Chapter 27 Section 26

As thick Atlantic fog rolled in over the Tejo River, Kemal cautiously made his way through the bustling streets of Upper Town.It was evening at this moment, and the office workers were rushing home, and the crowds had already converged. The bars and cafes were gradually full, and many Lisbons came to the bar of the tavern to have dinner.Kemal walked through a small square, where old people drank red wine in the cold wind, and fishwives washed black bass in vats.He walked through a narrow alley full of vendors selling cheap clothes and accessories.A blind beggar asked him for money.Kemal dropped a few escudos into the wooden box hanging around his neck.A gypsy is going to tell his fortune.Kemal politely declined and moved on.Uptown in Lisbon reminded him of Beirut back then—Beirut and the refugee camps, he thought.Zurich seemed too cold and lifeless by comparison.No wonder Tarek loves Lisbon so much.

① Escudo (escudo): Portuguese circulation coins. He entered a crowded, Fado-themed bar.A waiter put a green carafe of wine and a glass in front of him.He lit a cigarette and poured himself a glass of wine.Ordinary, simple, yet surprisingly satisfying. ①Fado: A Portuguese folk music with a history of more than 100 years. Moments later, the same waiter walked through the crowd to the front of the store and stood next to a pair of guitarists.The guitarist plucks the strings, the waiter closes his eyes and begins to sing.Kemal couldn't understand the lyrics, but he was soon immersed in the lingering melody.

Amid the singing and music, a man sat beside Kemal.He was wearing a thick black sweater, a battered bomber jacket, and a scarf around his neck with a knot in his throat.He was unshaven and looked like a dock laborer.He leaned over and muttered something in Portuguese to Kemal.Kemal shrugged: "Sorry, I don't speak Portuguese." His attention returned to the singer.The music is on its way to an emotional climax.In traditional Fado music, singers must maintain a straight posture, like a soldier standing at attention. The dock worker patted Kemal's elbow and spoke Portuguese to him again.This time Kemal just shook his head without taking his eyes off the singer.

Then, the dock worker leaned over and said in Arabic, "I'm asking you, do you like Fado music?" Kemal turned around and carefully looked at the man beside him. I only heard Tariq say: "Let's find a quiet place so we can talk." They walked from the Upper Town to Alfama, an old neighborhood of chalk-painted houses with narrow alleys and winding stone steps.Kemal was amazed by Tariq's ability to blend naturally into his surroundings.Walking along the steep slope, Kemal seemed a little tired, and he didn't know how long he could last. "You never answered my question," Tariq said.

"what is the problem?" "Do you like Fado music?" "The more I listen to this stuff, the more interesting I am," he said with a smile, "It's like Lisbon, and for some reason, it reminds me of my hometown." "Fado is music dedicated to suffering and pain, so it reminds you of home." "I think you're right." They passed an old woman.She was sweeping her own steps. Tariq said, "Tell me about London." "It seems that Aaron has already taken the first step." "This is also something that comes as soon as it is said. What happened?"

Kemal told him about Yusef and the gallery girl: "Yussef found a strange man in his apartment building last night. He thinks that man may be Israeli. This man may be in His apartment was bugged." Kemal could see that Tariq was already calculating all possible scenarios. "With such an important mission, is your agent a trustworthy person?" "He was a very bright young man, very loyal. I knew his father, who was killed by the Israelis in 1982." "Did he look for bugs?" "I told him not to move." "Okay," Tariq said, "stay where it is. We can use it for me. How about the girl? She's not done yet, is she?"

"I told Yousef to keep dating her." "What kind of person is she?" "Obviously attractive." "Do you have resources in London, can you follow her?" "Absolutely." "Then do it. Send me a picture of her." "Do you have any tricks?" They passed a small square and went up a high, steep hill.By the time he reached the top, Tariq had explained his entire plan. "Wonderful," Kemal said, "but there is a flaw." "What is it?" "You have to sacrifice yourself." Tariq smiled wryly and said, "That's the best message I've heard in a long time." He turned away.After a while he disappeared into the mist.Kemal shivered, turned up the collar of his coat, and walked back uptown to listen to fado music.