A feeling of warmth generated by the assurance of imminent recovery made him want to try his strength. Being on his own in the room was a good opportunity, so he moved slowly to the edge of the bed and lowered his legs carefully until his feet touched the floor.

“My trust is in God,” he mumbled.

He stood up and leaned against the bed until he gained confidence in himself, then he moved his feet tentatively like a child taking its first steps on its own. His legs barely supported him, so weak was he, and so long had he been on his back. He walked till he reached the door. He opened it and continued to walk in the direction of the living room. He wanted to give Radiya and her aunt a pleasant surprise. As he approached the room, he heard voices: an argument between Radiya and her aunt.

“Who? Who?” Radiya was asking sharply.

Uncharacteristically the aunt answered in soft tones, “You’ve brought it all on yourself. I warned you long ago.”

“What’s the use now?”

“See what your greed and miscalculation have brought you!”

“Go ahead and shout so he will hear you!”

Then they fell silent.

He returned to his bed stunned. What were they arguing about? What was it she had brought on herself? What greed? What miscalculation? He closed his eyes and bit his lip.

“O God! What does that mean? Could it be true?” Why shouldn’t it? He himself had always wanted to play that game, but had been unlucky. So strong was his feeling of frustration he was completely carried away with it.

“What a fool I have been!”

He had a setback, suffering a further attack. For days life and death fought over him. He appeared determined to cling to life despite everything and despite telling himself it would be a long and losing battle.

“God’s will be done!” he said.

People said he had passed the critical stage, but it was known from the beginning that he would have to stay in bed indefinitely. He revealed his secret to nobody. When Radiya came in he kept his eyes closed. He bore her no grudge nor was he angry with her.

“I have no right to hate her more than I hate myself,” he would tell himself.

“If one day I can have a child by her, I will not hesitate, so the game of life will have its bright side as well as its dark,” he thought. And in the end he sighed. “What a fool I was! What a bad end I have come to!” He was not angry but he no longer had any confidence in space.

One evening Radiya entered the room, her face flushed.

“The Under Secretary of State has come to visit you,” she said.

Bahjat Noor came in with his usual dignified bearing. He shook his hand and sat down as he said, “You look marvelous!”