hatever　reason；　he　felt　heavier　out　there；

but without paying any mind to this； I began to pull him down the stairs。

Halfway　down；　my　strength　gave　out　and　I　sat　on　a　step。　I　was　on　the　verge　of

tears　again　when　I　heard　a　noise　that　made　me　assume　that　Hayriye　and　the

children　had　returned。　I　grabbed　my　father　by　the　ankles；　and　pressing　them

into my armpits； I continued to descend； faster this time。 My dear father’s

head　had　been　so　crushed　and　was　so　soaked　in　blood　that　it　made　the　sound

of　a　wrung…out　mop　as　it　struck　each　step。　At　the　base　of　the　stairs；　I　turned

his　body；　which　now　seemed　to　have　grown　lighter；　and　with　one　great　effort；

dragging him across the stone floor； I took him into the summer painting

room。　In　order　to　see　within　the　pitch…black　room；　I　hastened　back　out　to　the

stove　in　the　kitchen。　When　I　returned　with　a　candle　I　saw　how　thoroughly　the

room　where　I’d　dragged　my　father　had　been　pillaged。　I　was　dumbstruck。

Who　is　it；　my　God；　which　one　of　them？

My mind was churning。 Closing the door tightly； I left my father in the

demolished　room。　I　grabbed　a　bucket　from　the　kitchen；　and　filled　it　with　water

from　the　well。　I　climbed　the　stairs；　and　by　the　light　of　an　oil　lamp；　I　quickly

wiped　away　the　blood　in　the　hallway；　on　the　staircase　and　everywhere　else。　I

went back upstairs to m