One day Othman came across an advertisement of some interest. It had been put out by his ministry to fill a vacancy for a translator with a knowledge of both English and French at a salary of thirty-five pounds per month. A date was announced for a competition. He entered the competition without hesitation and without giving it much thought. It so happened that he won it, and this increased his self-confidence and the pride he took in his own talents. He was called to see Hamza al-Suwayfi in his office (the new appointment was under his direct supervision).

“I congratulate you on your success. It shows how versatile you are,” he said.

Othman thanked him with his usual politeness.

“But that’s a post with a fixed salary,” the man said. “If you take it, you will be excluded from the ordinary promotion scale. Have you thought about that?”

He had not in fact realized this and soon his enthusiasm for the job’s relatively high salary subsided.

“Actually I do not wish to withdraw from the ordinary scale…” he said.

“That means we should appoint the runner-up.”

Othman thought of a good idea and said, “Wouldn’t it be possible to have me promoted to grade six, add the translation work to my responsibilities, and thus save a considerable sum in the budget?”

The Director of Administration thought for a long while and then said, “The question must be raised with the Personnel Office and the Legal Department.”

“Very well, sir.”

Hamza laughed and said, “You are ambitious as well as wise. I hope your suggestion will be accepted.”

His promotion to grade six was settled at a monthly salary of twenty-five pounds. And though he had to sacrifice ten pounds a month, still he earned a promotion that otherwise he would not have reached for years, quite apart from the special importance attached to him because of his dual job. As usual, he enjoyed a brief spell of happiness. His acquaintance with happiness was ephemeral, like chance encounters on the road. He went back to measuring the long path and groaning at its infinite length. What use was grade six when he was nearing the end of his youth and about to enter a new phase of his life?

Sa‘fan Basyuni embraced him and said, “You are making marvelous leaps ahead, my son…”

“But days are swifter than a fleeting thought,” he said wistfully.

“They are indeed. Heaven protect you from their evil…”

Othman gazed at his wrinkled face and said, “Tell me about the ambitions you had when you were young, would you?”

“Me? God be praised! The position of Head of Archives was greater than anything I dreamed of.”

“Didn’t you aspire to become Director General?”

The old man broke into a fit of laughter until tears came to his eyes. “Common people like us cannot aim at anything beyond being the head of a section,” he said.