Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VI. Tangiers
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102 DAYS IN THE SUN
stone flags, his legs drawn up under him, saying his
evening prayers by the light of the red lamp. I could
hear his assiduous mumbling. Then he ceased, pros-
trated his brow, which he struck thrice against the
stones, and went on mumbling again. Later, as I sat
bent over a letter to my native land, I could hear the
Muezzin summoning the faithful to midnight prayers,
in a soft but powerful voice, which came down from
the slender minaret and bathed all the houses in its
melody: God is great and all-powerful! Come to
prayer! God the Lord Calls!
In the night I was awakened by loud calls, guttural
voices and hasty steps in the alley. I jumped out of
bed and dashed out on the balcony, whence I could see
two white-clad policemen running along the railing of
the bluff, pointing with the long barrels of their car-
bines in the direction of the beach. They disappeared
in the misty light; I heard a shot. Then everything
was still, I went back to bed, and lay, wide awake,
listening for more.
The night was marked by the familiar sing-song hum
that is characteristic of a still night at all times and in
all places—it is silence audible. This silence was sud-
denly broken for a second time by the deep-chested call
to prayers which came from the mouth of the Muezzin
like a calm but strong swell of the sea. It was two
o’clock. When I was about to sleep again, I heard
loud but undistinguishable conversation going on
under my balcony, and a shower of pebbles was cast
into my room. Again I got up, and below on the rail-
ing, now covered by shadows, sat the two guards, star-
ing at my windows. When they caught sight of me,
they broke out in Arabic and made signs with their
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