On a very hot afternoon in August, in an Arabic city, I was walking alone toward my home. I was exhausted, after a very busy day of working in a hospital, as an assistant to an ornery doctor. I was thinking of requesting to work in another department, when a young man and woman hurried beside me. He was hardly breathing, and she was very pale, holding an infant in her arms. They both seemed terrified of something or somebody. By a wave of his hand, he stopped a taxi; he held her left hand, while the crying baby was in her right hand. They were trying to reach the taxi as fast as they could. All of a sudden, the young man stopped and ordered her to stay where she was, until he got his marriage doccument. With a lot of fear, sadness, and anger, she did. She sat on the ground of the side walk and faced a wall of a house.
Mrs. August Belmont; Aug. Belmont; and Mrs. Butler...
Ernst August of Brunswick & bride (LOC)
Arabic as official languageShe started feeding her baby, probably to make him sleep.
Curiosity made me watch them and I stopped near the woman, as if I was waiting for somebody. From her appearance, you knew that she didn't live in luxury. She was pretty, but hollow-eyed, as if she had'nt slept or eaten for a long time.
While I was lost in revirie, another young man, who covered half of his face, came toward her. He stopped behind her in a threatening manner. She immediately stood up and peered at him with fear and pleading. She hugged her baby firmly, so he did'nt get hurt. The man, with all his strength, stabbed her with a knife and ran a way. She screamed loudly and so did I. She twitched and fell down. A few people hurried toward us.