rungtoourfeetandra.irossthefoyer.</p>
“fathersthatsound”hassanyelped,hishandsoutstretchedtosaroundus.aelightflashed,littheskyinsilver.itflashedagainandaatoofgunfire.</p>
“theyrehuntingducks,”alisaidinahoarsevoice.“theyhuntducksatnight,youknobeafraid.”</p>
asireneeoneshouted.iheardpeopleoreet,joltedfroleepandprobablystillintheirpajas,yselfihadenviousofhassan.notatall.</p>
unistupdétat,andthenindeceer1979,estreetsarkiartofastillongoingeraofbloodletting.</p>
justbeforesunrise,babasedshutandhisrunningfootstepspouhestairs.thenheappearedinthedoorethingonhisfaedasherantous,openinghisarheroadsaelephonedidntorried”</p>
sand,forabriefi,ieverhadhappehatnight.</p>
theyuonarchyhingofthepast.theking,zahirshah,aly.inhisabsence,hisusindaoudkhanhadehekingsfortyyearreignhabloodlessup.</p>
ireerhassanandioingoutsidefathersstudy,asbabaandrahihansippedblackteaandlisteobreakingneheuponradiokabul.</p>
“aragha”hassanwhispered.</p>
“”</p>
“sarepublic”</p>
ishrugged.“idontk,”overandain.</p>
“aragha”</p>
“”</p>
“doesrepublifatherandioveaway”</p>
“idontthinkso,”ik.</p>
hassanhis.“aragha”</p>
“”</p>
“idonttosendandfatheraway.”</p>