get back to the barracks within thehour given me. Perhaps, and he
glanced anxiously across the road toward thevillage. Could you just keep an eye
out that my ladies reached the SalvationArmy hut. All right, sure,
(13:18):
said the big soldier heartily. I'llgo myself. I'm just going off duty,
and I'll see them safe to thedoor. He stepped a little away
and gave an order to his men, and so they said goodbye and watched
Cameron go down the road into thesunset, with the golden Cross blazing above
him as he walked lower and lowerdown the hill into the shadow of the
(13:41):
dark woods and the thundercloud. Butbrightly the cross shone above him as long
as they could see and just beforehe stepped into the darkness where the road
turned, he paused, waved hishat, and so passed on out of
their sight. End of chapter fifteen.
Chapter fifteen. She was awakened bythe rattling of the pots and pans in
the tiny kitchen. She sat up, startled, and looked about her.
It was very early. The firstsunlight was streaming redly through the window screens,
and the freshness of the morning waseverywhere, for all the windows were
wide open. The stillness of thecountry, broken only by the joyous chorus
(00:24):
of the birds, struck her asa wonderful thing. She laid down again
and closed her eyes to listen musicwith a scent of clover. The cheery
little home noises in the kitchen seemeda pleasant background for the peace of the
Sabbath morning. It was so newand strange. Then came the thought of
camp and the anticipation of the day, with a sharp pang at the memory
(00:48):
that perhaps, even now Cameron wasgone, orders were so uncertain in the
army. A man must be readyto move at a moment's notice. What
if while she slept he had passedby on one of those terrible troop trains.
She sat up again and began toput her hair into order and make
herself presentable. He had promised thatif such a thing as a sudden move
(01:11):
should occur, he would throw outan old envelope with his name written on
it as they passed by the hut, and she meant to go out to
that railroad track and make a thoroughsearch before the general public wore up.
Missus Cameron was still sleeping soundly,one work worn hand partly shading her face.
Ruth knew instinctively that she must havebeen weeping in the night. In
(01:34):
the early morning dawn, she droopedon the hard little cot in a crumpled
heap, and the girl's heart achedfor her sorrow. Ruth stole into the
kitchen to ask for water to washher face. I'm sorry, said the
pleasant faced woman who was making coffeeand frying bacon, But the wash basins
are all gone. We've had somany folks come in. But you can
(01:56):
have this pail. I just gotthis water for myself, and I'll have
it and i'll get some more.You see, the water pipes aren't put
in the building yet, and wehave to go down the road quite a
piece to get any This is allthere was left last night. She handed
Ruth a two gallon galvanized tin bucketcontaining a couple inches of water. Obviously,
clean and added a brief towel tothe toilet arrangements. Ruth beat a
(02:22):
hasty retreat back to the shelter ofthe piano with her collection, fearing lest
mirth would get the better of her. She could not help thinking how her
aunt would look if she could seeher washing her face in this pittance of
water in the bottom of a great, big bucket. But Ruth MacDonald was
adaptable in spite of her upbringing.She managed to make a most pleasing toilet
(02:43):
in spite of the paucity of water, and then went back to the kitchen
with the bucket. If you showme where you get the water, I'll
go for some more, she offered, anxious for an excuse to get out
and explore the track. The womanin the kitchen was not abashed at the
offer. She accepted the suggestion asa matter of course, taking for granted
(03:05):
the same helpful spirit that seemed topervade all the people around the place.
