الدَّرَجَتَانِ

فِي صَبَاحِ الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي، أَخَذَتْ لِينَا مِسْطَرَةً صَغِيرَةً مِنْ طَاوِلَتِهَا. سَأَلَتْهَا صَبَاحُ: «هَلْ سَتَرْسُمِينَ لَوْحَةً عَلَى الْأَرْضِ؟» قَالَتْ: «سَأَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَابٍ».

The following morning Lina took a small ruler from her table. “Are you going to paint a sign on the ground?” Sabah asked. “I’m going to look at a door,” Lina said.

كَانَتْ أَمَلُ قَدْ بَاعَتْ أَكْثَرَ خُضْرَوَاتِهَا. وَلَكِنَّهَا تَرَكَتْ صُنْدُوقَيْنِ عَلَى عَرَبَتِهَا حَتَّى تَكُونَ ثَقِيلَةً كَمَا تَكُونُ فِي الصَّبَاحِ.

Amal had sold most of her vegetables, but she left two crates on her cart so that it would be heavy as it was in the morning.

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «هَذَا لَيْسَ كُلَّ مَا أَحْمِلُهُ عَادَةً». نَظَرَتْ لِينَا إِلَى الْعَرَبَةِ. «إِذًا لَنْ يَكُونَ الْيَوْمُ سَهْلًا عَلَيْهَا».

“This is not everything I usually carry,” Amal said. Lina looked at the cart. “Then today will not be easy on it.”

سَارَتَا إِلَى السُّوقِ الْجَدِيدِ. كَانَ السَّقْفُ الْجَدِيدُ يَلْمَعُ فِي الشَّمْسِ، وَكَانَتِ الْأَبْوَابُ الْعَشَرَةُ فِي صَفٍّ وَاحِدٍ. عِنْدَ بَعْضِهَا وَقَفَ تُجَّارٌ يُنَظِّمُونَ صَنَادِيقَهُمْ.

They walked to the new market. The new roof shone in the sun and the ten doors stood in one row. At some of them, traders were arranging boxes.

وَصَلَتَا إِلَى الْبَابِ السَّادِسِ أَوَّلًا. كَانَ مَدْخَلُهُ وَاسِعًا، وَالْأَرْضُ أَمَامَهُ فِي مُسْتَوَى الْأَرْضِ دَاخِلَهُ. أَشَارَتْ أَمَلُ إِلَيْهِ دُونَ كَلَامٍ.

They reached Door Six first. Its entrance was broad, and the ground outside was level with the floor inside. Amal pointed to it without speaking.

دَفَعَتْ أَمَلُ عَرَبَتَهَا قَلِيلًا. تَحَرَّكَتِ الْعَجَلَاتُ فَوْقَ الْأَرْضِ بِسُهُولَةٍ. تَوَقَّفَتْ عِنْدَ الْبَابِ، ثُمَّ أَعَادَتْهَا إِلَى الطَّرِيقِ.

Amal pushed her cart a short distance. The wheels rolled easily over the ground. She stopped at the door, then pulled the cart back to the path.

قَالَتْ: «أَفْتَحُ هَذَا الْبَابَ، وَأُدْخِلُ الْعَرَبَةَ، ثُمَّ أَبْدَأُ الْبَيْعَ. لَا أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَنْ أَحْمِلَ كُلَّ صُنْدُوقٍ وَحْدَهُ».

“I open this door, bring the cart in, and begin selling,” she said. “I do not need to carry every crate separately.”

مَشَتَا إِلَى الْبَابِ التَّاسِعِ. كَانَ أَصْغَرَ قَلِيلًا، وَأَمَامَهُ دَرَجَتَانِ مِنَ الْحَجَرِ. لَمْ تَكُنِ الدَّرَجَتَانِ عَالِيَتَيْنِ، لَكِنَّهُمَا كَانَتَا وَاضِحَتَيْنِ.

They walked to Door Nine. It was a little smaller, and two stone steps stood before it. The steps were not tall, but they were clearly there.

