What 'Isa ibn Hisham Told Us. Muhammad al-Muwaylihi

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      لا يفيد النداء فإنه مشتغل ببائع الفاكهة كما ترى. (ويشير إليه)

      I had barely finished saying this to him when I saw his temper get the better of him. His whole expression changed, his eyes began to roll, his lips tightened, his nostrils expanded, and his forehead contracted into a frown. I was afraid that his crazy temper would lead him to do me an injury as well as the Donkeyman. I tried a more rational approach. I told him that a personage of his eminence should not demean himself by behaving in such a manner; he was far too exalted a figure to foul his noble hands by touching a corpse like this one. Using such a stratagem I managed to calm him down. I went over to the Donkeyman and put some dirhams into his palm without the Pāshā knowing. I asked him to go away and leave us alone, but that only made the wretch shout all the louder for the police to help him.

      Pāshā (to ʿĪsā) Didn’t I tell you that peasants can only be reformed by beating? Don’t you realize that the only thing he can do to get rid of the pain he’s going through is to yell for help to Shaykhs and Saints! But tell me, is this “Police” he keeps shouting for and asking to help him some new kind of saintly figure?

      ʿĪsā Well, yes. The “police” is the agency responsible for public order and vested with the government’s executive powers.

      Pāshā I don’t understand. Explain to me what this “police” you’re talking about really is.

      ʿĪsā It’s what you used to call “Kavvas.”²⁵

      Pāshā So where is this kavvas who cannot hear all this yelling and screaming?! I want him to appear so that he can receive my orders regarding this wretch.

      Donkeyman Police! Police!

      Pāshā (to ʿĪsā ibn Hishām) Come on, let's help him yell for the kavvas!‎

      ʿĪsā ibn Hishām said: I asked myself how I could possibly yell for the police when I was really thanking God because I’d managed to quiet him down. All the while, the Policeman was standing close by, not paying the slightest attention to the shouts for help.

      I turned to the Pāshā and told him that there was no point in yelling and screaming; as he could see, the Policeman was preoccupied with the fruit seller.

      ٥،٢2.5

      فيلمح المكاري البوليس أمامه فيسرع إليه ويتبعه من تجمع من النظارة فيجدونه واقفا وفي يده منديل أحمر قد امتلأ مما جمعه في صباحه من باعة الأسواق في حفظه للنظام وهو يأمر صاحب الدكان بإدخال ما وضعه خارجها من عيدان القصب وفي يده عود منها يهدده به ويهزه في وجهه هزة الرمح ثم يضاحك طفلا على كتف امرأة ولما حضرنا إليه أقبل نحونا والمنديل في يد وعود القصب في اليد الأخرى.

      البوليس (للجمع) ما هذا الصياح على الصباح وما هذا العناء وهذا النداء كأن كل واحد من أهل هذا البلد يريد أن يكون له واحد من البوليس في خدمته.

      المكاري أغثني يا سعادة الجاويش فإنّ هذا الرجل ضربني ولم يعطني أجرتي وأنت تعرفني في هذا الموقف وتعرف أنني لست ممن يتشاجر ويتخاصم.

      الباشا خذ أيها القواس هذا السفيه وضعه في السجن حتى يأتيك أمري فيه.

      البوليس (للمكاري) من أين ركب معك هذا الرجل يا مرسي.

      المكاري ركب معي من الإمام.

      الباشا (للبوليس) ما هذا الإبطاء في تنفيذ أمري، أسرع به إلى السجن.

      البوليس (ضاحكا مستهزئا) أظنك أيها الرجل من مجاذيب الحضرة في الأمام فهلم معي إلى القسم فإن هيئتك تدلني على إفلاسك وعجزك عن الدفع.

      When the Donkeyman spotted the Policeman directly in front of him, he dashed over to speak to him. All the spectators who had gathered round us followed. They found the Policeman standing there holding a red napkin full of various oddments which he had collected from the market traders during the course of his supervision of the “regulations.” He was busy talking to the owner of the shop, instructing him to put inside the shop the stalks of sugarcane which he had on display outside. In one hand, he was holding a stalk of cane and threatening the owner with it, shaking it in his face like a spear. At the same time, he was looking in another direction, and giggling and babbling at a baby on a woman’s shoulder.

      He carried on like this till we all came towards him, then turned round with the napkin in one hand and the sugarcane in the other:

      Policeman (to everyone) What’s all this row about in the early morning? Why so much yelling and commotion? Anyone would think that every single person had to have his own private policeman at his service.

      Donkeyman Please help me, Sergeant Sir. This man here assaulted me and has refused to give me my charge. You know me on this beat and realize that I’m not one to argue or pick a quarrel for nothing.

      Pāshā Guard, take this insolent wretch and lock him up in prison till someone brings you my orders concerning him.

      Policeman (to the Donkeyman) Tell me, Mursī, from where did this man ride with you?

      Donkeyman From the Imam district.

      Pāshā Why are you being so slow about carrying out my instructions? Take him to prison at once!

      Policeman (with a scoff) My dear fellow, it seems to me you must be from the lunatic asylum in the Imām district. Come to the station with me. Your scruffy clothing makes it quite clear that you’re penniless and cannot pay the charge.

      ٦،٢2.6

      قال عيسى بن هشام: فجذب البوليس صاحبي من ذراعه فكاد يغمى عليه من الدهشة فلم يدر ما يصنع وسلم البوليس ما في يديه من المنديل والعود إلى الرجل الذي СКАЧАТЬ