It did not seem to strike heras anything strange that this young woman should
be willing to go for water.She was not giving attention to details like
clothes and handbags, and neither wealthnor social station belonged to her scheme of
life, so she smilingly gave thedirections to the pump and went on breaking
(03:29):
nice brown eggs into a big yellowbowl. Ruth wished she could stay and
watch. It looked so interesting.She took the pail and slipped out the
back door. But before she wentin search of water, she hurried down
to the railroad track and scanned itfor several rods either way, carefully examining
each bit of paper. Her breathheld in suspense as she turned over an
(03:52):
envelope or scrap of paper lest itmight bear his name. At last,
with a glad look backward to besure she had missed nothing, she hurried
up the bank and took her waydown the grassy path toward the pump,
satisfied that Cameron had not yet leftthe camp. It was a lovely summer
morning, and the quietness of thecountry struck her as never before. The
(04:15):
wild roses shimmered along the roadside inthe early sun, and bees and butterflies
were busy about their own affairs.It seemed such a lovely world, if
it had only not been for war. How could God bear it? She
lifted her eyes to the deep blueof the sky, where little clouds floated
lazily like lovely aviators out for pleasure. Was got up there if she might
(04:41):
only find him? What did itall mean anyway? Did he really care
for individuals? It was all sucha new experience. The village pump and
the few early stragglers watching her curiouslyfrom the station platform. A couple of
grave soldiers hurried by, and thepang of what was to come shot through
(05:01):
her heart. The thought of theday was full of mingled joy and sorrow.
They ate a simple little breakfast,good coffee, toast and fried eggs.
Ruth wondered why it tasted so goodamid such primitive surroundings. Yet everything
was so clean and tidy, thoughcoarse and plain. When they went to
pay their bill, the proprietor saidtheir beds would be only twenty five cents
(05:26):
apiece because they had had no pillow. If they had had a pillow,
he would have had to charge themfifty cents. The food was fabulously cheap.
They looked around and wondered how itcould be done. It was obvious
that no tips would be received,and that money was no consideration. In
fact, the man told them hisorders were merely to pay expenses. He
(05:47):
gave them a parting word of goodcheer and promised to try to make them
more comfortable if they wanted to returnthat night, and so they started out
for camp. Ruth was silent andthoughtful. She was wishing she had had
the boldness to ask this quaint Christianman some of the questions that troubled her.
He looked as if he knew God, and she felt as if he
(06:10):
might be able to make some thingsplain to her. But her life had
been so hedged about by conventionalities thatit seemed an impossible thing to her to
open her lips on the subject toany living being, unless it might be
to John Cameron. It was queerhow they two had grown together in the
last few months. Why could theynot have known one another before? Then
(06:31):
there came a vision of what heraunt might have thought, and possible objections
that might have come up if theyhad been intimate friends earlier. In fact,
that too seemed practically to have beenan impossibility. How had the war
torn away the veil from foolish lawsof social rank and station. Never again
could she submit to much of thesystem that had been the foundation of her
(06:55):
life so far. Somehow she mustfind a way to tear her spirit free
from things that were not real.The thought of the social activities that would
face her at home under the guiseof patriotism turned her soul sick with loathing.
When she went back home after hewas gone, she would find a
way to do something real in theworld that would make for righteousness and peace.
(07:17):
Somehow, knitting and dancing with loathsomesoldiers did not satisfy her. That
was a wonderful day, and theymade the most of every hour, realizing
that it would probably be the lastday they had together for many a long
month or year. In the morning, they stepped into the Great Auditorium and
attended the YMCA service for an hour. But their hearts were so full,
(07:41):
and they all felt so keenly thatthis day was to be the real farewell,
and they could not spare a momentof it. That presently they slipped
away to the quiet of the woodsonce more, for it was hard to
listen to the music and keep thetears back. Missus Cameron especially found it
impossible to keep her composure. Sundayafternoon, she went into the hostess house
(08:03):
to lie down in the rest roomfor a few minutes, and sent the
two young people off for a walkby themselves. Cameron took Ruth to the
log in the woods and showed herhis little Testament and the Covenant he had
signed. Then they opened their heartstogether about the eternal things of life,
shyly at first, and then withthe assurance that sympathy brings. Cameron told
(08:26):
her that he was trying to findGod, and Ruth told him about their
experiences the night before. She alsoshyly promised that she would pray for him,
although she had seldom until lately donevery much real praying for herself.
