حارِسَةُ الحَمّامِ في دِمَشْق

The Hammam Guardian of Damascus

الفصل الأول: بَيْتُ البُخار

Chapter One: The House of Steam

في قَلْبِ دِمَشْقَ القَديمَةِ، قُرْبَ الجامِعِ الأُمَوِيِّ، كانَ حَمّامُ النِّساءِ الشَّهيرُ. وَكانَتْ سُعادُ بِنْتُ الحاجِّ حارِسَتَهُ مُنْذُ عَشْرِ سَنَواتٍ.

In the heart of old Damascus, near the Umayyad Mosque, stood the famous women's bathhouse. And Su'ad bint al-Hajj had been its guardian for ten years.

امْرَأَةٌ في السّادِسَةِ وَالثَّلاثينَ، أَرْمَلَةٌ مُنْذُ سِتِّ سَنَواتٍ، لَمْ تَتَزَوَّجْ ثانِيَةً لِأَنَّها لَمْ تَجِدْ مَنْ يُحَرِّكُ قَلْبَها.

A woman of thirty-six, a widow for six years, who had not remarried because she had not found one who moved her heart.

جَسَدُها مُمْتَلِئٌ كَغُيومِ البُخارِ في الحَمّامِ، بَشَرَتُها ناعِمَةٌ مِنْ سَنَواتِ الماءِ السّاخِنِ، وَعَيْناها سَوْداوانِ عَميقَتانِ كَالآبارِ الحارَّةِ.

Her body was full like the clouds of steam in the hammam, her skin soft from years of hot water, and her eyes deep black like hot wells.

"كُلَّ يَوْمٍ أَرى أَجْسادَ النِّساءِ،" كانَتْ تَقولُ لِنَفْسِها، "وَجَسَدي يَحْتَرِقُ وَحيداً."

"Every day I see women's bodies," she would say to herself, "while my body burns alone."

الفصل الثاني: الزّائِرُ الغَريب

Chapter Two: The Strange Visitor

في يَوْمٍ غَريبٍ، جاءَ رَجُلٌ يَطْرُقُ بابَ الحَمّامِ بَعْدَ إغْلاقِهِ.

On a strange day, a man came knocking on the hammam door after closing.

"الحَمّامُ مُغْلَقٌ!" صاحَتْ سُعادُ.

"The hammam is closed!" Su'ad called out.

"أَنا طَبيبُ السُّلْطانِ. أَحْتاجُ لِاسْتِخْدامِ الحَمّامِ لِعِلاجٍ خاصٍّ."

"I am the Sultan's physician. I need to use the hammam for a special treatment."

فَتَحَتِ البابَ. رَأَتْ رَجُلاً في الأَرْبَعينَ، طَويلاً بِلِحْيَةٍ سَوْداءَ وَعَيْنَيْنِ رَمادِيَّتَيْنِ.

She opened the door. She saw a man of forty, tall with a black beard and gray eyes.

"أَنا الحَكيمُ يونُسُ. السُّلْطانُ أَمَرَني بِاسْتِخْدامِ هذا الحَمّامِ لِعِلاجِ ظَهْري."

"I am Hakim Yunus. The Sultan ordered me to use this hammam to treat my back."

"لكِنَّ هذا حَمّامُ النِّساءِ..."

"But this is the women's hammam..."

"في هذِهِ السّاعَةِ لَيْسَ هُناكَ نِساءٌ. وَالسُّلْطانُ أَمَرَ."

"At this hour there are no women. And the Sultan ordered."

الفصل الثالث: في غُرْفَةِ البُخار

Chapter Three: In the Steam Room

قادَتْهُ إلى غُرْفَةِ البُخارِ السّاخِنَةِ. البُخارُ يَمْلَأُ المَكانَ، يَجْعَلُ الرُّؤْيَةَ صَعْبَةً.

She led him to the hot steam room. Steam filled the place, making visibility difficult.

"سَأَحْتاجُ مُساعَدَتَكِ،" قالَ وَهُوَ يَخْلَعُ رِداءَهُ.

"I will need your help," he said as he removed his robe.

"مُساعَدَتي؟"

"My help?"

"في تَدْليكِ ظَهْري. العِلاجُ يَتَطَلَّبُ ذلِكَ."

