The Camel of Destruction by Michael Pearce

then sat down on a fallen pillar nearby and gave it suck.
    The other woman moved off into the pillars. Owen moved after her.
    ‘Aisha.’
    ‘Effendi.’
    ‘I have something to ask you.’
    She moved to where a pillar stood close against a wall. Between the wall and the pillar there was just space for a person to stand. She pushed Owen into it so that he could not be seen and then stood with her back against the pillar as if resting or in thought.
    ‘Ask on.’
    ‘There is a man, a friend of your brother’s. His name is Jabir. Can you tell me anything about him?’
    Aisha did not reply. He thought that perhaps she had not heard him, and repeated the question.
    Aisha made a little gesture with her hand.
    ‘I know him,’ she whispered.
    ‘He was at school with Osman. Or perhaps at college.’
    ‘School. They were always together. Osman always wanted to be with him. He seemed fascinated by him. But he was a bad boy, effendi. He was always getting Osman to do things he shouldn’t.’
    ‘Like what?’
    ‘Little things. Silly things. Playing jokes on other boys, on the teachers. And it was always Osman who got caught. I said to him: “Why are you so silly? Why do you do what he tells you? He will get you into trouble.” But he wouldn’t listen to me, effendi. He—’ She stopped.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘He went with him all the more. As if he could not stop. It used to hurt me, especially when I learned they were doing nasty things together—’
    ‘What things, Aisha?’
    Aisha swallowed.
    ‘There was a bird,’ she said. ‘It had hurt its wing and could not fly. Jabir took it and—and tormented it, effendi. He made Osman…And Osman did it, that is what I could not understand. I asked him how he could do a thing like that? I said, “Jabir is making you evil.” And then—’ She stopped.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Osman must have told him what I had said. For after that…’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Jabir turned his attention to me. He began to say nasty things about me, dirty things. And then one day he told Osman he wouldn’t speak to him any more unless he arranged a meeting.’
    ‘A meeting? With you?’
    ‘Yes. Osman asked me. I refused, of course. I was angry. I told him not to be stupid, that he was being made a fool of. But…but…’ Her voice faltered.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Osman was so unhappy. Jabir was always teasing him, out loud, to all the other boys. “He is tied to his sister’s skirts,” he said. “He does whatever she tells him.” It went on and on and Osman was so unhappy—he didn’t want to go to school— that in the end, well…’
    ‘You saw him?’
    ‘Yes. He—he was disgusting. He said things…I wouldn’t see him again. Not even for Osman…In fact, though, he didn’t ask again. That, it seemed, was enough. All he wanted. Just to talk—talk like that…’ Her voice trailed away.
    This was not quite what Owen had expected to hear.
    ‘I am sorry,’ he said awkwardly.
    ‘I don’t know what he did to Osman afterwards.’ Her voice was almost inaudible. ‘One day Osman didn’t come home. They brought him to us later. He had tried to throw himself in front of a train. I think it frightened even Jabir for after that things were better. They stayed away from each other for the rest of the time they were at school. But then…’
    She gestured her bewilderment.
    ‘They started seeing each other again. It was after Osman had started working at the Ministry. I could not believe it. “What?” I said. “After what he had done?” “All that is past,” said Osman. Soon they were friends as before. One day he brought him home. Afterwards, when Jabir left, he said: “Greet your sister for me, Osman.” I said: “I do not want greetings from such as he.”
    ‘Osman said nothing. But the next day he took me aside and said: “You must not talk like that. All that is in the past. Encourage him. He is interested in you.”
    “‘I am not interested in him,” I said. Osman shrugged. “You are