وَقَفَتْ أَمَلُ بِعَرَبَتِهَا أَمَامَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ. دَفَعَتْهَا حَتَّى لَمَسَتِ الْعَجَلَتَانِ الْحَجَرَ، ثُمَّ تَوَقَّفَتْ. لَمْ تُحَاوِلْ رَفْعَ الْعَرَبَةِ الثَّقِيلَةِ.

Amal stopped the cart at the steps. She pushed until the wheels touched the stone, then stopped. She did not try to lift the heavy cart.

قَالَتْ: «أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَحْمِلَ الصَّنَادِيقَ وَاحِدًا بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ. ثُمَّ أَرْفَعُ الْعَرَبَةَ الْفَارِغَةَ بِمُسَاعَدَةِ شَخْصٍ آخَرَ».

“I can carry the crates one by one,” she said. “Then someone else can help me lift the empty cart.”

حَسَبَتْ لِينَا الصَّنَادِيقَ فِي رَأْسِهَا. سَأَلَتْ: «كَمْ مَرَّةً سَتَفْعَلِينَ ذَلِكَ؟» قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «كُلَّ صَبَاحٍ. وَعِنْدَ الْإِغْلَاقِ أَيْضًا».

Lina counted the crates in her head. “How often would you have to do that?” she asked. “Every morning,” Amal said. “And again at closing.”

أَخَذَتْ أَمَلُ صُنْدُوقًا وَاحِدًا مِنَ الْعَرَبَةِ، وَحَمَلَتْهُ إِلَى أَعْلَى الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ. ثُمَّ وَضَعَتْهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ وَعَادَتْ. كَانَ ذَلِكَ مُمْكِنًا، وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخَذَ وَقْتًا.

Amal took one crate from the cart, carried it up the steps and set it down. Then she came back. It was possible, but it took time.

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقُولَ إِنَّنِي لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ الْعَمَلَ هُنَا. أَسْتَطِيعُهُ، وَلَكِنْ بِعَمَلٍ أَكْثَرَ وَوَقْتٍ أَطْوَلَ».

“I do not want to say I cannot work here,” Amal said. “I can, but it would mean more work and more time.”

وَضَعَتْ لِينَا مِسْطَرَتَهَا فِي حَقِيبَتِهَا. لَمْ تَحْتَجْ إِلَيْهَا. لَمْ يَكُنِ الْفَرْقُ بَيْنَ الْبَابَيْنِ صَغِيرًا كَمَا ظَنَّتْ.

Lina put her ruler back in her bag. She did not need it. The difference between the two doors was not as small as she had imagined.

سَمِعَتْ صَوْتَ خَشَبٍ وَرَاءَهَا. كَانَ حَامِدٌ يَحْمِلُ قِطْعَةً طَوِيلَةً إِلَى مَكَانٍ قُرْبَ الْبَابِ السَّادِسِ. رَآهُمَا وَتَوَقَّفَ.

She heard wood moving behind her. Hamid was carrying a long piece to a spot near Door Six. He saw them and stopped.

قَالَ حَامِدٌ: «صَبَاحُ الْخَيْرِ. هَلْ تُرِيدَانِ أَنْ أُصْلِحَ الدَّرَجَتَيْنِ؟» أَجَابَتْ أَمَلُ: «الدَّرَجَتَانِ لَيْسَتَا مَكْسُورَتَيْنِ. هَذِهِ هِيَ الْمُشْكِلَةُ».

“Good morning,” Hamid said. “Would you like me to repair the steps?” “The steps are not broken,” Amal replied. “That is the problem.”

لَمْ يَضْحَكْ حَامِدٌ فَوْرًا. نَظَرَ إِلَى الْعَرَبَةِ، ثُمَّ إِلَى الصُّنْدُوقِ الَّذِي وَضَعَتْهُ أَمَلُ عِنْدَ الْبَابِ. «هَلْ جَرَّبْتِ إِدْخَالَهَا؟» سَأَلَ.

Hamid did not laugh at once. He looked at the cart, then the crate Amal had set near the door. “Did you try getting it inside?” he asked.

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «لَا. لَنْ أَرْفَعَ عَرَبَةً مُمْتَلِئَةً عَلَى دَرَجَتَيْنِ. أَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَعْمَلَ غَدًا أَيْضًا».

