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

المنازعات والمشاجرات.

      صاحب الحانة صدقت وهي مع ذلك تحبك كثيرًا .

      ʿĪsā ibn Hishām said: We went back inside and discovered the Proprietor and the gentleman who had been in the fight with the drunkard sitting with the Adjutant. The glasses were being passed to and fro. We listened as the gentleman was ordering glasses and bottles:

      Proprietor (to the Adjutant) Why did you tell your girlfriend to leave when we joined you?

      Adjutant I didn’t tell her to do anything. She went off in a rage.

      Proprietor Why was she in a rage?

      Adjutant It wasn’t my fault. She found a way to annoy me and herself as well.

      Proprietor I’ll call her back at once so I can help settle your disagreement.

      Adjutant No, let her be! She won’t come back willingly at this point. She’s angry because the Policeman didn’t take this gentleman to the police station along with that drunkard. The gentleman here is a friend of the singer while she’s one of her enemies.

      Proprietor I’ve given up on this girl; there’s no limit to her stupidity. Every night she causes me some new headache, and I suffer losses that I can’t make good. If it weren’t for you, Sir, I wouldn’t keep her here and put up with paying her the monthly salary of a deputy governor first-grade. If you could just see her, she’s always arguing with people and squabbling with her female colleagues. In all that, she’s relying on you and boasting about her acquaintance with you. Then you’d realize how stupid she is!

      Adjutant What can I do about her stupidity? Even so, she’s good-hearted and lively. I’ve often warned her to stop getting into arguments and quarrels because of me.

      Proprietor You’re right. And beyond that she really loves you.

      ١٠،٣٠30.10

      وينتهي دور الغناء فتنزل المغنية الى البار فتجد ذلك البك قاعدًا مع المعاون وصاحب الحان فتجلس معهم وتستفهم عن ما جرى للبيك بسببها فيسرها ما حصل.

      البك اني متشكر لحضرة المعاون غاية التشكر وأطلب منه السماح في أن أكون السبب في المصالحة بينه وبين فلانة حتى ينصرف غضبها وتصفو ليلتنا.

      صاحب الحانة وأظن أن حضرة المعاون لا يأبى ذلك.

      وبيناهم في هذا الكلام اذا بصاحبة المعاون قد دخلت عليهم وما وقع نظرها على المغنية جالسة معهم حتى انقلبت من الغضب جذوة نار أو لبوة هاجت لفقد أشبالها وشتمت وسبت ولعنت وقذفت وتفلت عليهم وهجمت على المرأة فأخذت ببرقعها فامالتها الى الارض توسعها ضربا ولكما وتتوعد المعاون بالشكاية فيه ثم تقسم أنها لا ترقص في ليلتها وانها لا تترك الجميع الا في القسم.

      At this point, the singing came to an end. The singer came down to the bar and found the gentleman sitting with the Adjutant and Proprietor. She sat down with them and asked what had happened to him because of her. He told her the entire story.

      Gentleman I’m extremely grateful to the Adjutant for treating me justly, but I’m asking him to allow me to bring about a reconciliation between him and the other lady. Then her anger will disappear, and we can enjoy a pleasant evening again.

      Proprietor I don’t think the Adjutant will object to that idea.

      While they were talking, the Adjutant’s girlfriend came back in. No sooner did she spot the singer sitting with them than she flew into a fiery rage and started behaving like a lioness that has gone berserk because she has lost her cubs. She ranted, cursed, and swore, uttering obscenities and oaths, and then hissed and spat. She pounced on the singing girl, grabbed her veil and threw her to the floor where she punched and beat her. She threatened to file a complaint against the Adjutant and then vowed not to dance that night. She would make sure they all had to go to the police station.

      ١١،٣٠30.11

      فلا يسع صاحب الحان الا أن يتلافى الأمر فيجرها بالقوة جانبًا فينسل المعاون هاربا ويقول صاحب الحان لها: انظري فقد سبق المعاون الى القسم فان لم تعودي الى شغلك أرسلتك اليه مع المغنية وكل من في المحل يشهد أنك تعديت عليها بالضرب من غير سبب ولا تجدين احدًا يشهد على المعاون أنه كان هنا وهو الذي يباشر التحقيق معك فينتقم لنفسه ولي منك فتقول له أفعلتها ولكن أناله والزمان طويل.

      The only thing the Proprietor could do was to deal with the situation. He dragged her forcibly to one side, while the Adjutant slunk out as quickly as possible. The Proprietor then spoke to her in no uncertain terms, making it clear that the Adjutant had gone back to the station. If she didn’t start dancing again, he intended to send her with the singer to the station. Everyone in the place could testify that she had assaulted the singer for no reason at all. She would not find anyone to testify that the Adjutant himself had been there. He would be the one conducting the inquiry, and he’d have his revenge on her on his own behalf and that of the Proprietor. In reply she told him that this time she’d do it, but in the future . . .

      ١٢،٣٠30.12

      قال عيسى بن هشام: وعادت الى مرقصها وعدنا الى مجلسنا لنرى ما يحدث فيه من الغرائب وما يتجدد فيه من العجائب.

      ʿĪsā ibn Hishām said: With that she went back to the stage, and we returned to our seats so we could watch what other amazing things would happen next.

      مصباح الشرق ٩١، ٨ فبراير ١٩٠٠

      Miṣbāḥ al-sharq 91, February 8, 1900

      ١،٣١31.1

      قال عيسى بن هشام: وما كاد يستقر بنا المقام ويأخذ صاحبنا في بسط الكلام بعد انتهاء ذلك الخصام حتى جاء دور الرقص فعلت