El
harissah el-layliah
|
Night watch
|
Nahaddhet Daisy bakiren fi
sabahi thalika el yawmi er-rabi-i ith kanet tamalo ala qadhiyatin fi el
madineti el mojawirah.
|
Daisy
had got up early that spring morning because she was working on a case in
the nearby town.
|
Wassalet ila maktabiha wa fi
yadiha olbaton mina el warak tahtawi ala fata-ir tazija bilkrima.kanet
es-sa-a toshiro ila thamina illa robo-a wa kanet moshtaka ila finjanin
mina el kahwa.
|
She
arrived at her office with a paper bag in her hand containing fresh cream
buns at a quarter to eight and was dying for a cup of coffee.
|
wama an wadha-at el miftaha fi el qofli htta nadaha sawto
mra-a:”innaho meftooh ya Daisy.”
|
As
she put the key in the lock, a woman’s voice called out, "It’s
open, Daisy."
|
Laqad
kanet Pam el monadhifa.
|
It
was Pam, the cleaner.
|
“ma rayoki fi fotoorin ya
Pam?” qalet Daisy mobtassimah thomma lahadhet bi wodhooh anna Pam kanet
tabki.
|
"How
about some breakfast, Pam?" said Daisy with a smile and then noticed
Pam had obviously been crying.
|
“Pam
matha hassel?
|
"Pam,
whatever has happened?
|
Ta-ali
ajlissi waftari ma-i.
|
Come
on sit down and have some breakfast with me.
|
Arjooki akhbirini amma
yoqliqoki.”
|
Please
tell me what’s bothering you."
|
Kanet Pam mra-aten kadiha
ta-ool waladayni.
|
Pam
was a hard-working woman with two children to bring up.
|
Laked nadhafet el binayah
kollaha yani sab-ata makatib.
|
She
did the cleaning for the whole building which meant seven offices.
|
“Laqad ja-ani
Jim marraten okhra min ajli el waladayni.
|
"Jim
has been on to me again about the children.
|
Fa kama tarifeen la haqqa
laho qanooniyen liroyatihima wa fi el waqi lem yakon bi wass-ihi
el ihtimam bi hima”
|
You
know he has no legal right to see them and he really couldn’t care less
about them, and never has."
|
“li
nadha el ghallaya ala en-nar.”
|
"Let’s
put the kettle on."
|
Bada-at Daisy fi tahdhiri el
kahwa el fawriyah wa sallemet Pam fatirah.
|
Daisy
began preparing the instant coffee and offered Pam a bun,
|
“wal-an
limatha la tabda-een mina el awwal?”
|
"Now,
why don’t you start from the beginning?"
|
wa badet Pam fi ghayeti el
irtibak wa wassalet:
|
Pam
looked extremely troubled and went on:
|
“ilami
annaho indama tollikna lem yatlob hatta royata waladayhi.
|
"You
see, when we got divorced he didn’t even ask to see his children.
|
Wel an bada an asbaha bila
noqood yohawilo tathibi kay otihi badha el mablagh tahta ta-ilati tahdid
bi akhthi el waladayni minni.”
|
Now
he’s got no money, he’s trying to torture me into giving him some with
the threat that otherwise he’ll get the children away from me."
|
Fa
qalet Daisy mojadilah:” la adhonno annaho yastati-o fila thalika bi
sohoola.”
|
"I
don’t think he can do that easily, Pam," Daisy reasoned.
|
Wa qabilet Pam fatirah
okhra.
|
Pam
accepted another bun.
|
“la ya Daisy laysa bi
sohoolam,wa lakinnaho haqoodon jidden wa tawa-adani bi jali hayati
jahimen.”
|
"No
Daisy, not easily, but he’s very vindictive and he’s threatened to
make my life a hell."
|
“hassanen,alayna an
nantadhira wa nara.
|
"Well,
we’ll just have to wait and see.
|
Isma-i
, itha laja-a ila el onfi fa kollo ma alyaki
filoh howa el ittissalo bi shorta.”
|
Look,
if he gets violent all you have to do is call the police."
|
“ana arifo Jim itha lem
otihi noqood fa innaho sawfa yonafidho wa-idaho.”
|
"I
know Jim, if I don’t give him money he’ll be as good as his
word."
|
Bada thalathati ayyamin
wassalet ila Daisy mokalam hatifia.
|
Three
days later Daisy got a telephone call.
|
“Daisy ana Pam.ana thahiba
bitijahi el mon-atef.
