When the blood transfusion was over and Doctor Resuhî was attending to Sadan, I bandaged my wound; I felt as though I were about to faint. As I went downstairs to have a glass of wine upon the advice of Resuhî Bey, the old professor ran after me and said:
“Remember, you must never mention this operation to anyone. Off you go.”
I lay down on my side as I drank the wine, wondering how Sadan could have lost so much blood in one night, and fell asleep. But awake or asleep, the small wounds on Sadan’s neck flashed ever before my eyes.
After sleeping all day, Sadan awoke fairly well, though not nearly so much so as the day before. Seeing her condition, Doctor Resuhî went out for a walk. He warned me not to leave the patient alone for even a moment. I heard Resuhî Bey ask the maid about a telegraph office.
Sadan chatted with me freely; it was obvious that she was unaware of this new incident. After two hours, Resuhî Bey returned and said:
“Now go home, eat plenty of nutritious food, and sleep. I am here; do not say anything about the situation here to anyone; I have very important reasons for this. No! Do not ask now, but keep in mind that even impossible things can happen. Good bye!”
11 September.—Once I felt better, I went to see Sadan. I found the doctor in excellent spirits and Sadan as happy and healthy as Resuhî Bey. After my arrival, a large suitcase from Yakacik arrived for the old professor.
The doctor opened the suitcase; he presented a rather large bundle of white flowers to Sadan and said:
“Sadan Hanim, these are for you. But they are not a gift; they are a medicine. Oh little miss, do not frown. Do not be afraid, I shall not boil them and make you drink it. I will put them up like trimming around your windows and make a wreath of them for you to wear around your neck; then you shall be able to sleep soundly.”
Sadan had every reason to frown; these were nothing but garlic flowers. When Sadan threw the bundle from her hands in disgust, Resuhî Bey knit his eyebrows.
“Nooo, Sadan Hanim, I do not want such jokes; in everything I do there is a very important and significant purpose,” he said. When the doctor saw Sadan was becoming distressed, he softened his voice and held her hand. “My daughter, my child! I am working for your own good. For God’s sake, for the love of all the people who love you so much, listen to my words… Look, I will put these flowers around your room with my own hands, and I am making your necklace too. But you must never mention these to anyone. Come, Afif, let us decorate the windows and the room. I had them pick these flowers especially from the villages of Yakacik.”
Doctor Resuhî Bey’s actions were very strange and mysterious. Even I was troubled by this exercise in the name of medicine. Resuhî Bey first closed the windows tightly and put the shutters in place; then he carefully lined the window frames and windows with the flowers. He did the same to the door. Presently I lost my patience and asked my old tutor:
“Professor, I have never seen you do anything contrary to logic and scientific reason, but if someone saw you here now they would think you were casting a spell on the room to keep out evil spirits.”
Resuhî Bey, fastening the wreath in his hands, said calmly:
“Perhaps I am!”
Then he put the wreath around Sadan’s neck:
“Do not disturb this; and even if it is very hot tonight, do not open the window or door!”
When we left the room my old friend turned to me and said:
“Tonight I can sleep in peace; and sleep I need. Tomorrow, come to my hotel and we will both go to visit our little miss; you will see that my spell will have healed her!” (At this, the doctor laughed strangely.)
CHAPTER VII
From Sadan Hanim’s Diary.
12 September.—I should like to write a few things in my diary while I feel well. Ah, this old doctor Resuhî Bey is a venerable, kind person. I quite love him. What of Doctor Afif? He is really an angel; that is what you call a true friend. I am happy that I am surrounded by such compassionate people as Turan and my mother!
Oh my God, what were all these struggles I have had against sleep, and those terrible dreams? How blessed are some people who can sleep comfortably. Tonight I hope I may join them. I have never loved garlic but tonight it almost smells delightful. Come, sweet slumber. I entrust all to God. Tonight I will not fear the sound of wings flapping outside my window!
From Doctor Azmi Bey’s Diary.
13 September.—I called on Doctor Resuhî Bey; we got into an automobile and went to see Sadan Hanim. After passing the sweet smell of the garden on this lovely morning, we met Sadan’s mother, always an early riser, downstairs. The woman said with a cheerful expression:
“I congratulate and thank you, doctors; Sadan is very well. In fact, seeing as she is not yet up, she must be sleeping perfectly. I did not enter her room lest I should disturb her. But doctors, do not claim all the credit for yourselves. I woke up in the night and went into her room to check on her. She was sleeping like an angel, but the room was full of foul-smelling flowers. Sadan even had a wreath of them around her neck. I took them all away so that this foul smell would not bother my daughter, and opened a window to let in some air. Have I not done well, gentlemen?”
Upon saying this, she went away to her room. I looked at the old professor; his face instantly turned white. He remained calm in front of this poor woman who was susceptible to death from the slightest shock. But the moment she left, he grasped my hand in great anger and took me into one of the rooms and closed the door.
Then, for the first time, I saw this calm man break down under the weight of hardship and sorrow! He raised his hands, beat them upon his knees, sat down in a chair, and in a quiet but terrible voice began to sob like a desperate child. This went on for a minute or two. Resuhî Bey raised his hands again and screamed as though appealing to the whole universe.
“My God, my God, my God! What have we done? What has this poor girl done to suffer so much tragedy? Has the pagan world of old sent its evil spirits to us? Are we yet dealing with a talisman of doom?
“This poor woman, in order to make her comfortable, is unknowingly destroying her dear daughter’s life, blood, and soul! The worst is, we can tell her nothing…”