Mother's Farewell' I called the last canvas I made of her; I painted her asleep, cold, with my brothers and their wives around her, their heads bowed... I put the price of the canvas away in my strongbox and cursed life”...

“Do not strain yourself so. Try to give yourself up to sleep”...

“No — I have no right to curse life after it has taken and given... it took me and gave me you.... I am spiteful and resentful, as she once said...

“Do you remember the day I stood behind you, contemplating your hair, while you contemplated a canvas of mine? You turned your face and saw me and said:

“'He is a great artist! His canvases make one weep.'

“'Yes — he paints with his tears'...

“Then your beautiful blue eyes turned, and you said:

“'You are he?'

“A matchless hour it was — was it not, Hayat, my life? In it each of us found the other... an exceeding kindness from life, and a great atonement...”

“I beg you, my darling, try to sleep”...

“I cannot... I am afraid... afraid he will cut it off... I shall not be able to paint you if he cuts it off; my eyes will turn to stone and my heart will freeze, and you will freeze within it”...

“I will pray — I will pray until dawn, and God hears and answers”...

“Come close to me, then, and pray. Let me hear you praying”...

*

Remnants of sunset gathered in that hospital room...

Remnants of sunset gathered in his heart until it filled with sunset...

He strained his hearing and fixed his eyes on the door, waiting...

She closed the door behind her and

came near the bed...

“I did not let him bring you the good news. I wanted to bring it myself”...

“It will not be cut off?!”

“It will not be cut off”...

“Bring your forehead close so I may kiss it, and tell me — why do

you love me?”

“Because you are a great artist!”

“Who paints with his tears?”

“No — with your hand, moved by the beats of your great heart”...