I hurried back to the street. I didn't ask Ali about Baba. I didn't want to see him yet. In my head, I had it all planned: I'd make a grand entrance, a hero, prized trophy¹ in my bloodied² hands. Heads would turn and eyes would lock. Rostam and Sohrab sizing each other up. A dramatic moment of silence. Then the old warrior³ would walk to the young one, embrace him, acknowledge his worthiness⁴. Vindication⁵. Salvation⁶. Redemption. And then? Well... happily ever after, of course. What else?

我匆忙走回街上。我没向阿里问起爸爸，我还不想见到他。在我脑里，一切都计划好了：我要班师回朝，像一个英雄，用鲜血淋漓的手捧着战利品。我要万头攒动，万众瞩目，罗斯坦和索拉博彼此打量，此时无声胜有声。然后年老的战士会走向年轻的战士，抱着他，承认他出类拔萃。证明。获救。赎罪。然后呢?这么说吧……之后当然是永远幸福。还会有别的吗?

The streets of Wazir Akbar Khan were numbered and set at right angles to each other like a grid⁷. It was a new neighborhood then, still developing, with empty lots of land and half-constructed Homes on every street between compounds surrounded by eight-foot walls. I ran up and down every street, looking for Hassan. Everywhere, people were busy folding chairs, packing food and utensils⁸ after a long day of partying. Some, still sitting on their rooftops, shouted their congratulations to me.

瓦兹尔·阿克巴·汗区的街道不多，彼此成直角纵横交错，像个棋盘。当时它是个新城区，仍在蓬勃发展中，已建成的住宅区有八英尺高的围墙，在它们之间，街道上有大量的空地和尚未完工的房子。我跑遍每条街巷，搜寻哈桑的踪迹。到处都是忙着收起折叠椅的人们，在整天的狂欢之后，收起食物和器皿。有些还坐在他们的屋顶上，高声向我道贺。

Four streets south of ours, I saw Omar, the son of an engineer who was a friend of Baba's. He was dribbling⁹ a soccer ball with his brother on the front lawn of their house. Omar was a pretty good guy. We'd been classmates in fourth grade, and one time he'd given me a fountain pen, the kind you had to load with a cartridge¹⁰.

在我们家南边第四条街，我碰到奥马尔，他父亲是工程师，也是爸爸的朋友。他正在自家门前的草坪上，跟他弟弟玩足球。奥马尔是个不错的家伙。我们是四年级的同学，有次他送给我一枝水笔，配有抽取式墨水盒那种。

"I heard you won, Amir,?he said. "Congratulations."

"听说你赢了，阿米尔，"他说，"恭喜恭喜。"

"Thanks. Have you seen Hassan?"

"谢谢，你见到哈桑了吗?"

"Your Hazara?"

"你的哈扎拉人?"

I nodded.

我点点头。

Omar headed the ball to his brother. "I hear he's a great kite runner." His brother headed the ball back to him. Omar caught it, tossed it up and down. "Although I've always wondered how he manages. I mean, with those tight little eyes, how does he see anything?"

奥马尔用头将足球顶给他弟弟，"我听说他追风筝可厉害了。"他弟弟将足球顶回来，奥马尔伸手抓住，拍上拍下。"不过我总是奇怪他是怎么追到的。我的意思是说，他的眼睛那么小，怎么能看到任何东西呢?"

His brother laughed, a short burst, and asked for the ball. Omar ignored him.

他弟弟哈哈大笑，随后又要回足球，奥马尔没理他。

"Have you seen him?"

"你见到他了吗?"

Omar flicked¹¹ a thumb over his shoulder, pointing southwest. "I saw him running toward the bazaar¹² awhile ago."

奥马尔伸出拇指，朝肩膀后指了指西南边的方向:"刚才我看见他朝市场那边跑过去。"

"Thanks." I scuttled¹³ away.

"谢谢。"我赶忙跑开。