البوليس (للجمع) ما هذا الصياح على الصباح وما هذا العناء وهذا النداء كأن كل واحد من أهل هذا البلد يريد أن يكون له واحد من البوليس في خدمته.
المكاري أغثني يا سعادة الجاويش فإنّ هذا الرجل ضربني ولم يعطني أجرتي وأنت تعرفني في هذا الموقف وتعرف أنني لست ممن يتشاجر ويتخاصم.
الباشا خذ أيها القواس هذا السفيه وضعه في السجن حتى يأتيك أمري فيه.
البوليس (للمكاري) من أين ركب معك هذا الرجل يا مرسي.
المكاري ركب معي من الإمام.
الباشا (للبوليس) ما هذا الإبطاء في تنفيذ أمري، أسرع به إلى السجن.
البوليس (ضاحكا مستهزئا) أظنك أيها الرجل من مجاذيب الحضرة في الأمام فهلم معي إلى القسم فإن هيئتك تدلني على إفلاسك وعجزك عن الدفع.
When the Donkeyman spotted the Policeman directly in front of him, he dashed over to speak to him. All the spectators who had gathered round us followed. They found the Policeman standing there holding a red napkin full of various oddments which he had collected from the market traders during the course of his supervision of the “regulations.” He was busy talking to the owner of the shop, instructing him to put inside the shop the stalks of sugarcane which he had on display outside. In one hand, he was holding a stalk of cane and threatening the owner with it, shaking it in his face like a spear. At the same time, he was looking in another direction, and giggling and babbling at a baby on a woman’s shoulder.
He carried on like this till we all came towards him, then turned round with the napkin in one hand and the sugarcane in the other:
Policeman (to everyone) What’s all this row about in the early morning? Why so much yelling and commotion? Anyone would think that every single person had to have his own private policeman at his service.
Donkeyman Please help me, Sergeant Sir. This man here assaulted me and has refused to give me my charge. You know me on this beat and realize that I’m not one to argue or pick a quarrel for nothing.
Pāshā Guard, take this insolent wretch and lock him up in prison till someone brings you my orders concerning him.
Policeman (to the Donkeyman) Tell me, Mursī, from where did this man ride with you?
Donkeyman From the Imam district.
Pāshā Why are you being so slow about carrying out my instructions? Take him to prison at once!
Policeman (with a scoff) My dear fellow, it seems to me you must be from the lunatic asylum in the Imām district. Come to the station with me. Your scruffy clothing makes it quite clear that you’re penniless and cannot pay the charge.
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قال عيسى بن هشام: فجذب البوليس صاحبي من ذراعه فكاد يغمى عليه من الدهشة فلم يدر ما يصنع وسلم البوليس ما في يديه من المنديل والعود إلى الرجل الذي أودع المكاري حماره عنده وسار صاحبي في قبضة البوليس والمكاري خلفهما والجمع على أثرهم إلى القسم. ولما صعدوا إلى السلم أخذ المكاري يصرخ ويصيح فقابله أحد عساكر المراسلة فضربه ليسكت لأنّ المعاون غريق في النوم فدخلنا في حجرة الصول لضبط الواقعة فوجدناه يأكل والقلم على أذنه وقد نزع طربوشه وخلع نعله وحل أزراره وبجانبه اثنان من أقربائه الفلاحين يتلذذ بما يبهرهما من سلطته على الكبير والصغير في عاصمة القطر وتخت الحكومة وما في قدرته من حبس أي شخص كان والشهادة عليه بما يهواه
فطردنا جميعا من أمامه حتى ينتهي من طعامه فخرجنا ننتظر وقد أراد صاحبي من شدة ما ألمّ به من الدهشة أن يستند على الحائط فخانته يده فوقع فوق عسكري كان يكنس بغير كسوته العسكرية فأخذ العسكري في الشتم والسب ودخل على الصول هاجما فقال إنّ المتهم الذي يشتكي منه المكاري تعدى عليّ في أثناء تأدية وظيفتي فرفسني برجله فأمر الصول بإحضاره ونادى على كاتبه العسكري فطلب منه أن يحرر محضرين محضر مخالفة ومحضر جنحة فأملى عليه الصول اصطلاحات لهم في الكلام لا أفهمها.
وبعد أن شهد البوليس الأول في محضره المخالفة بما ينفع المكاري وشهد الصول نفسه في محضر الجنحة بأنه شاهد المتهم يتعدى على أحد عساكر القسم في تأدية وظيفته ختم الصول المحضرين وأمر أن يأخذوا المتهم إلى خشبة المقاس وتحرير ورقة التشبيه فجاء العسكري المدعي نفسه الذي كان يكنس لأخذ صاحبي فأفاق من دهشته تحت خشبة المقاس وعنف العسكري وإيذائه والتفت إليّ يقول:
ʿĪsā ibn Hishām said: The Policeman dragged my companion along by the arm. The Pāshā almost collapsed in astonishment; he had no clue about what he was doing. The Policeman handed the fruit and other things he was holding to the man whom the Donkeyman had asked to take care of his donkey. My companion was dragged along to the police station on the Policeman’s arm. The Donkeyman followed behind them and the crowd came along at their heels.
They all reached the station and climbed the steps. At this point, the Donkeyman started yelling and screaming again. One of the policemen on duty came up and hit him; he had to quiet him down because the Precinct Adjutant was sound asleep. He went into the Sergeant-Major’s room to enter the charge, but found him there with his pen in his ear, eating; he had taken off his tarboosh, removed his shoes, and undone the buttons on his uniform. At his side were two peasants whom I presumed to be relatives of his; they were seeing for themselves the enjoyable way he could exercise his influence in the country’s capital city and seat of government, the extensive authority which he had over people whether important or of little significance, and the power he had to imprison anyone, whoever he might be, and to use whatever testimony took his fancy as evidence against accused people.