【】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>