let’s go,” U Po Thein said as he led the way. Way Way and Ko Nay U followed him side by side. When they got to the front of the house next door, Way Way saw a heavy curtain hanging over the doorway to assure privacy from the main street. In front of it stood an Indian watchman, resplendent in a white turban and a long white knee-length coat with brass buttons all the way down. He looked very impressive. When U Po Thein’s party entered the compound, the doorman stood up straight, his feet together, gave them a salaam, and drew the curtain aside.
The room inside was lit with a diffused greenish blue glow. U Saw Han, dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and long black serge pants, arose from the sofa and came forward to greet them. “Please,” he said, turning first to U Po Thein, “Don’t take off your shoes, keep them on. Don’t take yours off, Way Way.”21 U Po Thein had taken off his velvet sandals, but out of deference to U Saw Han’s requests he put them on again even though he felt uncomfortable doing so. U Saw Han wouldn’t let the others take off their sandals either.
Way Way and Ko Nay U sat down on the sofa. Since the sofa and the two matching stuffed chairs were placed around the edges of the large carpet, the people sat quite apart from each other. Way Way was gazing at the porcelain vase that held an arrangement of New Zealand Creeper. Ko Nay U started the conversation by asking U Saw Han, “Well, what do you think of my house?”
“Oh I like it, but since the roof is made of zinc it gets very hot upstairs in the afternoons, so I usually have to rest downstairs at that time.”
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