"In massaging my back. The treatment requires that."

جَلَسَ عَلى الرُّخامِ السّاخِنِ. ظَهْرُهُ عَريضٌ قَوِيٌّ.

He sat on the hot marble. His back was broad and strong.

بَدَأَتْ تُدَلِّكُهُ. يَداها عَلى جِلْدِهِ الدّافِئِ.

She began massaging him. Her hands on his warm skin.

"يَداكِ ماهِرَتانِ،" قالَ.

"Your hands are skilled," he said.

"أُدَلِّكُ النِّساءَ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ."

"I massage women every day."

"هَلْ تُدَلِّكينَ الرِّجالَ أَيْضاً؟"

"Do you massage men too?"

"لا. أَنْتَ الأَوَّلُ."

"No. You are the first."

الفصل الرابع: تَبادُلُ الأَدْوار

Chapter Four: Exchanging Roles

الْتَفَتَ إلَيْها. "دَعيني أُكافِئُكِ."

He turned to her. "Let me reward you."

"لا حاجَةَ."

"There is no need."

"أُصِرُّ. اِجْلِسي."

"I insist. Sit."

جَلَسَتْ عَلى الرُّخامِ. بَدَأَ يُدَلِّكُ كَتِفَيْها مِنْ فَوْقِ ثَوْبِها.

She sat on the marble. He began massaging her shoulders over her gown.

"يَداكَ... دافِئَتانِ جِدّاً."

"Your hands... are very warm."

"البُخارُ يُسَخِّنُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ."

"The steam heats everything."

"لَيْسَ البُخارَ فَقَطْ."

"Not just the steam."

نَظَرَ إلى عَيْنَيْها. رَأى فيهِما جَوْعاً طَويلاً.

He looked into her eyes. He saw in them a long hunger.

"مُنْذُ مَتى أَنْتِ وَحيدَةٌ؟"

"How long have you been alone?"

"سِتُّ سَنَواتٍ."

"Six years."

"هذا وَقْتٌ طَويلٌ."

"That is a long time."

الفصل الخامس: الماءُ السّاخِن

Chapter Five: The Hot Water

قَبَّلَها. شَفَتاهُ ساخِنَتانِ كَالماءِ في الحَمّامِ.

He kissed her. His lips were hot as the water in the hammam.

"هذا حَرامٌ،" هَمَسَتْ.

"This is forbidden," she whispered.

"البُخارُ يُخْفي كُلَّ شَيْءٍ. لا أَحَدَ يَرانا."

"The steam hides everything. No one sees us."

أَنْزَلَ ثَوْبَها. ظَهَرَ جَسَدُها المُمْتَلِئُ، رَطْبٌ مِنَ البُخارِ.

He lowered her gown. Her full body appeared, moist from the steam.

نَهْداها كَبيرانِ ثَقيلانِ، قَطَراتُ الماءِ تَسيلُ عَلَيْهِما. بَطْنُها مُسْتَديرَةٌ ناعِمَةٌ، وَوِرْكاها عَريضَتانِ.

Her breasts were large and heavy, drops of water flowing on them. Her belly was round and soft, and her hips wide.

"جَسَدُكِ كَحَمّامٍ سِرِّيٍّ لَمْ يَدْخُلْهُ أَحَدٌ."

"Your body is like a secret hammam no one has entered."

الفصل السادس: التَّطْهيرُ بِاللَّذَّة

Chapter Six: Purification by Pleasure

أَلْقاها عَلى الرُّخامِ السّاخِنِ. قَبَّلَ جَسَدَها كُلَّهُ.

He laid her on the hot marble. He kissed her entire body.

"طَعْمُكِ كَالماءِ العَذْبِ!"

"Your taste is like fresh water!"

وَصَلَ بَيْنَ فَخِذَيْها. لَحَسَ زَهْرَتَها بِبُطْءٍ.

He reached between her thighs. He licked her flower slowly.

"يا إلهي!" صَرَخَتْ. صَوْتُها يَتَرَدَّدُ في القُبَّةِ.

"My God!" she cried. Her voice echoed in the dome.

"سِتُّ سَنَواتٍ مِنَ الجَفافِ. دَعيني أُرْويكِ."

