Part 67

At that same pond side, where the water had slowly turned silver under the moonlight, Salih sat a little distance away. On his face rested that half mocking, half joyful smile.

Usuf sat with both hands pressed against his waist, hair disordered, a sorrowful patience and a trace of guilt on his face.

And at that very moment, Hamad arrived. He came with a strange intensity, as if pushing through the air itself.

This handsome, tall, bright eyed young man walked like fire. The sound of his shoes on the ground beat like the drums of battle. He wore a dark green garment with golden embroidery along the sleeves.

Usuf stepped forward, that unbreakable calm expression on his face, as if nothing had happened, though in his eyes behind false confidence lingered a shadow of fear. Clearing his throat, he said,
"The horse and the pouch... I mean, there has been a complication."

Hamad stopped. His brows tightened. A vein on his forehead swelled in an instant.
"Complication?" his voice was low, yet there was something in it that made even the insects by the pond fall silent.

Usuf began telling the entire incident. A bamboo grove, then how the horse had been stolen, the pouch as well, everything told like a story, as if meant to sound amusing.

Hamad’s eyes were burning with anger, but he listened. Silently, lips tight, he kept listening without interruption.

And then…Hamad stood still. Angry, he began to curse loudly. In the stillness of the dark night, his voice sounded like cannon fire.

Salih pressed his lips to hide a smile. He pretended to look sorry.
Usuf said, "Why are you shouting so much for one horse? I will pay you back."

The moment those words were spoken, it felt like an explosion.

Hamad’s eyes almost burst out, his face turning red. He roared,
"Son of a devil. The pouch had diamonds and emeralds worth six lakh bajuka coins!"

In a single moment the entire ghat seemed frozen. The air stopped, a single leaf slowly drifted down and rested beside Hamad.

Salih stared with his mouth open. As if he could not understand what he had just heard. That familiar foolish look of surprise on his face.

And then, Salih burst into laughter. Without any reason. A simple, mischievous laugh like that of a boy. As if he could not believe that while chasing a horse, Usuf had lost six lakh bajuka!

Hamad turned toward him, eyes red.

Usuf and Hamad shouted together,
"We will throw you into the water!"

Salih jumped up. Raising a finger to his lips, he said, “If you come to touch me, I will shout and gather the whole city.”

In his voice was a strange mixture of fear and humor.

Usuf and Hamad ignored Salih.

Usuf spoke in a softer voice,
"Do not worry. I will repay all your money."
There was seriousness in his voice. After a brief pause he added,
"And the diamond ring too."

At this moment Hamad froze. Shock filled his eyes. He looked toward Salih.

Salih looked toward the sky. Smiling quietly.

Hamad looked at Usuf. Slowly he asked,
"Why? What happened to the diamond ring?"

Usuf, lowering his head, slowly looked toward the water.

The pond water was silent, cold. As if hiding a sin.

Hamad stepped back once, swallowing hard. Fear and disbelief trembled together in his voice,
"Do not tell me it fell into the water."

And then Salih said with a laugh, "Usuf threw it into the water."

That laughter. A sound out of time.

As the sound of laughter spread through the air, stunned, Hamad became furious. In a loud voice he said,
"Son of a dog. The ring is almost nine thousand years old. It was a king’s ring. I was going to sell it to someone of noble lineage. I bought it for ten lakh bajuka coins."

Intense anger burned in his eyes.

On the far side of the pond, an old snail withdrew into its shell.

Usuf remained silent. He said nothing. Hearing the price of the ring, he stayed speechless for a while. In his eyes appeared guilt and sorrow for his own foolishness.

A strange sound moved through the air, the water trembled, the night stood still.

This time Salih truly said nothing. The smile had disappeared from his face. He also could not believe it. Thinking that he had been holding such an expensive diamond ring in his hand, Salih stared in disbelief.

Usuf stood up. He moved toward Hamad. Calm, silent. Then, in a deep voice, he said,
"Calm down a little. We have found the trace of a treasure. Compared to that, this twenty lakh bajuka is nothing."

The words floated in the air.

Salih and Usuf explained the entire matter to Hamad. Then Hamad calmed down somewhat. His eyes shone bright like two moons.

Behind them, the soft rustle of leaves in the night air, and the bark of a dog ahead made the night pause for a moment. Usuf stepped closer and placed a hand on Hamad’s shoulder.

"Do not worry," Usuf said, his voice slowly growing deeper, "we are about to gain something greater than all of that. A treasure that no one in history has even touched."