|
"Daisy,
it’s Pam. I’m going round the bend.
|
Laqad sara Jim yahoom hawla
menzili kolla laylah baada an toghliqa el hanat mohawilen en-nadhera
min khilali nafithati ghorfati nawmi wa isdari aswatin ghareebah.
|
Jim’s
been coming round to my house every night after the pubs close trying to
see through my bedroom window and making strange noises.
|
Innaho yohawilo itharata
assabi likay astaslima wa otihi kolla en-noqood el-lati yatloboha.
|
He’s
trying to get on my nerves so that I’ll give in and hand over all the
money he asks for.
|
Lem anem monthoo thalathata
ayyamin.”
|
I
haven’t slept for three days."
|
“hel akhbarti esh-shortah
an thalik?”
|
"
Have you informed the police about it?"
|
“laqad itassala bi Jim
monthoo lahdha wa qala itha nadayto es-shortah ,fa innaho sawfa yaqool
lahom bi anni atakhayyalo el ashya wa annani histiriah wa maridhah aqliyen
wa la yajibo an yabqa el waladani tahta ri-ayati.
|
"Jim
telephoned me just now and said that if I call the police in, he’ll tell
them I’m imagining things and hysterical and mentally ill and
shouldn’t have his children in my custody.
|
Matha
asna-o ya Daisy? Inni ohisso bilyassi.”
|
What
am I going to do Daisy? I feel desperate."
|
“la
bass ya Pam atini onwanaki wa sawfa ara matha yomkino an af-al.”
|
"All
right Pam, tell me your address and I’ll see what I can do."
|
Wa thahabet Daisy nahwa Trends
wa hwa mahallon khass bi ajhizati et-televisyoon, er-radio,wa el
computer wa talabet et-takalloma ma-a es-sayed Ranjee sahib el mahel.
|
Daisy
went round to Trends, her local
television, radio and computer shop, and asked to speak to Mr. Ranjee, the
owner of the shop.
|
“sayed Ranjee, hel tadhono
annaho bi imkanika i-arati kamira mossajilah li moddeti yawmeyni?”
|
"Mr.
Ranjee, do you think you could lend me a camcorder for a couple of
days?"
|
laqad sabaqa li
Daisy an wajadet el-liss el-lathi kana yasriqo mina el mahel qabla
ash-horin qalilah.
|
Daisy
had found the thief who was stealing from the shop a few months’ ago
|
wa kan es-sayed Ranjee
da-imen yaqool bi annaho itha kanet bi hajatin ila shay fa ma alayha illa
an tatiya wa tatlobah.
|
and
Mr. Ranjee had always said that if ever she needed something, please to
come and ask for it.
|
“taba-an ,anissa
Hamilton.taqooleena bi annaki toreedeen wahidaten tamalo fi dhalem.
|
"Of
course, Miss Hamilton. You say you want one that works in the dark.
|
Khothi hathih.hel tarefeen
kayfa tastamleenaha.da-eeni oriki.”
|
Mm
- take this. Do you know how to use it? Let me show you."
|
Sarafa es-sayed Ranjee nisf
es-saa el mowali fi talimi
Daisy badha el hiyel el awaliyah litesjeel.
|
Mr.
Ranjee spent the next half hour teaching Daisy some elementary camcorder
tricks.
|
Wa qarrarert Daisy
et-tawajoha nahwa menzili Pam hawali el ashirah min thalika el massa
mossallahaten bilkamira wa ghita-iha el modhad lilmater.
|
Daisy
decided to go around to Pam’s house at about ten that evening armed with
the camcorder and its rain-proof covering.
|
Wa kan aydhen bi jaybiha
saffarah wa qit-ata halwa min naw mars liqatli el waqt.
|
She
also had a whistle in her pocket and a Mars bar to while away the time.
|
Wa
sarakhat Daisy fi nafssiha:”la! Laqad bda-a el matar.”
|
"Oh
no! It’s beginning to rain," Daisy exclaimed to herself.
|
Fa
kollama kana ladayha amal fl el-layl hatala el mataro akiden.
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Whenever
she had a job on at night it invariably rained.
|
Li hosni el hadhi hathihi el
marra jalabet ma-aha mitafen plastikyyen wa qolonsowah.
|
Fortunately,
this time, she had brought a plastic mac and hood with her.
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Fi thalika el waqti mina
el-layli kana honaka qaleelon min en-ness fi tilka en-nawahi.
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At
that time of night there were few people around.