"Six years of drought. Let me quench you."

اسْتَمَرَّ يَلْعَقُها. البُخارُ يَلُفُّهُما، وَصَوْتُ الماءِ يَخْتَلِطُ بِأَنّاتِها.

He continued licking her. Steam wrapped around them, and the sound of water mixed with her moans.

وَصَلَتْ إلى ذُرْوَتِها، صارِخَةً صَرْخَةً طَويلَةً.

She reached her peak, letting out a long cry.

الفصل السابع: الغَطْسُ الأَخير

Chapter Seven: The Final Immersion

"اُدْخُلْني!" تَوَسَّلَتْ. "اِمْلَأْني بِماءِ الحَياةِ!"

"Enter me!" she pleaded. "Fill me with the water of life!"

خَلَعَ ما تَبَقّى مِنْ ثِيابِهِ. ذَكَرُهُ مُنْتَصِبٌ قَوِيٌّ.

He removed what remained of his clothes. His member was erect and strong.

دَخَلَها وَهُما عَلى الرُّخامِ السّاخِنِ. صَرَخَتْ مِنَ اللَّذَّةِ.

He entered her while they were on the hot marble. She cried out from pleasure.

"سِتُّ سَنَواتٍ!" صَرَخَتْ. "سِتُّ سَنَواتٍ كُنْتُ أَنْتَظِرُ هذا!"

"Six years!" she cried. "Six years I have been waiting for this!"

بَدَأَ يَتَحَرَّكُ بِقُوَّةٍ. الماءُ يَتَطايَرُ حَوْلَهُما وَالبُخارُ يَزْدادُ.

He began to move forcefully. Water splashed around them and the steam increased.

"أَسْرَعُ! أَقْوى!"

"Faster! Harder!"

نَهْداها الكَبيرانِ يَهْتَزّانِ، وَأَرْدافُها المُمْتَلِئَةُ تَصْطَدِمُ بِالرُّخامِ.

Her large breasts swayed, and her full buttocks collided with the marble.

الفصل الثامن: النَّظافَةُ التّامَّة

Chapter Eight: Complete Cleanliness

"أَنا قَريبَةٌ!" صَرَخَتْ.

"I am close!" she cried.

"مَعاً سَنَغْتَسِلُ!"

"Together we will bathe!"

وَصَلا إلى ذُرْوَتِهِما. صَرَخا صَرْخَةً واحِدَةً مَلَأَتِ الحَمّامَ.

They reached their peak. They cried out in one voice that filled the hammam.

أَفْرَغَ نَفْسَهُ داخِلَها، حَرارَتُهُ تَمْتَزِجُ مَعَ حَرارَةِ الماءِ.

He emptied himself inside her, his heat mixing with the heat of the water.

اسْتَلْقَيا في بِرْكَةِ الماءِ الدّافِئِ، مُتَعانِقَيْنِ.

They lay in the pool of warm water, embracing.

"هَلْ سَتَعودُ؟" سَأَلَتْهُ.

"Will you return?" she asked him.

"كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ يَأْمُرُني السُّلْطانُ."

"Every night the Sultan orders me."

ابْتَسَمَتْ. "شُكْراً لِلسُّلْطانِ."

She smiled. "Thanks to the Sultan."

الخاتِمَة

Epilogue

اسْتَمَرَّ الحَكيمُ يونُسُ يَزورُ الحَمّامَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ. سُعادُ لَمْ تَسْأَلْ عَنِ السُّلْطانِ، لِأَنَّها لَمْ تَهْتَمَّ إنْ كانَ الأَمْرُ حَقيقِيّاً أَمْ كَذِباً.

Hakim Yunus continued visiting the hammam every night. Su'ad never asked about the Sultan, because she did not care if the matter was true or a lie.

وَيُقالُ إنَّ حَمّامَ دِمَشْقَ صارَ الأَكْثَرَ سُخونَةً في الشّامِ كُلِّها، وَلَمْ يَعْرِفْ أَحَدٌ السَّبَبَ الحَقيقِيَّ.

And it is said that the Damascus hammam became the hottest in all of Syria, and no one knew the real reason.

انْتَهَتِ القِصَّة | The End