“No. I am not lifting a loaded cart up two steps,” Amal said. “I want to be able to work tomorrow too.”

أَنْزَلَ حَامِدٌ الْخَشَبَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ. قَالَ: «مِنَ السَّهْلِ أَنْ أَحْمِلَ مِطْرَقَتِي إِلَى هَذَا الْبَابِ. وَلَكِنَّ عَرَبَتَكِ أَثْقَلُ مِنْ كُلِّ أَدَوَاتِي».

Hamid set the wood down. “It is easy for me to carry my hammer to this door,” he said. “But your cart is heavier than all my tools.”

نَظَرَتْ لِينَا إِلَى قِطَعِ الْخَشَبِ. سَأَلَتْ: «مَتَى بَدَأْتَ تُعِدُّ هَذَا الرَّفَّ؟» أَجَابَ حَامِدٌ: «قَبْلَ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ الْقَائِمَةُ الْجَدِيدَةُ بِأَيَّامٍ».

Lina looked at the wood. “When did you start preparing that shelf?” she asked. “Days before the new list appeared,” Hamid answered.

«أَعْطَتْنِي خَدِيجَةُ الْإِذْنَ»، قَالَ. «قَاسَتْ مَعِي الْمَكَانَ، ثُمَّ اشْتَرَيْتُ الْخَشَبَ. ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قَدْ تَمَّ».

“Khadija told me to go ahead,” he said. “She measured the space with me, then I bought the wood. I thought everything had been settled.”

تَذَكَّرَتْ لِينَا لَوْحَةً فَارِغَةً فِي صُنْدُوقِهَا، وَصَفْحَةً قَدِيمَةً فِي دَفْتَرِ الطَّلَبَاتِ. طَلَبَتْ خَدِيجَةُ اللَّوْحَةَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ الْقَائِمَةُ أَيْضًا.

Lina remembered a blank panel in her box and an old page in her order book. Khadija had ordered the panel before the list appeared too.

لَمْ تَكُنْ لِينَا تَعْرِفُ مَاذَا يَعْنِي ذَلِكَ بَعْدُ. قَدْ يَسْتَعِدُّ النَّاسُ لِعَمَلٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ اتِّفَاقُهُمْ. وَلَكِنَّ السُّؤَالَ بَقِيَ فِي رَأْسِهَا.

Lina did not yet know what that meant. People might prepare for work before an agreement was complete. But the question remained in her mind.

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ لِحَامِدٍ: «هَلْ أَخْبَرَتْكَ أُخْتُكَ أَنِّي وَافَقْتُ عَلَى الْبَابِ التَّاسِعِ؟» نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا، وَقَالَ: «نَعَمْ، هَذَا مَا فَهِمْتُهُ».

“Did your sister tell you I agreed to Door Nine?” Amal asked Hamid. He looked at her. “Yes. That is what I understood.”

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «أَنَا لَمْ أُوَقِّعْ عَلَى تَغْيِيرٍ». قَالَ حَامِدٌ: «وَعِنْدِي وَرَقَةٌ مِنْ خَدِيجَةَ. لَا أَقُولُ إِنَّكِ كَاذِبَةٌ».

“I did not sign any change,” Amal said. “And I have a paper from Khadija,” Hamid replied. “I am not saying you are lying.”

نَظَرَتْ لِينَا إِلَى وَجْهِ أَمَلَ. بَدَا أَنَّهَا تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَقُولَ شَيْئًا آخَرَ، ثُمَّ غَيَّرَتْ رَأْيَهَا. لَمْ تَسْأَلْهَا لِينَا أَمَامَ حَامِدٍ.

Lina looked at Amal. She seemed about to say something more, then changed her mind. Lina did not question her in front of Hamid.

سَأَلَ حَامِدٌ: «هَلْ تَظُنَّانِ أَنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَخُذَ مَكَانَ أَحَدٍ؟» أَجَابَتْ لِينَا: «أَظُنُّ أَنَّكَ تُرِيدُ مَكَانًا لِعَمَلِكَ. هَذَا كُلُّ مَا أَعْرِفُهُ».

“Do you think I want to take someone's place?” Hamid asked. “I think you want a place to work,” Lina said. “That is all I know.”