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Laqad sharahet Pam bi annaha
taskono fi kookhin qadeem wa anna ghorfata nawmiha kanet min khalf
moqabila lilhadeeqa.
|
Pam
had explained that she lived in an old cottage, and that her bedroom was
round the back facing the garden.
|
Wa indama wassalet Daisy
thahabet khalfa el kookhi wa qafazet ala es-siyaj el monkhafidh.
|
When
Daisy arrived, she went to the back of the cottage, climbed over the low
fence
|
wa
ra-at anna honaka sakeefata
atadin motada-iya asfel el hadiqa.
|
and
saw there was a tumble-down tool shed at the bottom of the garden.
|
Faqalet fi nafsiha:”honak
sa-akhtabi-o,wa antadhiro thalika el wahsh.
|
"That’s
where I’ll hide and wait for that monster.
|
Kayfa
yatajrra-o ala mohawalati itha-i Pam
el azizah.”
|
How
dare he try to hurt dear Pam," thought Daisy.
|
Wa ma in saret Daisy dakhil
es-saqeefah hatta sami-at shay-an mithla assissi el wardi wa hwa yasqoto
ala el ardhi kharij es-saqeefah.
|
Once
inside the shed Daisy heard something like a flower-pot fall to the ground
outside
|
fanhanet
hatta la tora min khilali en-nafithah es-saghirah el washikha.
|
and
crouched down so that she couldn’t be seen through the small dirty
window.
|
Min el wadhih anna thalika
kana makanen liltiqa-i el qitat haytho sami-at
mowa-aha.
|
Apparently
it was a meeting-place for cats, for she heard miaowing.
|
“tab-an itha kan zawjo Pam
e-sabik yoreedo tikrara ma amilaho sabiken fa min el ahsen et-takhalloss
min tilk el qitat hatta la yafza.”
|
"Certainly
if Pam’s ex-husband wants to repeat his previous performance, I’d
better get rid of those cats so he’s not scared off."
|
Wa fatahet nafithet
es-saqeefah bi hather wa ramet el qitat bi hitha-in qadeem kan biddakhil
mimma ja-alaha takhtafi bi sor-a.
|
She
opened the shed door warily and threw an old shoe she had found inside at
the cats, who hastily vanished.
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Wa asbaha kollo shay-in hadi
marraten okhra.
|
Now
everything was quiet again.
|
Bada sa-atayni nahadhet
Daisy min ala el korsi el masnoo min el aghsan el meftoolah wa qad
tajammedet min er-rotoobati wa el berd.
|
Two
hours later Daisy, very stiff from the damp and cold, got up from the
ancient wicker chair she had been sitting on.
|
Wa
qalet li nafsiha mota-awwiha:” la astati an atahammela akther.”
|
"I
can’t stand it much longer" she moaned to herself.
|
Thomma dhannet annaha
sami-at sawta jizmatin wa hya tadoosso el awraq en-nadiyah.
|
Then
she thought she heard the noise of Wellington boots sloshing through the
damp foliage.
|
Kan honak shakhson yezhafo
nahwa el menzil.
|
Someone
was creeping towards the house.
|
Wa ahasset Daisy bi alamin
fi thira-ayha bi sababi jomoodiha wa kadet tosqito el kamirah.
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Daisy’s
arms ached because of the enforced inaction and she nearly dropped the
camcorder.
|
Wa naza -at hitha-aha wa kharajet min babi es-saqeefati el meftoohi
joz-iyyen.
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She
stepped out of her shoes and slipped out of the partially-open shed door.
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Wa fi hathihi el-lahdha
bithat marret sayyaraton an qorb wa hiya tolki bi adhwa-iha kamilah
fastata-at Daisy an tara bi wodhooh.
|
At
that very moment a car passed by with its lights fully on and Daisy could
see quite clearly:
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kana zawjo Pam
yatajassaso min khilali nafithati ghorfati nawmiha.
|
Pam’s
husband was spying into her bedroom window.
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Wastata-at Daisy
et-tassarrofa bi sor-a wa shaghalat el kamira.
|
Daisy
managed to act quickly and turned the camcorder on.
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Wa kan
er-rathatho yatassaqato inda-ithin.
|
It
was only drizzling now.
|
Wa bada-a zawjo Pam yasrokho
fi zawjatihi es-sabikah abra nafitha wa mohaddiden iyyaha.
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Pam’s
husband began shouting through the window at his ex-wife and threatening
her.
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Wa kanet Daisy tossawiro el
mash-hed wa tossajilo kolla ibarati tahdid.
