按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
l voice undulating through the sudden hush of the stadium s crowd。 I remem bered
something Baba had said to me a long time ago： Piss on the beards of all those self…righteous monkeys。 They do nothing but thumb their rosaries and recite a book written in a tongue they don t even understand。 God help us all if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands。
When the prayer was done； the cleric cleared his throat。 Brothers and sisters！ he called； speaking in Farsi； his voice booming through the stadium。 We are here today to carry out Shari a。 We are here today to carry out justice。 We are here today because the will of Allah and the word of the Prophet Muham mad； peace be upon him； are alive and well here in Afghanistan； our beloved homeland。 We listen to what God says and we obey because we are nothing but humble； powerless creatures before God s greatness。 And what does God say？ I ask you！ WHAT DOES GOD SAY？ God says that every sinner must be punished in a manner befitting his sin。 Those are not my words； nor the words of my brothers。 Those are the words of GOD！ He pointed with his free hand to the sky。 My head was pounding and the sun felt much too hot。
Every sinner must be punished in a manner befitting his sin！ the cleric repeated into the mike； lowering his voice； enunciating each word slowly； dramatically。 And what manner of punishment； brothers and sisters； befits the adulterer？ How shall we punish those who dishonor the sanctity of marriage？ How shall we deal with those who spit in the face of God？ How shall we answer those who throw stones at the windows of God s house？ WE SHALL THROW THE STONES BACK！ He shut off the microphone。 A low…pitched murmur spread through the crowd。
Next to me； Farid was shaking his head。 And they call themselves Muslims； he whispered。
Then a tall； broad…shouldered man stepped out of the pickup truck。 The sight of him drew cheers from a few spectators。 This time； no one was struck with a whip for cheering too loudly。 The tall man s sparkling white garment glimmered in the afternoon sun。 The hem of his loose shirt fluttered in the breeze； his arms spread like those of Jesus on the cross。 He greeted the crowd by turning slowly in a full circle。 When he faced our section； I saw he was wearing dark round sunglasses like the ones John Lennon wore。
That must be our man； Farid said。
The tall Talib with the black sunglasses walked to the pile of stones they had unloaded from the third truck。 He picked up a rock and showed it to the crowd。 The noise fell； replaced by a buzzing sound that rippled through the stadium。 I looked around me and saw that everyone was tsk ing。 The Talib； looking absurdly like a baseball pitcher on the mound； hurled the stone at the blindfolded man in the hole。 It struck the side of his head。 The woman screamed again。 The crowd made a startled OH！ sound。 I closed my eyes and covered my face with my hands。 The spectators OH！ rhymed with each flinging of the stone； and that went on for a while。 When they stopped； I asked Farid if it was over。 He said no。 I guessed the people s throats had tired。 I don t