It was a beautiful hour wherein theytraveled miles in their friendship, an hour
in which their souls came close whilethey sat on the log under the tree,
(08:50):
with long silences in the intervals oftheir talk. It was whispered at
the barracks that evening, at five, when Cameron went back for retreat,
that this was the last night theywould move in the morning, surely,
perhaps before he hurried back to thehostess house where he had left his guests
to order the supper for all,feeling that he must make the most of
(09:13):
every minute. Passing the officer's headquarters, he heard the raucous laugh of Wainwright
and caught a glimpse of his fathead and neck through a window. His
heart sank. Wainwright was back then, he had been sent for, and
they must be going that night.He fled to the hostess house and was
silent and distraught as he ate hissupper. Suppose Wainwright should come in while
(09:35):
they were there and see Ruth andspoil those last few minutes together. The
thought was unbearable. Nobody wanted muchsupper, and they wandered outside in the
soft evening air. There was ahushed sorrow over everything. Even the roughest
soldiers were not ashamed of tears.Little faded mothers clung to the big burly
(09:56):
sons, and their sons smoothed theirgray hair awkwardly and were not ashamed.
A pair of lovers sat at thefoot of a tree, hand in hand,
and no one looked at them exceptin sympathy. There were partings everywhere.
A few wives with little children intheir arms were riding down hurried directions
and receiving a bit of money.But most desolate of all was the row
(10:18):
of lads lined up near the station, whose friends were gone or had not
come at all, and who hadto stand and endure the woe of others.
Couldn't we walk out of camp,asked Ruth, suddenly, must we
go on that awful trolley? Lastnight everybody was weeping. I wanted to
weep too. It is only afew steps from the end of camp to
(10:39):
our quarters, or is it toofar for you? Missus Cameron? Nothing
is too far tonight, so Imay be with my boy one hour longer.
Then we must start at once,said Cameron. There is barely time
to reach the outskirts before the hourwhen all visitors must be out of camp.
It is over three miles, mother, I can walk it if Ruth
(11:01):
can, said the mother, smilingbravely. He drew an arm of each
within his own and started off,glad to be out of Wainwright's neighborhood,
gladder still to have a little longerwith those he loved. Out through the
deserted streets, they passed where emptybarracks were being prepared for the next Draftmen
passed the tank headquarters and the coloredbarracks, the store houses, and more
(11:26):
barracks, just emptied that afternoon intotroop trains out beyond the Great Laundry,
and on up the cinder road tothe top of the hill and the end
of the way. There, atlast, in sight of the military police
pacing back and forth at the entranceto camp, with the twinkling lights of
the village beyond, and the longwooded road winding back to camp, they
(11:48):
paused to say good bye. Thecinder path and the woods at its edge
made a blot of greenish black againsta brilliant stormy sky. The sun was
setting like a ball of fire behindthe tree, and some strange freak of
its rays formed a golden cross restingback against the clouds, its base buried
among the woods, its crossbar risingbrilliant against the black of a thundercloud.
(12:13):
Look said Ruth. It is anomen. They looked, and a great
wonder and awe came upon them.The cross Cameron looked back and then down
at her, and smiled. Itwill lead you safely home, she said
softly, and laid her hand inhis. He held her fingers close for
an instant, and his eyes daredsome of the things his lips would never
(12:35):
have spoken now, even if theytwo had been alone. The military police
stepped up. You don't have tostay out here to say goodbye. You
can come into the station right hereand sit down. Or if your friends
are going to the village, youmay go with them. Comrade, I
can trust you to come back rightaway. I thank you, Cameron said.
(12:56):
That is the kindest thing that hashappened to me at this camp.
I wish I could avail myself ofit, but I have barely time to
get back to the barracks within thehour given me. Perhaps, and he
glanced anxiously across the road toward thevillage. Could you just keep an eye
out that my ladies reached the SalvationArmy hut. All right, sure,
(13:18):
said the big soldier heartily. I'llgo myself. I'm just going off duty,
and I'll see them safe to thedoor. He stepped a little away
and gave an order to his men, and so they said goodbye and watched
Cameron go down the road into thesunset, with the golden Cross blazing above
him as he walked lower and lowerdown the hill into the shadow of the
(13:41):
dark woods and the thundercloud. Butbrightly the cross shone above him as long
as they could see and just beforehe stepped into the darkness where the road
turned, he paused, waved hishat, and so passed on out of
their sight. End of chapter fifteen.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!