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Daisy
was filming the scene and recording all the menacing words.
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Wa faj-aten sadara azizon
gharib min el kamira.
|
Suddenly
the camcorder made a strange whirring sound.
|
Fa
qalet fi faza:” robbama o-ika esh-sharit.”
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"Maybe
the tape’s blocked!" panicked Daisy.
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Wa hawalet iqafaha wa
lakinnaha dhaghatet ala ez-zirri el khati.
|
She
tried to turn it off but pushed the wrong button and the whirring sound
increased.
|
Wa hona sh-ara zawjo Pam
bil-amr wastdar bi onf.
|
At
this point Pam’s ex-husband became aware of it and turned round
furiously.
|
Laqad adraka anna shakhssen
kan yorakiboho wa aqsama bi aghladhi el iman.
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He
realized someone was watching him and swore profusely.
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Thomma tawajjaha nahwa Daisy
kama low kan yorido itha-aha.
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Then
he made towards Daisy as though to hit her.
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Wa kanet fikrato Daisy el
oola hiya himayato el kamira bi jismiha, fa-adaret dhahraha laho wa
bada-at tasrokh.
|
Daisy’s
first thought was to protect the camcorder with her body, she turned her
back on him and started yelling.
|
Wa bada laha wa ka-anna
sorakhaha dama dahren.
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It
seemed to her that her yelling lasted an eternity.
|
Wa faj-aten sata-a alayhima
dhaw-on limisbahin kahraba-i yadawi.
|
Suddenly
a strong torch light shone on both of them.
|
“matha yahdotho hona?”
|
"What’s
going on here?"
|
laqad kanet shortiyah wahya
tabdoo thabiteta el azm.
|
It
was a police-woman, looking very determined.
|
Faqalet esh-shortiyah wahya
toshiro bi dhaw-i misbahiha ila er-rajul:”laqad ra-aytoka wa anta
taqfizo ala es-siyyaj.
|
"I
saw you climbing over the
fence," indicating the man with the light of her torch
|
“ta
-ala bi hodo kilakoma.
|
"Come
quietly, both of you.
|
Sa
okifokoma li ta-addiyakoma wa…”
|
I'm
arresting you for trespassing and ..."
|
wa fi hathihi el-lahdhati bi
that lahet Pam min nafithati ghorfati nawmiha wa nadharet ila el kharij.
|
Just
at this moment Pam appeared at her bedroom window, opened it and looked
out.
|
“ayyatoha esh-shortiah,
ayyatoha esh-shortiah.thalika er-rajul qad ta-adda bi kolli takeed,amma el
fatat fahya sadikati.”
|
"Officer,
officer. That man is certainly trespassing, but the young lady is my
friend."
|
Wa Okhitha zawjo Pam
ba-eeden bi mojarradi dhohoori zamil esh-shortiah wastod-iyat Daisy dakhil
el lkookh li taghtassila wa tashroba kassen sakhinen min el cocoa.
|
Pam’s
ex-husband was taken away as soon as the constable’s colleague appeared
and Daisy was invited inside the cottage to clean up and have a hot cup of
cocoa.
|
qalet
Daisy:” hassanen, kana thalika naw-an min el hadh.
|
"Well,
that was a bit of luck." said Daisy.
|
An yakoona bil imkani
taswiroho wahwa yandhoro fi
nafithatiki laylen wa-an takoon esh-shortah
shahidah ala el mash-hadi kollihi.
|
"To
be able to film him looking in your window at night and have the whole
scene witnessed by the police.
|
La adhonno annaki sa
towajiheena ayyata mata-iba okhra min jim!”
|
I
don’t think you’ll be having any more trouble from Jim!"
|
wa fi el yawmi et-tali
hawali el hadiyata ashrah wassalet Daisy ila maktabiha litajida bakata
zahrin fi assissin ala el makteb.
|
Next
morning at about eleven Daisy arrived in her office to find a fresh bunch
of flowers in a vase, on her desk.
|
Wa bilqorbi minha kanet
waraka saghirah wa qad kotiba alayha bi qalamI er-rassass.
|
Nearby
was a little note written in pencil.
|
“shokren Daisy,shokren
marraten ohkra.Pam.
|
"Thanks
Daisy, thanks again. Pam.
|
Molahadha:laqad wadha-to
kidren min el morabba el masnoo bilmenzil bi thallajatik.”
|
P.S.
I’ve put a pot of homemade greengage jam in your fridge."
|