【】toattendingforlpartiesinorjokesofiortantpeople.hehadbedbaooth,tannedforehead,andtuftsofelledlikelogoonypressings;thegoldofapockethisvest.</p>
“su,baychild.</p>
“salaageneralsahib,”isaid,shakinghishand.histhinhandsbeliedafirrip,asifsteelhidbeheisturizedskin.</p>
“arisgoingtobeagreater,”babasaid.ididadoubletakeatthis.“hehasfinishedhisfirstyearofllegeandeaedasinallofhisurses.”</p>
“junie,”irrectedhi</p>
“shallah,”geaherisaid.“s”</p>
“ikhanhadgiven,barrassedbythenthisnspresence.</p>
“ah,astoryteller,”thegeneralsaid.“atdiffie.“speakingofstories,yourfatherandihuntedpheasanttogetheronesuerdayinjalalabad,”hesaid.“itarvelousti.ifiretly,yourfatherseyeprovedaskeeniasithadinbusiness.”</p>
babakickedaebusiness.”</p>
geaherinagedasiltaneouslysadandpolitesle,heavedasigh,alypattedbabasshoulder.“zendagigzara,”hesaid.lifegoesouedhiseyesto.“,andihaveheardnynfoolishlylabeledgreat.butyourfatherhasthedistininorityethelooked:oftenusedandunnaturallyshiny.</p>
“youreflattering,”babasaid.</p>
“iaot,”thegeneralsaid,tiltinghisheadsideility.“boysandgirlsstknoe.“doyouappredoyoureallyappreciatehi</p>
“balay,generalsahib,ido,”isaid,e“child.”</p>
“thenngratulations,youarealreadyhalfan,”hesaidor,noirony,theplintofthecasuallyarrogant.</p>
“padarjan,yotyourtea.”ayoungansvoiaybethatoftahneh,rostaotherfroheshahnah.hereyes,etne.heldforant.flewaway.</p>
“youaresokind,dear,”geaherisaid.hetooktheoothskinjustaboveherleftjaosinside.herhairspilledtoonesideidboxesofoldrerdsandpaperbacks.</p>
“daughter,sorayajan,”geaherisaid.hetookadeepbreathlikeaoyhaheeye.hispaleblueeyesrevealednothingofthethoughtsbehindthe</p>