وَضَعَ حَامِدٌ يَدَهُ عَلَى الْخَشَبِ. «هَذِهِ الْقِطَعُ كَلَّفَتْنِي مَالًا. وَلَكِنَّنِي لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ تَدْخُلَ أَمَلُ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَابِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَهِيَ تُعَانِي».

Hamid put a hand on the wood. “These pieces cost me money. But I do not want Amal to have to struggle to enter this door every day.”

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «وَأَنَا لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ تَخْسَرَ مَالَكَ». تَوَقَّفَتْ قَلِيلًا، ثُمَّ أَضَافَتْ: «لَكِنِّي لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَدْفَعَ ثَمَنَ وَعْدٍ لَمْ أَقْطَعْهُ».

“And I do not want you to lose your money,” Amal said. She paused. “But I cannot pay the price of a promise I never made.”

سَكَتُوا. مَرَّ تَاجِرٌ بِصُنْدُوقٍ صَغِيرٍ، وَاعْتَذَرَ لِيَمُرَّ بَيْنَهُمْ. أَبْعَدَ حَامِدٌ الْخَشَبَ عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ.

They fell silent. A trader carrying a small box came by and asked to pass between them. Hamid moved the wood out of the way.

قَالَتْ لِينَا: «فِي الْمَكْتَبِ وَرَقَةٌ أَصْلِيَّةٌ يَجِبُ أَنْ نَرَاهَا بِطَلَبٍ مِنْكُمَا مَعًا». أَجَابَ حَامِدٌ: «أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ مَعَ أُخْتِي أَوَّلًا».

“There is an original document in the office that you can both request to see,” Lina said. “I want to speak to my sister first,” Hamid replied.

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «تَكَلَّمْ مَعَهَا. ثُمَّ تَعَالَ وَتَكَلَّمْ مَعِي. أَنَا لَا أُرِيدُ رَسَائِلَ مِنْ شَخْصٍ إِلَى شَخْصٍ».

“Speak to her. Then come and speak to me,” Amal said. “I do not want messages being passed from one person to another.”

هَزَّ حَامِدٌ رَأْسَهُ. لَمْ يَعِدْ بِشَيْءٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. أَعَادَ قِطَعَ الْخَشَبِ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ، وَتَرَكَ الرَّفَّ غَيْرَ مُرَكَّبٍ.

Hamid nodded. He did not promise anything beyond that. He returned the wood pieces to his side and left the shelf unassembled.

سَاعَدَتْ لِينَا أَمَلَ عَلَى إِعَادَةِ الصُّنْدُوقِ إِلَى الْعَرَبَةِ. قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «الْخُضْرَوَاتُ لَا تَنْتَظِرُ حَتَّى يَتَّفِقَ النَّاسُ».

Lina helped Amal put the crate back on the cart. “Vegetables do not wait for people to reach an agreement,” Amal said.

عِنْدَمَا عَادَتْ لِينَا إِلَى طَاوِلَتِهَا، فَتَحَتْ دَفْتَرَ طَلَبَاتِهَا. وَجَدَتْ تَارِيخَ لَوْحَةِ الْبَابِ السَّادِسِ الْفَارِغَةِ. قَرَأَتْهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ أَغْلَقَتِ الدَّفْتَرَ.

When Lina returned to her table, she opened her order book and found the date of the blank Door Six panel. She read it twice, then closed the book.

لَمْ تَكْتُبِ اتِّهَامًا. كَتَبَتْ فَقَطْ: «الْبَابُ التَّاسِعُ: دَرَجَتَانِ. الرَّفُّ: بَدَأَ قَبْلَ الْقَائِمَةِ. اللَّوْحَةُ: طُلِبَتْ قَبْلَهَا أَيْضًا».

She wrote no accusation. Only: “Door Nine: two steps. Shelf: begun before the list. Panel: ordered before it too.”

لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ قَدْ غَيَّرَ الْقَائِمَةَ. وَلَكِنَّ لِينَا لَمْ تَعُدْ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَقُولَ إِنَّ الْبَابَيْنِ مُتَسَاوِيَانِ.

No one had changed the list. But Lina could no longer say that the two doors were equal.